Launched a few weeks ago, the 650cc Ninja took everyone by storm as it was priced lower than everyone expected. Keeping the 250R’ prices as framework, people expected the Ninja to touch 6 lakh rupees, but at 4.57 lakh rupees (Ex-showroom) it was a steal!

There’s such a demand for the locally assembled motorcycle that Bajaj has suspended bookings and will resume only during the festival season. Launched just a month ago in India, this 650cc sports stands in direct competition with another new entrant in the 650cc motorcycle category, the Hyosung GT650R.

If Bajaj stops taking orders, Hyosung will benefit from walk-ins of impatient buyers. The GT650R is comparable to the Ninja 650 in many respects (except for brand value) and proves as a tempting alternative.

The Ninja 650R is powered by a liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valve, parallel twin 650cc engine married to a 6-speed transmission proving riders with brutal acceleration.

In this article, we present to you, the case of a Kawasaki Ninja 250R with a Turbocharger and a perfomance ECU. Due to these performance add-ons, the 33 Bhp of the stock Ninja has been upped to 58.2 Bhp.

Usually when a turbo is added, the compression ratio sees a substantial increase and therefore, the compression ratio of the 250cc twin-cylinder mill was lowered initially from 11.6:1 to 8.2:1 for a safe operating condition.

After the installation of the turbo, the compression ratio has gone up from 8.2:1 to 12:1. Coming to the EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection), this system injects an appropriate amount of fuel based on an engine map (a compilation of data) for different operating conditions. Normally, the manufacturers tune their engines to return a decent fuel economy and hence, performance is always compromised.

In this case, a modified engine map has been used with its sole consideration on improving the performance. As a result, the fuel economy has been severely hit but the performance has been tremendously improved.

When the modified Ninja was tested on the dyno, a maximum power of 58.2Bhp at 13,840rpm and a max torque of 30Nm at 9600rpm was measured. Though the performance has been improved drastically, the chassis, braking and other related parts of the Ninja have to be consolidated to take advantage of this bestial power.

Kawasaki Ninja Turbo on dynamometer

What does a Turbocharger do?

A Turbocharger, in simple terms, is a device which uses the unutilized energy of the exhaust gases to feed the engine with more charge. Looking at the construction of the Turbocharger, it has two turbines which are connected to each other. One of the turbines is run by the energy-rich exhaust gases and as a result, the other turbine is operated.

The second turbine is located in the intake manifold and therefore, feeds more air into the intake. The ECU maintains a constant air-fuel ratio and hence with more air being fed in, more petrol is injected which means more power. Thus the energy of the hot exhaust gases is used to increase the power of the vehicle using a turbocharger.

Head over to tmcblog.com to get more information on the turbocharged Kawasaki Ninja

Even the Pulsar’s engine was derived from the Kaswasaki’s KLX series. So seeing the company’s track record and its potential, there is no doubt that it has the ability to surprise us with something new all the time.

Even though Bajaj on its own is a global player, that is not where it wants to keep it self. The tie- up between Bajaj, the Austrian motorcycle company KTM and Kawasaki, was conceived with a very different motive. That of a supreme dominance.

All the three brands have their own legacy behind them. Kawasaki has the legacy of having the largest product range, KTM having its own legacy of lust evoking bikes and Bajaj having its own legacy of its age and reliability.

So what are we looking at in the future? Well we are about to witness the birth of commonization. Yes, three brands, having their own product profiles but taking parts from a common source. Their alliance is based on the pretext of mutual benefit and the ability to share tech seamlessly between the three such as to maintain their current range of products but still be able produce components common to all three brands. Also since india has one of the most cost efficient production facilities, we might even be looking at production of all three brands under one roof.

This is done to better suit the production of all three companies. Also the basic designs of the three shall be made common. The new plans will be developed taking the Kawasaki sport and KTM supermotos into consideration.

Bajaj is planning to introduce the KTM 125 Duke in India by March and the 650 Ninja also by the end of 2011. There are talks of bigger and more powerful Pulsars over the next few years.

It has been a little over a year since Bajaj brought the Ninja 250R in India and over a 1000 units of the Ninja 250 has been sold till date.

Mr. Rajiv Bajaj, MD Bajaj Auto in an interview has said that they could bring in the 650cc Ninja to India by the end of the financial year.

