Earlier this year, a local TV news crew in Milwaukee was reporting that some streets were closed as Kawasaki was shooting a commercial clip. That’s when the first rumors about a new Ninja 400 started. Fast forward to October, and the company finally reveals the said model. And yes, it appears that it will be available in the U.S. after all.
The 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 400 has been officially unveiled now, looking ready to take new or returning riders on to a new level of comfort, fun, and fuel economy in their daily activities, be it commuting to work, riding for a coffee downtown or hitting the track for some unrestrained corner shredding.
Inspired by the lines of the full-blast H2, the new Ninja 400 is built on a high-tensile steel trellis frame designed to offer the strength and lightness of a true sportbike. The front ends with a standard 37 mm telescopic fork, while the rear is fitted a bottom-link Uni-Trak with gas-charged shock and 5-way adjustable preload.
What’s interesting is that Kawasaki wanted this bike to be frisky, so it didn’t go with a four-cylinder engine. Instead, the tubular frame holds a 399 cc twin-piston lump offering 45 horsepower at 10,000 rpm and 38 Nm (28 lb-ft) at 8,000 rpm.
A wet assisted, multi-disc slipper clutch connects the engine to a 6-speed manual offers back-torque limiting and a lighter clutch lever pull, which is perfect for congested city riding. And, as with the rest of the modern bikes, the new Ninja 400 comes with an electronic throttle and two riding modes - max power or rain.
And if you’re inspired by the Kawasaki green to be more environment friendly, the Ninja 400 is fitted with an Economical Riding Indicator. This means that the engine management unit continuously monitors the fuel consumption and a special indicator lights up on the dash when you keep the bike at a level where it only sips a bit of fuel.
Speaking of riding, the seat height is located at an accessible 785 mm and the bike is also enhanced by Kawasaki’s Ergo-Fit system, allowing a wide range of bikers to feel at one with the machine through adjustable components like handlebars, seats, and foot pegs.
The new Ninja 400 will be available in Lime Green/ Ebony and Metallic Spark Black, and will probably reach dealers soon. According to some papers released by the California Environmental Protection Agency, the model will also reach U.S. shores.
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