It would be incredible having Kawasaki turning out a 500 CC Rally inspired motorcycle..It’s a must needed motorcycle we all been waiting for..Ample horsepower,Torque,Weight, Handling..Love your channel as it’s truthful and informative
I remember when I got my 05, Orange & Black KLE500 after I rode it back from Jordans bikes in Leeds, A57 Snake pass and down through the peak district. Evntually on to Wales. That little bike was the most fun thing on two wheels that I have owned. It could corner so low as if it was a weekend scratcher. Soft Avon tyres that wore quickly, but gave you a guardian trade off, boy it gave you faith in your ability. 47 bikes owned so far for me and that little Kwaka has to be in my top 3. There are lots of us hoping that a manufacturer will take the bull by the horns and give us a lightweight, low tech dual sport bike like those of the early 90s icons before they got carried away thinking we all need traction control, lean angle anti this and that!
That's it exactly, they had the idea back then and discontinued the model!! , leaving the KLR650, the sole offering until now, bar some model sharing with Suzuki that ended too
We shall see. I said almost 2 years ago the sun 500 category would be the new battleground 😊 promises from bmw and Aprilia too and QJ motors have now built a twin cam version of their 450 single (used by fabric and kove in single cam form) so more to come😊
I had a 91 KLE500 for a while when i lived in Australia, and it was not a bad bike, it could handle the dirt roads that are so common there, and the GPZ500 derived engine never gave any trouble, sold it for a 1990 XTZ750 super tenere, which was even better, and so good, i brought it home to NZ with me.
If they make it like the old one no tft, tc garbage only injection and below 380lbs , I will be first on the line buying it! I had the red with blue seat and I loved every second on that bike!!!
If this was 400 lbs or less id likely be on the waiting list. My biggest gripe with my t7 is its weight. I think 400lbs is a great weight for an offroad oriented adv bike. Still heavy enough to be stable on the road but light enough to handle and pick up offroad. 500cc is enough for highway use but not amazing. This would be a great master of none type bike.
I wish you had full pictures of the bike. I’ve seen this teaser photo already. Even though it will probably never come to the states as the original KLE did not.. I’m still interested in learning more about it. Totally shocked Kawi made this move. Good for them !
honestly, i think someone came up with the idea last minute and all they have is a good parts bin, but many a good bike has been built like that, hopefully my artists impression will be close to the mark :-) and i would think the US Dual Sport riders would love them
@@barebonesmc Kawasaki applied for the KLE trademark in Australia late last year and in Europe even earlier, June 2023. You can search and see the application dates online in the various trademark databases. So I think it’s been cooking for awhile and not just slapped together for this show
I know it’s contentious but I always thought the kle was more capable than the klr650. But neither get close to the original klr600 😊❤️ now that was a serious bike. FAR lighter
Kawasaki actually started the road bike twin donor engine (GPZ500) concept with the first model, and then dumped it like the 650Tengai , I'm a KLR650 guy, and it's about time they did twin, but a 800 is what's needed to compete with the rest of the Big4 today.
Now that’s where I think they could’ve got it right. To compete at 800 there is lots of competition. To compete at off road capable 500. There’s the Honda which is bad off road n everything else is Chinese or a single
Great scoop. Really appreciate your clever camera angles. In the olden days, some zealous Japanese guard would come and push you away from the secret under wrap. Thanks BareBones!
Great news to see Kawasaki trying to renew what they did in 2017 with their Versys 300, i had one and had lot of fun with it, now i own a CB 500x but if Kawasaki pulls a 500cc i might switch
The little ninjas are great. And the gen3 klr is an awesome back road bike. The kle will be awesome. I am wishing for a zephyr 400 or an adv based on the the zx4 or zx6 engine. I think rally and cross over models are the future....There are too many great engines and chassis to rewrite the book. Thanx for the video!
I just think the new KLR is too heavy for what it should be, i am hoping the KLE doesnt suffer the same fate 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂
The OG KLE 500 was a great all-rounder and my partner says the off roady ergos and smooth road manners made it super easy to transition to road riding as a very new rider that had only been on small dirt bikes around the farm. The base model should be an extremely simple affair to produce, just don't leave it undersprung for normal weight humans and leave off all the farkles, save that for a rally raid edition 👍🏻👍🏻.
My TDR250 twin only weighs 137kgs dry and wet depends on how many fuel you want, it's a 2t so no other extra weight added.(Wet 152kgs with full full tank)
Ever since they moved to the 400 engine on the road machines I’ve been waiting for the update of the feisty little Versys 300 so a new KLE 500 would be even better 🍻🍻
@@barebonesmc I don't understand this trend of 1000 cc+ adventure bikes, they are depicted flying along over sand dunes. Who's piloting these things? Not me!
@@rotaxtwinme neither 😊 never did. It’s the bigger means better fallacy 😂😂literally saw someone yesterday sayin exactly the same thing yesterday so things are changing 😊
There have been plenty of singles around for many years, but over time they have mostly morphed into racing engines or giant thumpers in a relatively heavy bike. Singles generally vibrate more (some horribly), have a narrower useable rev range, and lower power. A well developed twin will be smoother at all revs, have a wider rev range (including lower revs and still be smooth) and make more power for the same capacity. They can also be more efficient with less rotating mass and counter balancers. 270 degree twins also sound amazing. The problem with the twins currently offered is weight due to being engines developed for street roles, but it doesn't have to be that way. A well designed twin could be only marginally heavier than a single. Look at the old Aprilia MXV 450 motocrosser as an example that only weighed 120kgs. A bit heavier than the singles, but not by that much.
