![Is Kawasaki preparing an adventure bike? Could it be the twin-cylinder KLE? [EICMA 2024]](https://motopeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3697-1760875058957.jpg)
Kawasaki holds a grand press conference every year, attracting many reporters. However, this year, Bimota, which is now under the umbrella of Kawasaki and had a booth back to back, announced two new models at the press conference, but Kawasaki itself did not hold a press conference.
This box was quietly placed in a corner of the Kawasaki booth. From above the box, you could see a mannequin wearing an off-road helmet and goggles, and in front of that, you could see the front fork and wheel of what appeared to be an adventure bike. The side wall was designed with photos of city and suburban areas, and in the center were written the words “Life’s a Rally. Ride it KLE EST. 1991.”
1991 was the year that the Kawasaki KLE500 adventure model, equipped with a parallel twin-cylinder engine from the GPZ500 (GPZ400s in Japan), was released. In Japan, it was sold as the KLE400, and the lineup also included the even smaller-displacement KLE250. The KLE had off-road-oriented wheels (21-inch front and 17-inch rear) and a frame-mounted front cowl, making it a model that falls into the category of what we would now call an adventure bike. It seems that Kawasaki is hinting at the revival of that model.
When the market for adventure models, formerly known as dual-purpose bikes, began to expand, Kawasaki announced the Versys 650, a touring model focused on on-road touring. The initial code name for this Versys was KLE, and if you search on European websites, you will find results for “KLE650 Versys.” Later, the KLE code name was dropped, and the Versys family was expanded as an on-road touring model, the Versys, which eliminated any hint of off-road functionality.
However, the box on display at the Kawasaki booth at EICMA 2024 revealed a front section that looked good covered in dust, with 21-inch wheels and tires that looked like they would have good grip on unpaved roads.
The engine visible behind it was a water-cooled parallel twin. Judging from the cylinder shape and the current Kawasaki lineup, I imagined it was a twin-cylinder engine from the new Eliminator 500 (Eliminator 400 in Japan) series.
Kawasaki has not yet announced anything, so we’ll have to wait for further news.
↑It features 21-inch spoke wheels (not tubeless), adventure tires with edgy blocks, and an inverted front fork. The cowl visible in the background is high and curved, and appears to offer excellent wind protection and maneuverability when riding standing up.
↑The engine seen from the front. It looks like a parallel twin engine from the new Eliminator series.
↑The tagline reads “Life’s a Rally. Ride it KLE EST. 1991.” Black lettering on a black base. The details of the body protruding from the box are kept to a minimum, giving a sense of Kawasaki’s strong desire to make the bike stand out as discreetly as possible.
