20/05/2026
KAWASAKE KLE500 SE — FIRST FAST LOOK
Right, the sun came out today, so time to get the camera out and get some detail shots in the can of AAB’s new Kawasaki KLE500 SE long-termer while she’s still all sparkly.
The KLE looks good, and that’s a sentiment expressed by many. The metallic blue green colour is something different, and the bike kind of glows while it’s all brand new … nice.
As for the overall look of the bike, it makes us think of the potential offspring of a T7, a Transalp and a 450MT if they all snuck off down the back paddock at The Dirty Weekend and got up to an ADV encounter of the closest kind.
Of course like everyone we just can’t help but hone in on the KLE’s undercarriage, which looks seriously close to the floor. It’s so low down under there (the specs list the ground clearance at 185mm). And this SE model has a full bashplate — the standard model has a small skidplate — and this one is pretty light alloy and isn’t going to take big hits. Whoever gets to market first with a serious bashplate is going to sell a truckload.
The footpeg rubbers will be going ASAP, along with the hero k***s underneath the pegs. The pegs themselves actually look quite good — for stock pegs.
The SE is fitted with steel backbone hand guards, but the inner mounts attach to the mirror mounts, which in turn attach to the switchblocks and front brake reservoir. Will need some more serious full-wrap alloy hand guards from someone like Polisport ASAP that mount to the bars. And how’s this: the bars run DID stickers — do DID now make bars?
The stock tyres are IRC Trail Winners and look pretty tame for off-road work, so sourcing decent rubber will be another high priority task, and specifically to fit the 17 inch rear wheel.
The muffler is quite the whopper, and the exhaust note is really muted, so you bet the aftermarket will soon be cashing in there, too. Weight to be saved, and power to be had no doubt.
Then check out the header pipes, which wind down in front of the engine and then back under the sump and into the Cat. Can’t help but feel a full exhaust system is going to offer some real benefits.
Turning to the suspenion, well, there are no adjusters at all on the fork, while on the shock, there is spring preload adjustment, and that’s it. It’s a plush ride and I can see a trip to the Professor’s workshop will fast be coming up in the future.
The SE has a larger screen than the standard model, and it's adjustable, but access to the four screws is fiddly, as they’re tucked behind the side of the screen itself.
Popping the two-piece seat reveals a handy carry space under the pillion saddle, while the battery and electrics are under the rider seat. But nope, there’s no air box there — rather, it’s buried under the fuel tank, and yep, the tank and a bunch of side panels all have to come off to get into the air box, where’s there’s a paper element inside. Looks like a job for our mates at Unifilter right there.
The single radiator comes with no protection, but we’ve already fitted Kawasaki’s accessory alloy radiator guard.
So you can see where the KLE has copped a few shortcuts in the design process to bring it in at its price-point.
Around town the KLE a fun and friendly ride, and that 451cc twin-cylinder mill has no shortage of love for revs, but you notice vibes up high in the rev range — no surprise those whopper bar end weights are in place, along with the rubber topped pegs.
The KLE weighs in at a claimed 176kg dry — 195kg wet with the 16 litre tank filled — and the weight feels low and the bike is easy to punt about the streets. The front end tips into corners real easy. And the brakes have plenty of power, while the shifting is sweet. And the colour TFT dash looks good.
This weekend we’ll head for the bush and a date with the Darcinator and the MAD-TV crew for a first review of the KLE’s performance, and then the bike will be due for it’s first service with the crew at Northside Motorcycles … and then after that this KLE needs to get some big distance miles under its wheels … stay tuned!
Kawasaki Motors Australia