It isn’t that singles aren’t good enough Marc. But they gave limitations as well as advantages 😊 and I’d say since the Rotax/Aprilia 5 valve 650 used in the 2nd gen Pegaso. Most singles are either too highly strung or just boring 🤣🤣🤣 the Rotax loved to rev but still had long service intervals. Now it seems we can’t have both
I think that if Honda came out with the SL350 with a little updated suspension it would be around 350 lbs. and they would sell every one they could make.
178kg is the dry weight. It's 192kg wet for the 91 92. Version and it kept getting heavier. For a 500cc with thin forks narrow wheels and a single disc and 15 litres of fuel it's not that light.
I, too, am hoping the can keep the weight down. I just bought the Eliminator, or as it's called in Europe, Eliminator 500, but it has the 450 engine also and I wish they'd call them 450 like they should instead of trying to make them sound bigger than they are. However, they kept the weight down to 386 lbs on the Eliminator, the same as the Kawasaki Versys X300. If they can keep the KLE450/500 weight down to under 400 lbs it will be the best bike in its class.
Euro 5b is killing anything with a design speed over 80mph, so smaller engines are where the profit is. To make them big enough for 6 footers, adv is the way forward…
The 451ccm motor that will probably be in this has 33kW (45 hp) in the ninja 500 and z500. I doubt it will have more in the KLE. While 35kW are the limit for the A2 license, you are hardly going to notice the 2kW difference, but I still find it stupid that they didn't use all that they could get away with. Maybe they bore it out to around 470ccm in 5 years, to get to the full 35kW. The z500 weighs 167kg, the Ninja 500 weighs 172kg, both with a 14l tank. Keeping the KLE under 180kg will be tough, I suppose it's rather going to be between 185 and 190kg. But under 190kg would still be great, that's still over 15kg lighter than a Tenere 700. Around 220mm or more of suspension travel and a 16 liter or more of tank volume would be awesome. That's both things that can't be changed easily afterwards. If the suspension is basic but has enough travel then one can still put a high quality cartridge kit in.
Totally agree with you, abs only,,,,with a good motorway speed and good off road. People want basic bikes, Royal Enfield have proved that but they're bikes are gutless. An old fashioned speedo Made in Japan Kawasaki will always be a winner 🏆
Kawasaki needs to pitch the KLE500 to compete with the influx of capable Chinese mid-tier ADV's if they want to make their mark. It needs to be a basic, lightweight motorcycle with good, long travel suspension and a motor tuned for torque, not power. If they can achieve this they'll be onto a winner...
Arghhhhh, please give us tubeless rims! Although for around €10 (roll of Muck Off tape) and a bit of work you can do it yourself. Totally with you on the amusement arcade dash systems. It's a twin, built for torque (you'd hope). It'll run out of steam before it gets anywhere near the redline, so, no need for a rev counter then😂. GPS driven Speedo, a red light for fuel low warning (or an old fashioned reserve tap), what else do you need?😂. I loved my old KLR. If this bike is half of that one I'll buy one! Watch this space😅. Spanners are close mate. Stay happy and upright. Thanks for the update 👍😊
I’m with you 😊 why is it the only dedicated on off abs switch I’ve seen is on the Voge 650dsx ? Why is everyone else’s buried in a menu system? Have a good un mate
A 451cc motorcycle marketed as a '500'. I'm so over corporate marketing. Or maybe they think enough motorcycle buyers are so small minded that they will want to brag that they ride a '500' when clearly it is not. Is this how they think they can get a marketing edge over the popular sized CFM450MT which has been a runaway success? If they can't compete on price have they opted for deception with shallow tricks? Begs the question, what other specs are 'approximate'? I'm sure it will be an excellent bike, but, not a good look.
I’d agree. It’s one of those bad industry trends. But not as bad as Ducati triumph and BMW 😂😂 and to be fair. My old klr600 was 565cc I think and Kawasaki got lots of stick then. Until people rode the bike. 50cc difference on a 500 I’d say is borderline 😊 but yep. Better to be honest 😊
Another behemoth or a good mid weight high power twin? Let’s see. I ride a CRF450L , it’s a brilliant lightweight ADV and trail bike. Let’s hope the new KLE can compete with the new DRZ4S , about 140kgs and 45hp.
140kg isn’t realistic for a 2 up adv bike. The kle was never really a dual sport. The card is a very different bike so don’t expect too much. The kle is more to compete in the cb500x arena than cry I think. I hope it’s around 160kg with a big tank and 2 up with luggage load capacity 😊
@@edivollgas719 I have to say after riding a Honda 250L around Sweet Lamb and then a KTM 790, I found the heavier bike surprisingly easy to manage and overall better than the little 250. If it’s all about lighter weight then bikes like KTM 350/500/690 are where it’s at, but they require a confident rider to get the most from them. I currently ride an XT250 off road 130Kg for comparison. I also own a 150Kg Fantic 500 and a 181Kg Tuono 660, so light weight has also been a priority for me, but maybe it isn’t everything.
@barebonesmc its 2025 market and no reliable rxv 550 available after 20 years. so i stay on evolution r100gs for tet routes. 190kg 70hp no idiotic electronics and ultimate robust and reliable for me in 35 years. no improvement in sight ..... is this an epic industry fail or is it just me ?
