[Sheel]

At 5:10 and thereabouts what do they quip and whichever video I see, I always see testers/journos saying the same, what makes them say so?

Originally Posted by Sheel

Does that explain its sales figures outside India? The RC8 or the SuperDuke and the likes? Are they hot sellers, how do they do against competition and why?

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Sheel

At 5:10 and thereabouts what do they quip and whichever video I see, I always see testers/journos saying the same, what makes them say so?

That is because they dont trust KTM engines LOL.

This one reviewer, Ari Henning happens to own an old gen RC390 which he rocks on the race track. I have heard him complain that the RC390 had to be attended upon valve clearances more often than the Japanese bikes. This may be the reason they say that. By the way, that is a fine exaggeration though. There are 390s that have done 90k+ km without any replacement.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

With the price difference in India taken into account, I am glad I chose the RC .

Absolutely. Like I keep saying - with the 'made in India' RR and RC - the other 300s have become rather irrelevant now.

But, if anyone is going to sweat - it would be Yamaha. Ninja 400 seems to have blown away the R3 in terms of performance.

For people willing to pay a premium in India for Japanese twin cylinder performance (Whereas in effect they are paying for CKD and taxes), the Ninja 400 would be much more worth the premium as compared to R3, hopefully with Kawasaki not repeating another pricing blunder.

[Dodge_Viper]

Is there any news or rumor atleast about when it will be launched?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

But I am afraid the price will make it irrelevant mostly - with respect to the positioning against the Ninja 650. Will be quite interesting to see how Kawasaki tackles this issue, but I don't have too much hope seeing the way the Versys X300 was launched.

Looks like my fears have come true -



At 4.69L ex showroom for the Ninja 400, I think it is priced way too close to the Ninja 650 priced at 5.44 L ex showroom. Z650 comes even closer at 4.99L ex showroom.

PS - The website still shows both Ninja 300 and 400 as two seperate models. Hope they are not planning to retain the 300.

Edit - Attaching the Press Release -

http://www.kawasaki-india.com/2018/0...inja-400-post/

02nd April 2018 India Kawasaki has launched much awaited Ninja 400 in India for Rs. 4,69,000 ex-showroom Delhi. The lightweight, sharp-looking, high-performance, sport model offers excitement and ease of riding to a wide range of customers.

Clad in sharp new Ninja styling, the New Ninja 400 delivers greater performance than its predecessor care of all-new engine and chassis that are more powerful and significantly lighter. Not only does the Ninja 400 offer stunning, high-quality looks, its stronger engine performance, light, predictable handling and relaxed, sporty riding position make it both fun and easy to ride.

On the occasion of introduction of Ninja 400, 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.”

On the technical front, the Ninja 400’s all new 399 cm3 delivers higher performance and controllability. The higher performance can largely be credited to the new downdraft intake, which is accompanied by a larger airbox offering increased intake efficiency. The smooth response and abundant low-end torque facilitate throttle control for new and experienced riders alike. The Ninja 400 also has a potential to compete with models having relatively higher power and engine capacity.

The Ninja 400 features a trellis frame similar in design to that of the Ninja H2. Kawasaki’s advanced dynamic rigidity analysis was used to ensure optimum rigidity with light weight. 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 contributes to stability.

Few noteworthy elements like largest brake disc in class, more rigid front fork and sporty riding position which can accommodate a wide range of rider sizes and riding situations make Ninja 400 very unique. Besides a cover for the radiator fan directs engine heat away from the rider, contributing to rider comfort.

The new Ninja 400 boasts futuristic new Ninja styling inspired by the mighty Ninja H2. Chin spoilers at the bottom of the front cowl were inspired by the Ninja H2 and Ninja ZX-10R. LED taillight design inspired by the 2016 Ninja ZX- 10R contributes to the rear’s sharp impression. The Ninja 400 is equipped with the same instrument cluster as the Ninja 650, contributing to the high-grade feel of the tidy cockpit. In a nutshell, Ninja 400 has got many features inspired by its elder brothers.

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 Ninja 400 will be available in green colour which is a KRT edition and it will be assembled in Kawasaki’s factory in Chakan, Pune. Ninja 400 comes in the market with an exclusive launch offer for limited customers if bookings are done in April 2018. Customers can visit nearest dealership for more information.

[AtheK]

Woah, that is some absurd pricing. Good luck selling them IKM. I give it my stamp of DOA (If only there was something like that )

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

That is because they dont trust KTM engines LOL.

This one reviewer, Ari Henning happens to own an old gen RC390 which he rocks on the race track. I have heard him complain that the RC390 had to be attended upon valve clearances more often than the Japanese bikes. This may be the reason they say that. By the way, that is a fine exaggeration though. There are 390s that have done 90k+ km without any replacement.

