Kawasaki ninja 300 Riders

[mechwira]

using Zero Gravity sport touring windscreen for the 300. aaauuu!!!!

 

i'm considering ordering puig racing screen dark smoke from motovation, as shown below, plus mebbe puig rear hugger with longer mud flaps.

 

http://www.puigusa.com/imagenes/PUIG15270.jpg

 

i have a question. can the clip on handlebar replace with a normal handle bar? like the ER6?

 

will need a totally new custom top clamp. this is what the ninja's top clamp looks like:

 

http://www.motorcycle.com/gallery/gallery.php/d/349052-2/2013-Kawasaki-Ninja-300-Cockpit.jpg?g2_GALLERYSID=TMP_SESSION_ID_DI_NOISSES_PMT

 

i dun see any ready-made aftermarket top clamp for tube bars. i only see aftermarket top clamps for aftermarket clip-ons like below:

 

http://i45.tinypic.com/sdjj0l.jpg

[kindako]

Hi Guys, I just found this page. Bought my 300 Last month and it's Gooooooddd.

 

Engine: Good Mid range power. (5k - 10.5rpm).

 

Brakes: Brakes are not as good as what i'm used to, but then again, it's sufficient with the ABS in place. Changing SS lines on an ABS model might need to re calibrate the ABS. I might be wrong, but so far, that's what i found out after doing some research. The amount of brake lines on any ABS is way more then one that is non-ABS.

 

Clutch: This bike is equipped with slipper clutch and Kawa's Clutch assist. When pulling the clutch for the very first time, i can't believe how soft and smooth it is. Down shift from Gear 4 to Gear 1 (80Kph). The clutch just slips and gains friction once adequate.

 

Tires: Tires are so far so good for me, but will definitely look for better ones. Bare in mind that once u change ur rear tires to 150, you will lose acceleration and top speed due to the increased drag from a 150 rear. (Let's MO 110, 140 BT003r from unique)

 

Handling: Stock set up of the Front forks and Rear Sub is adequate for road, BUT not ideal. Front forks give you lots of feed back and feel but at the same time, you don't feel the tires are firmly planted to the ground (Maybe it's just the twitchy steering feel that is bring my confidence down), Will have to wait till i'm really use to the bike to really push the a bit further. Oh ya, and i feel that the front is not turning in fast enough, i dropped the front and pre loaded the front forks by another 10 - 15mm (haha can't remember).

 

Let's Start a Fb Group, we can share ideas and parts and lobangs there. Much easier.

 

Lastly, here is my Cockpit

 

 

Cheers!

[poorboii]

Hi Guys, I just found this page. Bought my 300 Last month and it's Gooooooddd.

 

Engine: Good Mid range power. (5k - 10.5rpm).

 

Brakes: Brakes are not as good as what i'm used to, but then again, it's sufficient with the ABS in place. Changing SS lines on an ABS model might need to re calibrate the ABS. I might be wrong, but so far, that's what i found out after doing some research. The amount of brake lines on any ABS is way more then one that is non-ABS.

 

Clutch: This bike is equipped with slipper clutch and Kawa's Clutch assist. When pulling the clutch for the very first time, i can't believe how soft and smooth it is. Down shift from Gear 4 to Gear 1 (80Kph). The clutch just slips and gains friction once adequate.

 

Tires: Tires are so far so good for me, but will definitely look for better ones. Bare in mind that once u change ur rear tires to 150, you will lose acceleration and top speed due to the increased drag from a 150 rear. (Let's MO 110, 140 BT003r from unique)

 

Handling: Stock set up of the Front forks and Rear Sub is adequate for road, BUT not ideal. Front forks give you lots of feed back and feel but at the same time, you don't feel the tires are firmly planted to the ground (Maybe it's just the twitchy steering feel that is bring my confidence down), Will have to wait till i'm really use to the bike to really push the a bit further. Oh ya, and i feel that the front is not turning in fast enough, i dropped the front and pre loaded the front forks by another 10 - 15mm (haha can't remember).

 

Let's Start a Fb Group, we can share ideas and parts and lobangs there. Much easier.

