2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS Review

In addition to exclusive color and graphics, the Z500 SE ABS features LED turn signals, a smoke meter cover, a pillion seat cover, frame sliders, a USB-C outlet, a tank pad, knee pads, a radiator screen, and a lower cowl.

Review – Key Features – Features & Benefits – Specifications

2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS: A REAL EYE-CATCHER.

Introducing the 2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS…

The Kawasaki Z500 ABS motorcycle was developed in parallel with the Ninja 500 and boasts super stylish Z aesthetics that demand attention while incorporating practical features for day-to-day riding enjoyment. It’s powered by a rider-friendly 451cc parallel-twin engine and dressed up with Kawasaki’s renowned Sugomi styling that showcases intense supernaked “Z” design and an LED triple headlight. Additional key features include a high-contrast full LCD instrumentation with smartphone connectivity via RIDEOLOGY THE APP*, relaxed and sporty riding position, assist & slipper clutch, lightweight trellis frame with a confidence-inspiring reach to the ground, and a large 310mm front brake with ABS. The Z500 SE ABS takes things a step further with an upgraded high-grade full-color TFT display, USB-C outlet integrated into the headlight cowling, smoke-colored meter cover, radiator screen, frame sliders, pillion seat cover, tank pad, and knee grip pads to add to the uniqueness of this special edition model.

The Z500 ABS motorcycle is a real eye-catcher with its Sugomi-inspired Z motorcycle styling, while its engine pumps out plenty of power and torque for an exciting riding experience whether cruising the open road or navigating the urban landscape.

All eyes are on you when riding the Z500 ABS supernaked. With distinctive bodywork and a powerful 451cc engine, this aggressively styled streetfighter is for those who are not afraid to be seen. The Z500 ABS provides the ideal platform for a wide range of riders to put their true colors on display.

2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features

• 451cc TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE
• AGGRESSIVE Z NAKED SPORT STYLING
• LED HEADLIGHT AND TAILLIGHT
• HIGH CONTRAST FULL-LCD METER
• SMARTPHONE CONNECTIVITY VIA RIDEOLOGY THE APP
• COMFORTABLE RIDING POSITION
• ENGINE IS POWERFUL YET HAS SMOOTH, PREDICTABLE RESPONSE
• ASSIST & SLIPPER CLUTCH HAS LIGHT PULL AND WIDE ENGAGEMENT RANGE FOR EASY USE
• LARGE FRONT BRAKE FOR SUPERB STOPPING POWER
• LOW SEAT DESIGN HELPS IMPROVE REACH TO GROUND
• BODYWORK REFLECTS THE KAWASAKI SUGAMI Z STYLING HERITAGE
• Special Edition color and graphics
• High-grade full-color TFT display
• LED turn signals
• Meter cover (smoke)
• Pillion seat cover
• Frame sliders
• USB-C outlet
• Tank pad
• Knee pads
• Radiator screen
• Lower cowl
• Dry Weight: 339.6 lb / 341.8 lb 50-State Model

POWER
LIGHT. FUN. FIERCE.
The Z500 ABS supernaked is packed with potent yet approachable power for a wide range of riders.

NEW, RIDER-FRIENDLY ENGINE
The 451cc engine offers smooth, powerful acceleration for a variety of riding situations, with just the twist of a wrist. This well-balanced engine can take you from city streets to open road with ease.

ASSIST & SLIPPER CLUTCH
The assist function helps you enjoy an exceptionally light clutch pull and wide clutch engagement range for confident control, while the slipper function reduces rear-wheel skipping and hopping when downshifting for more confidence.

A RANGE OF POWER
This engine provides well-balanced power throughout the rev range at the twist of the wrist. Perfect for a variety of riding situations, the Z500 ABS delivers strong low-end power for city streets and high-end revs for top highway speeds.

SMOOTH MOVES
The foundation of the Z500 ABS is a lightweight trellis frame, which works with the excellent suspension to deliver a nimble, confident, and effortless ride.

