2017 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 competition check

Indian Kawasaki Motors (IKM) has launched its 1043cc sport-tourer, the Ninja 1000. The bike not only gets a sharper design; it also boasts of new features. The bike’s main rivals are the Suzuki GSX-S1000F, and an oddball choice, the Triumph Tiger XRx. We take a look at how it fares against its competition.

Engine 

First let’s focus on the machine of the hour, the 2017 Ninja 1000. The bike is powered by a 1043cc in-line four cylinder mill which churns out 140bhp at 9,600 rpm and 111Nm of torque at 8,800 rpm. The bike has been made more refined as Kawasaki has added a secondary balancer to the crankshaft. To further improve refinement, the bike gets a new intake resonator to soften the intake roar. The Suzuki GSX-S1000F on the other hand, features a 999cc in-line four cylinder engine. It produces 144bhp of power at 10,000rpm and 105.75Nm of torque at 9,500 rpm. As for the Triumph, the Tiger XRx uses the 800cc three-cylinder engine used across the Tiger 800 range. The 800cc mill puts out 94bhp at 9,250 rpm and 79Nm at 7,950 rpm. All three power the rear wheel via a six-speed transmission and a chain.

Features

The 2017 Kawasaki Ninja 100 is feature laden. It now gets a 6-axis Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) with riding aids such as traction control, cornering management system and ABS. The bike also features three power modes for different conditions. Stopping power for the front is derived from dual 300mm petal discs while the rear gets a 250mm disc. 

With the Kawasaki stepping up its game, the GSX-S1000F seems like it received half blessings by its creator. The bike comes with less features and a higher price tag. The bike sports a three-mode traction control system, which can be adjusted according to the rider’s preference and ABS is standard. The bike rides on fully adjustable 43mm KYB inverted front forks and a Showa rear monoshock. Braking comes from 310mm dual discs in the front and a single 220mm disc at the rear.

Well, the only Englishman in the race may not be a sport tourer, but it is a worthy contender. It is loaded to the brim; the upscale Tiger XRx model gets switchable ABS and traction control as standard. The traction can be set to Road, Off-Road or Off, and four throttle maps include Rain, Road, Sport, and Off-Road. Further, three riding modes can also be selected. The first is called Road setting, that automatically sets ABS, throttle control and the throttle maps to a default road setting; the Off Road setting, switches the ABS, TC and throttle maps to an off-road mode, while a third mode allows the rider to select and customise the settings they prefer. Yes, most of these features help it settle when off the road, which is pretty much all of the roads in India during the monsoon, making it potent enough to attract a Ninja 1000 customer. 

Price

The 2017 Ninja 1000 is priced at an affordable Rs 9.98 lakh which is quite a deal given the features it carries. The Suzuki GSX-S1000F features a Rs 12.88 lakh price tag while the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx has a Rs 12.13 lakh price tag. All prices ex-showroom.