CF Moto with their hugely successful 450MT have poked a big stick in the Japanese wasps nest. Stand back and see what's happens. Are the days of cosplaying Charley & Ewen coming to an end?
you know what I’m gona say Mr Barebones Being back the GT550 with Fuel injection, stainless exhaust, and with slightly less Lean on the wind stubby bars, could I also have heated grips front faring like the one Vincent black knight had that covered the hands.. I might be tempted to to a few of my bike for one…😉🤓🏍️👍
Nicely done video.... you mentioned a bike that I have been looking at for it's road ability, Honda 500x. I'm not sold on Honda but your talking about this one was smooth/strong, let us hope Kawasaki heard all you said? The ought to make you part of their Adventure Team but I digress ; It may take me until this one shows it's face to save enough to get a decent bike anyway? I've looked into the Honda 650L, KLR 650, & I liked the 500x better than those two. Glad you're on our side.... peace
The cb500x is a good solid bike. If they are sold there I would also look at the Voge 500dx. They are a lot of bike for the money. I prefer the 650dsx. But it’s a plodder n vibey compared to the 500 twin
@@barebonesmc I'm digging & see 1 place, 1250 miles from me but I know where it is b/c I lived 3 miles from the place for over 12 years. But I'll look further, there's bound to be more & the Website I used wasn't working properly to my zip code, it was throwing out stores over in your neck of the woods. The model was $6,300 in UD Dollars if the place was up to date. But I will digg it up, got to be one in Texas. Houston is like the 4th largest City in America & we got Dallas/FtWorth, San Antonio, & Austin too. Bound to be a seller here?? I'll let you know. thanks for the tip, peace
Nice bike but no range and passenger/luggage facilities really. And to be clear. It’s a Chinese motor. Fabric have used the same QJ motors 450 as Kove use in the 450 rally
I'll take a focus on less weight please and carrying what weight there is as low as possible. Single cylinder 550-600cc with a 20L gas tank at shin height. Maybe Ducati will get after it?
@@barebonesmc I haven't ridden a twin yet that's worth the weight penalty for mixed dual sport riding. Nice that a guy sure has some options now if he wants two cylinders though.
I have a 2003 KLR 650, because it wasnt good off road i ended up in a wheelchair. No thanks, i now have a 300L works nice off road no fear of getting back in a wheelchair. For the street i got a street bike...these adventure dont do anything great bikes arnt getting my money.
@@barebonesmc No it doesnt it depends on how fast you want to ride over crap, Get the difference? Most you nut cases want to go fast off road good for you.
@ 175Kg dry. Same as you quoted for the KLE. It could be lighter, but then it wouldn’t be £5700. It could also have been heavy like the Himalayan 411 - which is an excellent bike for off road novices. It could have been 105Kg KTM 350 EXC with oil changes every 15 hours and crippling discomfort for riding on road. The fact is that it’s proving itself to be something akin to the Himalayan, with more power, twin cylinders and considerably lighter weight at a similar price point. If you want a twin cylinder adventure bike it’s pretty much impossible to beat at the price/performance point. It seems to me that Chinese bikes are what the Japanese bikes were to the British bikes in the 1970s - no one could accept that one day they would completely dominate the market until it happened.
@ Buy most bikes and you will find Chinese components in them. Yamaha, KTM, Fantic and BMW have some of their engines built there and the entire 790 adventure is built in China. However, I accept your moral position on boycotting Chinese goods.
@ Because you don’t like profits, or because you don’t agree with the Chinese regimes disregard for individual rights ? They aren’t mutually inclusive.
@barebonesmc if seller is a moto guy, having several motorbikes he maintaines, and could not solve the issue... did not even knew the issue, so went for the xt, with intermittent problems.
I believe it will just be another offering with the same motor in a different suit. Every manufacturer is doing it and it's made motorcycling very bland. I long for the 80's again where some models were only around for six months. Some bikes were good some were woeful. All innovative in some way though.
Well it's either less horsepower and less weight I would actually be ok with that. 150kg would allow 39hp for context. The A2 License has made every bike in the middle heavy and boring.
right... I hate that TH-camrs keep calling sub 200kg's bike "Middle Weight" sure they're Mid capacity but real middle weight bikes weigh around 175kg's 'Wet' not 'Dry'
@@chrishart8548 Why make EVERY freaking mid capacity (300 to 500cc) A2 compliant anyway? The target group for the biggest category in motorcycling is supposingly new drivers 20 to 22 years old? And not even one model from every manufacturer non compliant? That is beyond crazy and incomprehendable.
@@ForgetAboutMeImBoring My Yamaha TRX850 270degree twin was 190Kg dry (With two unecessary ultra heavy exhausts) in 1996. Great progress in 2024 calling such behemoths middle weight. If you consider that we are even talking about dirt use, the wet weight categories should be:
@@constantinosschinas4503 right on, that's why I find it hard to let go of my crf250 rally even tho it's slow, at least everytime I drop it I could easily pick it back up.
