[Skyline_GT]

That was a visual treat to read with Akira in the backdrop of all that greenery!
I’m in the midst of saving up for my next big bike which is going to be a Ninja 300 and reading your opinion on how comfortable and fun to ride is very reassuring! Can’t wait to get my hands on my Ninja!

Ride Safe God Speed.

[WalterWhite]

Originally Posted by dmaheshkumar

Hi,
Valparai to Pollachi is one of the best ghat sections in Tamilnadu.
Roads were great with less traffic which is the main point what a rider look for.

Yes. The roads are very good and wide. And Valparai is such an amazing place to spend a weekend.

Originally Posted by dmaheshkumar

Reading all this is really tempting to do long rides in motorcycle.

All the very best and please be very careful on the ghat roads.

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

That was a visual treat to read with Akira in the backdrop of all that greenery!
I’m in the midst of saving up for my next big bike which is going to be a Ninja 300 and reading your opinion on how comfortable and fun to ride is very reassuring! Can’t wait to get my hands on my Ninja!

Ninja 300 is very comfortable for a sports bike. Maybe it is priced at a bit premium and it doesn't have the bells and whistles. But out on the road, all that matters is the heart of the matter which is that butter-smooth parallel twin engine. That feeling you get while riding a Ninja is priceless. If sports touring is your requirement then look no further. All the very best for your future purchase.

[WalterWhite]

First Service Update:

Dropped Akira for the first service with ODO reading 945KM at Kawasaki Cochin on 12-Aug at 9:30 AM. I called the Kawasaki Cochin one day before and booked the service slot. The service center and showroom are within the same building. At the front is the showroom. The service center is at the back. I was told to wait a few hours so that I didn't need to go home(which is 25 km away) and come back. Residing in Cochin is a blessing that we have almost all premium dealerships here within a few kilometers radius. From Hero to Ducati. From Maruti to Porsche. We have almost all brands here. Just for perspective, there are only 2 Kawasaki dealerships in Kerala. One is in Cochin and the other one is in Kozhikode. So guys from faraway districts have to look for closer dealerships. In some cases, the nearest dealership can be in the neighboring state also. It is the same case with most of the states too.

When visited Kawasaki Cochin. Ugly cable work ruins the look of most of the beautiful constructions all over. We have world-class brands here. But world-class infrastructure? Not yet.

Let me move to the service experience. The service guy asked me about any complaints. I told him about the slight vibes(I don't even call it vibration, it's just a small buzz) on 4 to 4.5K RPM. He said, it is normal and they won't do anything apart from fluid changes and regular checkups in the 1st service. I didn't insist on checking the issue(knowing nothing they would do. The intention was already clear. Also this is not a big issue. The TR bike also had the same kind of buzziness. Any Ninja 300 owner here pls let me know otherwise). Opted out from washing the bike as they will have to move the bike to a third party for water service. I was waiting in the lobby inside the showroom. There was a Z900 which was kept ready for delivery. Some time I spent looking and walking around the bulky beast. Whenever I look at an inline four I always imagine the eargasmic sound it makes. The service was completed around 1 PM. The service cost has come to 7K INR. Detailed invoice below.

I knew it would come in the range of 7K to 8K. Just giving a reference for future buyers.

Post-service I took her to almost near Thrichur. Just to unlock the sleeping beast. Got a lot of chances to open the throttle wide open. But I waited patiently to hit the 1K Km mark. And achieved it.

