Kawasaki reveals Z300 naked bike in India; bookings from 19 October, prices on 20 October

Kawasaki has revealed the Z300, a new entry-level naked motorcycle for India, at an event in Bengaluru. Bookings will open on 19 October, and prices, variants and full specifications will be announced on Kawasaki’s website on 20 October, according to Autocar India and Autocar Professional.

The Z300 is based on the Ninja 300 and will be the entry point to Kawasaki’s Z range in India. Similar preview showcases are planned in Mumbai and Pune on 18 October, both publications reported.

Engine and design

The motorcycle uses the Ninja 300’s 296cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine, which produces about 39 hp and 26.1 Nm and is paired with a six-speed gearbox, according to Autocar India and Autocar Professional. BikeWale put the Ninja 300’s output at 38.4 bhp and said it expects similar figures for the Z300. Kawasaki will confirm the specifications on 20 October.

Unlike the fully faired Ninja 300, the Z300 has street-naked styling that Autocar India said “strongly resembles” the larger Z900. Key details reported so far:

• Engine: 296cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin, six-speed gearbox
• Wide, upright single-piece handlebar for a relaxed riding position
• TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity, replacing the Ninja 300’s semi-digital unit
• Colours: Green and Black (according to Autocar India and Autocar Professional)
• Bookings from 19 October; prices on 20 October

BikeWale reported that the bike is likely to use telescopic front forks, a rear monoshock, 17-inch alloy wheels and dual-channel ABS, as on the Ninja 300. Kawasaki has not yet confirmed these details.

Price and rivals

Kawasaki has not announced a price. For reference, the Ninja 300 is listed at ₹3.34 lakh (ex-showroom), according to Autocar India and Autocar Professional. Autocar India said a price of under ₹3 lakh would make the Z300 a strong rival to the KTM 390 Duke and TVS Apache RTR 310. The publication added that the Kawasaki is expected to be more refined but will not match those models on outright performance or chassis specifications.

Sources: Autocar India, Autocar Professional, BikeWale