KAWASAKI KLE 500 (1999-2004) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Kawasaki KLE500 was a dual-sports motorcycle manufactured from 1991 until 2007, when it was replaced by the Kawasaki Versys 650, also known as the KLE650. The bike was powered by a 498cc parallel-twin engine and was used on both paved and off-road roads.

In 1999, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki KLE500, a dual-sports motorcycle fitted with a sump guard to protect the oil pan during off-road use and a small windscreen that protected the smallest riders, exposing the upper torso for taller ones.

In the aesthetic department, the bike was fitted with standard features, such as a half fairing with a small rectangular headlight, a small windscreen, a one-piece dual seat, a small luggage rack, a high-mounted exhaust system, and wire-spoke wheels.

In the suspension department, the motorcycle packed a 41 mm air-assisted telescopic fork on the front and a single shock absorber on the rear, delivering excellent suspension performance and handling capabilities.

As for the braking power, the bike wheels were fitted with a 300 mm disc coupled to a dual-piston caliper on the front and a 230 mm disc tied to a single-piston caliper on the rear, offering optimum stopping power.

Underneath its fuel tank, the 1999 Kawasaki KLE500 had installed a 498cc four-stroke parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 50 hp at 8,500 rpm and 45 Nm (33 lb-ft) torque at 6,500 rpm.