siampreggers Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Senior Road Tester Adam Child is in Frankfurt, Germany for the launch of Kawasaki's new Ninja 300 – not merely a big bore 250, but an entirely new bike. He's just got off after his first session on the bike and said: "It feels much more like a big bike than the previous model, not just in terms of the size, but the build quality, which is far better than the 250. "It’s very much like the rest of the family and emulates the ZX-6R and ZX-10R to such an extent that everybody will want to know how fast it goes. The answer is that it indicated 112mph on an unrestricted German autobahn but it felt like there's potential for more - possibly 120mph? "The clutch is one-finger-light round town and the gear box is smooth." Read the full test in the September 12 issue of MCN. http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/First-rides-tests/2012/September/sep1012-kawasaki-ninja-300-first-ride/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_boo Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Senior Road Tester Adam Child is in Frankfurt, Germany for the launch of Kawasaki's new Ninja 300 – not merely a big bore 250, but an entirely new bike. He's just got off after his first session on the bike and said: "It feels much more like a big bike than the previous model, not just in terms of the size, but the build quality, which is far better than the 250. "It’s very much like the rest of the family and emulates the ZX-6R and ZX-10R to such an extent that everybody will want to know how fast it goes. The answer is that it indicated 112mph on an unrestricted German autobahn but it felt like there's potential for more - possibly 120mph? "The clutch is one-finger-light round town and the gear box is smooth." Read the full test in the September 12 issue of MCN. http://www.motorcycl...300-first-ride/ Wonder if Kawasaki has the built in +8% like they have on the N250...meaning that the bike might have been going a real 166 km/h. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siampreggers Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Official Australian prices released by Kawa Australia today. White or Ebony Colour: Kawasaki Ninja 300 (Non ABS) - $6,199 RRP + ORC - AVAILABLE NOW Kawasaki Ninja 300 (ABS) - $6,699 RRP + ORC - COMING SOON Lime Green Special Edition: Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition (Non ABS) - $6,399 RRP + ORC - COMING SOON Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition (ABS) - $6,899 RRP + ORC - COMING SOON http://www.kawasaki.com.au/news/general-kawasaki-news/item/584-new-kawasaki-ninja-300-now-available Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Senior Road Tester Adam Child is in Frankfurt, Germany for the launch of Kawasaki's new Ninja 300 – not merely a big bore 250, but an entirely new bike. He's just got off after his first session on the bike and said: "It feels much more like a big bike than the previous model, not just in terms of the size, but the build quality, which is far better than the 250. "It’s very much like the rest of the family and emulates the ZX-6R and ZX-10R to such an extent that everybody will want to know how fast it goes. The answer is that it indicated 112mph on an unrestricted German autobahn but it felt like there's potential for more - possibly 120mph? "The clutch is one-finger-light round town and the gear box is smooth." Read the full test in the September 12 issue of MCN. http://www.motorcycl...300-first-ride/ '120mph'.....So 10mph less than the Ninja 650........... Hmmmmm marketing hype if you ask me. I'm sure it will hit 110mph but it'll take a hell of a long time to get there. I love my Kawasakis, but remember that this guy is being paid to test ride and review the Ninja 300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluestu Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 PAUSE at 1:44............. Dam that's a hot chassis!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BirdsandBooze Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Senior Road Tester Adam Child is in Frankfurt, Germany for the launch of Kawasaki's new Ninja 300 – not merely a big bore 250, but an entirely new bike. He's just got off after his first session on the bike and said: "It feels much more like a big bike than the previous model, not just in terms of the size, but the build quality, which is far better than the 250. "It’s very much like the rest of the family and emulates the ZX-6R and ZX-10R to such an extent that everybody will want to know how fast it goes. The answer is that it indicated 112mph on an unrestricted German autobahn but it felt like there's potential for more - possibly 120mph? "The clutch is one-finger-light round town and the gear box is smooth." Read the full test in the September 12 issue of MCN. http://www.motorcycl...300-first-ride/ '120mph'.....So 10mph less than the Ninja 650........... Hmmmmm marketing hype if you ask me. I'm sure it will hit 110mph but it'll take a hell of a long time to get there. I love my Kawasakis, but remember that this guy is being paid to test ride and review the Ninja 300 But the journo works for Motor Cycle News not Kawa. I've always found his reviews impartial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siampreggers Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Speed run in Indo on the new 250 saw 170kph indicated, and that wasn't a long run. (see youtube) That's 105.6 mph. Given the (presumably) nice aerodynamics the N300 hitting 112mph straight outta the box isn't an unreasonable claim. Getting an extra 8mph (on a good day) when the engine loosens up isn't an unreasonable assumption. Given the aerodynamic, weight, and power-curve differences of the two bikes I wouldn't really compare them, especially thinking the N300 will be much slower than the bulky, blocky, low spinning Er-6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siampreggers Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 btw some CBR250R guys in Oz were saying how the value of their bike just dropped.... Not half as much as the guys in Oz who paid $7500 for 2010 ninjettes before the the CBR was released and Kawa had to slash their price by $1500. How much have they lost on their $7500 N25's with new 2013 N300's going for $6200! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBikeBKK Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 btw some CBR250R guys in Oz were saying how the value of their bike just dropped.... Not half as much as the guys in Oz who paid $7500 for 2010 ninjettes before the the CBR was released and Kawa had to slash their price by $1500. How much have they lost on their $7500 N25's with new 2013 N300's going for $6200! Heh heh, yeah, Kawasaki was really raking in the dough during all those years with no competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackcorbett Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I'd say it is. I remember Honda claiming around 103 mph or so for its CB 350 (which actually had around 325 c.c's). That was my first bike. My second was a Honda CB 450. Horsepower figures for the two were 36 and 45 bhp respectively. The 350 was basically a 90 mile per hour bike. Perhaps on a good day she'd hit 95 according to the speedometer. The 450 was good for around 100 or so. Much later I got a 650 BMW R-65 twin rated at 50 horsepower. Top speed on it was around 105 to 110. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siampreggers Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 Now official for the US as well. Announced last night at their Time's Square launch. "The price for the non-ABS model will be an MSRP of $4,799. The ABS model will be priced at $5,499 in the U.S. market." Seems to match the pricing for the old N250 in all the regions. Let's hope well see the N300 in Thailand at 155k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyF Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 I'd say it is. I remember Honda claiming around 103 mph or so for its CB 350 (which actually had around 325 c.c's). That was my first bike. My second was a Honda CB 450. Horsepower figures for the two were 36 and 45 bhp respectively. The 350 was basically a 90 mile per hour bike. Perhaps on a good day she'd hit 95 according to the speedometer. The 450 was good for around 100 or so. Much later I got a 650 BMW R-65 twin rated at 50 horsepower. Top speed on it was around 105 to 110. I'd say it is. I remember Honda claiming around 103 mph or so for its CB 350 (which actually had around 325 c.c's). That was my first bike. My second was a Honda CB 450. Horsepower figures for the two were 36 and 45 bhp respectively. The 350 was basically a 90 mile per hour bike. Perhaps on a good day she'd hit 95 according to the speedometer. The 450 was good for around 100 or so. Much later I got a 650 BMW R-65 twin rated at 50 horsepower. Top speed on it was around 105 to 110. Given that the Ninja 250 would do 160 GPS verified with an average weight person on board, I'd have thought that maybe 10% more than that would be possible on the 300. I'd be more interested in the extra acceleration at highway speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BirdsandBooze Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 It`s already on the Kawasaki UK website but no price details as of yet. With it`s extra horses and easy on the eye styling I think it`ll sell pretty well to newly qualified and returning older riders back in Blighty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikster Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 PAUSE at 1:44............. Dam that's a hot chassis!! Each to their own, ey? Did she really just say the bike is "in a class of its own" and "class leading" in the same breath? Argh, my brain hurts.... The bike looks great tho. According to some birdies the Ninja 300 is built in Thailand but only for export; and the Ninja 250 2013 will be sold in Thailand but not made here; forgot where it's supposed to be made, Indonesia? Anyway... might or might not be true. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 The Ninja300 was first released in Indonesia, as to where it's made i haven't a clue but would think Rayong still As for Kawasaki SE Asia doing a full switch (N250 to be produced in Indonesia and the N300 to produced in Thailand but for export only)... Seems a bit backwards to me, unless Kwakersaki are making huge savings doing so, perhaps there's less corruptio and fat cats to feed in Indonesia.... 555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_boo Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I could see Kawasaki spinning up a mature proven manufacturing plant for producing their new N300...if Indonesia is just starting a plant intended for export (according to Kawi's 2010 report they make for what appears only the Indonesian market) and is an unknown factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familyonthemove Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 On a recent trip to UK I was reading a positive preview of the Ninja 300 in Motorcycle News .... and they mentioned that the 'leaked' photos came from Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 34.38Bhp, not too shabby and about what was expected. 40Bhp isn't too far away and should be achievable with a full system, filter and fuel/ignition controller. I think 40Bhp would be perfect combination of power and reliability for the Ninja 250/300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Yeah nice smooth curve too for stock. This is interesting too Compare 300, Stock 2012, 250 & a 2010,250 race prepped & like you say 40hp or over with a few tweaks Edited October 9, 2012 by mania 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Shame Thailand has to make do with a sheep in wolves' clothing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) God knows how long it took to get there but an indicated 115mph was reached (185kmh) In this demo video on an Autobahn. For the impatient, skip to 00:46 Edited October 9, 2012 by karlos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlos Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Just to add too the 185kmh top speed, i just found a video showing the Ninja 300 WOT and covering 148kmh - 158kmh in 9 seconds..... downhill. Just how long did 185kmh take? Anyway, the bike looks great and would be a great introduction into the world of 'bigger' bikes for most Thais. Skip to 1:44 Edited October 9, 2012 by karlos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expatsupreme Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I hope they will not sell 250 cheap version here in Thailand, that would be a discrimination for god sake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackybang Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Hi, everyone. I hope you are all in good health / spirits. As far as my nearest Kawasaki dealer (Korat) is concerned, that's exactly the version they will be offering (250), in three colours, with a slight price increase over the old model. They reckon no 300, no z800, but will be releasing the new zx14r around December. Have been popping in for the last two Years or so, whenever I pass, as I love to look at their bikes - don't own a big fat one (bike), but would definitely pull the trigger if they brought something out that inspired me, for a decent price. All the information I've received from them has always been accurate, but in this instance, I hope that might not be the case... As far as some internet sites are concerned, they say we will have to wait for the next bikeshow in Bangkok, to really know, as they said even Kawasaki Thailand would not know what bikes will be released in this market, until then. Apparently, they receive their direction from Japan. I personally don't know if this is true, but it sounds feasible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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