LIGHTWEIGHT TRELLIS FRAME
Designed with maneuverability in mind, the lightweight trellis frame provides stability where you need it and a dry weight as low as 335.2 lb* to keep handling light and maneuverable.

EASY SUSPENSION
The rigid 41mm telescopic front fork provides excellent suspension action, giving you exceptional ride comfort and a firmly planted front wheel feel for easy direction changes and confident handling in every riding situation. Bottom-link Uni-Trak rear suspension with 5-way preload adjustability lets riders adjust the stiffness and ride height to suit body weight or 2-up riding.

THE BRAKING POWER YOU NEED
The Z500 ABS motorcycle’s large 310mm semi-floating front disc brake and front brake master cylinder work alongside a 220mm rear disc slowed by a dual-piston caliper for sure stopping power. Plus, ABS comes standard for even more reassurance.

ERGONOMICS
A RELAXED RIDE WITH SUPERIOR COMFORT
The relaxed rider triangle accommodates a wide range of riders and riding situations, giving the Z500 ABS a rider-friendly character. The relatively upright riding position and wide handlebars put the rider in the ideal position for active control, facilitating dynamic, sporty riding.

BALANCED RIDING POSITION
Wide-set handlebars and a relatively upright seating position give you active control for sporty yet balanced riding.

RIDE IN COMFORT
The low-rebound urethane seat cushions give you ample padding, contributing to a supportive and engaging riding experience.

EASY TO REACH THE GROUND
Lightweight aluminum footpegs offer direct feel and good control when sport riding, positioning you slightly forward, letting you ride in comfort while staying out of the way so you can easily put your feet down at stops.

STYLING
SUPERNAKED STYLE
An aggressive front-end design and classic Sugomi style, like the distinct crouching stance and upswept tail, give the Z500 ABS an unmistakable silhouette.

THE FACE OF EXCITEMENT
Highlighting the Z500 ABS motorcycle’s intense and high-class styling, the striking design of the front end gives this bike a face you’ll want to show off—all the while being recognizably iconic Z.

LIGHT THE WAY
The triple LED headlight design keeps the focus on the low beams, providing excellent lighting performance in a compact size.

FLOATING BODYWORK
The bodywork floats above the engine, highlighting the functional beauty of the engine, elegantly curved exhaust header pipes, and trellis frame.

HIGH-GRADE COCKPIT
A high-contrast LCD instrument panel keeps you in touch with your machine. Bluetooth allows for wireless smartphone connection, and with RIDEOLOGY THE APP, riders can access vehicle info, riding logs, phone notifications, group ride communication, and maintenance logs

SPECIAL EDITION
LEVEL UP YOUR RIDE
Upgrade your riding experience with the Z500 SE ABS, featuring exclusive color and graphics, advanced technology, and more.

High Tech
A high-grade color display with TFT technology adds a modern touch with high visibility.

More Of What You Love
In addition to exclusive color and graphics, the Z500 SE ABS features LED turn signals, a smoke meter cover, a pillion seat cover, frame sliders, a USB-C outlet, a tank pad, knee pads, a radiator screen, and a lower cowl.

KAWASAKI ANNOUNCES FALL RELEASE OF 2025 STREET MOTORCYCLES

No matter what type of motorcycle you’re looking for, Kawasaki’s 2025 lineup has the model for you as it welcomes the return of several hypersport, supersport, sport, retro classic, hypernaked, supernaked, mini naked, retro sport, cruiser, adventure touring, and dual-sport models to its street motorcycle lineup. These 2025 model-year motorcycles are set to arrive in Kawasaki dealerships during the fall months so that riders can continue to “Let the Good Times Roll.”

