2026 Honda CB500F vs 2026 Kawasaki Z400 - Spec Comparison
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2026 Honda CB500F
The Honda CB500F is a middleweight naked bike ideal for riders seeking an accessible yet capable all-rounder. Its 471cc parallel-twin engine delivers smooth, manageable power with excellent fuel efficiency, making it perfect for commuting and weekend rides. Known for reliability, nimble handling, and affordable ownership costs, the CB500F excels as a learner-friendly platform or practical daily rider.
2026 Kawasaki Z400
The 2026 Kawasaki Z400 is a lightweight naked bike for newer riders and those moving up from a 125. Its liquid-cooled 399cc parallel twin makes 45 hp and 38 Nm through a six-speed gearbox. A low 785 mm seat, 165 kg wet weight and standard ABS make it easy to manage, and the economical riding indicator helps stretch the 14-litre tank.
2026 Honda CB500F vs 2026 Kawasaki Z400: the key differences
Both are naked bikes, so this is a like-for-like choice.
- The 2026 Honda CB500F has 5 Nm more torque (43 vs 38 Nm).
- The 2026 Kawasaki Z400 is 27 kg lighter (165 vs 192 kg).
- The 2026 Honda CB500F carries 3 litres more fuel (17 vs 14 L).
2026 Honda CB500F: It's built primarily as an approachable, affordable everyday naked bike for commuting and learning the ropes rather than chasing top speed.
2026 Kawasaki Z400: A lightweight middleweight naked built for commuting, city hopping and spirited weekend backroad rides, with enough legs for occasional short highway trips.
Verdict: Choose the 2026 Honda CB500F if you want more torque and a bigger tank. Choose the 2026 Kawasaki Z400 if you want lighter weight. Check the full table below for every figure, and the size comparison for fit.
| Specification | 2026 Honda CB500F | 2026 Kawasaki Z400 |
|---|---|---|
| Other | ||
| Category | Naked | Naked |
| Color Options | Matte Black Metallic | Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray/Metallic Spark Black, Pearl Robotic White/Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray |
| Comments | Security system. Noise Level L-urban: 74dB L-wot: 76.4dB. Model id: CB500FA. | Economical Riding Indicator. |
| Fuel Tank Material | Metal | - |
| Fork tube size | 41 mm (1.6 inches) | - |
| Spark plugs | NGK CPR8EA-9 | - |
| Brake fluid | DOT 4 | - |
| Tire pressure front | 36 PSI (2.5 Bar or 250 kPa) | - |
| Tire pressure rear | 42 PSI (2.9 Bar or 290 kPa) | - |
| Sprockets | 15/41 (front/rear) | - |
| Chain size | 520 | - |
| Warranty | - | 12 |
| Engine | ||
| Capacity: | 471.0 ccm (28.74 cubic inches) | 399.0 ccm (24.35 cubic inches) |
| CO2 Emissions | 76 CO2 g/km | - |
| EPA Certificate No. | THNXC0.47CSD-029 | - |
| EPA Est. Fuel Consumption | 3.24 L/100km (72.6 US mpg) | - |
| EPA CO Emissions | 0.7 CO g/km | - |
| Engine Type | Parallel Twin, four-stroke | Parallel Twin, four-stroke |
| Fuel Consumption | 3.50 litres/100 km (28.6 km/l or 67.20 mpg) | - |
| Bore x Stroke | 67.0 x 66.8 mm (2.6 x 2.6 inches) | 70.0 x 51.8 mm (2.8 x 2.0 inches) |
| Compression | 10.7:1 | 11.5:1 |
| Cooling System | Liquid | Liquid |
| Fuel System | Injection | Injection |
| Starting | Electric | Electric |
| Ignition | Computer-controlled digital transistorized with electronic advance | TCBI with digital advance |
| Aspiration | Naturally aspirated | - |
| Valves Per Cylinder | 4 | 4 |
| Performance | ||
| Power | ✓46.9 HP (34.3 kW) @ 8600 RPM | 45.0 HP (32.8 kW) @ 10000 RPM |
| Torque | ✓43.0 Nm (4.4 kgf-m or 31.7 ft.lbs) @ 6500 RPM | 38.0 Nm (3.9 kgf-m or 28.0 ft.lbs) @ 8000 RPM |
| Power/Weight Ratio | 0.2481 HP/kg (dry) | 0.2727 HP/kg (wet) |
| Chassis & suspension | ||
| Frame | Diamond tube | Trellis, high-tensile steel |
| Front Suspension | Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks | Telescopic fork |
| Rear Suspension | Pro-Link® single shock with nine-position spring-preload adjustability | Uni-Trak® swingarm |
| Front Wheel Travel | 120 mm (4.7 inches) | 119 mm (4.7 inches) |
| Rear Wheel Travel | 119 mm (4.7 inches) | 130 mm (5.1 inches) |
