In 2012, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki Ninja 400R, a motorcycle in the Ninja series announced in 2011 and sold only in Canada and New Zealand, which was basically a smaller, more Canadian version of the Ninja 650R.
The bike featured an aggressive and chic Ninja style with full-fairing bodywork that added a measure of wind protection and high attention to the smallest detail, which resulted in the same high-quality finish as its bigger sibling.
In addition, the motorcycle featured a MotoGP-inspired multi-function display that included a fuel gauge, a digital speedometer, a bar-style digital tachometer, built-in front turn signals, an LED tail lamp, a rear inner fender, and a sculpted swingarm.
In the performance department, the bike featured a 399cc engine with a fuel injection system that delivered a smooth and responsive performance in the low-mid rpm range and was tuned for rider-friendly power characteristics.
As for the performance figures, the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 400R took its thrust from a 399cc four-stroke parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 42 hp with a peak at 9,500 rpm and 37 Nm (27 lb-ft) of torque available at 7,500 rpm.
For suspension, the bike packed a 41 mm telescopic fork on the front and a horizontally right-side-mounted preload adjustable shock absorber on the rear.
As for the braking performance, the bike featured two 300 mm discs coupled to dual-piston calipers on the front wheel and a 220 mm disc squeezed by a single-piston caliper on the rear wheel.