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Kawasaki Ninja 300

revnort said:
I welcome these bikes 3 years from now when I can buy one for cheap that was dropped by a previous owner in the driveway.
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Odd how so many bikes are dropped in the driveway or garage. Wonder what happens when the bikes are actually out on the road...

Anyway, I like the new 300. Finally FI for the USA. But the bike needs to drop at least 50 pounds. :teeth
 
Pretty swetet.Still more bike than most riders can use :laughing
 
I see this a lot. If KawaHondaSuzuYamaKTAprilHDRoyalEnfield makes this, I'd buy it, it's my dream bike. But then they make it, and all of the sudden, every one that said they were going to buy one, has a reason they don't, it's the wrong color, the grips are too hard, the seat doesn't have the right texture, the rear wheel is 1/4 inch too narrow, etc., etc.

That's one of the reasons the manufacturers don't bring all the tiddler bikes that they make for Japan and Europe over here. And people generally buy large bikes. Although the Ninja 250 seems to be the exception to that.
 
Gabe said:
OMG! Is it 1992 again? That would be awesome-my back wouldn't hurt so much and I'd be a 1/4 inch taller, and four cylinder 400cc sport bikes would make sense.

But it doesn't anymore, and never will. As I point out every time somebody says how awesome it would be to have a 400 cc sport bike, why, o why would a company make a bike that costs exactly the same as a 600 to engineer and build and price it less? And why would consumers buy a 400 when a 600 would be about the same weight, but make way more power and cost just a little bit more?

Sign the pledge: I promise to never wish for a 400cc sport bike again, because there will never, in a million gazillion years, ever be such an animal. You're more likely to get a bio-engineered Pegasus.
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The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence with rose-colored glasses. 400s were always too expensive, parts were hard to come by, they were slow unless you were willing to not use the brakes and go around blind corners with lots and lots of corner speed, they were too uncomfortable for normal sized people, and my Bandit 400 never did carburate well. In fact it still doesn't run. An SV is head and shoulders better than almost any 400. However, an NC30? Well...... Yeah I would.
 
corndog67 said:
I see this a lot. If KawaHondaSuzuYamaKTAprilHDRoyalEnfield makes this, I'd buy it, it's my dream bike. But then they make it, and all of the sudden, every one that said they were going to buy one, has a reason they don't, it's the wrong color, the grips are too hard, the seat doesn't have the right texture, the rear wheel is 1/4 inch too narrow, etc., etc.

That's one of the reasons the manufacturers don't bring all the tiddler bikes that they make for Japan and Europe over here. And people generally buy large bikes. Although the Ninja 250 seems to be the exception to that.
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They sell gobs of Ninja 250s. For a little bit more (who knows what the MSRP will be), I don't see how they won't sell gobs the Ninja 300, although I do believe it will cannibalize sales from the 250 if they sell both.

As we have seen numberwise, the Ninja 250 was proclaimed the highest selling model for Kawasaki in various years in the United States. The Rebel 250, according to honda is one of their top sellers each year as well.

The problem isn't sales #s, it is profit per unit. I am sure that Kawasaki makes a much higher % profit on the ZX-10r per unit compared to the Ninja 250.
 
Gabe said:
Sign the pledge: I promise to never wish for a 400cc sport bike again, because there will never, in a million gazillion years, ever be such an animal. You're more likely to get a bio-engineered Pegasus.
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Might not ever get it, but it seems like the perfect size to race on.
 
me thinks the twofiddy will go by by


[youtube]Ttic6mKV_Fs#![/youtube]
 
hahaha....Thanks Gabe!

I've been trying to avoid snooping around too much so as not to get excited about something that won't materialize...but it looks like this rumor is coming true.

Our Kawi rep has kept his trap shut, only offering that pricing and US colors will be announced to us when we place our next order (9/13/12). So over the next week or so I should have more pricing and availability information if anyone wants to hit me up.

.....since the salesman is coming out a bit......you can also leave a deposit with us to lock in one of the first bikes if you'd like....:teeth.