 

Lastly, here is my Cockpit

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]282470[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]282471[/ATTACH]

 

Cheers!

 

nice sexeh cockpit!

 

i got a question tho, how does a increased drag causes the bike's pickup to be slower? bigger circumference isit?

 

i always like big rear tires :

[kindako]

nice sexeh cockpit!

 

i got a question tho, how does a increased drag causes the bike's pickup to be slower? bigger circumference isit?

 

i always like big rear tires :

 

Bigger tires = more contact point to the tarmac. more contact point = more drag.

[mechwira]

nice sexeh cockpit!

 

i got a question tho, how does a increased drag causes the bike's pickup to be slower? bigger circumference isit?

 

i always like big rear tires :

 

grip can be a good and bad thing.

 

extra grip of coz means the bike more stable and less prone to skid. but the extra grip also means the bike needs more 'push' to go. so the acceleration/speed may drop. then again, if you have a very powerful bike that the tires slip during throttling, increasing the grip and reducing slip makes it faster.

 

however, i believe a 150/60 from the stock 140/70 is such a small difference that any difference in speed/acceleration and handling is at best only slightly noticeable. i never rode the bike with the original 140/70, but with the 150/60 the steering is not heavy by any measure nor does the bike seem underpowered from the larger tires.

 

most ninja300 owners i've read in international forums who have changed to 150/60 rear claim they hardly feel any difference in handling or speed, but the better grip from better brand tires is immediately noticeable. the only reason i opted for 150/60 rear is because there didn seem to be any stock for 140/70 rear in local shops.

 

and the pirelli diablo rosso II definitely feel very good. BT-003RS would be good but i think its overkill coz the engine is not so powerful that it will trouble high-grade pure road tires until you need road/track spec tires like BT-003RS. unless you do plan to ride on track, then yes i definitely suggest BT-003RS or equivalents.

[mechwira]

so anyway, i've done 1000km and just sent it for an oil and filter change this morning. i've opted for another 1000km of mineral oil.

 

i've also changed the stock horn to hella electric 2-disc. the guys at k&t did an awesome installation, they're both sat in front of my radiator looking like they've been attached OEM instead of an add-on. and its definitely louder than stock.

 

dun ask me approve inspection or not. i'll worry about that in 3 years' time. all i care is, generally stock horns are so pathetic that if at traffic stop the car in front of you daydream never see light turn green, short horn blasts in stock and the bugger doesn even notice. i've been frustrated by this on stock horns several times. and thats at stationary, what more on the move if a car dun see you and you horn oso he never hear.

 

also, i wanted to install adjustable levers coz the stock clutch i've turned the adjustor nut to the max and the biting point is still too far. this is a common complaint about the ninja300, the big freeplay and far biting point is good for newbies but experienced hands will hate it. and when i wore gloves once, i totally couldn feel the biting point. you can see on youtube experienced riders riding the ninja300 for the first time experiencing this very problem with gloves.

 

unfortunately my shop doesn carry any compatible model for the ninja300. nonetheless, they helped me adjust the clutch cable from below, and now my biting point is much nearer.

 

and its LOADS better. i no longer move off and upshift in lower gears clumsily. as a consequence, my acceleration to 100 especially off the line is quicker coz i'm upshifting more smoothly.

 

some will say you shouldn adjust the cable from below, but the way i see the mechanics, the effect is the same as if you have adjustable clutch lever and you adjust the lever inwards leaving the cable alone. so.... *shrug shoulder*

 

and i'm absolutely loving this ninja. i cant say enough how fun and easy it is to ride for local commuting, with its ultra-light steering and broad spread of power and torque. it won't go banzai like a class 2, but i'm past the banzai stage of my riding life. riding just below 'banzai' style, this bike rarely leaves you wanting more. i am loving my downgrade.

[fidjoker]

i saw one ninja not sure if 250/300 using a yoshimura trioval ... not sure if its street legal

[1a2a3a]

Hi guys. Don't mind if I ask,

whats the price of ninja 300 currently?

What are the shops that carry atm?

