Ninja 300 (2012 - present) review
The 250 gains some muscle and goodies like a slipper clutch
YOU know what Bruce Banner looks like the second after he's lost control of his mild scientist self? The first hints of green in his skin, a couple of muscles starting to balloon up like popcorn, the trousers seams starting to throw a stitch? That's Kawasaki's new baby Ninja for you. One hulkier step up from the 250R - which had a successful four-year run - the 2013 Ninja 300 really ups the ante in the small-sportsbike class. (Sadly, though, even when it gets really, really angry, it still won't morph into a ZX-10R).
From the styling to the engine, the Ninja has been heavily revised, almost enough to be termed an all-new bike, and in doing so, it's left the 250 class behind: "I don't like your game. I'm going to play my own game. Yah boo." So does a 300cc, 38 bhp sportsbike compute? Well, sure, it's not ridiculously powerful, not arm-yankingly kerrrazy, but it'll do very nicely for the real world, thank you.
YOU know what Bruce Banner looks like the second after he's lost control of his mild scientist self? The first hints of green in his skin, a couple of muscles starting to balloon up like popcorn, the trousers seams starting to throw a stitch? That's Kawasaki's new baby Ninja for you. One hulkier step up from the 250R - which had a successful four-year run - the 2013 Ninja 300 really ups the ante in the small-sportsbike class. (Sadly, though, even when it gets really, really angry, it still won't morph into a ZX-10R).
From the styling to the engine, the Ninja has been heavily revised, almost enough to be termed an all-new bike, and in doing so, it's left the 250 class behind: "I don't like your game. I'm going to play my own game. Yah boo." So does a 300cc, 38 bhp sportsbike compute? Well, sure, it's not ridiculously powerful, not arm-yankingly kerrrazy, but it'll do very nicely for the real world, thank you.
