The new 2024 Ninja 500, now boasting a bigger
engine than its predecessor, has narrowed the engine size advantage that the CBR 500 are
once held. But the question still remains, how about the other aspects? Which one is the
best entry-level sport bike you should get? As for the power output, the CBR holds a slight
advantage over the ninja, producing 47 horsepower, which is the maximum power limit allowed for A2
compliant motorcycle. The same thing goes for the torque output, with both bikes nearly on par,
but the CBR edges slightly ahead of the Ninja, boasting 1 Nm of torque more. Then, when
it comes to weight, there is a significant difference between these two. The CBR weighs
191 kg which is 19 kilos heavier than the ninja, making it the heaviest bike in its class,
even surpassing the weight of some bigger 650 cc bikes. Ultimately, despite a slight power
advantage, the CBR has a lower power-to-weight ratio compared to the ninja, roughly around
7% less due to a hefty difference in weight. Taking a closer look at what's under
the fairings, both bikes feature a parallel twin engine that sticks to a conventional 180° firing
order, unlike competitors such as the aprilia and the CF Moto, which have 270° cranks. And
interestingly, both bikes have somewhat misleading names considering their displacement. The CBR 500
only has 471cc and the Ninja 500 is even further off with a 451 cc engine. Moreover, both the new
ninja and the new CBR don't exactly come with new engines for this year's model. The Ninja's
engine is heavily based from the old 400's engine but with a longer stroke, resulting in increased
displacement, while the CBR still sticks with the same engine as the previous gen, and for
compression ratio the ninja has slightly higher than that of the CBR, and other than that there
aren't any major distinctions, with both bikes have a DOHC setup with four valves per cylinder
for the valve train, and power are passed through a six-speed wet clutch featuring assist and a
slipper clutch. As entry-level bikes, the features and tech on both bikes are pretty basic. Besides
the dual-channel ABS that are standard for both bikes, the CBR has full LED lighting, while the
ninja features an LED headlight and tail light, but still retains the same bulb turn signal as the
ninja 400. Other than that, Honda also equipped a CBR with traction control, a very basic one that
lacks adjustability and can only be turned on or off, while the ninja didn't get any. For
features that ninja has but CBR does not, there is a keyless system available on the ninja
and both bikes are fitted with a TFT display on the dash, that offers smartphone connectivity via
Bluetooth, Kawasaki with its Rideology app and Honda with its Road sync app. Keep in mind that
the keyless system on the ninja is exclusive to the SE model and is not available in the standard
trim, as well as the TFT display where the basic model instead gets an LCD display, although
it still comes with smartphone connectivity features. In terms of frame, neither the ninja
nor the CBR received a new frame. The ninja still utilizes the same old trellis frame made from
steel, identical to the one used in the Ninja 400, while the CBR features a diamond tube steel
frame which is also a carryover from the previous generation. As for front suspension,
the Ninja falls short compared to the CBR, with its budget conventional telescopic fork,
while on the other hand, the CBR stands out with a more modern and better performing
Upside Down Showa separate function fork (SFF-BP), with both forks offering no adjustability.
At the rear, both have linked monoshocks, adjustable only for preload, and up front, the
ninja features a budget two piston axial mount caliper, while the CBR is equipped with superior
brakes, which not only have twin discs instead of the single disc on the ninja, but also sport
four piston calipers that are radial mount. When it comes to the tires Honda opted for fatter
tires on the CBR. Up front the CBR is fitted with a 120 mm width tire compared to the Ninja's
110 mm, while at the rear, the CBR features a 160 mm tire while the ninja has a 150 mm. Then as for
the wheelbase, the ninja is a bit more compact, around 35 mm shorter and talking about
fuel capacity, the CBR can carry around 3l more fuel than the ninja, which means more
riding time and fewer stops at gas stations, considering that both have a similar fuel
consumption figure. As for seat height, they share an identical height of 785 mm, and
in terms of price, the CBR is listed at £6,699 which is £100 more than the last year model, while
for the ninja, price hasn't been revealed yet but expect it to be in the ballpark of the CBR, maybe
a tad more for the SE variant. Last but not least, as for the ergonomics, both riding positions are
almost similar. They feature a high handlebar and an upright riding position, but the foot pegs on
the ninja are slightly higher and the handlebar has a different angle, which some riders say
makes it a bit less comfortable than the CBR