Kawasaki Ninja 400 Launched In India

We were hoping to catch a glimpse of the Ninja 400 at the Auto Expo 2018, but Kawasaki India, unlike other manufacturers, seems to have opted for a different approach to launch its motorcycles. While the company did showcase its lineup and launched the Ninja H2 SX at the Expo, they have launched the Ninja 400 at Rs 4.69 lakh today. This comes after the Kawasaki Z900RS which was launched at Rs 15.3 lakh in February 2018. Kawasaki will also continue to sell the Ninja 300, priced at Rs 3.65 lakh, along with the 400 (all prices ex-showroom Delhi).

Going by the images, the Ninja 400 looks a lot more beefier than the 300, thanks to the all-new chunkier dual LED headlight setup and the more masculine looking fairing, which carries a lot more mass than the one seen on the Ninja 300. The instrument console is derived from the Ninja 650, whereas the tail lamp is inspired by the one seen on the Ninja H2.

Speaking on the launch, Yutaka Yamashita, Managing Director of India Kawasaki Motors, said, “Ninja 300 is mainly made for beginners and Ninja 650 is popular among experienced riders. However, Ninja 400 fits the bill for those who are willing to buy a sports bike between 300 and 650cc.”

The Ninja 400 is powered by a 399cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor which is mated to a six-speed gearbox. The peak power generated is 49PS @ 10,000rpm, which is 8PS more than the Ninja 300 and the torque produced is 37Nm @ 8,000rpm, which is 10Nm more than the Ninja 300.

Kawasaki claims that the new downdraft intake, which is accompanied by a larger airbox, not only increases intake efficiency but has also helped improve performance. The company also claims that the Ninja 400 has the potential to compete with higher-displacement models as well as motorcycles with higher engine capacity.. The Ninja 400 also gets a slipper clutch now, which will allow you to enter a corner hard and shift down more aggressively.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

The Ninja 400 features a trellis frame, similar in design to that of the Ninja H2. Apart from this, like the Ninja H2, the new Ninja 400 features a swingarm mounting plate, allowing the swingarm to be affixed to the rear of the engine, thus improving stability.

Broken roads and undulations will be kept in check by front telescopic forks and a monoshock at the rear. The 310mm front disc and 220mm rear disc brakes now come with the safety net of ABS.

According to Yamashita, “With the introduction of Ninja 400 we have created a good family of Ninja series. As of now, Ninja 400 will be available in limited numbers, because Ninja 300 is still our flagship model in India and it will be continued along with other Ninja models.”

The Kawasaki Ninja 400 will be available in green colour, which is the KRT edition and it will be assembled at Kawasaki’s factory in Chakan, Pune. The Ninja 400 comes with an exclusive launch offer for limited customers who book the motorcycle in April itself.

Its direct rival, the Yamaha R3 also has also been updated with ABS now and is priced at Rs 3.48 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Interestingly, both motorcycles tip the scale at 173kg (kerb).