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"Insignificant" things you will miss in the Next Gen 300?

4K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Gables_Ninja 
#1 ·
I wanted to talk about this for a while now. I guess this is relevant to only those among us who want to stay with this class of motorcycle. Based on feedback I have seen here on the forum I am guessing that there would be some things that perhaps only few(including me) will miss in the next gen Ninja 300 when it comes along. I must mention these are things which either most people don't care much about or actually don't like about the current 300. Here is my list:

1. Top End Bias- I think the little engine has a delightful "peaky" nature. I love the way the engine becomes more eager as the revs go past 8K rpm. Because its a small engine I can rev it hard almost all the time(the bigger bikes will be just too powerful on public roads). Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest complaints by many owners. Most users prefer a more linear power delivery with strong low end. Personally I think the low end is not bad at all, it is just not as good as its rivals. I fear the next gen will be devoid of the lovely top end.

2. The Rev Counter- The trend seems to be fully digital/LCD/TFT instrumentation. I like that idea, but would prefer an analogue rev counter. I just like the way the needle moves. Maybe they can provide a "virtual" rev counter like the flagship Mercedes?

3. The Positive Neutral Finder- To be fair, I do not think this will go away in the next gen. I like the feature, but many don't so there is a chance they might drop it.

4. 13K red line- With the competition using bigger displacement engines, Kawasaki will almost certainly do the same & that would likely mean a lower Rev limit. There have been many occasions when, trying to "take" traffic gaps, I have been under pressure to keep winding up the motor rather than lose time upshifting.

Comments & additions are welcome.

Regards,
Kaustav
 
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#4 · (Edited)
All I'd really like to see is a gear indicator added like the new Ninja 300. It's a controversial topic, but it's useful once in a while to avoid putting the bike in 7th gear.

And a temp indicator. Still pisses me off to not see that as standard on any sports vehicle.

Besides that, and other minor things, it really is a great bike.
 
#5 ·
Agreed - I'd like to see all those things stay the same. Given the long history between the 250 and the 300 and that the 300 still gets pretty decent reviews in comparisons, I'm hoping Kawasaki will stick to the formula more or less. As I understand it, part of the logic in moving to the 300 was to add torque to compete better with the CBR250r and they added torque but kept the high revving character.
 
#8 ·
I think theres alot of things that have more priority over that. Plus, a digital voltmeter doesn't tell you if its outputting "proper current" or not, but I understand what you mean.

That said, that's among the first things I installed. I have both:



and:



I'd much rather a usb charger on the dash as standard, and I think most users would agree. But the second picture would fulfill both things, regardless.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I personally would like Kawasaki engineers to take the lard out. At ~384 lbs dry, the Ninja 300 is waaaaaay too freakin' heavy for a 300cc class bike. That excess lard is not only a performance robber but decreases fuel economy, so I certainly won't miss that lard in the next gen model.

I would also like to see a more advanced electronic engine control system with more sensors to continually provide peak engine performance based on current octane fuel used as well as on-the-go tuning for current environmental conditions including altitude changes. Here in 2017 there's no reason why we can't have full-time 'live' dynamometer-style autotuning. >:) No, I won't miss having to buy an expensive Power Commander V and Autotune module, or equivalent, to try to get peak engine performance. :crying:

Of course, to take proper advantage of the above, Kawasaki should bump the compression back up to the Ninja 250 days or higher. :grin2: I won't miss the crappy ~10:1 compression ratio of today's 300.

Finally, I would like to see either the addition of an overdrive gear or a move to an 8-speed tranny. Even with my 15T/42T setup I'm still always trying to shift into a phantom 7th gear on the highway. The 300 certainly has the torque and hp to accommodate an overdrive gear. Even if the OD gear had a top-speed limiter built in for safety it would be better than nothing.

An even better alternative would be to have a newfangled tranny with 3 sets of 6-, 7-, or 8-speed gear ratios, say, Cruise-Commute, Sport, and Track. Wouldn't it be orgasmic to, at the flick of a switch, dial in a set of gear ratio spacings and final drive ratios, i.e., Wide, Narrow, or Psychotic to appease the testosterone god. >:)>:)>:)
 
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#13 ·
Wow, and to think all I would have asked for is a cup holder.... >:)
 
#18 ·
I agree with mostly everything that's been said here. The top-end rush of the little 300 and it's high max RPM is unrivaled in it's competitors and for this very reason it is still the best bike to race for the lightweight class. Although, I do find the R3's torque very usable too. I also immensely prefer the analog tachometer. I don't really care much for the neutral finder, but ehhh. Personally, I don't see Kawasaki changing the Ninja 300 very soon as it's still at the top of it's class and there's no need for them to change it. However, I also have a lot of shit I'd like to see improved:

1. Get rid of the wobble that arises on every single Ninja 300 I've ridden and I've literally ridden dozens by this point. At roughly 30-40 mph particularly, but also at other speeds as well if you let go of the handlebars, the bike goes into a tankslapper. The problem is temporarily hidden for about a 1,000 miles with new tires, but comes right back pretty quickly.

2. Needs better stock suspension and brakes. Can you make them like the Honda CBR250/300R's? Honda has done a phenomenal job here and definitely have the best chassis, suspension, and brake setup BY FAR! The rear shock on the Ninja 300 and 250 is oversprung while the front is a bit soft and this makes for an unbalanced setup.

3. Needs a slicker gearbox. The Ninja 250's and 300's have been known for sloppy, crunchy gearboxes. I read something about there being poor quality control at the manufacturer in regards to certain tolerances of parts of the transmission or something like that. I like the Yamaha R3's more positively engaging shifts.

4. Needs a complete redesign from the ground up or a substantial update. The Ninja 300 is still very much an evolution and based on the original Ninja 250 that was designed in the 1980's. No joke you'd be surprised at the number of parts that still swap over. The bike needs to feel newer. The bike could use a reduction in weight all around. They need to fix the same steering wobble that is present in the old pre-gen Ninja 250's. It's unacceptable.

5. They need to redesign the clutch to make it less grabby and terrible to use. Honda, Yamaha, KTM, and Suzuki have far smoother clutch engagement although the slipper clutch on the 300 is a cool little performance and safety feature.

6. Get damn better steering head bearings. I've seen these commonly fail with as little as a few thousand miles.

7. An initial 600 mile valve check and 7,500 miles thereafter? Come-on...really? The standard is 15k miles and Yamaha R3 requires every 25k miles.

8. Add a gear indicator because why not? It's cheap and the R3 has one.

9. Add a 7th gear perhaps? Because who doesn't like to pushing the envelope? An overdrive gear would be excellent for longer 80mph commutes and top speed.

10. I'd love to see a higher-spec version although I'm sure that'd never see the day of light because most people probably wouldn't pay for an expensive small-displacement bike.

11. If I'm being nitpicky, I suppose the on/off throttle transition could be a bit smoother and like 5 hp more would be cool.

12. I want the Ninja 300 to be capable of flight
 
#20 ·
9. Add a 7th gear perhaps? Because who doesn't like to pushing the envelope? An overdrive gear would be excellent for longer 80mph commutes and top speed.
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While I bet Kawasaki engineers would roll their eyes at an idea like that, or provide formulas as to why it isn't necessary, I'm pretty sure we would all love it and it would be a tie breaker between the Ninja 300 and the R3. I'd love a 7th gear.

But if they do, then I hope they add a gear indicator. If not, not finding 8th gear would be the biggest new complaint...
 
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