Kawasaki Ninjas Get a New Look

For all those who have been waiting to buy a Kawasaki Ninja, the wait might just get a little longer with the new 2012 editions expected soon

Kawasaki plans to bring their entire range in an all new look for 2012, right from their smaller Ninja 250R to their ZX-14R. While some bikes will just see minor changes in its looks, some others will see major upgrades in terms of styling, exhaust, paint scheme, chassis and more.

The new 2012 Baby Ninja will not see any major changes except for new paint schemes. The Ninja green will remain unchanged, but the black will see golden yellow stripes across the front fairing and under the rider’s seat. Similarly the red 250R, will also see a grey and white stripe across the fairing and the tank. Apart from the baby Ninja, the ZX-10R will also host some minor cosmetic upgrades in colour.

More changes will appear on the 2012 Ninja 650 than the new Ninja 250. The Ninja 650 will now host a new tubular steel chassis, a banana shaped twin-tube swing arm, a higher performance engine and a new exhaust system. On the cosmetic side of the bike, the single seat will be replaced with a split seat; a new adjustable windscreen will be installed and an all new front fairing design. The handle bars will now be 20mm wider while the seat height has been reduced for greater comfort while riding. A larger tank will be able to hold more fuel and the need for refueling every now and then will become obsolete.

The ZX-14R does not fall behind in the in terms of updates for 2012. A 4mm longer stroke and a reworked cylinder head assembly make the 1,441cc inline-four much more powerful than before. The new ZX gets a narrower aluminum monocoque chassis. The bike will also host an all new exhaust system with tapered and reshaped head pipes and a new muffler for low noise and emissions. The wheels will now be lighter by 1.3kgs over the previous generations of the bike for reduced unsprung weight resulting in better handling and maneuverability.

These new upgrades will soon be seen internationally in the Kawasaki range but it will take a while before these upgrades actually find their way to India. Even so, all those intending to buy any of the aforementioned products should wait to see the upgrades before actually booking any of these monsters.