In an attempt to fill the gap between the Ninja 300 and Ninja 650, Kawasaki has introduced the Ninja 400 in India. While the 400 replaces the 300 in the global market, Kawasaki’s has opted to continue the sale of the 300 in India. We recently reviewed the motorcycle and are impressed by its road presence and other features. Here’s a detailed photo gallery of the sportsbike from our first ride.
The Ninja 400 draws its inspiration from the flagship ZX-10R motorcycle with razor looks and edgy styling. The quality of materials and its fit-finish is good with hardly any gap between panels. It sports twin-LED headlamps for both low beam and high beam.
The rear of the Ninja 400 is sleek with well-defined lines which is further accentuated by the tail lamp inspired by the ZX-10R.
The Ninja 400 is built around a rigid yet light trellis frame featuring a sharp steering angle and a shorter wheelbase (compared to the Ninja 300). This configuration contributes to slow speed manoeuvrability and while taking U-turns or changing lanes.
Powering the motorcycle is a 399cc DOHC liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor capable of producing 47.5bhp of power and 38Nm of peak torque. With the redline set at 12,000rpm, the engine is fun to ride after 6000rpm where the power band kicks in.
The Ninja 400 features a sporty yet upright riding stance which is comfortable for long distance trips. The seat height is positioned at 785mm, the handlebars are easy to reach and the foot-pegs being slightly rear set are not an issue.
The Ninja 400 comes with a slipper clutch thus making aggressive downshifts much safer preventing wheel hopping. Even the force needed to operate the clutch has been reduced by 20 per cent which is a big boon when riding in traffic. At the same time, Kawasaki has cleverly channelled the heat dissipated by the radiator fan and engine towards the motorcycle keeping the rider’s knees and legs away from the heat.
Positioned between the two-piece handlebar, the Ninja 400 sports a negative LED display with an analogue tachometer unit. Apart from the standard information, the console also shows engine temperature, fuel consumption and range.
For braking, the Ninja 400 comes with a 310mm disc with a two-piston caliper for the front and a 220mm disc again with a two-piston caliper for the rear. The motorcycle features dual-channel ABS as standard equipment.
Suspension duties are handled by 41mm non-adjustable telescopic forks in the front and a bottom link-type monoshock with preload adjustment for the rear.