Ari is right. The KTM runs off a single pot with aggressive cam profiling, it is no wonder that the valves go out of clearance at shorter intervals. Same with overall life of other engine components.

It is more a matter of technology and configuration used than quality of components that determines engine life, as the latter is ideally more or less the same except in the case of Royal Enfield motorcycles or manufacturing defects.

[PrasannaDhana]

Is the pricing a joke? 30 thousands more one can buy a spanking new z650, which is a better motorcycle!

So it trickles down to R3 and CBR250R for someone wanting a reliable refined small capacity tourer.

[tanuj_afc]

Been a long time fan of Kawasaki since riding a Ninja 250 extensively. So wanting to upgrade to a bigger bike I was considering the Ninja 400. But, 4.69L is grossly overpriced considering its main competition is the R3. I was waiting for the Ninja 400 for quite some time now, but I guess I have to wait for the R3. Hope Yamaha does not screw up it's pricing or else would have to scrap my dream of a parallel twin and stick with singles instead.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by tanuj_afc

Been a long time fan of Kawasaki since riding a Ninja 250 extensively. So wanting to upgrade to a bigger bike I was considering the Ninja 400. But, 4.69L is grossly overpriced considering its main competition is the R3. I was waiting for the Ninja 400 for quite some time now, but I guess I have to wait for the R3. Hope Yamaha does not screw up it's pricing or else would have to scrap my dream of a parallel twin and stick with singles instead.

R3 has already been launched in Feb with a price tag of 3.48 lacs, with ABS as standard and better tyres. AS per an article it has already started reaching showrooms too.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/62850540.cms

It definitely is a far better proposition then buying a 400cc for this kind of pricing.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by tanuj_afc

But, 4.69L is grossly overpriced considering its main competition is the R3. I was waiting for the Ninja 400 for quite some time now, but I guess I have to wait for the R3.

R3 has already been launched at 3.48L. I consider that itself overpriced compared to the likes of RC390 and RR310, but then - the eye watering price of the Ninja 400 makes the R3 look VFM in comparison.

Ninja 400 is certainly a much better motorcycle than the R3 as per international reviews like the one posted here, but the price premium is just too much for the Kawasaki.

[ach1lles]

Gah. I was expecting this. Apparently they still have a stock of 150-200 N300s they need to get rid of, and that has I guess played a factor in pricing the 400. The availability will also be scarce, but I hope they atleast get a few out for test rides soon. Have they set a date for deliveries?

@AtheK you got it spot on when you said April.

Edit: Just spoke to the Kawasaki guy, even he was cribbing about the price ("jitna on road hona chahiye tha unta ex-showrom bana diya"). Launch offer is 30k discount. Deliveries in July. No test/demo bikes available before that. Pfft.

I have a feeling that the price will drop to 4.3 or so after they are out of 300s.

Edit 2: is it still without ABS, can't find any mention on their website. If it is, then

[Shumi_21]

The optimist in me still wants to believe that this is some kind of belated April Fool's joke that Kawasaki is cruelly playing on us!!

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

I fear (especially with the exorbitant pricing of the Versys X 300) that Kawa might price the N400 way too close to the N650 (and on par with the Z650) making the N400 redundant. The bike is absolutely smashing on paper and in all probability in reality too, but I sincerely hope (pray!!) that Kawasaki does not price this into oblivion.

I had extremely high hopes of the N400. Finally here was a motorcycle that could outperform the KTM's with the added comfort of Japanese refinement and reliability. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? Well, Kawasaki have ensured that it would remain so, at least for me. I cannot for the life of me justify the pricing!

But here is the kicker: The N400 is a replacement to the N300 globally without any price increase, while we get the N400 for a premium of roughly 30% over the N300.

[theredliner]

That's atrocious pricing. Plain and simple. If the 400 costs the same as the 300 in USA, I wonder why the bump in price is so much for India. ABS alone wouldn't cost that much as Kawasaki charges $300 more for the ABS in the US.

With this, we're looking at 5.6L+ OTR in Karnataka. That's more than twice of what I paid for the RC 390 in 2016. Even though I had the budget for a Ninja 300/ R3 back then, I didn't buy them as I wanted a hardcore sportbike. As a bonus, I ended up upgrading my gear with the money saved and got myself 2 piece perforated sport leathers, Bell Star helmet, Held boots, Forcefield armored vest etc.

With this pricing, I don't see anyone but the most ardent fanboys buying this one over a 650. Agreed, many find the 650 twin too tame and lacking in character, but the 400 seems to have lost out that high revving nature too, producing peak power at a relatively low 10000 RPM.

[Shumi_21]

Just noticed this:



The Indian version of the N400 makes 49hp in comparison to the 45hp that the Ninja makes non India markets. But still it does not justify that pricing!