What happened
Kawasaki showed the naked 296cc Z300 in Bengaluru on 12 October, reusing the Ninja 300 twin underneath.
Why it matters
Indian midsize sportbike buyers finally get a twin-cylinder streetfighter rival for the 390 Duke and Apache RTR 310.
Remember this
A sub ₹3 lakh Z300 is a real sub-400cc threat.
More context & who is affected
Kawasaki has shown the naked Z300 twin at a Bengaluru event on 12 October. It is the stripped-down sibling of the 296cc Ninja 300, so the faired bodywork disappears but the same parallel-twin sits underneath. NDTV Auto ran the reveal as its lead piece the same day.
Autocar India and Car and Bike both confirm the Z300 reuses the 296cc liquid-cooled unit producing 38.4 bhp and 26.1 Nm. The clearest hardware upgrade is a new TFT screen with smartphone navigation, replacing the older semi-digital cluster on the Ninja 300. A Green and Black colour lineup is the other disclosed change, keeping the palette tight for a first-year model.
Pricing and variant details go live on Kawasaki India's website on 20 October, with the booking window opening a day earlier on 19 October after Mumbai and Pune preview showcases. Autocar expects a sub ₹3 lakh figure, which would hand the KTM 390 Duke and TVS Apache RTR 310 a proper sub-400cc rival at a price the Ninja 300 never reached at launch.
- Engine
- 296 cc parallel-twin Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke twin shared with the Ninja 300.Autocar India
- Bookings open
- 19 October 2026 Prices, variants and specs go live on Kawasaki India on 20 October 2026.Autocar IndiaCar and Bike
- Ninja 300 benchmark
- ₹3.34 lakh Current ex-showroom price of the faired sibling sets the pricing bar.Autocar India
Launch timeline
Key dates disclosed after the Bengaluru reveal.
- 12 October 2026 — Z300 unveiled in Bengaluru.
- 18 October 2026 — Preview showcases in Mumbai and Pune.
- 19 October 2026 — Bookings open.
- 20 October 2026 — Price, variants and specs go live on Kawasaki India.
First Time Bikers · Midsize Sportbike Buyers
If the Z300 lands under ₹3 lakh, sub-400cc buyers finally have a twin-cylinder rival for the KTM 390 Duke and Apache RTR 310.
First Time Bikers
A TFT display with turn-by-turn navigation replaces the ageing semi-digital console on the Ninja 300.
Motorcycle Enthusiasts · Bengaluru Auto News Readers
Bookings open 19 October 2026 with prices and variants published the next day on Kawasaki India's website.
Reporting fromNDTV Auto ↗Autocar India ↗Car and Bike ↗
Sources & verification3 sources · 4 claims
These are the records behind this briefing. Linked reporting is not the same as independent confirmation.
- NDTV AutoReporting
Kawasaki Ninja Z300 Revealed In India, Launch Soon - What To Expect ↗
· Accessed Oct 12, 2026 - Autocar IndiaReporting · Accessed Oct 12, 2026
- Car and BikeReporting
Kawasaki Z300 Revealed In India; Bookings To Open On October 19 ↗
· Accessed Oct 12, 2026
Claims and linked sources
Kawasaki showed the Z300 streetfighter in Bengaluru on 12 October 2026.
The Z300 is expected to reuse the 296cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin from the Ninja 300, producing 38.4 bhp and 26.1 Nm.
The Z300 gets a TFT display with smartphone connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation.
Prices, variants and full specifications go live on Kawasaki India on 20 October 2026; bookings start 19 October 2026.