2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits

ENGINE
Parallel Twin Engine
The engine has a rider-friendly character, smooth response and abundant low-end torque for low-stress everyday riding, but at highway speeds its Kawasaki sport motorcycle lineage is apparent.
• The top ring land of the aluminum pistons now has a hard alumite treatment to achieve higher combustion pressure.
• Downdraft intake tract provides a short, direct path for intake air to enter the cylinder, improving cylinderfilling efficiency and contributing to power, especially at high rpm. The downdraft intake also helps eliminate space under the seat so that it could be designed to provide an easier reach to the ground.
• Large airbox contributes to intake efficiency for more power. The airbox design helps the rider more clearly hear the engine’s intake note during acceleration.
• Unequal height of the intake funnels help smooth throttle response by tuning out torque valleys.
• The 32mm throttle valves are oval shaped so that their closed position is at an angle, which contributes to quick throttle response as the valves open quickly from initial valve rotation.
• Fine-atomizing injectors positioned close to the throttle valves allows them to spray fuel directly onto the valves, which contributes to combustion
efficiency and linear throttle response.
• 27.7mm intake and 23.5mm exhaust valves contribute to performance at all engine speeds.
• Oil jets cool the underside of the pistons, enabling a lighter piston design.
• Aluminum die-cast cylinder has an open deck design for excellent heat dissipation and reduced engine weight. Cylinders are sleeveless with plated
bores.
• The cylinder is tilted forward 20 degrees to help reduce overall engine height.
• Lightweight flywheel lets the engine rev quickly for sharp response and direct power feeling.
• Revised machined balancer shaft to suit the larger displacement helps offset engine vibration for a more comfortable ride.
• Exhaust system’s large-diameter end pipe contributes to high-rpm performance.
• Radiator fan cover directs hot air out to the sides and away from the rider for increased comfort when riding in heavy traffic. It also helps keep the tank, frame and other parts that the rider contacts cooler, further increasing comfort.

Transmission/Clutch
• The Assist & Slipper Clutch(KP) is compact, and its operating plates help reduce lever pull for an extremely light feel at the lever. A wide engagement
range helps make it easy to control.
• Using the rotational forces of the clutch hub and pressure plate, the clutch is forced together during acceleration (assist function) so that fewer and
lighter clutch springs can be used for a lighter feel at the lever. During high back torque, such as when too low of gear is selected during downshifting, the slipper function allows some clutch slippage to help prevent rear wheel hop and stalling due to engine lock-up.
• Increased clutch capacity matches the larger displacement.

CHASSIS

Lightweight Trellis Frame
Kawasaki’s advanced dynamic rigidity analysis was used to ensure optimum rigidity with minimal weight, so the frame significantly contributes to the bikes low overall curb mass.
• Supersport-style chassis design has a short wheelbase and long swingarm complemented by a steep steering angle that provides light, nimble handling.
• Square-tube swingarm construction provides rigidity without unnecessary gusseting, which contributes to weight savings.
• Die-cast aluminum swingarm mounting plate bolts to the back of the engine for the swingarm pivot shaft, essentially allowing the swingarm to be mounted directly to the engine. This eliminates the need for additional frame cross members for torsional rigidity which reduces weight.

Suspension
• Bottom-link Uni-Trak(KP) rear suspension linkage ratios and shock settings enhance the ride feel.
• 41mm fork provides rigidity and smooth suspension action so the front wheel has a better planted feel.

Brakes
• Large 310mm semi-floating front disc is gripped by a balanced actuation dual-piston caliper. The large front brake disc size provides strong stopping power.
• Rigid front brake master cylinder helps eliminate idle stroke for a more positive feel.
• Rear dual-piston caliper with large pistons clamps a 220mm rear petal disc.
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS) models feature Nissin’s latest compact ABS control unit that assists braking under certain conditions.

Wheels/Tires
• Stylish star-pattern 5-spoke wheels are light and their optimized lateral rigidity adds cornering performance for great handling.
• Radial tires provide excellent grip while contributing to agile handling and ride comfort. Big 150mm rear tire size adds an imposing appearance.

