Kawasaki has thrown its hat into the light middleweight adventure sector with the arrival of a new KLE500 for 2026.
Built around the same 451cc parallel-twin motor used in Kawasaki’s other 500s, the KLE has real presence thanks to its large proportions. With all the classic rally raid styling cues, there’s more than a hint of Yamaha Tenere 700 or Ducati DesertX about it, although Kawasaki insists the design is inspired by its KX range of motocrossers.
With a 21” front wheel, tall windscreen, a generous-yet-slim 16 litre fuel tank, long travel suspension, spoked wheels and off-road patterned IRC GP-410 tyres, it certainly looks the part, although Kawasaki has specified a 17” rear wheel (as opposed to the 18” item used on the very tallest adventure bikes) which, combined with the narrow seat, should help make the KLE accessible to more riders.
Ergonomics seem to have played a big part in the design brief. Official seat height is quoted as a rather tall 860mm, only slightly lower than the Tenere, but the manufacturer says there are alternative rider and pillion seats facilitating four different seating set-ups, which will allow riders to lower the seat and modify the riding triangle to best fit their personal tastes and riding style.
It should all add up to an adventure bike with decent off-road capabilities. ABS can be switched off for riding away from the paved road, while an upspecced SE version adds handguards and a skid plate for added protection when riding rough terrain.
Although it complies with A2 licence regulations, having a power output of below 47bhp, bikes like the Honda NX500 and Royal Enfield Himalayan have proven there’s plenty of demand for more manageable light adventure bikes from more experienced full licence holders too. As a day-to-day ride, we can see the KLE having plenty of appeal, especially when fitted with some of Kawasaki’s more practical optional extras, which include hard luggage, USB-C charging points, heated grips, a centre stand and GPS bracket.
We’d expect the SE to be a more popular choice, as it has a more upmarket specification that replaces the base model’s three-way adjustable windscreen for a more cosseting one, the LCD dashboard for a more modern TFT unit, and the regular indicators for LED items. The SE also gets three brighter colour options, with metallic green, pearlescent grey and pearlescent white available as an alternative to the standard KLE’s black and grey combo.
The new model marks a return for the KLE designation after a near two-decade absence. The original dual-sport KLE500 was first seen in the UK in 1991 and was a long running machine, being part of the Kawasaki range for over 15 years before being replaced by the more road focused Versys 650.
Final specifications are yet to be confirmed, with weight and power figures still to be announced, while one other vital piece of information which is not yet known is the price. The KLE stands out from its most obvious rival, the Honda NX500, by its sheer ruggedness and serious off-road looks, but it’s coming into a sector which is being flooded by very credible Chinese newcomers, with the likes of Voge and QJMotor offering similar style bikes for less than £5000. It will be interesting to see how Kawasaki pitch the KLE500 when it arrives in British showrooms in March.