1st milestone with Akira

Once I crossed the 1K mark. I started to explore more towards the north of the tacho. All of the top RPMs are absolutely fantastic and stress-free. 9K, 11K, 13K you take any rev range, the Ninja 300 is absolutely fantastic, exciting and the same time most importantly refined and stress-free. The twin cylinders doing their job flawlessly. The exhaust sound changes after 8K RPM. Same time the beast sleeping inside will also wake up and show its true color. All the character of the bike suddenly changes. It has transformed into a different animal. It gave me the adrenaline rush and a wide smile on my face. In the 3rd gear, it will destroy all the 350s out there. In 4th she will kill most of the so-called 250s and 300s out there. And In 5th gear, she will say goodbye to most of the fast cars. And you are left with one more gear. But that is strictly for cruising because 5th can take you to serious speeds even before you know it. In 3rd gear, you can potter around in the city. Twist the throttle and let her pass the 8K RPM and the same gear will take you to 126Kmph comfortably. And keep her all day there. She doesn't complain. What a machine!

Some small things that I observed post-service:
1. After the oil change the engine runs more smoother now
2. Earlier small vibration felt at 4 - 4.5K RPM is now only around 4K RPM. I wouldn't call it vibration. It's just a small buzz.

Apart from these, I haven't felt any difference. All perfect.

Random pic. Akira in the greenery. A little spiced up.

As for detailing and paint protection, I did PFF on the tank and ceramic coating on the rest of the body from Ceramic PRO Cochin. I will come up with a detailed post.

[Skyline_GT]

Very informative post! That part where you mentioned how it would put behind most quarter litre and 300 cc competition in the dust in each gear was sweet!

Just curious as to how would you rate the stock MRFs that come with the bike? I’ve heard from multiple YouTube reviews that they are terrible and do not instill much confidence in the rider not just in the wet but even in dry conditions.

[WalterWhite]

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

Very informative post! That part where you mentioned how it would put behind most quarter litre and 300 cc competition in the dust in each gear was sweet!

Thanks Skyline_GT for your kind words.

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

Just curious as to how would you rate the stock MRFs that come with the bike? I’ve heard from multiple YouTube reviews that they are terrible and do not instill much confidence in the rider not just in the wet but even in dry conditions.

Since I changed to Applolo on day 1 itself I cannot really comment on the MRF. Only rode a few Kilometers on MRF. Yes, you are correct, there are a lot of videos on YouTube that show the bike handlebar wobbling at a speed of 60Kmph on MRF. The problem was resolved after changing the tyre.

[dmaheshkumar]

Hi,
Labour seems to be on higher side as usual. For Chain Lubing, its marked as 293 apart from the General Labour.

[WalterWhite]

Akira | Detailing Update

This was already on the bucket list. I just wanted to get the 1st service done first. I surfed the internet for the Detailing shops and found few. Called the top-rated ones and enquired about the process and the cost. The quoted cost was almost the same across the shops I called. So decided to go with the top-rated one which is Ceramic Pro Cochin. Even the Kawasaki Cochin sales executive recommended the same. I visited their shop one fine evening. The shop is at Kalamassery. Talked with Vipin who I believe is the owner of the shop, detailed to me the cost, process, and materials used. Since the PPF is very expensive, I decided to get it done on Tank alone. Before, I was thinking of doing PPF on the rear panels below the pillion seat. Because when I tie the luggage the bungee cords rub the panels and could leave some marks in the long run. Since this will cost 1K for each panel on both sides I dropped the plan. It would be cost-effective to replace the panels as such instead of doing PPF. Should be comparatively cheap that way.

The cost split up:
Kavaca ION PPF on Tank: 9000/-
Ceramic coating on entire parts: 13800/-

PPF comes with a 3-year warranty. Ceramic coating has a free extra coating after a year. They also gave me a 1Ltr shampoo bottle and 3 microfiber cloths for pampering the bike.

It took 4 days to complete the full process which is acceptable. Rushing through the process is not good in the detailing industry. Akira looks even more stunning post the detailing treatment.

[WalterWhite]

Originally Posted by dmaheshkumar

Hi,
Labour seems to be on higher side as usual. For Chain Lubing, its marked as 293 apart from the General Labour.

Yes. The labour cost is on the higher side. I could have opted out and done it myself. But I didn't have a paddock stand or a Groller at that time. And a trip was planned soon after.