What else can you buy for the price of the 2017 Kawasaki Ninja 1000

Kawasaki has launched the 2017 Ninja 1000 in India today. The Ninja 1000 is a 1043cc four-cylinder motorcycle but is not as aggressive as a supersport because it is a sport tourer. The bike now gets a cornering management system, making it easy to ride around corners. The bike will come to India via the SKD route and assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant. The Ninja 1000 is priced at Rs 9.98 lakh (ex-showroom) and directly competes with the Suzuki GSX-S1000F priced at Rs 12.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The market offers a number of bikes across different segments that retail around the 2017 Ninja 1000 price tag. In the Rs 9.5-10.5 lakh range, here is what the grid looks like.

Harley Davidson offers 1200cc cruisers like the Forty Eight, which is a city cruiser as it sports an 8-litre fuel tank. It features a 1202cc V-twin engine that produces 60bhp at 5,500 rpm and 96Nm at 4,250 rpm. The Forty Eight retails at Rs 9.89 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The manufacturer also offers a retro styled motorcycle, the Roadster which shares the same engine and output as the Forty Eight but with a more sensible fuel tank. It is priced at Rs 10.09 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The Roadster’s design is iconic as it features a drag-style handlebar making you feel like one of those ‘80s café racers. If bling is your thing, the Harley Davidson 1200 Custom is just for you. The chromed 1202cc engine produces 67.70bhp of power at 5,680 rpm and 96Nm of torque at 4,250rpm. The bike is priced at Rs 9.66 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The bike features a large 17 litre tank, ensuring fewer fuel stops on tours. 

If the power figures and riding positions of the Harleys do not get your heart thumping, you can opt for a couple of brawny streetfighters. There’s the modern and beautifully styled Ducati Monster 821 and 821 Dark that retail at Rs. 9.92 lakh and Rs 10.95 lakh respectively. Both the Monsters share the same 821cc Testastretta L-Twin engine that produces peak power of 110.40bhp at 9,250rpm and peak torque of 89.40Nm at 7,750rpm. The Ducatis sport a suite of electronics that rival the Ninja’s but aren’t quite as advanced. 

Yamaha and Benelli offer in-line three cylinder motorcycles, further spoiling you with options. The contender from Yamaha’s stable is the MT-09, which is a reliable and smoother motorcycle as compared to the Ducatis. The bike features an in-line three cylinder mill that churns out 113.40bhp at 10,000rpm and 87.50Nm at 8,500 rpm.It is priced at Rs 10.35 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Also part of the race is the old-school Benelli TNT 899. The design is 13 years old, yet gives the young guns a run for their money.The bike, with its 898cc engine produces 119.37bhp at10,000rpm and a torque figure of 85.60Nm at 8,000rpm. The TNT’s ex-showroom price in Delhi is set at Rs. 9.67 lakh.