@@barebonesmc I'm not sure I know *what you* mean by 'a twin cannot be a crossplane' , maybe Kawi can't bc they just *won't* .. most companies already have either CP \ 270° (YAMAHA , Suzuki , Honda, CFMOTO etc') or 285° (CFMOTO, KTM etc') or now even 125° (BMW) so the chances they made a 360° is nearly *zero* .. we'll have to rev this 500cc high and wring it and it wouldn't be able to 'tractor' in crawling speeds.. my last hope: *SURPRISE us, Kawi.. please!*
We didn't get a KLE500 in the US. The older ones look great. We got the KLX650 and has a cult following but out in bumblephuk somewhere. We got the Verseys in the mid 00's and nobody really bought them until they upped it to 1000cc from 650 with the Ninja motor. The world over here is changing so drastically it blows my mind. For 25yrs if it wasn't an Inline-4 screamer or a v-twin cruiser nobody was interested. There was a Buell Ulysses but they called it the USELESS. I'd like a higher spec adventure bike. The KLX is way overdue and boring. Needs so many mods from the rip just to get going. Suzuki's new DRZ is a disappointment but that's a dual sport or Sm. I'm ready to get my mind blown again , it's been so long since Japan has done it right like it was the late 90's. Except the H2 but at 43yrs old my S1KRR is plenty for me.
Personally, I am not "happy" with Kawasaki motorcycles. Build quality is in the toilet, and I'm guessing they expect everyone to be jumping school buses with their over built, over weight offerings. Every bike in their lineup is at least 100 lbs overweight.
@@barebonesmc They just can't seem able to help themselves. Wet weight is almost 450 lbs. My KLR is just under 500lbs wet. Every time I look at it I feel like Mad Maxing it, throwing about half of it away, and drilling holes in the frame.
Junk sure it's not made in Japan and it's a joke compared to the amazing Yamaha Tenere The only bike Kawasaki needs to make is a new KX 125 and KX250 2-stroke.... The 125 would sell out every year
It would be incredible having Kawasaki turning out a 500 CC Rally inspired motorcycle..It’s a must needed motorcycle we all been waiting for..Ample horsepower,Torque,Weight, Handling..Love your channel as it’s truthful and informative
Fingers crossed! N cheers mate. Have fun
I remember when I got my 05, Orange & Black KLE500 after I rode it back from Jordans bikes in Leeds, A57 Snake pass and down through the peak district. Evntually on to Wales. That little bike was the most fun thing on two wheels that I have owned. It could corner so low as if it was a weekend scratcher.
Soft Avon tyres that wore quickly, but gave you a guardian trade off, boy it gave you faith in your ability.
47 bikes owned so far for me and that little Kwaka has to be in my top 3.
There are lots of us hoping that a manufacturer will take the bull by the horns and give us a lightweight, low tech dual sport bike like those of the early 90s icons before they got carried away thinking we all need traction control, lean angle anti this and that!
Well put mate. More isn’t always better 😊😊
That's it exactly, they had the idea back then and discontinued the model!! , leaving the KLR650, the sole offering until now, bar some model sharing with Suzuki that ended too
@malcolmnuttall3165
I read the bike review that MCN did for the kle500. They must've been having a bad day!
🤔
More isn't always better. That's what I keep trying to tell my Mrs.😂😂
I'd prefer a new Kawasaki 500 over the new CFMoto 450 for sure. I already own a 300 and 650 Ninja. Both engines have been great.
We shall see. I said almost 2 years ago the sun 500 category would be the new battleground 😊 promises from bmw and Aprilia too and QJ motors have now built a twin cam version of their 450 single (used by fabric and kove in single cam form) so more to come😊
The KLE 500 Twin was powerful for its size & I hope this new one is a reboot of the old one.
Looking forward for this one.
Fingers crossed 😊
I had a 91 KLE500 for a while when i lived in Australia, and it was not a bad bike, it could handle the dirt roads that are so common there, and the GPZ500 derived engine never gave any trouble, sold it for a 1990 XTZ750 super tenere, which was even better, and so good, i brought it home to NZ with me.
The first super ten was special 😊 my kle was a 2003 so heavier. But an underrated bike
Thanks!
You’re Welcome mate. Cheers
Your channel is very helpful.
Glad you think so. Cheers mate. I do my best
If they make it like the old one no tft, tc garbage only injection and below 380lbs , I will be first on the line buying it! I had the red with blue seat and I loved every second on that bike!!!
Cheers for adding mate. Think you hit the nail on the head 😊
no tft, tc garbage and no ABS
If this was 400 lbs or less id likely be on the waiting list. My biggest gripe with my t7 is its weight. I think 400lbs is a great weight for an offroad oriented adv bike. Still heavy enough to be stable on the road but light enough to handle and pick up offroad. 500cc is enough for highway use but not amazing. This would be a great master of none type bike.
Well put😊 fingers crossed
In America this would dominate the T7. It's really only good outwest. In the Midwest or northeast, it's just a super aggressive sport touring bike.
I thought the US loved the T7?😊
I wish you had full pictures of the bike. I’ve seen this teaser photo already. Even though it will probably never come to the states as the original KLE did not.. I’m still interested in learning more about it. Totally shocked Kawi made this move. Good for them !
honestly, i think someone came up with the idea last minute and all they have is a good parts bin, but many a good bike has been built like that, hopefully my artists impression will be close to the mark :-) and i would think the US Dual Sport riders would love them
@@barebonesmc Kawasaki applied for the KLE trademark in Australia late last year and in Europe even earlier, June 2023. You can search and see the application dates online in the various trademark databases. So I think it’s been cooking for awhile and not just slapped together for this show
Why say that, they are currently behind the 8 ball, with the KLR650 being their only offering, a 800 would be a better choice.
another great vid, thanks for all your content.
Google actually put this on their search engine so despite Yt it’s actually got some attention this time 🤣🤣 the joys 🤣
rode the crap out of a klr 650 for years, heavy in the woods. now im 10k miles into a klx300. day to day adventure-commuting. im interested.
