At first glance new Ninja 1000 looks stunningly noticeable. Think about Wesley Snipes driving this and slaying vampires in Blade. That’s how it is. Ninja 1000 has sharp edges in the front which makes it look like ancient colossal beast rising from the ashes. With its two massive headlights sprouting out the front stance looks aggressive and charging towards you. As we brought this Titan out to test on busy roads of Pune, India. This 1043cc Inline Four, DOHC, 16-valve, Liquid-cooled warhorse starts with sweet refined exhaust note which is mesmerizing to your ears. We brought this on Bombay Sappers Road, Pune by 2:15 pm in afternoon and the traffic conditions were good giving space for us to ride and manoeuvre. Kawasaki designed this Sports Tourer putting in lot of intelligence having upright stance for long commutes.Previous owners report satisfaction with power and handling of earlier Ninja 1000, but hate the color schemes which Kawasaki had brought in the past. With the present model the revisions being done without changing the demographics of this bike.
All said and done now the main question is can it attract people who don’t already own one.Kawasaki has taken the core of a sport bike and draped it with a package that can tackle almost any task a rider would want; from daily commutes to touring to the occasional track day, it has everything.Ninja 1000 now meets Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) emission regulations.With a mileage of 18 kmpl, Ninja 1000 has fuel tank capacity of 19 liters, which would mean that it will take you around 342 kms for 19 liters.
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What remains the same and what changes?
This bike is for two types of riders one who is expecting more aggression with light framework and other who doesn’t want to compromise anything when it comes to long commutes and this is value proposition to both the buyers/riders. Theengine, frame and suspension remains untouched for this 2017 model.The engine is still a 1,043cc liquid-cooled inline-four, which would throw 140 bhp @ 10000 rpm and 72.68 lb-ft of torque @ 8,800 rpm. Kawasaki has added the secondary balancer; the main objective is to reduce the vibrations in the engine which Harley too had opted for the 2018 Softail Harley Fat Bob . ECU revisions been made to match the Euro 4 norms. The new Ninja 1000 is less chubby than the outgoing model and has a more angular lower fairing. The windscreen has been brought in closer and is aligned closer to the bodywork, which is adjustable three ways. Passenger seat is wider and made longer so it is more comfortable to the driver. The optional bags hold upto 28 litres. Traction control is same as that of earlier version.
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Now the Test
When you start the engine you are welcome with a sweet growl. We started from Kawasaki Showroom, Pune and to Bombay Sappers Road in Pune. Bike treats with you a humble response and gives that confidence to the rider, which is required in every sports tourer. Clutch is engaged on time and it’ll cruise at utterly inadvisable speeds on the straight and narrow, yet is just as happy to dance along a tight and twisty tarmac, too. You will be able to see clear information on new dash. Engine is more refined thanks to its secondary balancer which reduces the vibrations. The new Ninja has more power and is packed with good amount electronic functionalities for different set of riders. Ninja 1000 behaves exceptionally well for Mid-range and the low range and makes it more street worthy. It has three modes – two levels for dry streets and a third for wet, plus completely off. ABS works very well with traction control giving the rider the comfortable feel. New ABS has been improved through the Bosch IMU which they call it as KIBS (Kawasaki’s Intelligent ABS). The bike works very well on the corners thanks to its KCMF (Kawasaki Corner Management) which works closely with ABS and Traction control to give more assurance to rider. However, I tested in the Full Mode. If the turns are sharp, then KIBS (KIBS -Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System intervenes making the brakes more accountable. KIBS in Ninja is similar to that of H2 and ZX10r.It makes the bike less intrusive also the KIBS observes front brake hydraulic pressure, throttle position, engine revolutions and gear position. KIBs makes braking very good and controls this 140bhp giant. Suspension too is very helpful also the clutch lever plays good role.
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End Result
Although it misses the cruise control. Ninja 1000 is complete package for mid to advance level riders who are looking for long hauls and city traffic, as the value provided by this bike is enormous with some good electronic package and built in Kawasaki’s racing DNA.
Pros
- Remarkable engine.
- Great Street Presence.
- Value for Money.
Cons
- Saddle bags are bit on expensive side.
Dint find anything, which will make any buyer to refrain from buying this great bike. The ex-showroom price of Kawasaki Ninja 1000 is INR 9,98,000 and on road price is INR 11,95,700 in Pune, India.
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