2027 Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride ABS Preview

$7,999 KLE500 gets Kawasaki’s first self-engaging clutch

Kawasaki’s lightweight rally twin learns to idle in gear, no clutch hand required

The Short Answer: The 2027 Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride ABS is a new, top-of-the-line version of Kawasaki’s 451cc adventure bike. It adds Smartride, Kawasaki’s first self-engaging clutch, plus spoke wheels with tubeless Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour tires. It costs $7,999 plus a $650 destination charge and arrives in November 2026.

Stop-and-go traffic is where clutch hands go to cramp. We spent plenty of time in it lane-splitting through Orange County gridlock on the SE model in our 2026 Kawasaki KLE500 Real MC Commute Review. Now the 2027 KLE500 lineup grows to three models with the new KLE500 SE Smartride ABS, and it’s aimed squarely at that daily grind.

The headline is a clutch you don’t have to touch to pull away from a stop. Kawasaki calls it Smartride, its first self-engaging clutch. The new model also ditches inner tubes for tubeless tires on spoke wheels, while keeping all the SE ABS equipment.

What Is the 2027 Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride ABS?

It’s the most expensive and best-equipped of the three 2027 KLE500 models. Kawasaki builds it on the same platform as the KLE500 ABS: a fuel-injected 451cc parallel twin, a purpose-designed steel trellis frame, long-travel suspension, a 21-inch front wheel and rally-inspired styling. Kawasaki’s highlight list:

• Smartride self-engaging clutch
• Spoke wheels with tubeless tires
• Taller adjustable windscreen
• Metal-reinforced hand guards
• Large skid plate
• All-LED lighting
• 4.3-inch color TFT display

Kawasaki says it “reduces the effort required during frequent starts and stops” while “retaining the familiar shift operation of a manual-transmission motorcycle.” Translation: you still shift yourself, you just stop slipping the clutch at every green light.

How Kawasaki’s Smartride Self-Engaging Clutch Works

Smartride is not an automatic transmission or an electronic clutch. Kawasaki says the system is “entirely mechanical” and “requires no electronic controls.”

Kawasaki adds a compact mechanical centrifugal starting clutch between the clutch housing and the conventional lever-operated multi-disc clutch. At idle, that starting clutch stays disengaged, so the bike can sit stopped in gear with the engine running and your left hand resting on the grip. Open the throttle, engine speed rises, and the starting clutch engages automatically and sends power to the transmission. No more feathering the lever to get rolling.

Once you’re moving, the starting clutch stays fully engaged. Shifting works the normal way with the clutch lever and shift pedal. If you come to a stop in a higher gear, a warning on the instrument panel tells you to select a lower gear before pulling away. Third gear is not a launch gear.

An engine-brake cam keeps the starting clutch engaged until the bike is nearly stopped, preserving natural engine-braking feel.

The Smartride clutch assembly is only about 0.4 inch wider and 0.2 inch larger in diameter than a conventional assembly. It adds approximately 2.2 pounds. Kawasaki says the compact design minimizes the effect on the KLE500’s performance, styling and ergonomics.

Spoke Wheels With Tubeless Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour Tires

The other big change is the rolling stock. The KLE500 ABS and KLE500 SE ABS use aluminum rims, steel spokes and tubed IRC GP-410 tires. The SE Smartride gets front and rear spoke wheels fitted with tubeless tires instead. Kawasaki says they keep the impact-absorbing character of a traditional wire-spoke wheel, and small-diameter spokes help limit wheel weight.

Tubeless tires allow certain punctures to be repaired without removing and replacing an inner tube. Anyone who has wrestled a tube out of a 21-inch rim on a fire road knows that’s worth real money.

The tires are Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour, sized 90/90-21 front and 150/70-17 rear on Kawasaki’s U.S. spec sheet. That rear is wider than the 140/70-17 IRC GP-410 on the other two KLE500 models. Kawasaki says the Mixtour’s silica-and-carbon compound helps with dry and wet grip, abrasion resistance and resistance to block chipping. Consistent pattern rigidity from upright to full lean is said to give linear handling.

Engine: The Familiar 451cc Parallel Twin

The engine carries over: a fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, DOHC 451cc parallel twin with a 70.0 x 58.6mm bore and stroke and an 11.3:1 compression ratio. Kawasaki’s U.S. spec sheet claims 51 horsepower at 10,000 rpm (measured to ISO 4106) and 31.7 lb-ft of torque at 7,500 rpm. It uses DFI with 32mm throttle bodies, a six-speed gearbox and sealed chain.

Kawasaki cites strong low-end performance for unpaved roads and quick acceleration at higher rpm for highway work. A balancer shaft helps reduce vibration. Kawasaki’s Assist & Slipper Clutch is still part of the package, giving a light lever pull and helping limit rear-wheel hop during aggressive downshifts. With Smartride, you’ll use that light pull a lot less often.

Chassis, Suspension and Brakes

The high-tensile steel trellis frame was developed for real-world versatility rather than adapted from a motocross platform, Kawasaki says, and the 21/17-inch wheel combination aids stability and bump absorption.

