2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 Abs
2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS
More performance headroom with Team Green’s entry-level sportbike
DON CANET
CONTRARY TO OUR SOCIETY'S SUPERSIZE-ME MENTALITY, Kawasaki’s Ninja 250R has sold like Happy Meals since it first hit the scene back in 1986. Even Cycle World expressed doubts in our first road test of the bike (June, 1986), concluding that “This country hasn’t shown much fondness for small streetbikes in recent years, and only time will tell if the 250 Ninja will fade into obscurity.”
Guess we blew that one! The novicefriendly quarter-liter Ninja has since become the class focal beacon, projecting an alluring combination of fun, affordability and sporty styling that has attracted countless new riders to our sport. But just last year, Honda took a chunk out of that market segment by introducing the stylish CBR250R Single, prompting Kawasaki to rethink its entry-level strategy. The result is the all-new 2013 Ninja 300.
We got our first hands-on assessment of the new Ninja at a press ride on Skaggs Springs Road, a flowing ribbon of blacktop through the coastal mountains between U.S. 101 and Pacific Coast Highway north of San Francisco. I later followed up by putting a 300 ABS through CW’s measured performance testing procedure. In both instances, the Ninja was impressive.
At a glance, you could easily mistake the 300 for a ZX-6R or ZX-10R; sportminded novices have never enjoyed such visual cred! I was dazzled by the bike’s quality of fit and finish, and by the inspiring view from the saddle. The instrument pod is all-new, with an analog tach and LCD panel that displays many of the features you would find on a literbike. The switchgear is of high-quality design and feel, and there’s now even a passinglight switch; yes, this Ninja has enough performance to easily overtake vehicles, even on SoCal’s rabid-transit freeways!
A 47cc displacement bump (from 249cc to 296) in the liquid-cooled parallel-Twin came via a 7.8mm stroke increase. Larger intake valves and ports are fed by digital fuel injection that uses dual butterflies in the 32mm throttle bodies, providing increased airflow over the 30mm-carbureted 250R. Revised pistons yield a lower compression ratio (10.6:1, down a full point from 11.6) that’s better suited to today’s regular pump gas. In all, says Kawasaki, nearly 50 percent of the parts in the 300’s engine are new. The resultant increase in torque throughout the entire rev range has transformed the Ninja riding experience in a huge way.
For starters (literally), there’s no choke lever to fuss with, and cold engine behavior is exemplary. On Cycle World’s dyno, the Ninja 300 produced 35 peak horsepower, well up on the 250R and Honda CBR250R, which made 25.5 and 23.7 ponies, respectively, on the same dyno. The 300 also put out 18 foot-pounds of torque, so it maintains a 4to 6-ft.-lb. advantage over those 250s throughout the entire range. Thus, the 300’s power-to-weight ratio has improved dramatically, since our ABS model tipped the CÍV scale at 362 lb. dry, only 6 lb. more than its predecessor. The non-ABS model is said to be 4.4 lb. lighter.
Aside from its acceleration potential, the new engine has lent the Ninja a notably more-relaxed nature. Taller final gearing (42-tooth rear sprocket, three down from the 250R’s), combined with a taller top-gear ratio, allows the sixspeed 300 to match the cruising velocity of its predecessor while turning far fewer revs. At an indicated 60 mph in top gear, the tach registers just 6800 rpm, not the nearly 9000 rpm of the 250R. That’s significant, even if you’re not an Interstate traveler.
CW FIRST RIDE
A new semi-double-cradle steel frame on the 300 is said to be 150 percent stronger, allowing use of rubberized front engine mounts. This better isolates the rider from engine vibration without compromising handling performance. Even though I felt a hint of buzz through the grips at any given rpm, vibration is significantly less pronounced than on the 250R. Fuel-injection mapping is spot-on, with no lags or stumbles, and driveline lash is nil.
Shifting is silky-smooth and light, too, and the addition of a Japanese F.C.C.brand slipper clutch removes any concern about matching engine revs with rear-wheel speed during downshifts. To put the new setup to the test, I shut the throttle, dropped three gears and dumped the clutch while entering a bumpy corner. The result? Absolutely zero rear-tireskittering drama. The “assist” feature of the clutch also performs as advertised, offering pinky-finger-light lever effort. As with the 2 5 OR, however, the new clutch has a narrow band of engagement that takes place virtually at full release of the lever. Still, smooth takeoffs from a stop are easily achieved with little throttle application or clutch slip.
High-rev holeshots at the strip were a snap as the 300 flexed its guns with a 5.6-second 0-60 mph time en route to a 14.43-sec. run through the quarter-mile at 90.58 mph. It also hit a top speed of 106 mph with 1000 revs to spare! The 2011 Ninja 250R we last tested turned in a 15.62 sec./81.84-mph quarter-mile and a top speed of 93 mph; the single-cylinder CBR250R only managed 16.15 sec./77.54 mph and ran out of legs at 87 mph.
Fuel efficiency on the Ninja 300 is improved, as well. I managed nearly 70 mpg without any concern for conservation; the dash has an “eco” logo that illuminates when you’re optimizing fuel usage. Even with its slightly smaller, 4.5-gallon gas tank, the bike is better suited for longer hauls. The saddle is nicely padded and shaped, and it sits just 30.5 inches off the ground. The rider triangle is unchanged from its predecessor and is actually roomier than that of a ZX-6R.
As with any small-displacement sportbike, corner speed is the name of the game. The 300’s chassis provides more-neutral steering feel with no trace of the sensation of falling into corners that I’ve experienced on the 250R and Ninja 500.1 was also pleased with the enhanced sense of grip and stability that I got from the 140/70-17 IRC rear tire, which is 10mm wider than the 250R’s 130/70-17. Front tire size remains 110/70-17.
We encountered some rough stretches of road during the last part of our ride to the coast, and the suspension proved up to the task. The 37mm conventional fork has been treated to lighter damping for improved ride comfort, but oil level is higher, increasing resistance to bottoming under hard braking or over sharp bumps. The shock has firmer damping and a more useful range of spring-preload adjustability to better accommodate a greater range of rider weights.
That bumpy part of the ride also was an opportunity to give the 3 00’s antilock brakes a thorough evaluation. I found that the system functions as well as those fitted to bikes that cost far more. This was further illustrated during performance testing when the 300 with ABS stopped from 60 mph in 135 feet and from 30 mph in 33 feet.
Just as the competition had begun to close in, Kawasaki answered the challenge. In every sense, the Ninja 300 is a worthy successor to the best-selling Ninja 250R. It hasn’t been supersized, but it’s a whole lot more motorcycle.
