Kawasaki Ninja 300 comes to India: The three big questions - Moneycontrol.com

1. They raised the price! How can they justify this? The price of the Ninja 300 went up a fair chunk at launch in practically all the markets it has been launched in so far. And there is a fair justification for that ( Why is it the 300? ) in our eyes. The Ninja 300, we will be the first to admit is now out of the budget for a few of you but we believe that if you just wait a little bit and save some money, it will come back within the realm of possibility. Why is the price rise okay? Well for one, the bike is bigger, more powerful and a whole bunch of detail changes on it suggest that it will be both easier and more fun to ride on the street as well as even more brilliant on the racetrack. We would pay a bit more for this, for sure. But the biggest factor is that this is a more focused, better equipped sports motorcycle and there is a cost. The whole slipper clutch , lighter pistons, new cylinder bores and what have you are all bits that cost more to make and there is no way that the motorcycle was going to cost the same as the outgoing Ninja 250R. 2. But the last time, they were so few, I could not even book one! That is true and Bajaj as well as India Kawasaki officials were clear that there may be a slight hiccup or two in the beginning but as long as this model is on sale supplies will be far less of constraint. In fact, 500 kits are already here. We honestly believe it will be better than before but we have our doubts on whether this will be as effortless a process as promised. The reason is simple. Japanese companies typically react cautiously and slowly and surging demand will still not cause a rapid supply to kits to materialise suddenly. We believe both Bajaj and India Kawasaki are far more optimistic about sales than the last time and therefore more kits will be earmarked for India so more of you should be able to get one. 3. All right, fine, but the Duke 390 makes a lot more sense, no? Well, that is a good question. With a fairly simple answer. First take a look at this chart . It is quite clear that the Duke 390 is likely to have the measure of the Ninja 300 in a straight line given its lighter weight and higher power output. If the handling of the Duke 390 is like the 200 - and the chances are good because the chassis is identical - then it will be radically different to the Ninja 300 in feel but almost as quick if not quicker. Duke parts are well known to be cheaper than Ninja parts and the longer and deeper you delve into this the more sense the Duke 390 seems to make if the target price is anywhere below Rs 2.5 lakh. And chances are Bajaj will. Even with standard ABS the Duke will be massively, massively cheaper than the Ninja 300. So who should buy the Ninja 300 then? If you are coming up the displacement chain and getting your first truly powerful motorcycle, we believe that the Duke 390 should be all the motorcycle you need. The Ninja is a strong contender for a more seasoned rider who understands the subtle difference that a twin cylinder engine as well as a role-focused sports bike can make to the ownership and riding experience. And of course, buying motorcycles is never all about making rational sense. There is a lot of emotion involved and some of you will always prefer green to orange. Some of you aren't ready to race, you just want the good times to roll. via Technology - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHDiDtBRbTvJXIIdBAWXjwwA7Pryg&url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wheels/kawasaki-ninja-300-comes-to-india-the-three-big-questions_850484.html

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