The Ninja series is an ingenious innovation of the Japanese public multinational corporation – Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. This company is best known for the production of heavy-duty equipment, aerospace and aeronautic technologies, rolling stock, defense equipment, and other remarkable innovations.
Its automobile and craft division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Motorcycle & Engine Company, is the brain behind the production of ATVs, utility vehicles, jet ski, personal watercraft, and the Ninja 400.
This is a sportbike that was launched in response to inferior quality and functionality encountered by the previous version of the motorbike.
The motorcycle was launched in 2018 to serve as an upgraded version of the 300, which struggled to meet the Euro IV emission standards among other regulatory bodies. In the Ninja 400, this automobile heavyweight thought it wise to bring an all enjoying experience to its vast community of riders by providing an upgrade to its engine, suspension, frames, and some other parts of the motorcycle.
How Recent Is this bike?
The launch of this Kawasaki was not instant in every part of the world. The company took its time to test the motorbike in different regions, hence its widespread acceptability. The first announcement about its launch was made at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2017. The launching was made to seem like the first use in Europe, but this was not the narration.
On December 1, 2017, the first set of Ninja 400 was launched in the US. This was followed by another launch in Japan in 2018. In this same year, the Indian branch launched its first version as it was assembled by Kawasaki’s manufacturing plant in Chakan, Maharashtra, at that time.
As the brand replaced the 300 in other countries, this was not the case in India. Instead, the new model was sold together with the previous model. Although, it was clearly explained to the buyers that this new model was an upgraded model. Apart from the 400 and 300 models, several other motorcycle models have been produced by Kawasaki in the past. Some of these are still in existence; the most popular ones include the 250R and Z250. Some upgraded models like the 650 model have also been produced after the latest 400.
However, the 400 has been strategically positioned in between the previous editions and the latest ones.
All versions of bikes ever produced by Kawasaki, including this one and its variations, are available on the zecycles for buyers who would love to check them out and make a purchase if they want any.
Features, Designs, And Specification
Size
The dimension of the 400 is slightly different from those of other versions that precede it. It measures 990 mm in length, 710 mm in width, and a height of 1,120 mm. The length is 5 mm longer than the previous version. This is attributable to the rebranded body panel. The company also took some inspirations from the H2 and Ninja ZX-10R designs. This is why the Ninja 400 appears longer than usual. The width and height of Ninja 400 are shorter than that of Ninja 300 by as much as 50mm and 5mm, respectively.
Performance
The performance of the 400 is better than its predecessors in many regards. The first is the engine upgrade. The 400 features a new 399cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor. This makes it to deliver a torque of 38 Nm at 8,000 rpm and 33.4 Nm at 8, 250 rear wheels. This is about 11Nm greater than that produced by the 300. It also provides the power of 33.4-36.5 kW, which is equivalent to 44.8-49 horsepower at 10,000rpm. This is even greater than the previous version with as high as ten horsepower.
The Ninja 400 also has a more upgraded exhaust, lightweight internals, and a bore and stroke, further enhancing the power and torque due to increased compression ratio to 11.5:1. The motor of Ninja 400 performs better at low and mid-range, delivering a better linear power than the Ninja 300.
Dynamics and Ergonomics
Right from the tires, the Ninja 400 offers a firmer grip than Ninja 300. This is due to the introduction of Dunlops into the design and not the IRC tires present in the previous versions. The telescopic front forks, measuring up to 41mm, helps handle the suspension of the motorbike. The gas-charged mono-shock rear suspension unit further augments this.
The spring arm, wheelbase, and rake also contribute to the agility and better output of the Ninja 400. The spring arm is 100mm more extended, while the wheelbase is 35mm shorter than the previous version.
Other features worth mentioning are its 168kg weight, which is 8kg lighter than the previous version, making the Ninja 400 the lightest motorbikes’ lightest categories. This is attributable to the steel trellis frame and the engine that acts as a stressed member.
It also makes use of a double braking system. The front has a dual-piston caliper with a single disc measuring 310mm. the rear brake has a single-piston caliper also with a single disc measuring about 220.
300 Vs. 400
There are only a few similarities between the 400 and 300 model. The most obvious of them is the size and design of the tires. It shares this with not only Ninja 300 but Ninja 650, and a host of other motorcycles.
From this review, it is evident that the 400 fulfills the intention for its design. This is why it is preferred by Kawasaki brand lovers, even with the newer models already in the market.