Say thanks to the new European regulations without which your little Ninja would still be powered by a 250cc mill making 33bhp. New regulations that came to force in the European Union from January 19th 2013 have introduced a new driving license category ‘Category A2′ that lets any rider at least 19 years of age to ride a motorcycle that makes no more than 35kW, 10 kW more compared to the current regulations which permit only 25kW (around 33.5 bhp) motorcycles for learners. This dear reader, is why in a country with no staged licensing system anybody with a valid drivers license can enjoy a 39bhp machine.
Sibling Differences
In addition to the bump in performance, the Ninja 300 also gets a new ‘Assist & Slipper’ clutch serving up dual benefits. The new setup uses two types of cams in tandem.
The assist cam acts as a self-servo mechanism, pulling the clutch plates together and enables lighter clutch springs to be used, requiring lesser effort at the lever.
The slipper cam as with other slipper clutches comes into play when engine braking is so high during rapid downshifts that the rear wheel might lose traction. The race-style back-torque limiting function helps prevent wheel-hop when downshifting says Kawasaki.
Kawasaki Ninja 300
Kawasaki Ninja 250R
Europe gets the Lime Green and Ebony Black colour options, but if the recent spy shots are any indication, we think we’ll be limited to the Lime Green and Pearl Stardust White options.
Both the 250 and the 300 get a second set of ECU-controlled throttle valves to precisely regulate intake airflow for natural, linear response, improved combustion efficiency and increased power. Kawasaki uses this technology in the bigger siblings the ZX-6R and the ZX-10R. Kawasaki also says the body work is designed to promote airflow to help dissipate heat effectively. The large openings and fin design of the fairings are said to be inspired by those of the Ninja ZX-14R. Kawasaki also says the have an ‘innovative’ piece of tech : the radiator fan cover that directs hot engine air down and away from the rider.
We mentioned in a previous story that it should be delightful to watch Bajaj try to price the 300 without treading on the new Kawasaki 650’s territory which has been one of the better priced offerings in the country. If reports are to be believed, the new Ninja 300 will be priced at a slight premium over the last generation 250R which, by popular opinion was actually pricey. There also seems to be no talk about ABS, we really hope Kawasaki does offer it as an option.