Ergonomics
• Wide handlebar and relatively upright riding position is comfortable and puts the rider in an ideal position for active control and dynamic, sporty riding. The wide handlebar also makes low-speed maneuvering easier for increased rider confidence.
• Slim fuel tank promotes good contact with the bike for enhanced rider feedback.
• Low-rebound seat cushioning has ample padding in the front so the seat has a flat overall shape for ride comfort.
• Supersport-style aluminum footpegs provide direct feel for enhanced rider feedback.

Styling
• Front-end design is highlighted by the compact triple LED headlight design. The low beams are in the two upper headlights and the single lower light is the high beam. .
• The front cowl encases the headlights and combined with the downward leaning tank angle emphasizes the Sugomi design elements of a crouching stance, lowered head and upswept tail.
• Minimal bodywork floats above the engine, allowing its functional beauty and elegantly curved exhaust header pipes to be fully viewed.
• The bodywork is predominantly painted surfaces for a rich, elegant appearance.
• Truss structured mirror stays not only add to the intense style but also better control vibration for easier rearward viewing.
• Short front fender contributes to the aggressive image.

High-Contrast LCD Instrumentation
• Full LCD instrument panel features a bar-style tachometer that goes over the digital speed readout and other displayed data.
• Display functions include speedometer, digital bar- style tachometer, gear position indicator, clock, odometer, dual trip meters, fuel gauge, remaining fuel range, current and average fuel consumption, Economical Riding Indicator to notify when riding conditions are producing favorable fuel consumption, coolant temperature, maintenance reminder and connected device notifications.

2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS – Totalmotorcycle.com USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: $6,299 USD
Canada MSRP Price: $7,599 CDN
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £ See Dealer for Pricing in GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)

Engine Type 4-Stroke, Liquid-Cooled, DOHC, 4 Valve Cylinder Head, Parallel Twin
Displacement 451cc
Bore & Stroke 70.0 x 51.6mm
Maximum Torque 31.7 lb-ft @ 7,500 rpm
Compression Ratio 11.3:1
Fuel System DFI w/ 32 mm Throttle Bodies (2)
Ignition TCBI with Digital Advance
Transmission 6-Speed with Positive Neutral Finder
Final Drive Sealed Chain
Rake/Trail 24.5° / 3.6 in.
Front Wheel Travel 4.7 in.
Rear Wheel Travel 5.1 in.
Front Tire Size 110/70-17
Rear Tire Size 150/60-17
Wheelbase 54.1 in.
Front Suspension 41mm Hydraulic Telescopic Fork
Rear Suspension Bottom Link Uni-Trak Gas-charged Shock with Adjustable Preload
Front Brake Type Single 310mm Petal Disc with 2-Piston Balanced Actuation Caliper
Rear Brake Type Single 220mm Petal Disc with 2-Piston Caliper
Fuel Tank Capacity 3.7 gal.
Seat Height 30.9 in.
Dry Weight 335.2 (ABS)/339.6 (SE ABS) lb.
Curb Weight 366.09 (ABS)/370.4 (SE ABS) lb.
Warranty 12 Month Limited
Kawasaki Protection Plus 12, 24, 36 or 48 months
(Specifications subject to change without notice.)
Includes all necessary materials and fluids to operate correctly, full tank of fuel (more than 90% of capacity) and tool kit (if supplied).
When equipped, 50-state models with evaporative emissions equipment adds approximately 2.2 pounds.
* = Changes from previous model year.
** = Also available as a 50-state model with the last character ending in “L”

2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS – Totalmotorcycle.com  Canadian Specifications/Technical Details

POWER

PERFORMANCE

DETAILS

2025 Kawasaki Z500 SE ABS – Totalmotorcycle.com European Specifications/Technical Details

TBA

Manufacturer Specifications and appearance are subject to change without prior notice on Total Motorcycle (TMW).