Kawasaki has upped the ante with the 2018 Ninja 400. Not only does it outdo its Japanese competition displacement-wise, it’s also a true sport bike at home on both the track or street. Photo by Kevin Wing.
A funny thing (well, two things actually) happened as I rounded turn 7, a 180-degree hairpin that catapults you down the backstretch of the hilly Sonoma Raceway, on the new 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 400. It was late afternoon, the last session of the day, and the mild early February sun was backlighting the massive green hill guarding the west side of the track.
Thing One was that I was even noticed said sunlight or the hill at all. In fact, I noticed all kinds of things that wouldn?t normally show up on my radar when I?m riding about as hard as I can around a racetrack. Oh, look at that bird up there! Is that a hawk" Gosh, the sunlight looks pretty on those hills. And?are those sheep" Yep, those are sheep. Thing Two was that I realized I?d spent all day flogging a 399cc motorcycle around a track, and not once had I thought, ?I wish this thing had more power.?
In a nutshell, I was having an absolute blast.
As much as we like the KRT lime green color scheme, this Pearl Solar Yellow/Pearl Storm Gray/Ebony variation is our favorite. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Walk through the paddock at your local track day and ask the riders (many of whom likely also race at the club level) about their first sportbike. Many will tell you that it was a Ninja 250R. The trouble with a 250,...