I still think a 400cc would be the ideal displacement for what I want....but this 300 may do the trick too. "Hello, my name is Ted and I'm a motoholic....."



...and...I had to add, I honestly don't think Kawi is intending on this bike being a next step for a current 250 rider.....it is just a replacement for the current 250. A 7 hp increase over previous year model is huge! You can't look at the flat number....you need to pay attention to the % increase, and it is significant.
 
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Gabe said:
OMG! Is it 1992 again? That would be awesome-my back wouldn't hurt so much and I'd be a 1/4 inch taller, and four cylinder 400cc sport bikes would make sense.

But it doesn't anymore, and never will. As I point out every time somebody says how awesome it would be to have a 400 cc sport bike, why, o why would a company make a bike that costs exactly the same as a 600 to engineer and build and price it less? And why would consumers buy a 400 when a 600 would be about the same weight, but make way more power and cost just a little bit more?

Sign the pledge: I promise to never wish for a 400cc sport bike again, because there will never, in a million gazillion years, ever be such an animal. You're more likely to get a bio-engineered Pegasus.
Click to expand...

the only reason it doesnt make sense is the cost, as you said, because a truly bitchin' one probably would cost the same as a 600.
But, where youre wrong is in the time in history. In 1992 "we" werent ready for little bikes. Now "we" are; Riders are getting educated, small bikes are cool, and its accepted that a reasonably talented rider can hang with bigger bikes. More work, ya, but fun as hell to go 1k huntin'!
 
duh_ave said:
the only reason it doesnt make sense is the cost, as you said, because a truly bitchin' one probably would cost the same as a 600.
But, where youre wrong is in the time in history. In 1992 "we" werent ready for little bikes. Now "we" are; Riders are getting educated, small bikes are cool, and its accepted that a reasonably talented rider can hang with bigger bikes. More work, ya, but fun as hell to go 1k huntin'!
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In '92 I had a hell of a fun time on a borrowed FZR400! :teeth
 
Gabe, I'll disagree with you on a single count...

Fuel efficiency. Fuel efficiency is going to be a driving force in bike design in the near future. Taking into account developing nations' increasing desire for gasoline, small bikes are going to reign supreme as fuel costs continue to climb. America always desires bigger and faster, but we're going to become a minor player in the motorcycle market in the not so distant future, second to the massive demand of small fuel efficient bikes that the rest of the world so desires.

Small sportbikes *will* make a comeback - mark my words. And it won't be because you want them to, either.
 
Meter Man said:
They sell gobs of Ninja 250s. For a little bit more (who knows what the MSRP will be), I don't see how they won't sell gobs the Ninja 300, although I do believe it will cannibalize sales from the 250 if they sell both.

As we have seen numberwise, the Ninja 250 was proclaimed the highest selling model for Kawasaki in various years in the United States. The Rebel 250, according to honda is one of their top sellers each year as well.

The problem isn't sales #s, it is profit per unit. I am sure that Kawasaki makes a much higher % profit on the ZX-10r per unit compared to the Ninja 250.
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Don't be so sure. And as one dealer told me, would you rather make 3 nickels or one dime?

And I think (like Teddy said) that the 250 is dropped. It's not in the EPA filing.

duh_ave said:
the only reason it doesnt make sense is the cost, as you said, because a truly bitchin' one probably would cost the same as a 600.
But, where youre wrong is in the time in history. In 1992 "we" werent ready for little bikes. Now "we" are; Riders are getting educated, small bikes are cool, and its accepted that a reasonably talented rider can hang with bigger bikes. More work, ya, but fun as hell to go 1k huntin'!
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Yes, there is such a massive population of well-educated, discerning motorcycle enthusiasts in the USA that there will be literally dozens of customers lined up to buy high-spec 400cc sportbikes--just as soon as they've been collecting dust and bankrupting dealer floor-planning for two years so they can buy them massively discounted.

MysterYvil said:
In '92 I had a hell of a fun time on a borrowed FZR400! :teeth
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Exactly--borrowed. You didn't see the point of buying one,either, which is why most of those 400s only lasted a year or two.

