The Kawasaki Ninja 1000 has always been one of our most highly rated faired sporty motorcycles for use in India, thanks to its combination of a beautifully refined and powerful four-cylinder engine and its relatively comfortable suspension and riding position. This bike has also been a good seller for Kawasaki India, and its replacement, the Ninja 1100SX, is due to launch in India within the next two weeks.
- A bigger engine produces more torque but slightly less power
- No visual changes compared to the outgoing 1000
- Expected to cost Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh more than the Ninja 1000
The main talking point with the new Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX is its move to a bigger 1099cc motor. The climb from the previous 1043cc has been achieved by a slightly longer stroke – now 77mm x 59mm vs the previous 77mm x 56mm.
Despite the bigger dimensions, power has dropped by 4hp to 136hp, while torque has increased by 2Nm to 113Nm. More significantly, the peak power and torque figures are now slightly lower in the rev range, which should result in even more effortless performance. Kawasaki has also lengthened the gearing in 5th and 6th gears to make long-distance touring more relaxed.
Visually, the bike is more or less identical to the Ninja 1000SX, and it continues with the same suite of electronics, including riding modes, power modes, traction control, ABS, a bidirectional quickshifter, and electronic cruise control. What’s new is the inclusion of a new handlebar-mounted USB Type C port.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
