Kawasaki's 2026 Lineup Is Stacked With Sub-$10K Ninjas

Kawasaki has a sterling reputation for blending performance, reliability, and value, and has traditionally offered some of the more affordable sport bikes on the market, making Kawasaki a popular choice for new riders. Most years, the company sells a handful of lower-end bikes for riders to choose from that offer street-worthy performance without breaking the bank, and it seems that the company is continuing that tradition in the coming year.

Recently, Kawasaki announced several of the bikes that will be featured in its 2026 lineup, and no less than seven designations across three models will be available for under $10,000. These bikes include the Ninja 500, the Ninja 650, and the Ninja ZX-4R supersport.

More bikes may be added in the future, but this is already a pretty wide selection of sub-$10K sport bikes compared to the selection offered by similar brands, such as Yamaha and Suzuki. Nothing in Kawasaki's early press releases has indicated that we will be seeing a return of any of the manufacturer's smaller street bikes, though rumors have been circulating for some time that we will eventually see the return of the Ninja 300. But those who are interested in procuring one of the more affordable bikes that have already been announced might be interested in hearing a bit more about what's to come.

For now, the smallest and most affordable model that Kawasaki has officially confirmed is the Ninja 500. Many might consider a 451cc parallel-twin sport motorcycle to be straddling the line between small and mid-sized, which may be appealing to riders who are interested in their first bike having a bit more highway capability and juice off the starting line. The bike is set to come with and assist and slipper clutch, a large-diameter 301mm front break disk, LED headlights and turn signals, KIPASS (Kawasaki Intelligent Proximity Activation Start System), and a full-color TFT display with smartphone connectivity The body promises a lightweight chassis with a more relaxed riding position, a large windshield, radiator screen, frame sliders, a pillion seat cover, a tank pad, and knee grip pads. There are three versions of this bike: The standard Ninja 500, which goes for $5,399, the Ninja 500 ABS, which goes for $5,799, and the Ninja 500 ABS SE, which goes for $6,499.

The next step up is the Ninja 650, which features a 649cc parallel twin engine, pushing it firmly into the mid-sized range. It boasts many of the same features as the 500, but it also promises the addition of Kawasaki's advanced traction control system, KTRC. This is designed to allow riders to confidently navigate turns, even on low-traction surfaces, and offers riders the ability to choose between two different riding modes that are each targeted at different riding situations and rider preferences. The standard Ninja 650 retails at $7,599, while the Ninja 650 ABS is $8,199.

Those who are interested in procuring a bike that is designed more for the raceways than the streets might be interested in checking out the Ninja ZX-4R–a 399cc in-line four-cylinder supersport that is designed to offer track-ready performance while also being a competent road bike. The 2025 ZX-4R was able to reach a top speed of 138 MPH and could accelerate from 0-62 MPH in just 3.9 seconds. 

"Its lightweight trellis frame is compact and nimble for exciting cornering performance," Kawasaki states, "while 290mm dual front disc brakes and a high-performance 37mm Showa SFF-BP front fork as well as horizontal back-link rear suspension have been fitted to ensure that the Ninja ZX-4R ABS breeds performance from the ground up." This bike is also set to feature a slew of special features, such as a 4.3-inch TFT color display with smartphone connectivity features, KRTC traction control, Power Modes, and the aggressive performance-oriented design that the brand is known for.

Kawasaki has announced two versions of this bike so far for 2026: the Ninja ZX-4R ABS, which retails for $9,299, and the Ninja ZX-4RR ABS, which goes for $9,999. This second version of the bike also includes the dual-direction KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter), a higher-grade Showa front fork that has an adjustable spring preload, and a Showa BFRC Lite rear shock.

Kawasaki has also announced a few more expensive bikes, including the Ninja ZX-6R and ZX-6R ABS, the Ninja H2 ABS and H2 Carbon ABS, and the Ninja H2R ABS.