I know it’s contentious but I always thought the kle was more capable than the klr650. But neither get close to the original klr600 😊❤️ now that was a serious bike. FAR lighter
Another great video as always ❤
Cheers as always. 😊 have a great weekend 😊
Kawasaki actually started the road bike twin donor engine (GPZ500) concept with the first model, and then dumped it like the 650Tengai , I'm a KLR650 guy, and it's about time they did twin, but a 800 is what's needed to compete with the rest of the Big4 today.
Now that’s where I think they could’ve got it right. To compete at 800 there is lots of competition. To compete at off road capable 500. There’s the Honda which is bad off road n everything else is Chinese or a single
Great scoop. Really appreciate your clever camera angles. In the olden days, some zealous Japanese guard would come and push you away from the secret under wrap. Thanks BareBones!
Bless you mate. I do my best. Not much to see yet but here’s hoping
Great news to see Kawasaki trying to renew what they did in 2017 with their Versys 300, i had one and had lot of fun with it, now i own a CB 500x but if Kawasaki pulls a 500cc i might switch
It COULD be a great bike. I am hoping 😊
People have been shouting, and Kove answered with a 180kg bike with long suspension travel, 95hp and 20L of fuel.
Now for time to test its longevity.
I wish it had more than 150kg load rating 😪
But running a CF Moto/KTM engine with camshaft issues, only time will tell on that one and the 800MT.
And where was Kove in Eicma ?
@@malcolmnuttall3165 I dont think it will have cam issues. I dont think its made under license from CF or KTM.
@@barebonesmc a trade for its genuine lightweight better to be honest with that limitation than breaking on a compression somewhere.
The little ninjas are great. And the gen3 klr is an awesome back road bike. The kle will be awesome. I am wishing for a zephyr 400 or an adv based on the the zx4 or zx6 engine. I think rally and cross over models are the future....There are too many great engines and chassis to rewrite the book. Thanx for the video!
I just think the new KLR is too heavy for what it should be, i am hoping the KLE doesnt suffer the same fate 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂
The OG KLE 500 was a great all-rounder and my partner says the off roady ergos and smooth road manners made it super easy to transition to road riding as a very new rider that had only been on small dirt bikes around the farm. The base model should be an extremely simple affair to produce, just don't leave it undersprung for normal weight humans and leave off all the farkles, save that for a rally raid edition 👍🏻👍🏻.
I’d agree on all of that😊 have a great weekend mate
Looking forward to this!
Me too. Hoping for minimal electronics
My TDR250 twin only weighs 137kgs dry and wet depends on how many fuel you want, it's a 2t so no other extra weight added.(Wet 152kgs with full full tank)
A great bike. But wouldn’t be built now
Ever since they moved to the 400 engine on the road machines I’ve been waiting for the update of the feisty little Versys 300 so a new KLE 500 would be even better 🍻🍻
Agreed. The kle gives them a real chance to stir up the so called middleweights sector I think
Finally, Kawasaki will make a proper adventure bike
It’s been a long wait😊
A lightweight 450 cc liquid twin sounds great. Fingers crossed.
For me the key is lightweight. It HAS to be lighter than the MT450 and others that are coming and there is no reason why it can’t be
@@barebonesmc I don't understand this trend of 1000 cc+ adventure bikes, they are depicted flying along over sand dunes. Who's piloting these things? Not me!
@@rotaxtwinme neither 😊 never did. It’s the bigger means better fallacy 😂😂literally saw someone yesterday sayin exactly the same thing yesterday so things are changing 😊
By the way: since when are single cilinders not good enough anymore?
There have been plenty of singles around for many years, but over time they have mostly morphed into racing engines or giant thumpers in a relatively heavy bike. Singles generally vibrate more (some horribly), have a narrower useable rev range, and lower power.
A well developed twin will be smoother at all revs, have a wider rev range (including lower revs and still be smooth) and make more power for the same capacity. They can also be more efficient with less rotating mass and counter balancers. 270 degree twins also sound amazing.
The problem with the twins currently offered is weight due to being engines developed for street roles, but it doesn't have to be that way. A well designed twin could be only marginally heavier than a single. Look at the old Aprilia MXV 450 motocrosser as an example that only weighed 120kgs. A bit heavier than the singles, but not by that much.
It isn’t that singles aren’t good enough Marc. But they gave limitations as well as advantages 😊 and I’d say since the Rotax/Aprilia 5 valve 650 used in the 2nd gen Pegaso. Most singles are either too highly strung or just boring 🤣🤣🤣 the Rotax loved to rev but still had long service intervals. Now it seems we can’t have both
I think that if Honda came out with the SL350 with a little updated suspension it would be around 350 lbs. and they would sell every one they could make.
I think there is something similar they sell in some Asian markets but it’s much heavier 😊 progress 😊
I'm really waiting for this bike and I hope to be cheap.
Looks like it will be made at the Kawasaki factory in China so we shall see but should mean price is right
I bought the 450MT even though I'm a Kawasaki fan. I love the Versys but wanted more offroad capability.
How’s low end fuelling? Is it sorted now?
@@barebonesmc Like most FI bikes, it's OK, carb would be better
I’ve been asking for this
I’m hoping 😊
178kg is the dry weight. It's 192kg wet for the 91 92. Version and it kept getting heavier. For a 500cc with thin forks narrow wheels and a single disc and 15 litres of fuel it's not that light.
But a new version could be 180kg wet I think 🤔
There was a Kawasaki using V-Strom engine?
