Kawasaki has introduced the Z300 naked streetfighter in India for a price tag of Rs. 3.24 lakh (ex-showroom) as the Japanese brand consolidates the lower end of its Z-series. The motorcycle now sits below the Z650 and becomes the least expensive Z-branded model available here. Kawasaki offers the Z300 in a single Standard variant and the colour choices are Candy Lime Green/Ebony and Metallic Carbon Gray/Ebony.
The Z300 is relatively approachable dimensionally as the seat stands 785 mm from the ground. The motorcycle weighs 175 kg kerb, the ground clearance measures 140 mm and the fuel tank holds 17 litres. The wide single-piece handlebar places the rider more upright than on the Ninja 300 as the naked bodywork naturally produces a less committed riding posture than its fully faired sibling.
The visual treatment closely references Kawasaki’s larger Z motorcycles. The front section gets the sharp family headlamp treatment, prominently sculpted tank extensions and exposed mechanical sections around the engine. However, the instrument console is a reverse LCD unit instead of a TFT. It displays speed, engine revs, fuel level, coolant temperature, clock, odometer, twin trip meters and service information.
The suspension duties are handled by a 37 mm telescopic fork at the front and a Uni-Trak monoshock at the rear. The Z300 runs on 17-inch alloy wheels as braking comes from a 290 mm petal disc at the front and a 220 mm petal disc at the rear while a dual-channel ABS is standard.
Power is derived from the familiar 296 cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine which is good enough to kick out 39.4 bhp at 11,000 rpm and 26.3 Nm at 10,000 rpm. A six-speed gearbox handles transmission duties and a slip-and-assist clutch is provided as standard too. Kawasaki also specifies dual-throttle valve technology.
The Z300 debuts in a price band where the KTM 390 Duke and TVS Apache RTR 310 provide two obvious alternatives. Both take the single-cylinder route while Kawasaki relies on a smaller-capacity parallel twin. The distinction gives the Z300 a noticeably different mechanical character on paper as its peak figures arrive relatively high in the rev range and the extra cylinder separates it from the dominant formula among street nakeds around this price.
The sticker tag also puts the Z300 about Rs. 10,000 below the Ninja 300 which is listed at Rs. 3.34 lakh. Kawasaki consequently offers two motorcycles around the same 296 cc twin-cylinder base at closely spaced prices but their roles are clearly different. The Ninja 300 serves riders after a faired sports offering as the Z300 takes the more upright street naked route with a lower-looking front end, exposed bodywork and day-to-day ergonomics.
