So, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about my 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS and whether it’s good for the freeway. I figured I’d share my experience here.
First off, I bought this bike a while back, and honestly, it wasn’t my first choice for highway riding. I was mainly using it for city commutes, which it’s perfect for. Nimble, easy to handle, you know, the usual stuff for zipping around town. But then my job changed. Suddenly, I found myself needing to hit the freeway way more often.
Initially, I was pretty hesitant. I mean, it’s a 300cc bike. People usually think of bigger engines for long stretches of highway. I even considered selling it and getting something more “highway-appropriate.” But, I decided to give it a shot first, because, well, I really liked the bike, and selling it was a hassle I wasn’t ready for.
My first few freeway trips were… interesting. I started by sticking to the slower lanes, getting a feel for how the bike handled at higher speeds. I noticed that between 35-65 mph, the bike felt pretty smooth, cruising comfortably under 7,000 RPM. It was actually quite enjoyable. There’s this passing light switch, which is surprisingly handy, given that I found myself overtaking cars more often than I expected. Turns out, this little Ninja has some pep in its step.
- The digital fuel injection system made for a consistent throttle response.
- The new F.C.C. clutch, was a blessing on the on and off ramps.
- Also ABS, that’s a lifesaver.
But, I did find that pushing it beyond 70 mph, I started to feel it. It wasn’t the bike’s fault, really. I just realized I’m not built for that kind of speed for extended periods. After about 30-45 minutes at those speeds, I’d feel pretty drained. I could feel the wind, and it just wasn’t as comfortable as the lower speeds.
I even took it on a longer ride once, just to see how it would do. It was fine, but it confirmed my earlier thoughts. The Ninja 300 can handle the freeway, without a doubt. But for me, personally, it’s not the most comfortable for really long hauls at high speeds. The longer stroke that makes it a 296cc instead of a 249cc does help, but it’s still a smaller engine.
My Conclusion
So, here’s the deal: the 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS is perfectly capable on the freeway. It can handle the speeds, it’s got some good features, and it’s not a bad ride at all. If your freeway stretches are short, or you’re not consistently pushing it super hard, you’ll probably be just fine. It can definitely handle overtakes with ease. It is a very good bike, and I’m quite happy with it. It’s just that for my current needs, which involve longer highway stretches, I might consider something different in the future. But for now, I’m still enjoying my Ninja, both in the city and on those occasional freeway runs.