Yep. I mentioned it. That was the klv1000
I, too, am hoping the can keep the weight down. I just bought the Eliminator, or as it's called in Europe, Eliminator 500, but it has the 450 engine also and I wish they'd call them 450 like they should instead of trying to make them sound bigger than they are. However, they kept the weight down to 386 lbs on the Eliminator, the same as the Kawasaki Versys X300. If they can keep the KLE450/500 weight down to under 400 lbs it will be the best bike in its class.
That all sounds promising.
Euro 5b is killing anything with a design speed over 80mph, so smaller engines are where the profit is. To make them big enough for 6 footers, adv is the way forward…
Where does the 80mph figure come from?
Box with a Wheel? Isn’t it just a BMW 1300 GS Adventure which got lost? 🤣
lol 😂
The 451ccm motor that will probably be in this has 33kW (45 hp) in the ninja 500 and z500. I doubt it will have more in the KLE. While 35kW are the limit for the A2 license, you are hardly going to notice the 2kW difference, but I still find it stupid that they didn't use all that they could get away with. Maybe they bore it out to around 470ccm in 5 years, to get to the full 35kW. The z500 weighs 167kg, the Ninja 500 weighs 172kg, both with a 14l tank. Keeping the KLE under 180kg will be tough, I suppose it's rather going to be between 185 and 190kg. But under 190kg would still be great, that's still over 15kg lighter than a Tenere 700. Around 220mm or more of suspension travel and a 16 liter or more of tank volume would be awesome. That's both things that can't be changed easily afterwards. If the suspension is basic but has enough travel then one can still put a high quality cartridge kit in.
Sounds all about right. And yep I agree with your why on power 😊
Looks like the sales of the CFMoto 450MT has put a rocket up someone in Kawasaki.
I'm expecting a rushed and badly thought out 450MT clone.
We shall see I guess
Totally agree with you, abs only,,,,with a good motorway speed and good off road.
People want basic bikes, Royal Enfield have proved that but they're bikes are gutless.
An old fashioned speedo Made in Japan Kawasaki will always be a winner 🏆
Well put
Kawasaki needs to pitch the KLE500 to compete with the influx of capable Chinese mid-tier ADV's if they want to make their mark. It needs to be a basic, lightweight motorcycle with good, long travel suspension and a motor tuned for torque, not power. If they can achieve this they'll be onto a winner...
Exactly my thoughts 😊👌
I have a versys x300 aka kle300. Great little bike🎉
400 _ 500 adv segment is most popular this year glad more competition coming , but so comfussed gs 450 another one in pipeline 👍
Not so many twins in the list 😊
Arghhhhh, please give us tubeless rims! Although for around €10 (roll of Muck Off tape) and a bit of work you can do it yourself. Totally with you on the amusement arcade dash systems. It's a twin, built for torque (you'd hope). It'll run out of steam before it gets anywhere near the redline, so, no need for a rev counter then😂. GPS driven Speedo, a red light for fuel low warning (or an old fashioned reserve tap), what else do you need?😂. I loved my old KLR. If this bike is half of that one I'll buy one! Watch this space😅. Spanners are close mate. Stay happy and upright. Thanks for the update 👍😊
Don't think a fuel injection bike would appreciate a fuel tap. It will only be built for torque if the peak horsepower is more like 34hp.
@chrishart8548 you mean it won't have a carb?😧😂😂😂
I’m with you 😊 why is it the only dedicated on off abs switch I’ve seen is on the Voge 650dsx ? Why is everyone else’s buried in a menu system? Have a good un mate
A 451cc motorcycle marketed as a '500'. I'm so over corporate marketing. Or maybe they think enough motorcycle buyers are so small minded that they will want to brag that they ride a '500' when clearly it is not. Is this how they think they can get a marketing edge over the popular sized CFM450MT which has been a runaway success? If they can't compete on price have they opted for deception with shallow tricks?
Begs the question, what other specs are 'approximate'? I'm sure it will be an excellent bike, but, not a good look.
I’d agree. It’s one of those bad industry trends. But not as bad as Ducati triumph and BMW 😂😂 and to be fair. My old klr600 was 565cc I think and Kawasaki got lots of stick then. Until people rode the bike. 50cc difference on a 500 I’d say is borderline 😊 but yep. Better to be honest 😊
Another behemoth or a good mid weight high power twin? Let’s see. I ride a CRF450L , it’s a brilliant lightweight ADV and trail bike. Let’s hope the new KLE can compete with the new DRZ4S , about 140kgs and 45hp.
140kg isn’t realistic for a 2 up adv bike. The kle was never really a dual sport. The card is a very different bike so don’t expect too much. The kle is more to compete in the cb500x arena than cry I think. I hope it’s around 160kg with a big tank and 2 up with luggage load capacity 😊
Less weight less weight less weight less weight ....... only single point of sale for me
@@edivollgas719 I have to say after riding a Honda 250L around Sweet Lamb and then a KTM 790, I found the heavier bike surprisingly easy to manage and overall better than the little 250. If it’s all about lighter weight then bikes like KTM 350/500/690 are where it’s at, but they require a confident rider to get the most from them. I currently ride an XT250 off road 130Kg for comparison. I also own a 150Kg Fantic 500 and a 181Kg Tuono 660, so light weight has also been a priority for me, but maybe it isn’t everything.
