Photo: Kawasaki
The smallest member of Kawasaki’s Ninja family could not be left without a special edition this year, especially as 2014 marks three decades of Ninja motorcycles in the house of Akashi books. The Special Edition Ninja 300 is available with just a small price increase over what the standard can be bought for, and it looks like a very good choice for those who want to stand from the crowd without spending big bucks while at it.
The two models are identical form a technical point of view, as they share the same frame and 296cc parallel twin injected engine, the same wheels and braking system, and the same bodywork. Revving up to the 11,000 rpm mark yields a 39 hp peak power while the maximum torque of 29Nm (21.4 lb-ft) is reached 1,000 revs lower. The Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition uses the same 6-speed manual transmission and assist/ slipper clutch.
Fuel injection has a dual throttle valve system which allows a smoother, more manageable power and torque delivery when twisting the throttle hard, while the anti-hopping clutch makes strong downshifting safer and easier to deal with, and pulling the clutch feel much lighter.
The 37mm fork is complemented by a bottom link Uni-Trak gas-charged rear damper with 5-way adjustability, and braking power comes from two petal rotors, a 220mm rear and a 290mm front one, both with dual-piston calipers. Both bikes share the same curb mass of 172 kg (379.7 lb), with a small extra bulk in case of an ABS-equipped model.
So basically the “special” in the 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition comes from the red racing-look rim stripes and the black and silver accents on the bodywork panels, including the tank and tail section. Both the Special Edition and the base Ninja 300 models come with Eco Riding indicator light and are A2 license-compliant.
The Special Edition Ninja 300 is £4,949 (€6,250 or $8,385, UK prices), with £400 (€500 or $680) extra for the ABS version.
Fuel injection has a dual throttle valve system which allows a smoother, more manageable power and torque delivery when twisting the throttle hard, while the anti-hopping clutch makes strong downshifting safer and easier to deal with, and pulling the clutch feel much lighter.
The 37mm fork is complemented by a bottom link Uni-Trak gas-charged rear damper with 5-way adjustability, and braking power comes from two petal rotors, a 220mm rear and a 290mm front one, both with dual-piston calipers. Both bikes share the same curb mass of 172 kg (379.7 lb), with a small extra bulk in case of an ABS-equipped model.
So basically the “special” in the 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition comes from the red racing-look rim stripes and the black and silver accents on the bodywork panels, including the tank and tail section. Both the Special Edition and the base Ninja 300 models come with Eco Riding indicator light and are A2 license-compliant.
The Special Edition Ninja 300 is £4,949 (€6,250 or $8,385, UK prices), with £400 (€500 or $680) extra for the ABS version.
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