[mechwira]

Hi guys. Don't mind if I ask,

whats the price of ninja 300 currently?

What are the shops that carry atm?

 

evershine is authorised distributor.

 

s1/m1/albert got sell but essentially its from evershine coz warranty issues go back evershine.

 

excel cycle also advertises the ninja300.

 

12.8k machine is usual price, mine is 12k machine price offer from m1/s1/albert. i still see them with a few more pieces of green at their ubi shops.

[nevermine]

evershine is authorised distributor.

 

s1/m1/albert got sell but essentially its from evershine coz warranty issues go back evershine.

 

excel cycle also advertises the ninja300.

 

12.8k machine is usual price, mine is 12k machine price offer from m1/s1/albert. i still see them with a few more pieces of green at their ubi shops.

Hi, may i know when you bought your ninja300?

because last week i went to excel, the boss quote me 15k >.

[mechwira]

Hi, may i know when you bought your ninja300?

because last week i went to excel, the boss quote me 15k >.

 

if 15k otr minus insurance, sounds about right for a base machine price of 12.8k

 

if 15k machine to start with.....

 

i bought mine about a month ago from S1/M1 at ubi. my total including 3PFT insurance was 14.9k based on machine price of 12k and COE 1.7k. with an original machine price of 12.8k before offer, i was quoted a final price of 15.7k. basically they just chopped off 800 due to the offer.

[xue ling]

For those that prefer to stick to the original sizing for tires, can go for Bridgestone Battlax BT39

[mechwira]

haiz....

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/589/16712/Motorcycle-Article/Kawasaki-Issues-Recall-for-2013-Ninja-300-ABS.aspx

http://www.motoroids.com/news/alert-kawasaki-ninja-300-recalled-due-to-abs-malfunctions/

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/2013-kawasaki-ninja-300-recalled-for-abs-problems-63822.html

 

i wonder if evershine will bother informing owners whether the bikes they bought is affected by this recall.

 

at least from what i understand of this malfunction, what happens is that the abs will not 'pulse' the brakes when the wheel locks. which essentially means a bike without abs, which is not so serious coz for experienced riders 99% of the time you're not in a situation where you brake hard in low grip and lock up the tyres.

 

i know how abs works but not how the mechanism itself pulses the braking, i'm more worried if the system malfunctions until it totally releases the brakes, in other words a brakeless bike. i donno if abs can malfunction to that extreme, but it doesnt seem to be the case here.

 

if its just a bike without abs, i can live with that, since abs is not a riding aid that a rider 'purposely use' on a regular basis. although evershine should obviously have a duty to recall my bike and affect the change if mine is affected.

[nevermine]

oh i thought your 12.8k is otr price, thanks for ur info

btw where is S1/M1? tried google but canot find >.

 

if 15k otr minus insurance, sounds about right for a base machine price of 12.8k

 

if 15k machine to start with.....

 

i bought mine about a month ago from S1/M1 at ubi. my total including 3PFT insurance was 14.9k based on machine price of 12k and COE 1.7k. with an original machine price of 12.8k before offer, i was quoted a final price of 15.7k. basically they just chopped off 800 due to the offer.

[mechwira]

oh i thought your 12.8k is otr price, thanks for ur info

btw where is S1/M1? tried google but canot find >.

 

Go to the advertisers board section of this forum and look under yew heng group. All the shops operate under the same head office.

[mechwira]

for the benefit of owners, service manual (not owner's manual):

 

http://speedzonemanuals.com/manuals/kawasaki/motorcycle/2013_NINJA_300.pdf

[1a2a3a]

haiz....

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/589/16712/Motorcycle-Article/Kawasaki-Issues-Recall-for-2013-Ninja-300-ABS.aspx

http://www.motoroids.com/news/alert-kawasaki-ninja-300-recalled-due-to-abs-malfunctions/

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/2013-kawasaki-ninja-300-recalled-for-abs-problems-63822.html

 

i wonder if evershine will bother informing owners whether the bikes they bought is affected by this recall.

 

at least from what i understand of this malfunction, what happens is that the abs will not 'pulse' the brakes when the wheel locks. which essentially means a bike without abs, which is not so serious coz for experienced riders 99% of the time you're not in a situation where you brake hard in low grip and lock up the tyres.