Well put😊😊
@barebonesmc its 2025 market and no reliable rxv 550 available after 20 years. so i stay on evolution r100gs for tet routes. 190kg 70hp no idiotic electronics and ultimate robust and reliable for me in 35 years. no improvement in sight ..... is this an epic industry fail or is it just me ?
@@edivollgas719 More likely emission limits compared to back when .......
Light , cheap , simple
Please please
We want a " modern " klr650 😂
I’d prefer a modern kle 🤣🤣 but yep. Light n simple is key
CF Moto with their hugely successful 450MT have poked a big stick in the Japanese wasps nest. Stand back and see what's happens. Are the days of cosplaying Charley & Ewen coming to an end?
🤣🤣🤣 the move away from the big adv bikes has been gaining momentum 😊
@@barebonesmc I bet KTM are still kicking themselves for refusing to give 2 free bikes to C & E all those years ago...
Interesting,, Ride Free !!
You too my friend
if its a 451CC , its DOA for me...
calling a 451 a 500 is pure dishonesty!!!!!!!!
The modern way 😊 I hate it too. Triumph and bmw the worst offenders I think though😊 but yep. It makes you wonder how stupid they think we are
I hope they do.
Me too
you know what I’m gona say Mr Barebones Being back the GT550 with Fuel injection, stainless exhaust, and with slightly less Lean on the wind stubby bars, could I also have heated grips front faring like the one Vincent black knight had that covered the hands.. I might be tempted to to a few of my bike for one…😉🤓🏍️👍
Your want it list is even more complete than mine🤣🤣🤣 when you know what you want but they just won’t build it😊
@ G’day Mr Barebones, ain’t that the truth, it’s so sad…🥲😉🤓🏍️
Seems more likely to be a Versys X-500
Maybe. But a 21” front wheel with versys suspension would just be silly
Great video as always. I see numerous content creators that don't have the "thanks" notice. Maybe you can remove yours
I wouldn’t be me if I did that 😊😊
We can only hope...
Fingers crossed
Nicely done video.... you mentioned a bike that I have been looking at for it's road ability, Honda 500x. I'm not sold on Honda but
your talking about this one was smooth/strong, let us hope Kawasaki heard all you said? The ought to make you part of their
Adventure Team but I digress ; It may take me until this one shows it's face to save enough to get a decent bike anyway? I've
looked into the Honda 650L, KLR 650, & I liked the 500x better than those two. Glad you're on our side.... peace
The cb500x is a good solid bike. If they are sold there I would also look at the Voge 500dx. They are a lot of bike for the money. I prefer the 650dsx. But it’s a plodder n vibey compared to the 500 twin
@@barebonesmc I'm digging & see 1 place, 1250 miles from me but I know where it is b/c I lived 3 miles from
the place for over 12 years. But I'll look further, there's bound to be more & the Website I used wasn't working
properly to my zip code, it was throwing out stores over in your neck of the woods. The model was $6,300 in
UD Dollars if the place was up to date. But I will digg it up, got to be one in Texas. Houston is like the 4th
largest City in America & we got Dallas/FtWorth, San Antonio, & Austin too. Bound to be a seller here??
I'll let you know. thanks for the tip, peace
What you want is a Fantic Caballero 500. 150 kg. dry weight. Italian engine and chassis!
Nice bike but no range and passenger/luggage facilities really. And to be clear. It’s a Chinese motor. Fabric have used the same QJ motors 450 as Kove use in the 450 rally
Less weight and twin cylinder along with reliability is what I'm looking for. Bring it on!
Me too😊
And a 270 degree crank. I have the CFM 450MT, and the motor is lovely. The 180 crank puts me off Honda.
@@lawrieyoutube4375 each to their own mate 😊 what about BMW’s brand new groundbreaking never seen before 135 degree firing order 😂
@@barebonesmc I'm not familiar with it.
@@lawrieyoutube4375 their upcoming 450. I will cover it soon
I'll take a focus on less weight please and carrying what weight there is as low as possible. Single cylinder 550-600cc with a 20L gas tank at shin height. Maybe Ducati will get after it?
There are some options with a single. But a twin will always be smoother on highways
@@barebonesmc I haven't ridden a twin yet that's worth the weight penalty for mixed dual sport riding. Nice that a guy sure has some options now if he wants two cylinders though.
@@mikeisland7382 hopefully we will have more 😊 Aprilia and bmw both suggesting new 450 twins. Possibly both made in India models
Looks heavy already.
I don’t think you can see enough tbh
I have a 2003 KLR 650, because it wasnt good off road i ended up in a wheelchair. No thanks, i now have a 300L works nice off road no fear of getting back in a wheelchair. For the street i got a street bike...these adventure dont do anything great bikes arnt getting my money.
Glad you’re ok mate. Choice depends on the riding I guess
@@barebonesmc No it doesnt it depends on how fast you want to ride over crap, Get the difference? Most you nut cases want to go fast off road good for you.
They said rally, so it has to go head to head with the about to be released ( if the rumours is true) tuareg 450🤔
Indeed. Hopefully less electronics though 😊
CF Moto already did it.
We shall see. The cf Moto far heavier than it needed to be imo
@ 175Kg dry. Same as you quoted for the KLE. It could be lighter, but then it wouldn’t be £5700. It could also have been heavy like the Himalayan 411 - which is an excellent bike for off road novices. It could have been 105Kg KTM 350 EXC with oil changes every 15 hours and crippling discomfort for riding on road. The fact is that it’s proving itself to be something akin to the Himalayan, with more power, twin cylinders and considerably lighter weight at a similar price point. If you want a twin cylinder adventure bike it’s pretty much impossible to beat at the price/performance point. It seems to me that Chinese bikes are what the Japanese bikes were to the British bikes in the 1970s - no one could accept that one day they would completely dominate the market until it happened.