| Rake (fork angle) | 25.5° | 24.5° |
| Trail | 102 mm (4.0 inches) | 91 mm (3.6 inches) |
| Ground Clearance | 145 mm (5.7 inches) | 145 mm (5.7 inches) |
| Transmission | ||
| Gearbox | 6-speed | 6-speed |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Final Drive | Chain | Chain |
| Clutch | Wet multiplate, assist/slipper clutch | Assist and slipper Clutch |
| Brakes & wheels | ||
| Front Brakes | Double disc. ABS. 4-piston calipers. | Single disc. ABS |
| Front Brakes Diameter | 295 mm (11.6 inches) | 310 mm (12.2 inches) |
| Rear Brakes | Single disc. ABS. | Single disc. ABS |
| Rear Brakes Diameter | 240 mm (9.4 inches) | - |
| ABS | Yes | Yes |
| Front Tyre | 120/70-R17 | 110/70-17M |
| Rear Tyre | 160/60-17 | 150/60-17M |
| Dimensions & weight | ||
| Wheelbase | 1410 mm (55.5 inches) | 1369 mm (53.9 inches) |
| Overall Length | 2080 mm (81.9 inches) | 1989 mm (78.3 inches) |
| Overall Width | 800 mm (31.5 inches) | 800 mm (31.5 inches) |
| Overall Height | 1060 mm (41.7 inches) | 1054 mm (41.5 inches) |
| Seat Height | 790 mm (31.1 inches) | ✓785 mm (30.9 inches) |
| Dry weight | 189.0 kg (416.7 pounds) | - |
| Wet Weight | 192.0 kg (423.3 pounds) | ✓165.0 kg (363.8 pounds) |
| Fuel Capacity | ✓17.00 litres (4.49 US gallons) | 14.00 litres (3.70 US gallons) |
| Oil capacity | 2.70 litres (2.85 US quarts) | 2.00 litres (2.11 US quarts) |
"Best" (✓) reflects that single spec only, not overall suitability - a bike can win on paper and still be the wrong choice for you. Ties are all marked; specs with no clear better/worse direction (e.g. displacement, wheel size) are never marked, only tinted where bikes differ.
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About this comparison tool
This tool puts up to four motorcycles side by side across their full specification sheets, drawn from a database of 43,000+ models and 1.60M+ individual specifications. Wherever a spec has a clear "better" direction - more power, less weight - the strongest figure in that row is highlighted automatically.
How to use it
Pick a make, model and year for each bike; the model and year lists update to match what you've selected. Two bikes are enough - use "Add another bike" for a third or fourth. Comparisons work across model years too, so you can compare a bike against its own earlier generation. Once you're happy with the lineup, use "Copy share link" to send it to someone else.
What gets compared
Specs are pulled from the same categories used throughout the site: engine and transmission (capacity, power, torque, gearbox), physical measures (weight, seat height, fuel and tank capacity), frame and dimensions, speed and acceleration, and brakes, suspension, frame and wheels (including tyres) - plus general information and maintenance data where it's on record for a bike.
How the highlighting works, and its limits
A highlighted cell means one bike has the clearly better raw number for that spec - more power, less weight, and so on. Fields where "better" genuinely depends on the rider - seat height above all - are deliberately never highlighted: a lower seat isn't automatically the right choice, it's a fit question only you can answer. Winning a row also isn't the same as winning the comparison - a bike can lead on paper in half the rows and still be the wrong bike for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare bikes from different categories, like a scooter against a superbike?
Yes - the tool doesn't restrict what you compare, though a highlighted spec means less when the two bikes aren't really doing the same job.
What happens if a spec is missing for one of the bikes?
It shows as "-" and is never highlighted as a winner - a missing figure never beats one that's actually reported, and never blocks the rest of the row.
Are older model years included?
Yes - each bike's year list covers every model year in the database, so you can compare this year's bike against an earlier generation of the same model.
How do I share a comparison?
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