Kestrel said:
Gabe, I'll disagree with you on a single count...

Fuel efficiency. Fuel efficiency is going to be a driving force in bike design in the near future. Taking into account developing nations' increasing desire for gasoline, small bikes are going to reign supreme as fuel costs continue to climb. America always desires bigger and faster, but we're going to become a minor player in the motorcycle market in the not so distant future, second to the massive demand of small fuel efficient bikes that the rest of the world so desires.

Small sportbikes *will* make a comeback - mark my words. And it won't be because you want them to, either.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you read my post--I don't doubt small sportbikes will make a comeback (although, if you think about it, as the Ninja 250 always sold so well, small sportbikes never really went away, so they can't make a comeback). But if other brands bring in small sportbikes (or sporty bikes, like the KTM micro-duke), they will use simple technology, not the overcomplicated mess that is a V-4, and be made in India, Thailand, Taiwan or the PRC (yes, I know the NC30 was built in Thailand).

Interesting page on the NC30:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_VFR400

408 pounds wet, 56 hp...sounds like a Ducati 750SS to me. Yeah, I've ridden a VFR400 (Lance Williams', if you know him) and it was pretty cool, true. But would you pay $12,000 for one?
 
Gabe said:
I'm not sure you read my post--I don't doubt small sportbikes will make a comeback (although, if you think about it, as the Ninja 250 always sold so well, small sportbikes never really went away, so they can't make a comeback). But if other brands bring in small sportbikes (or sporty bikes, like the KTM micro-duke), they will use simple technology, not the overcomplicated mess that is a V-4, and be made in India, Thailand, Taiwan or the PRC (yes, I know the NC30 was built in Thailand).

Interesting page on the NC30:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_VFR400

408 pounds wet, 56 hp...sounds like a Ducati 750SS to me. Yeah, I've ridden a VFR400 (Lance Williams', if you know him) and it was pretty cool, true. But would you pay $12,000 for one?
Click to expand...

The 400s were indeed born of a different era, a byproduct of a specific set of regulations which made it advantageous for Japan to product near 400cc bikes without breaking into the 400cc to unlimited size bracket. It was more cost effective for individuals to buy those bikes, even allowing for the higher initial purchase cost, than to try to deal with a larger CC bike in Japan, and the slew of fees and other associated chargers that came along with a big bike. It won't happen again, sadly... Not in the world we live in.

I had the opportunity to take a Honda RS125 out on the track for a couple laps. It ruined me. Absolutely ruined. I want light bikes :mad At what cost? Who knows. The world is going to get small bikes whether they like it or not.

This is truly a golden age for sportbikes. Get while the getting is good!
 
Kestrel said:
The 400s were indeed born of a different era, a byproduct of a specific set of regulations which made it advantageous for Japan to product near 400cc bikes without breaking into the 400cc to unlimited size bracket. It was more cost effective for individuals to buy those bikes, even allowing for the higher initial purchase cost, than to try to deal with a larger CC bike in Japan, and the slew of fees and other associated chargers that came along with a big bike. It won't happen again, sadly... Not in the world we live in.

I had the opportunity to take a Honda RS125 out on the track for a couple laps. It ruined me. Absolutely ruined. I want light bikes :mad At what cost? Who knows. The world is going to get small bikes whether they like it or not.

This is truly a golden age for sportbikes. Get while the getting is good!
Click to expand...

Amen, brother.
 
Seems odd that Kawasaki would simply abandon the 250 market to Honda.

I am not familiar with EPA filings and how long they last etc.
 
Meter Man said:
Seems odd that Kawasaki would simply abandon the 250 market to Honda.

I am not familiar with EPA filings and how long they last etc.
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What do you consider the 250 market, though? Essentially nobody except us handful of racers care about the actual displacement difference between a 250 and a 300. They're leveraging against the weakness of the Honda, namely it's lackluster power output, by bumping up to a still entry-level 300cc while increasing horsepower by nearly 20%.
 
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