Which suits you
- There is little in the weight: 194kg against 198kg wet.
- The NX500 has the lower seat by 40mm, which matters more on a rutted lane than on the road if you are shorter in the leg.
- The KLE500 runs a 21" front wheel against 19". The bigger wheel rolls over ruts and stones more easily and opens up more knobbly tyre choices.
- The NX500 goes further on a tank, roughly 270 miles against 248, which helps on lanes where fuel stops are far apart.
- The KLE500 costs £1,000 less new.
Holloway ratings side by side
Kawasaki KLE500 Honda NX500
Green lane
Technical off-road
Beginner friendly
Road
KLE500 vs NX500 specs
| Kawasaki KLE500 | Honda NX500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Green lane score | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Price | £5,999 | £6,999 |
| Wet weight | 194kg | 198kg |
| Seat height | 870mm | 830mm |
| Ground clearance | 185mm | 180mm |
| Suspension travel (f/r) | 210mm / 200mm | Not officially published |
| Wheels (f/r) | 21" / 17" | 19" / 17" |
| Tyre sizes (f/r) | 90/90-21 / 140/70-17 | 110/80-19 / 160/60-17 |
| Engine | 451cc | 471cc |
| Power | 45.4hp | 47.6hp |
| Fuel tank | 16L | 17.5L |
| Real-world range | ~248 mi (claimed) | ~270 mi |
| Licence | A2 | A2 |
A tick marks the better figure for green laning. Manufacturer figures; weights are wet unless marked as estimates.
Where they sit against every other bike
Wet weight against ground clearance across the whole Bike Finder. Light and tall, top left, is where the easiest green lane bikes sit.
Our take on each
Kawasaki KLE500: A simple, affordable A2 adventure bike that copes well with typical byways but grounds out on its sump guard when the lane gets rocky.
Honda NX500: A road-biased A2 adventure bike that handles gravel and dry byways comfortably but is not built for mud or technical lanes.
Remember: rider ability, tyres and the weather on the day move the real answer more than the bike does. Check each lane's own difficulty and legal status before you ride.
Find where to ride either one
Plan a day of legal green lanes across England and Wales on Holloway's map, with each lane's difficulty and status.
Open the map