Yamaha YZF-R9 vs Kawasaki Ninja 500
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Yamaha YZF-R9 vs Kawasaki Ninja 500. Yamaha YZF-R9: ~119 hp hp, ~414 lbs (188 kg) weight, top speed ~150 mph (est.), Motoryk rating 8.5/10. Kawasaki Ninja 500: 45 hp hp, 418 lbs (wet) weight, top speed ~112 mph, Motoryk rating 8.0/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Yamaha YZF-R9
Kawasaki Ninja 500
Horsepower (hp)
119 hp
45 hp
Torque (Nm)
68 Nm
29.5 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
150 km/h
112 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
414 kg
418 kg
Type
Sportbike
Sportbike
Horsepower
~119 hp
45 hp
Torque
~68 lb-ft
29.5 lb-ft
Top Speed
~150 mph (est.)
~112 mph
Weight
~414 lbs (188 kg)
418 lbs (wet)
Fuel
—
—
Fairing
Yes
Yes
Individual Reviews
Yamaha YZF-R9
8.5/10
"The sportbike sweet spot that R6 fans actually wanted sooner."
Pros
+Triple torque, usable everywhere
+Modern electronics suite standard
+Lighter than R1 alternatives
Cons
−Aggressive ergonomics fatigue quickly
−Expensive fairing replacement costs
−Early fueling software issues
Kawasaki Ninja 500
8.0/10
"The smartest $3,500 you'll spend on two wheels, period."
Pros
+Bulletproof reliability when maintained
+Excellent power-to-price ratio
+Forgiving yet genuinely capable
Cons
−Wind protection basically nonexistent
−Fuel range embarrassingly short
−Seat comfort degrades fast
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
