Kawasaki India recently put out a teaser of its baby Ninja, hinting at an imminent launch. Here’s why it isn’t all that exciting
The Kawasaki Ninja 300 first came to India way back in 2013. Since then, the company has updated the bike a couple of times, sadly albeit any monumental changes.
For 2022, the Japanese giant has once again announced an update via a teaser posted across Kawasaki’s social media handles, hinting at an imminent launch. However, here’s why you should NOT be too excited about this update either.
2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 – New Design?
The teaser posted by Kawasaki India simply reads ‘The Beast Is Coming In A New Avatar’ with a sort-of silhouette of the 2022 Ninja 300
Judging from the image, it’s quite clear that there aren’t any major design updates in place for 2022. The fairing-mounted indicator, seat, fuel tank shape, raised pillion seat, and even the windscreen all look exactly like the existing Ninja 300.
The only noteworthy thing is what looks to be LED DRLs at the front, hinting that the new Ninja could get an all-LED headlight
What does look a little different, however, is the headlight which seems to boast LED DRLs now, possibly hinting at an all-LED setup. Apart from this, the accompanying tagline, suggesting a new avatar, is a clear hint that the new Ninja 300 will also boast new colour options to smoke some life into the bike’s ageing design. Not to mention, this is something the Japanese giant has done repeatedly in the past, too.
This is the reason the first reason why you shouldn’t be excited about the new Ninja 300, simply because it’ll still don a similar design which, though likeable, has remained unchanged since its inception.
2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 – Features Galore?
This means the new Ninja will probably make do with the same-old semi-digital instrument cluster that simply looks aged , especially when you compare it with the cheaper TVS Apache RR 310
The next reason why you shouldn’t be excited about the new Ninja 300 is its features.
Again, judging from the teaser image, the instrument cluster and bulb-type indicators look the same as the BS6 Ninja 300. Now, the Ninja 300’s instrument cluster isn’t really bad or lacks information, but it’s the same semi-digital setup we’ve been seeing since 2013, a little too much even if you go by the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach.
Apart from this, there’s another monumental reason why the new Ninja 300 won’t be an interesting proposition. Swipe up to know what it is.
Not to mention, the primary rivals including the upcoming 2022 KTM RC 390 and the TVS Apache RR 310, both offer fully digital TFT instrument clusters with Bluetooth connectivity.
2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 – Expected Pricing
Firstly, judging from the teaser, the bike’s design looks mostly unchanged, boasting the same fairing-mounted bulb indicators, similar split-seat, and fuel tank
The final reason why the 2022 Ninja 300 won’t be exciting is its pricing.
While we don’t know the official price yet, we do know that the Ninja 300 currently retails at Rs 3.37 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), nearly Rs 60,000 more than its arch-rivals. So even if Kawasaki only introduces mere paint schemes for the MY 2022, the price will surely shoot up by at least a couple of thousand rupees, if not more.
Plus, this hike will only become bigger if we are indeed correct about the expected updates (all-LED headlight and LED DRLs), ultimately making the 2022 Ninja 300 a not-so-value-for-money prospect.
Next, if you look closely, the instrument cluster and its surrounding panels all look the same too
Nevertheless, even after all this, there’s no denying that the Kawasaki Ninja 300 is currently the only multi-cylinder sub-400cc sportbike you can buy, offering a good blend of a powerful engine and comfortable yet sporty ergonomics.
We really hope Kawasaki proves us wrong and surprises us (and most other people) by launching a vastly updated Ninja 300 that can, once again, be an epic option in its segment.
Keyword: The Teaser Of The 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 Is The Only Exciting Part Of The Upcoming Bike