Practicality is the Kawasaki’s Ninja® 500R’s biggest asset as it strikes an ideal balance between function, form and budget that’s rarely achieved in the sport bike world. A sensible sportbike, the 500R is ready to rip, yet remains friendly enough for beginners to feel confident in its manners.

At the heart of this excellent platform is the Ninja 500R’s 498cc liquid-cooled, parallel twin-cylinder four-stroke engine. With dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder, the robust motor is both beginner-friendly and rousing to expert riders. No slouch, this half-liter engine has enough gusto to let novices expand their skills and keep even the most seasoned riders quite happy exploring the upper end of its rev range.

 
Letting the high-performance engine live to its full potential is a lightweight and compact design. One of the major selling points for the Ninja 500R is its great-handling enabled by its large-diameter 37mm fork tubes and UNI-TRAK® rear suspension system utilizing a progressive linkage similar to the larger-displacement Ninja models. With the motor and chassis combo, the bike begs to be taken out on twisty back roads.