Quick spin: Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition

It's been two years since Bikesales Network last looked at Kawasaki's Ninja 300, so it's high time we had another squiz at Australia's number one road bike.

Discounting Honda's CT110, which is supplied en masse to Australia Post, the littlest Ninja punches well above its weight in terms of sales in this country, with 1442 examples sold over the first half of 2014. Even though that represents a drop of 24 per cent over the corresponding 2013 period, that's nearly 400 more than its nearest rival, Honda's CBR500R, proving size doesn't always matter. So why exactly does Australia have a love affair with the Ninja 300?

To find out Bikesales Network recently grabbed a Ninja 300 ABS Special Edition and headed for the hills of central Victoria. With the countryside bathed in spring sunshine and the mercury nudging 20 degrees, this wasn't going to be a tough gig…

But before we get to the nitty gritty, let's have a quick recap. The Ninja 300 can trace its heritage to the Ninja 250 and then the ZZ-R250, GPX250 and GPz250 before it. The Ninja 250 became the Ninja 300 in 2012, the model's parallel-twin donk copping a 7.8mm longer stroke to grow from 248cc to 296cc. The carburettors made way for electronic fuel injection while the engine received a new cylinder head, conrods and crankcases, plus lighter pistons, larger intake ports and valves and die-cast aluminium cylinders, as found in the ZX-6R and ZX-10R. A slipper clutch was also thrown in the mix for smooth, aggressive downshifts.

All the tinkering resulted in 29kW at 11,000rpm and 27Nm at 10,000rpm, which was probably a reasonable boost from the 250 (for which Kawasaki never quoted performance stats). Its weight grew by 3kg, the Ninja 300 weighing in at 172kg (wet).

Today the model is available in Lime Green or Pearl Stardust White either with or without anti-lock brakes, or in two Special Edition models. The SE with anti-lock brakes (reviewed here) is only available in Candy Burnt Orange/Ebony, while the SE without anti-lock brakes is only available in Pearl Stardust White/Ebony. The SE attracts a $200 premium for its snazzy livery and pin-striped rims.

The secret behind the Ninja 300's sales success is really pretty simple: it looks great and it's fun and easy to ride. The price is obviously right, too.

As the bike glints in the sunshine outside the Tooberac Hotel, its appeal is obvious. It's a stunning little machine, with no end of styling cues to visually tie it to its bigger Ninja brothers, right down to its gorgeous 10-spoke alloy wheels.

Physically it's quite compact, so it's a testament to Kawasaki's engineers that the little Ninja can accommodate my lanky 188cm frame with relative ease. I wouldn't fancy setting off from Melbourne to Perth, but comfort-wise it's a palatable proposition for day trips. The seat isn't huge and while it's on the firmer side it's still pretty compliant, while the legroom is entirely adequate for this style of bike.

Despite the sporty looks the ride position is fairly upright. Certainly there's stuff-all pressure on my wrists and the clip-ons aren't set low, affording a high degree of control.

The feather-light cable clutch combines with a slick six-speed gearbox and a light throttle to deliver an easy, unintimidating ride – a fact only enhanced by the bike's nimble but predictable handling. Corners are a recipe for bliss; the Ninja's suspension is firm – you'll certainly feel any decent pothole taken at speed – but it's a real sweetie through the bends and learners will run out of bravado long before they run out of corning clearance.

It's a revver, that's for sure, and it appreciates being kept in the top half of its rev range to make some progress. At 100km/h in sixth gear it's spinning at 6750rpm – that's appreciable but the engine never feels like it's straining, even when pushing towards its 13,000rpm redline.

The acceleration isn't exactly fierce but there's plenty there to keep novice riders entertained and without any nasty surprises. I should think the old ton (100mph, or 160km/h) is achievable given a long enough stretch of road, but more importantly there's zesty punch all the way to 80km/h and it'll hold its own on the open road.

The instrumentation underlines the sporty intent, with a large central analogue tacho flanked by the usual idiot lights and, to the right, a smaller LCD display. The latter shows speed, fuel, time and either one of two trip meters or the odometer. It's all easy to read but the green indicator lights are too dim – they're easily left on by mistake and that's something that will catch newcomers out.

The Ninja 300's effective brake package will allow learners to build confidence as their skills progress. The single front disc with twin-piston caliper offers no initial bite but plenty of linear, progressive power – it's just what this bike's target market requires. The rear also offers reasonable power and together they pull the Ninja up nicely. Stretch the budget to grab an ABS model if you can – anti-lock brakes only have to do their job once to put you way out in front…

After a day spent meandering through the countryside, for me the Ninja 300 had reaffirmed its status as a first-rate entry-level wonder. Twenty years ago, as I started out on my riding career, I would have given my right arm for a bike like this, and it's that sentiment that's seeing buyers flock to the Ninja 300 in droves today.

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 39hp (29kW) at 11,000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 27Nm at 10,000rpm
Fuel economy (measured): 4.4lt/100km

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel tube
Front suspension: 37mm telescopic fork, 120mm travel
Rear suspension: Uni-Trak with five-way preload adjustment, 132mm travel
Front brakes: 290mm petal disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear brakes: 220mm petal disc with twin-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 172kg
Seat height: 785mm
Wheelbase: 1405mm
Fuel capacity: 17 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $6899 ($6199 for standard non-ABS model)
Colours: Candy Burnt Orange/Ebony
Bike supplied by: Kawasaki Motors Australia, www.kawasaki.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres