Kawasaki to launch naked 300?

An Indonesian blog has leaked what is claimed to be a drawing of a forthcoming naked bike based on the latest Kawasaki Ninja 300

The drawing identifies the bike as a 250cc model, but just as the 250cc and 300cc Ninjas are visually identical, the sketch, if real, is likely to be an exact representation of a 300cc naked bike that the market expects to get. The drawing uses the name ER250C, which suggests it could be part of the same family as the parallel twin ER6 and possibly be called the ER3. The styling though has cues from the Z800 and Z1000, so a Z300 nomenclature might be more suitable as it would align the bike with Kawasaki’s sporty nakeds, just as the Ninja 300 is aligned with the ZX-6R and ZX-10R. The bike could also be named J300, as Kawasaki recently applied for a trademark on that name.

The engine, suspension, frame and wheels appear identical to the Ninja 250/300, but the styling is far more edgy and different than was expected. Kawasaki appears to have gone beyond just replacing the front fairing, and has included a new tank, seat unit and exhaust. There is a chance that this is not an official drawing, but the same blog has also revealed documents pertaining to the ER250C submitted by Kawasaki to the Indonesian transport authority. It is believed that Kawasaki might use its manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines to build the bike.

This could be big news, as there are very few naked quarter-liter bikes in the market, aside from the not-for-North-America Suzuki GW250. The Ninja 250 has been one of the most popular 250 in India too, so the new naked 300, if a reality, could be sweet news for Indian bike enthusiasts!