Kawasaki Z300

Kawasaki has unveiled the Z300, and it’s poised to be the most affordable naked bike in its Z family. Underneath, it is closely related to the Ninja 300, but the styling follows the Z900's lead, with the same edgy, muscular design shrunk down to a more compact size. Swapping the Ninja's clip-ons for a single wide handlebar gives it a more relaxed posture, which should make it a friendlier companion for everyday commutes.

The heart of the bike is the familiar 296cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin, rated at 39.54 PS and 26.1Nm, with a six-speed gearbox handling the shifts. Kawasaki has also upgraded the instrumentation, replacing the Ninja's semi-digital display with a full TFT screen that supports smartphone connectivity. It’s about time! Two colour options are on offer: Green and Black.

On pricing, the Ninja 300 costs Rs 3.34 lakh (ex-showroom), and because the Z300 skips the fairing, a tag of around Rs 3 lakh (ex-showroom) seems plausible. The motorcycle is scheduled to launch on October 20. It will take on the KTM 390 Duke R and the TVS Apache RTR 310, while holding the distinction of being the only 300cc parallel-twin naked bike in the Indian market.

Key dates:

• It was first shown at a private event in Bangalore.
• Previews in Mumbai and Pune on October 18.
• Bookings open across India on October 19.
• Launch is on October 20, 2026.

Engine and features:

• Same 296cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin as the Ninja 300, making 39 PS and 26.1 Nm.
• 6-speed gearbox.
• TFT display with smartphone connectivity. This is an upgrade over the Ninja 300’s semi-digital console.
• Two colours: Green and Black.