The Ninja 650R has a 649cc engine designed for enhanced low-mid range rpm torque and linear power delivery. The 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 650R is also equipped with ABS in some parts of the world but not in US.

The Ninja 650R has aggressive edgy designing when it comes to the fairing however the tank and the rest of the body is more curvy.

Hyosung will be launching their sporty GTX650R in India this month. Apart from the Hyosung GTX650R, the Kawasaki Ninja 650R will be the only other 650cc sports bike in India.

The GTX650R as well as the Ninja 650R looks impressive on paper however the cost at which they are launched in India will play a major role which one sells more.

Apart from this Bajaj will have an edge over Hyosung as Bajaj has a much reliable service center network. The bikes are also available through a denser sales network. Bajaj enjoys a better brand image in India and Hyosung’ departure from India in the mid 2000s could cost them valuable numbers in their second inning.

Stay tuned to IMB for more updates on this matter but for now have a look at the technical specs of the Kawasaki Ninja 650R.

Kawasaki Ninja 650R technical specs

Engine – Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valve per cylinder, parallel twin

Displacement – 649 cc

Horse Power – 71.15 hp @ 9,000 rpm

Torque – 48.5 lb/ft @ 7,000 rpm

Bore x Stroke – 83.0 x 60.0 mm

Compression Ratio – 11.3:1

Cooling System – Liquid

Fuel System – Digital fuel injection with two 38mm Keihin throttle bodies

Ignition Digital – CDI

Transmission – 6-Speed

Final Drive – O-Ring Chain

Frame Type – Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel

Rake/Trail – 25°/4.2 in.

Front Tire Size – 120/70-17

Rear Tire Size – 160/60-17

Wheelbase – 55.5 in.

Front Suspension / wheel travel 41mm hydraulic telescopic fork / 4.7 in.

Rear Suspension / wheel travel Single offset laydown shock with adjustable spring preload / 4.9 in.

Front Brakes – Dual 300mm Petal Disc with 2-Piston Caliper

Rear Brakes – Single 220mm petal disc with single piston caliper

Fuel Capacity – 4.1 gal.

Curb Weight – 449.8 lbs.

Overall length – 82.7 in.

Overall width – 29.9 in.

Overall height – 47.2 in.

Colors – Candy Lime Green, Ebony, Metallic Island Blue

Kawasaki has stuck to the the continuous dual front head lamp, unlike the bigger Kwackers which have turned to the split lamp arrangement.

2011 Kawasaki Ninja 250R remains one of the best 250cc motorcycles in the world

For 2011, power comes from the same 249cc, liquid-cooled parallel twin engine that’s coupled to a six-speed transmission. Petal disc brakes, 17-inch wheels provide adequate safety on any road condition.

2011 Kawasaki Ninja 250R specifications

* Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel twin
* Displacement: 249cc
* Bore x stroke: 62.0 x 41.2mm
* Compression ratio: 11.6:1
* Cooling: Liquid
* Carburetion: Keihin CVK30 x 2
* Ignition: TCBI with digital advance
* Transmission: Six-speed
* Final drive: O-ring chain
* Frame: Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel
* Wheelbase: 55.1 in.
* Rake / trail: 26 degrees / 3.2 in.
* Front suspension / wheel travel: 37mm hydraulic telescopic fork / 4.7 in.
* Rear suspension / wheel travel: Bottom-link Uni-Trak with 5-way adjustable preload / 5.1 in.
* Front tire: 110/70-17
* Rear tire: 130/70-17
* Front brake: Single 290mm hydraulic petal disc with two-piston caliper
* Rear brake: Single 220mm petal disc with two-piston caliper
* Overall length: 82.1 in.
* Overall width: 28.1 in.
* Overall height: 43.7 in.
* Seat height: 30.5 in.
* Curb weight: 374.9 lbs.
* Fuel capacity: 4.8 gal.
* Color choices / special edition: Ebony, Lime Green / Ebony (SE),
* Pearl White / Ebony (SE)
* Warranty: 12 months

Source – Auto Evolution

India Kawasaki Motors (IKM) will focus on bikes in the 200cc+ category and will have them either imported or assembled here. This way, Kawasaki can become more competitive in term of pricing with other Superbike makers.

Kawasaki Ninja 250R is the sole Kawasaki product in India

If all goes well, then the company also plans to export to other markets from India.