@ Buy most bikes and you will find Chinese components in them. Yamaha, KTM, Fantic and BMW have some of their engines built there and the entire 790 adventure is built in China. However, I accept your moral position on boycotting Chinese goods.
@ Because you don’t like profits, or because you don’t agree with the Chinese regimes disregard for individual rights ? They aren’t mutually inclusive.
I did want to buy one, but the motor what a problem.
I did buy a yamaha xt 600
? Why is the motor an issue?
@barebonesmc if seller is a moto guy, having several motorbikes he maintaines, and could not solve the issue... did not even knew the issue, so went for the xt, with intermittent problems.
I believe it will just be another offering with the same motor in a different suit. Every manufacturer is doing it and it's made motorcycling very bland. I long for the 80's again where some models were only around for six months. Some bikes were good some were woeful. All innovative in some way though.
I think the shake up is starting. But you are right. Too much sameness
I said the same thing a few vids ago, most modern bikes, especially most Japanese modern bikes are unexciting and bland.
OH NO! Not yet another 450, the wheels will not support an addition to an already overloaded bandwagon. Just saying, DINO.
Most of the 450s are singles though. The CF Moto being the exception
Pretty sure it is going to be yet another A2 overweight, underpowered, dull, grandpa bike. Real midweight motorcycles are extinct.
Well it's either less horsepower and less weight I would actually be ok with that. 150kg would allow 39hp for context. The A2 License has made every bike in the middle heavy and boring.
right...
I hate that TH-camrs keep calling sub 200kg's bike "Middle Weight"
sure they're Mid capacity but real middle weight bikes weigh around 175kg's 'Wet' not 'Dry'
@@chrishart8548 Why make EVERY freaking mid capacity (300 to 500cc) A2 compliant anyway? The target group for the biggest category in motorcycling is supposingly new drivers 20 to 22 years old? And not even one model from every manufacturer non compliant? That is beyond crazy and incomprehendable.
@@ForgetAboutMeImBoring My Yamaha TRX850 270degree twin was 190Kg dry (With two unecessary ultra heavy exhausts) in 1996. Great progress in 2024 calling such behemoths middle weight. If you consider that we are even talking about dirt use, the wet weight categories should be:
@@constantinosschinas4503 right on, that's why I find it hard to let go of my crf250 rally even tho it's slow, at least everytime I drop it I could easily pick it back up.
afraid it's another no-low-grunt need-to-rev-high 180° cranked engine....
Will still prefer odd-cranked engines, *crossplane still at the top*
Technically speaking. A twin can’t actually be crossplane but I know what you mean. I just like twins
@@barebonesmc I'm not sure I know *what you* mean by 'a twin cannot be a crossplane' , maybe Kawi can't bc they just *won't* .. most companies already have either CP \ 270° (YAMAHA , Suzuki , Honda, CFMOTO etc') or 285° (CFMOTO, KTM etc') or now even 125° (BMW) so the chances they made a 360° is nearly *zero* .. we'll have to rev this 500cc high and wring it and it wouldn't be able to 'tractor' in crawling speeds.. my last hope: *SURPRISE us, Kawi.. please!*
We didn't get a KLE500 in the US. The older ones look great. We got the KLX650 and has a cult following but out in bumblephuk somewhere. We got the Verseys in the mid 00's and nobody really bought them until they upped it to 1000cc from 650 with the Ninja motor. The world over here is changing so drastically it blows my mind. For 25yrs if it wasn't an Inline-4 screamer or a v-twin cruiser nobody was interested. There was a Buell Ulysses but they called it the USELESS. I'd like a higher spec adventure bike. The KLX is way overdue and boring. Needs so many mods from the rip just to get going. Suzuki's new DRZ is a disappointment but that's a dual sport or Sm. I'm ready to get my mind blown again , it's been so long since Japan has done it right like it was the late 90's. Except the H2 but at 43yrs old my S1KRR is plenty for me.
Well put 😊 and I agree the new DRZ Took a wrong turn 😊
I don't like the Eisher Paintwork! Looks like it ran over a herd of Zebras! 😂😂
lol, thats common practice on prototype testing to disguise the shape of the bikes
Less farkles and lower weight please
A nothing burger.
I think the idea has real potential
@@barebonesmc yeah, me too. I was referring to the lack of useful info in the vid.
Personally, I am not "happy" with Kawasaki motorcycles. Build quality is in the toilet, and I'm guessing they expect everyone to be jumping school buses with their over built, over weight offerings.
Every bike in their lineup is at least 100 lbs overweight.
Let’s hope the kle isn’t so overweight 😊
@@barebonesmc They just can't seem able to help themselves. Wet weight is almost 450 lbs. My KLR is just under 500lbs wet. Every time I look at it I feel like Mad Maxing it, throwing about half of it away, and drilling holes in the frame.
blah blah blah
Would you rather I just made stuff up?
Junk sure it's not made in Japan and it's a joke compared to the amazing Yamaha Tenere
The only bike Kawasaki needs to make is a new KX 125 and KX250 2-stroke.... The 125 would sell out every year
The tenere might suit you but it doesn’t suit everyone. Especially those who have a passenger they like 🤣🤣🤣
Kx 125 kx250 2 stroke. Is that for the road or track ?