A 43mm KYB cartridge-type inverted fork handles the front, and Kawasaki’s New Uni-Trak bottom-link rear suspension with stepless spring-preload adjustment handles the rear. Here the paperwork gets fuzzy. The press release lists 8.2 inches of front travel and 7.7 inches of rear travel for the lineup. Kawasaki’s U.S. spec page for the SE Smartride lists 8.3 inches front and 7.9 inches rear. The pages for the KLE500 ABS and SE ABS list 8.3 and 7.7 inches. We show both in the spec table below.

Ground clearance is 7.3 inches, rake and trail are 28.0 degrees and 4.1 inches, and the wheelbase is 61.8 inches, versus 61.2 inches on the other two models. Braking comes from a single 300mm front disc and a single 230mm rear disc, each with a two-piston caliper. Selectable ABS lets you turn off ABS for off-pavement riding, and it resets to front and rear ABS active each time the bike is switched off and restarted. Local laws may require ABS to stay on for public roads.

The tradeoff for the extra hardware is weight. Kawasaki lists the SE Smartride at 436.6 lb curb (438.8 lb for the 50-state model). That’s 8.8 lb more than the 427.8 lb KLE500 SE ABS. Seat height is unchanged at 34.3 inches, and the fuel tank holds 4.2 gallons.

Rally Styling, Ergonomics and Touring Gear

The look is still rally raid meets street bike, with KX motocross influence: a tall, compact cowl, triple LED headlight and low-mounted front fender. Clear panels around the cowl aid terrain visibility, and the elevated instrument panel is easy to read seated or standing. The windscreen has three positions, from low for terrain visibility to high for maximum wind protection.

KX-inspired ergonomics shaped the wide, forward-positioned handlebar, footpeg location and smooth engine covers. Removable rubber footpeg inserts trade cushioning on pavement for grip off-road. Available ERGO-FIT low seats allow four seating combinations.

For travel, a reinforced rear frame allows two side cases and a top case from Kawasaki Genuine Accessories to be mounted at the same time. Other accessories include grip heaters, USB Type-C charging, a center stand, an engine guard and LED fog lamps.

The SE Smartride gets the SE’s 4.3-inch color TFT display with selectable background colors and automatic brightness adjustment. It pairs with RIDEOLOGY THE APP MOTORCYCLE for vehicle info, ride logs and phone notifications. Navigation requires a separately purchased license and varies by country.

2027 Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride ABS Specifications

Price, Availability and the 2027 KLE500 Lineup

All three 2027 KLE500 models arrive in November 2026. Here’s how the lineup is priced:

• KLE500 ABS: $6,599, in Metallic Carbon Gray/Ebony.
• KLE500 SE ABS: $7,499, in Pearl Blizzard White or Metallic Bluish Green. Adds the SE equipment on tubed IRC GP-410 tires.
• KLE500 SE Smartride ABS: $7,999, in Pearl Blizzard White or Metallic Bluish Green. Adds Smartride and tubeless spoke wheels with Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour tires.

So the Smartride clutch and tubeless wheels cost $500 over the SE ABS. Each model carries a $650 destination charge, which puts the SE Smartride at $8,649. It carries a 12-month limited warranty and is Kawasaki Protection Plus eligible.

Want a bigger single instead? See our 2027 Kawasaki KLR650 DF ABS Preview. Small-displacement adventure shoppers will also want to read our 2025 KTM 390 Adventure R Review and Walk Around. For more, browse our Kawasaki motorcycles and adventure bike coverage.

The Bottom Line

The 2027 Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride ABS takes the most complete KLE500 and fixes its two biggest annoyances: a busy clutch hand in traffic and inner tubes on the trail. Smartride lets the bike idle in gear and pull away without the lever, but you still shift it like a regular manual, and it’s all mechanical, with no electronics. We’ll judge engagement smoothness once we ride it, but on paper $500 looks like money well spent for commuters and newer riders. Look for it at dealers in November 2026.

FAQ

How much is the 2027 Kawasaki KLE500 SE Smartride ABS?

MSRP is $7,999, plus a $650 destination charge, for a total of $8,649.

When does the KLE500 SE Smartride ABS go on sale?

Kawasaki says it will be available in November 2026, along with the KLE500 ABS and KLE500 SE ABS.

Is Smartride an automatic transmission?

No. Smartride is an entirely mechanical centrifugal starting clutch, with no electronic controls, that lets the bike idle in gear and pull away without using the clutch lever. You still shift gears manually with the clutch lever and shift pedal.

How much weight does Smartride add?

Kawasaki says the clutch assembly adds approximately 2.2 pounds. The complete SE Smartride is listed at 436.6 lb curb weight, 8.8 lb more than the KLE500 SE ABS.

What tires does the KLE500 SE Smartride ABS use?

Tubeless Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour tires, sized 90/90-21 front and 150/70-17 rear, on spoke wheels.

What is the KLE500 SE Smartride ABS seat height?

Kawasaki’s U.S. spec sheet lists 34.3 inches. The available ERGO-FIT Low Front Seat offers a lower option.