 

i know how abs works but not how the mechanism itself pulses the braking, i'm more worried if the system malfunctions until it totally releases the brakes, in other words a brakeless bike. i donno if abs can malfunction to that extreme, but it doesnt seem to be the case here.

 

if its just a bike without abs, i can live with that, since abs is not a riding aid that a rider 'purposely use' on a regular basis. although evershine should obviously have a duty to recall my bike and affect the change if mine is affected.

 

bro did you check with evershine about the recall?

[mechwira]

bro did you check with evershine about the recall?

 

kawasaki will only commence the recall exercise in august. even if i call i doubt evershine will have enough info about whether my bike is involved or wat to do for the recall. and that is if evershine play ball......

 

in any case most of the american riders agree this malfunction of the abs makes it at most like a bike without abs. like one US rider says: "So my special edition ABS ninja 300 is now as dangerous as the normal edition ninjas?"

[mechwira]

2014 colours for USA and Canada market:

 

http://images.craigslist.org/01616_5GC7uc6CTlT_600x450.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/00w0w_d4ODxxTGOug_600x450.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/00l0l_5TuJnjHaTaz_600x450.jpg

 

i know the first two look bloody good, but the bikes for Asian market for 2013 dont have the USA/Canada colours. only the plain green and black. and i mentioned before i spotted red, but i think thats parallel import from europe.

 

then got this very nice one which is a 250 sold in indonesia.

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/2entf0j.jpg

 

haiz why we get the boring single colours only....

 

oh, and the naked Z300 is apparently confirmed for 2014 in US/Canada, so an asian edition should arrive in 2014 too.

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/2eygqht.jpg

[1a2a3a]

very nice! some how the naked bike is looking like the ninja 300 with the exception of take out head fairing and the side fairing...

[1a2a3a]

kawasaki will only commence the recall exercise in august. even if i call i doubt evershine will have enough info about whether my bike is involved or wat to do for the recall. and that is if evershine play ball......

 

in any case most of the american riders agree this malfunction of the abs makes it at most like a bike without abs. like one US rider says: "So my special edition ABS ninja 300 is now as dangerous as the normal edition ninjas?"

 

bro mechwira, does your ninja have the ECU and ABS problem?

ECU will leads to decelerating while clutching in will cause a stall in engine. ( should be fix via the recall ) sources from the euro ninja300 forum.

 

And does your fairing keeps popping out at the side?

 

These are 2 major factor that is holding me back at the moment because like you said, highly doubt Singapore would be doing a recall.

So im wondering if our local ninja has the same issue as oversea?

And also if 2014 model would rectify all those issue

[mechwira]

bro mechwira, does your ninja have the ECU and ABS problem?

ECU will leads to decelerating while clutching in will cause a stall in engine. ( should be fix via the recall ) sources from the euro ninja300 forum.

 

And does your fairing keeps popping out at the side?

 

These are 2 major factor that is holding me back at the moment because like you said, highly doubt Singapore would be doing a recall.

So im wondering if our local ninja has the same issue as oversea?

And also if 2014 model would rectify all those issue

 

Firstly, I asked before at Kawasaki agent thread here about recalls. A lady owner did reply that she bought from official distributor and received a recall letter before for her older ninja250 (unrelated to current ninja300 recall). So I take it that having bought mine from official distributor, any recall involving my bike I will indeed receive a letter. PI owners, good luck.... but I doubt it especially if the bike PI’ed from Europe...

 

But to date, no letter. Then again, even in US not all affected owners have received letters even though they check from US website and confirmed their bike affected. And as long letter haven arrive, they cant do anything, official distributor wont take in to rectify.

 

And some more, so far this is only in USA. Other markets don’t seem to have any recall going as yet. Whether this means US models only affected, or other markets haven start yet, I donno.

 

but if you opt to wait for 2014 model, it will confirm have these problems already rectified (they wont sell knowing it must be immediately recalled obviously), but if you expect styling changes other than colour or performance enhancements, forget it. even class 2 bikes dun get revisions after just one year. recall issue definitely rectified.

