Kawasaki Ninja 500 vs Aprilia RS 457: Image Gallery Comparison

Kawasaki has introduced the new Ninja 500 in India at ₹5.24 lakh. One of its closest competitors, the Aprilia RS 457 has a sticker price of just ₹4.1 lakh. So, what does the new Kawasaki Ninja 500 have for that extra price that the Aprilia RS 457 doesn’t have?

Kawasaki Ninja 500 vs Aprilia RS 457: Engine

Replacing the 399 cc, twin-cylinder motor from before, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 is now powered by a bigger 451 cc, parallel-twin engine. This liquid-cooled mill produces 45 bhp at 9000 rpm and 42.6 Nm at 6000 rpm. The Aprilia RS 457 is powered by a parallel-twin mill as well with slightly more displacement at 457 cc. As a result, the liquid-cooled sporty engine produces 47 bhp at 9400 rpm and 43.5 Nm at 6700 rpm making the Aprilia RS 457 slightly more powerful than the Kawasaki Ninja 500. 

Kawasaki Ninja 500 vs Aprilia RS 457: Underpinnings And Design

The design of both bikes trickle from their respective corresponding siblings. The Kawasaki Ninja 500 boasts of a new fairing design and the face is also different courtesy of new compact headlight lamps. The overall aesthetic appeal of the Kawasaki is on the same lines as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. Built around a trellis frame, the Ninja 500 equips conventional 41 mm telescopic fork and a gas-charged rear monoshock absorber as its suspension. 

The Aprilia RS 457 gets the top-shelf stuff in this regard. Aside from the RSV4-ish design, the twin-spar aluminium frame also trickles from the big bike. Suspension duties are taken care of 41 mm preload adjustable USD fork and preload adjustable monoshock. However, the kerb weight of the Aprilia RS 457 is slightly heavier at 175 kg (wet), whereas the Kawasaki Ninja 500 weighs 171 kg (wet). 

Kawasaki Ninja 500 vs Aprilia RS 457: Infotainment 

The Kawasaki Ninja 500 falls short in this department. It does get a new 5-inch LCD with Bluetooth connectivity via Kawasaki’s Rideology app with the basic display notification, riding logs, and communication feature. But the Aprilia RS 457 not just gets a much more visually appealing 5-inch TFT display unit with Bluetooth connectivity. It also adds three-level traction control, three ride modes and quickshifter as an accessory. 

So, Why The Price Difference?

The Kawasaki Ninja 500 is brought to country as a CBU product, whereas the Aprilia RS 457 is manufactured in India, at Piaggio’s Baramati plant, near Pune. The latter helps save a lot of money on taxes. 

Conclusion

The Kawasaki Ninja 500 does sound less attractive with no ride modes or traction control on offer, and conventional telescopic fork as its suspension. However, the ride experience can be quite exciting and fulfilling. The Aprilia RS 457 is an entirely new product from the brand, and while the Kawasaki already has an established service network in the country, the latter will need some time to catch up in this regard.