While there’s nothing wrong with leaving your Kawasaki Ninja with stock parts, many people like customizing their bikes to spice things up. This can come down to performance or simply not liking how something looks. Kawasaki might be one of the best motorcycle brands, but that doesn’t mean people think the bikes are perfect. There are quite a few changes you can make ranging from budget-friendly to more expensive. If you want to shell out money for new parts, you can do that too. It must be stressed that you don’t need to tackle all these upgrades at once, but rather, it’s something you can slowly build toward.
There are many things you’ll be able to change out yourself, but doing things like getting a new exhaust could be something you pay somebody for. That’s not saying you can’t do it, but there are varying degrees of difficulty when it comes to installing aftermarket parts and mods on your Kawasaki bike. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to stick with simpler tasks.
1. Tank grips
If you feel unsafe riding your Kawasaki Ninja, you could benefit from adding tank grips. These help you feel more secure riding your bike, and that feeling of sliding off while on the road should go away. There are many choices to pick from, so it’s best to do some research to find a set that fits your aesthetic and personal preference. The TechSpec Gripster Tank Grips have good user scores on Amazon with a 4.6 out of 5 rating. You can pick them up for $64.95, so it’s a relatively affordable way to give your bike some more flair.
Some downsides of these grips include a strong adhesive, so if you don’t get the proper placement with them it can be difficult to readjust them. Different sets will have different positives and negatives along with different pricing, so don’t feel like you’re locked into these. You can find a set of grips for as low as $15, so shop around to save some cash.
2. Swap the exhaust
Many people recommend changing the Kawasaki Ninja’s exhaust as one of the first aftermarket swaps. This is a common change on many vehicles, so it should come as no surprise to see it done on bikes too. There are a few ways you can go for this, and the only thing you have to ensure is the exhaust swap is compatible with your bike. The Akrapovic exhaust is a well-reviewed option with a user score of 4.8 out of 5 with over 400 reviews. This particular exhaust costs close to $600, so you’ll want to shop around for a different option if that’s too steep.
Keep in mind the swap won’t necessarily make your bike any quieter, and in many cases, it’ll just make it louder. That could end up being an annoyance to your neighborhood. If that’s something you don’t have to worry about, feel free to change out your exhaust.
3. Get new mirrors
Changing out the mirrors on your Kawasaki Ninja is a cheap way to give your bike some more flair. There’s nothing wrong with the stock mirrors, but some people prefer mirrors from certain models — and Kawasaki always seems to be adding to the family. You can find a set for under $50, so it won’t be anything that comes close to breaking the bank like swapping in a new exhaust, for example. This an easy change you can do yourself, and you can find the OEM version of the mirrors that ensure you’ll get something guaranteed to fit if that’s what you’re looking for.
There are plenty of picks you can search for on Amazon, so if you’re looking for wider mirrors you should be able to track them down. You’ll want to check user scores or professional reviews for these though because you don’t want to waste money on a bad set. This won’t typically be a problem if you’re doing your due diligence, but there are certainly cheap and fragile options out there.
4. New windscreen
The windscreen is something you can easily customize, and you have many choices for your Kawasaki Ninja. For example, you can get something tinted for about $100. You can go for many different colors, so you might want to find something that matches the color scheme of your bike instead of going fully tinted. The Puig Z-Racing windscreen is just one of many examples you can pick up, and this one costs about $98. It comes in five different colors, but not all of them cost the same, so keep that in mind. Numerous options are available, so if you don’t see what you’re looking for from Puig Z-Racing, check out another brand.
If you shop around on eBay you can find windscreens from older models for real cheap if that’s what you’re looking for. There are a lot of bikes, a given considering Kawasaki’s long history, so make sure you pick up a screen that’s compatible with your Ninja.
5. Seat swap
If you spend a lot of time riding your Kawasaki Ninja, it certainly helps to have a comfortable seat to go along with it. There are many options, and you can spend as little as $50 or you can get a more expensive seat that’ll take you well into the triple-digit threshold. Seat comfort largely comes down to personal preference, so you’ll have to find out what works best for you. There are all sorts of color schemes you can go for, so you should be able to find something that fits your bike’s aesthetic if that’s what you’re swapping for.
This seat from C.C. Rider, available on Amazon for $99.99, comes in one of nine different colors. This is far from your only option available, and you might find a better fit based on material, price, or color. The point is there are many seats to pick from, and it’s an inexpensive purchase in the grand scheme of things.