Edited August 18, 2013 by mechwira

[mechwira]

I also know about all these other issues you mentioned.

 

fairing pop-out, owners beginning to suspect caused by extreme cold weather (meaning western country winter kind of cold, not rainy day in singapore kind). perhaps some part or bracket contract and maybe even warp and then pop out.

 

my bike? nothing. but there is a curious red mark on the inner screw head fastening the guilty fairing part from the inside. maybe its nothing, maybe its a mark that kawasaki already rectified my bike before i bought it, i donno. but no, fairing did not pop out nor do i see any gap like western owners claim is the symptom fairing going to pop out.

[mechwira]

ECU stalling? again, no. i even purposely try to replicate the conditions that supposed cause the stall, clutch in and coast thru a turn (such a noob method of cornering ), but no the engine did not stall.

 

BUT... i do notice this bike has a curious way of warming up. when you start the bike from cold, the engine purposely brings the rpm up about 700rpm above your usual idling, and it stays there. my bike is set to 1.5k idling normally, and on cold starts it will idle at about 2.2k. then every 20s, i will blip throttle (before moving off), and with every blip, the idling gradually drops lower until it gets to the 'correct' preset of 1.5k. then i take it the bike has properly warmed. when the engine is turned off and then turned on again while still warm, it immediate idles normally at 1.5k. the extra idle rpm occurs only at cold start.

 

this gave me a panic moment early on when i never noticed such a thing (my previous bike also 4-stroke EFI no such thing mah). Early on, I set it to 1.5k idle on a cold start. You guessed it, after a few blips, it dropped below 1k..... and stalled! Re-start bike, blip a few times.... stalled. Panic and desperate, I adjusted to 2.5k rpm idle and rode off without stalling. Next morning on another cold start, I paid careful attention to how the bike behaved and finally saw its ‘warming up pattern’.

 

This may be related to the stall issue. When the stalling first came up, Kawasaki responded by saying that “no problems, its just how the bike warms up”. But if USA owners experiencing stall and sent for recall claim problem now gone, Kawasaki either changed something about its warming up, or this warming up pattern not whats causing the stall.

 

In any case, no stalls for me.

Edited August 18, 2013 by mechwira

[mechwira]

and finally, ABS?

 

bro, the only way to test whether the ABS working is to e-brake on wet floor, preferably slippery wet multi-storey carpark floor, and see how the bike behaves. no way i'm about to do that!

 

the fact is this: if you ride an ABS-ninja300 and a non-ABS ninja300, 99% of the time your ride will be no different. the ABS does not kick in or aid your ride at all during the 99% of riding. not even when you brake hard.

 

but in that 1% of riding, where somehow you jam brake and the floor is slippery, thats when the ABS kicks in. on a non-ABS, you have to be extra skillful to avoid falling. on an ABS bike, the ABS helps the less skillful avoid a fall (but no guarantee). thats the only time the ABS kicks in. meaning if the ABS fails, you end up with... a normal non-ABS bike.

 

so why kawasaki make such big hoo-ha? simple. before they admit got problem, they must deny any mechanical fault so that if people fall, they will claim rider error instead of mechanical fault.

 

but now they admit got problem and must recall. if any biker fall due to ABS fail, they can now sue kawasaki. the fact is that guy, if he were on a non-ABS bike, would also fall exactly the same. but if this fallen biker on ABS model prove his ABS failed, he can sue kawasaki. thats why kawasaki now warn that affected owners totally do not ride their ninja300 until ABS checked and rectified if necessary.

 

kawasaki wants to cover their rear-end, not yours.

 

so i donno if my ABS faulty. in my nearly fifteen years of riding, i can count with just fingers how many times i ever in a situation where my bike lost traction on slippery floor, two of which actually did cause a fall, and on my previous class 2 the bike was so good (and of course my skill and experience improved) that the very few times it happened i did not fall. so of coz i rather have the ABS, but *touch wood* only an actual fall is a sign it may be faulty.

Edited August 18, 2013 by mechwira