The 2026 adventure motorcycle that could outshine its rivals

A manufacturer has been stubbornly going for years without producing a real adventure bike. This wouldn’t be as much of an issue if it was a smaller brand that didn’t really pay much attention to the off-road market, but it’s not a smaller brand, it’s Kawasaki. A brand that has been producing legendary off-road bikes for decades, but consistently leaves this particular gap in the lineup unaddressed.

Before 2026, we won’t get a dual-sport with a bunch of extra farkles, or a touring bike that tries to be something it’s not, or a small beginner-friendly adventure touring bike. We get the real deal, a real ADV. Ever since it was teased at EICMA 2024, we’ve been excited to see what the final product would look like, and the KLE500 is finally here, almost a full year later.

In order to provide you with the most current and accurate information, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Kawasaki. While the opinions are ours.

The 2026 Kawasaki KLE500 could outdo its rivals

Over the past decade, the adventure bike market has simply exploded. Every year we received one impressive ADV after another, from each of the major manufacturers. With one notable exception. Kawasaki came out with the Versys-X 300 a few years ago and pretty much called it good, seemingly uninterested in building another adventure bike. However, there was always a method to the madness: the KLR650 Adventure offered Kawasaki fans a rugged off-road-oriented alternative, and the Versys 650 offered something more refined for those more interested in tackling paved roads. None of these bikes are conventional adventure bikes, while the new KLE500 certainly is.

The entry-level ADV segment is hotter than ever

Things are heating up on this side of the market, but no bike made more waves than the CFMoto Ibex 450. It offered everything other larger middleweight bikes had to offer in a lighter, more off-road capable package. It’s not without its flaws – the least of which is the fact that it’s made in China – but the total package is impossible to ignore. KTM also came out swinging earlier this year with a pair of well-priced 390 Adventures. Unfortunately, a recent price increase means the Adventure R is now a bit pricey, and while the Adventure A slightly cheaper alternative comes in the form of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. Even though it’s not as refined as the other bikes, it’s plenty capable and worth considering.

The KLE500 has a proven parallel-twin engine

Power: 51 hp*

A particularly interesting point of difference is the power. All of its rivals in this area – including Honda’s NX500 – produce 40bhp, and the KLE500 is likely to produce 51bhp. We must emphasize that we can’t confirm this at the time of writing, but we sincerely doubt Kawasaki will find a reason to change the tone of the drivetrain. It is currently found in three other bikes, and they all have 51 horsepower.

This is actually an ideal platform for an ADV, and it’s quite hard to believe it took Kawasaki so long to put it into production. The 451cc engine has been around for quite some time and, like most multi-platform motorcycle engines, is extremely versatile with a nice linear torque curve. This is ideal for off-road use where consistent torque delivery is much more important than overall power. The only problem is the fact that Kawasaki clearly had issues with the packaging here, and the ground clearance doesn’t look too good.

Kawasaki 451cc engine specifications

The KLE500 will make you think twice about buying a middleweight

MSRP: $6,599 – $7,499

In the 00s, the previous version of the KLE500 bid us adieu and was effectively replaced by the now ubiquitous Versys 650. At the time, this was an indication that consumers were moving from raw dual-purpose motorcycles like the old KLE to larger, more refined motorcycles. Adventure bikes were just starting to catch on, and from the late ’00s through 2019, they kept getting bigger, heavier, and less off-road capable. We mention the year 2019 specifically because that’s exactly when the Yamaha Tenere 700 came out and almost single-handedly reshaped the adventure bike market.

Suddenly there were middleweight bikes in, and big-bore adventure touring bikes out. But consumers quickly realized the limitations of these middleweight bikes. A middleweight is still a relatively expensive motorcycle and definitely not beginner-friendly. New adventure riders needed something that was affordable, approachable and off-road capable. Other manufacturers have answered the call, but all fall short in one or two key areas.

The KLE has the potential to be the best off-road ADV available

We haven’t seen the KLE500 in person yet, but Kawasaki has a reputation for building high-quality bikes with a high level of fit and finish, and this could be the best entry-level ADV to hit the market in recent times. No official specs have been released yet, but the one thing that immediately stands out is the steel trellis chassis. This immediately gives it an edge over the more budget-oriented alternatives, both on and off-road. The suspension seems pretty much on par with the rest of the bikes in this space, but is clearly limited in terms of ground clearance, thanks in part to the engine choice.

Both the standard version – which is aggressively priced – and the SE version will come with switchable ABS and an adjustable windshield. The SE version also gets a few nice features, including handguards, a TFT dashboard and a slightly larger adjustable windscreen. In terms of design, we think it strikes the right tone and looks particularly good in Pearl Blizzard White.

KLE500 ABS Features ($6,599)

• LCD dashboard with smartphone connectivity

• Adjustable windshield

• 4.2 liter tank

KLE500 SE ABS Features ($7,499)

• TFT dashboard with smartphone connectivity

• Hand protectors

• Skid plate