Kawasaki recently updated their most-affordable motorcycle in India, the Ninja 300. This was not a major update and as such, it did not bring with it any changes in terms of the bike’s hardware. The price also remains the same. However, the competition has seen some movement and we will take a look at how the 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 stacks up against its main competitors – 2022 KTM RC 390 and TVS Apache RR 310 BTO. While the Apache has been in the market for a while, the RC 390 is due for an update and the price of the bike was leaked recently.
2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 vs 2022 KTM RC 390 vs TVS Apache RR 310 BTO: Engine specs
| 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 | TVS Apache RR 310 BTO | 2022 KTM RC 390 | |
| Engine | 296cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled | 312.2cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled | 373.27cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, FI |
| Power | 38.4bhp@11000rpm | 33.5bhp@9700rpm | 42.9bhp@9000rpm |
| Torque | 26.1Nm@10000 rpm | 27.3@7700rpm | 37Nm@7000 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed | 6-speed | 6-speed |
The Ninja 300 comes with the same 296cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled motor as before. It is the only motorcycle out of the three to have a twin-cylinder configuration as the others come with a single-cylinder motor. In the case of the TVS Apache RR 310, you get a 312.2cc engine while the KTM RC 390 gets a 373.27cc engine. The RC 390 has the biggest engine and as such, it makes the most amount of power and torque at 42.9bhp and 37Nm, respectively. The Ninja sits in the middle of the two bikes as it makes more power than the RR 310 at 38.4bhp but makes marginally less torque. All three bikes come with a 6-speed gearbox with a slip and assist clutch, however, the RC 390 also gets a quickshifter for clutchless upshifts and downshifts.
2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 vs 2022 KTM RC 390 vs TVS Apache RR 310 BTO: Hardware
| 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 | TVS Apache RR 310 BTO | 2022 KTM RC 390 | |
| Fuel Tank | 17-litre | 11-litre | 13.7-litre |
| Seat Height | 780mm | 810mm | 835mm |
| Ground Clearance | 140mm | 180mm | 153mm |
| Kerb Weight | 179kg | 174kg | 172kg |
All three bikes come with USD forks in the front and a monoshock at the rear. The TVS Apache RR 310 recently got the BTO update and now can be had with a fully adjustable suspension setup. If one opts for the Dynamic Kit, the RR 310 can be equipped with front forks that can be adjusted for compression and rebound while the rear can be adjusted for rebound only. The updated RC 390 also gets adjustable suspension, leaving the Ninja as the only one without this feature. In the braking department, the RC 390 takes the cake due to the presence of cornering ABS. The three bikes come with a single disc brake at the front and a single disc at the back along with dual-channel ABS.
2022 Kawasaki Ninja 300 vs 2022 KTM RC 390 vs TVS Apache RR 310 BTO: Prices
Talking about the price, the 2022 update of the Ninja 300 has not brought any change in its pricing. It still costs Rs 3.37 lakh (ex-showroom). In comparison, the leaked pricing of KTM RC 390 is roughly Rs 59,000 less as it starts at Rs 2.78 lakh (ex-showroom). The TVS Apache RR 310 comes has a starting price of Rs 2.60 lakh but adding the Dynamic Kit drives it up to Rs 2.72 lakh (ex-showroom) which is still cheaper than the other competitors. While the Ninja is more expensive and packs fewer features than the other two bikes, it is still the only one to give you the bragging rights of owning a twin-cylinder machine in this segment.
