Kawasaki Ninja 400 Review
Bike Tested: Kawasaki Ninja 400; Road Test No. 1116; Test Location: Mumbai
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 5,75,164/-
The Kawasaki Ninja 400 is the only worthy competitor to the KTM RC 390
Kawasaki’s upgrade of its quarter-litre motorcycle over the years has seen the launch of the Ninja 400, the replacement to the Ninja 300 in many markets across the globe. However, Kawasaki has chosen to offer the Ninja 400 in India alongside the Ninja 300, that too at a premium. In a segment where KTM has long dominated due to its value for money pricing and stellar performance, can the Ninja 400 justify its premium by being a more practical motorcycle?
Motor Quest: Kawasaki’s Ninja 400 is the first in its segment by the Japanese manufacturer. It was launched in India last year and made its debut worldwide too. The Ninja 400, however, is largely based on its predecessor but the design is inspired from the company’s flagship motorcycles.
The Kawasaki Ninja 400 with the graphics has the presence of a superbike
Styling – The Ninja 400 follows Kawasaki’s latest design direction which we first saw with the H2. It looks quite beefy in person and has all the right elements to suggest it’s a middle-weight motorcycle, not a 400cc machine. Colour scheme is typical Kawasaki with the black-green treatment while the saree guard is obnoxious and the pillion grab rail is bigger than you can imagine, both need to be gotten rid of ASAP. The alloys look nice, the integrated indicators at the front and the beefy tank all point to an aggressive look while the tail-light will certainly remind you of 1000cc Kawasaki bikes.
Analogue-digital console with a negative LCD looks dated at this price
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – The Ninja 400 employs a new analogue-digital instrument cluster which again will remind you of some H2 influence. It’s easy to read with the tachometer being analogue which takes centre stage but it’s not a colour unit and is very similar to the bigger non-R Ninjas! In this day and age of all LCD consoles, Kawasaki seems to have cut costs on the cluster, it gets the job done but doesn’t feel premium. The switchgear is of good quality and is the standard Kawasaki affair.
785 mm seat heigh is very accessible for most riders
Ergonomics – The seat height appeals to both short and tall riders while the seat is comfortable as you don’t sit crouched on this green machine, instead it’s mid-way of upright and sporty. The peg positioning is a bit of an issue though as the rider’s heel touches the exhaust shield. The rider sits with the bike while the pillion seat is quite high and small too. The mirrors on the Ninja 300 were not the best but the ones on the Ninja 400 are different and give a good view of what’s behind. The overall ergonomics are more like a sports-tourer rather than an entry-level supersport.
Power-delivery is linear at low revvs but feels urgent past the mid-range
Performance – Powering the Kawasaki Ninja 400 is a 400cc parallel-twin motor that has been developed with the Ninja 300’s engine as a base, upping both the bore and stroke while also increasing the compression ratio. The motorcycle produces a class-leading 50 HP of power and 38 Nm of torque, a significant uptick from its predecessor. 0-100 km/hr takes 5.2 seconds and the top speed is close to the double ton. But it’s not the outright acceleration that’s so impressive, in spite of the increase in output, Kawasaki has managed to bring power and output at lower revs, resulting in decent pull in the low-end although it’s really the mid-range where it starts to get into its own rhythm while the top-end is where the action lies as the motor simply jolts ahead with a scream, all the way till 12,500 RPM.
The motor has enough punch to keep the wheel up in the air
Parallel-twin rumble is very exciting, it builds up along with the revs
The motor isn’t as refined as the Ninja 300 though and there are vibes which creep in, especially when you get past 6000 RPM but isn’t felt as much post 8000 RPM due to the crazy scream from the mill in the top-end. Kawasaki has reduced the tank capacity from 17-litres on the Ninja 300 to 14-litres on the Ninja 400, the fuel economy has dropped too, around 28 km/l, making the tank range suffer. The 6-speed gearbox is smooth shifting and has a slipper clutch which is light to use but shockingly there are no adjustable levers, neither for the clutch nor for the brakes.
The motorcycle handles really well while being comfortable too
Riding Dynamics – Kawasaki has completely revised the underpinnings of the Ninja 400, it now uses a trellis frame, fatter forks, shorter wheelbase, sharper steering geometry, wider tyres and lighter wheels too. All this has resulted in a weight saving of 6 kgs over the Ninja 300, resulting in improved agility, better handling and more composure at high speeds, it also feels more eager to corner due to the sharper steering and gripper tyres. Ride quality is good and the Ninja 400 does a great job on bad roads, it also doesn’t have any issue on big speed-breakers. The brakes are now bigger and better, offering excellent stopping power. The tyres, on the other hand, don’t do justice as they keep losing grip until they are properly warmed up.
Neither too sharp nor too mellow, the Ninja 400 has a splendid balance
Verdict – There is no denying the fact that the Ninja 400 is a great bike. In essence, the Ninja 400’s improved hardware makes it better in almost every aspect when compared to the Ninja 300, be it performance, ride, handling, braking, design and even comfort. However, because of the crazy price on the Ninja 400, this Kawasaki makes little sense, one is better off paying a little more and getting the Z650 instead. Although anyone with a liking for a sport bike, the Ninja 400 is a great choice in the entry-level segment, as long as you don’t look at the price.
It is a very appealing motorcycle when the price factor is kept aside
What’s Cool
* Feedback from the brakes is brilliant
* Riding dynamics are very solid, it feels surefooted
* The motor revs freely while it also sounds pretty sweet
What’s Not So Cool
* It is a sports-tourer but not suitable for pillion duties
* Grip from the tyres isn’t the best, they need to be warmed up
* Priced at a premium, it almost costs as much as a middle-weight street-fighter
Two entry-level motorcycles packing oodles of fun
Kawasaki Ninja 400 Specifications
* Engine: 399cc, Liquid-Cooled, Parallel-Twin
* Power: 49 BHP @ 10,000 RPM
* Torque: 38 Nm @ 8000 RPM
* Transmission: 6-Speed
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Fuel Consumption: 25 km/l
* Frame: Steel Trellis Frame
* Tyres: 110/70/17 (Front), 150/60/17 (Rear), Dunlop
* Suspension: 41 mm Telescopic Forks (Front), Gas Charged Mono Shock (Rear)
* Brakes: 310 mm Discs (Front), 220 mm Disc (Rear), Switchable ABS
Kawasaki Ninja 400 Dimensions
* Wheelbase: 1370 mm
* Seat Height: 785 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 14-litres
* Kerb weight: 173 kgs
Testers’ Note:
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