So Biker Boys, more supersport, sport and cruiser models are coming your way next year.

Superbike manufacturers such as Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha have been taken aback by the response their high-end machines have received way up in the mountains. The manufacturers are reporting decent sales figures of their high-end bikes from Northern and North-Eastern parts of the country.

Atul Gupta, Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited -

Much to our astonishment, 10% of superbikes have been bought by highlanders in Dehradun and Guwahati

The general trend among big bike manufacturers is to focus mainly on customers from metro cities, since these customers are the ones who are most likely to have the moolah to splurge on these exquisite machines. Manufacturers see Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Bangalore as the regions with the highest demand for their high-end bikes, but this recent statistic of good contributions from the mountainous regions has taken them by surprise.

Manufacturers attribute the good sales of their high end machines to the steadily rising disposable income and the availability of easy financing services. The presence of a well-trained service network and hassle free support for the bikes is also one of the factors pushing up sales of these bikes.

N.K Rattan, Head, Marketing and Sales, Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India -

We have special teams to service these bikes across the country. This has boosted the confidence of the consumer, and has translated into better sales

Pankaj Dubey, Head, Marketing and Sales, India Yamaha Motor -

The actual numbers coming from the north-east mountain region are not as significant as the metros, but they are crucial. For this super-niche segment every unit sold makes a lot of difference to our sales strategy.

Though manufacturers have been surprised by the numbers reported from the mountains, the metros still lead the sales charts. Mumbai accounts for every 1 out three superbikes sold in the country, followed by Delhi and Bangalore, which account for around 20 % of the total sales of these bikes in the country.

The superbike market in India began to boom only when Yamaha brought in its YZF-R1 and MT-01 into the country during the year 2008. This was followed by launches from rival manufacturers such as Suzuki and Honda who brought in products such as the CBR 1000RR Fireblade, CB 1000R, Suzuki GSX-1300R Hayabusa and the Suzuki Intruder.

The Hayabusa has gone onto take the lead in the superbike sales charts with a sales figure of 108 units till date. It has also enabled Suzuki to go atop the manufacturers sales chart ranking, leaving Yamaha and Honda to bring up the rear of the pack.

The superbike space in India has all the global majors presently in it except Kawasaki, who only have the Ninja 250R as their sole offering to Indian customers. But, this could change in the very near future, with Kawasaki setting up its Indian subsidiary and having said that customers in India can expect bigger and more powerful bikes from their international range very soon.

Source - Economic Times

Here are some more images of the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. The image which we  revealed yesterday was the only official image of the bike released by Kawasaki until now. These new images are of the bike being tested at Japan’s Suzuka race circuit, in order for the Kawasaki engineers to prep up the bike for the assault on next season’s World Superbike Championship title.

The 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R has been developed from the grounds up by Kawasaki, by starting the bike’s design with a clean sheet of paper. The bike shares nothing in common with the old Ninja ZX-10R. The new bike features all-new mechanicals such as the Chassis, Swingarm, Engine and Electronics.

Kawasaki will be banking on this bike to bring it back to the glory days when it was considered as a stiff rival to the likes of Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. The bike will have stiff competition to contend with from home turf as well as abroad, with BMW’s S1000RR superbike currently ruling the roost. The bike will be launched internationally sometime next year and Indian enthusiasts who want one could get a taste of this machine once Bajaj alongwith Kawasaki decides to bring it in to give fight to the offerings from Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha in India.

2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Suzuka Track Test Image Gallery

Source – Visor Down

After revealing the design sketches and a teaser video, Kawasaki has now revealed the first official picture of its 2011 Ninja ZX-10R litre-class superbike. The image revealed is of the track version of the bike and not of the production version, which will be available in Kawasaki showrooms, once the bike has been launched sometime in 2011.

The image has been released as a pre-cursor to a test of the track version’s capabilities by the Kawasaki R&D team at Japan’s Suzuka test track. The team from Kawasaki will be testing the bike for two days at the track, in order to fine tune the bike for the 2011 World Superbike Championship season.

The official image released offers us the first ‘real’ glimpse of the design and styling of the new bike and also gives us a clue as to how the production version of the bike could look like. The wait for the bike to hit the showrooms now begins as also does the anticipation of the bike hitting Indian shores.

Source – Auto Evolution