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RIDE REVIEW I 2024 KAWASAKI Z500 SE ABS
The Z500 accelerates well.
Kawasaki says many prospective
buyers are concerned about a
"small" two-cylinder-powered mo
-
torcycle having enough ponies to
merge safely with traffic from free-
way on-ramps. Not to worry; the
Z500 has plenty and is plenty fast,
and unless the on-ramp is 10 feet
long, you won't have any problems
reaching freeway speeds quickly
and staying there comfortably.
The Z500 hums along comfortably
at 70 mph in sixth gear, and you
can still accelerate from there if
needed. You will, however, notice
a slight buzz through the bike's
seat and handlebars around 6500
rpm, but you get used to it. I doubt,
however, that you will be logging
long freeway miles commuting on
the Z500 anyway. That's not really
its forte. Instead, it's very happy in
the city and in the canyons, where
its newfound torque and power
make the Z500 a pleasure to tap
through the gears from stop sign
to stop sign and roll on the throttle
from turn to turn. The Z500 brakes
are also capable of slowing the
bike down from speed in a hurry
and confidently without requiring
much effort from the rider.
The Z500's exhaust note is also
pleasant and inspiring, which is
not usually the case with parallel-
twins, and adds greatly to the Z's
overall riding experience.
After doing its job nicely in
the city, the Z500 lives for the
weekends out inthe country.
