Kawasaki introduces 2 new 400s at the Bangkok motor show.

[JustAnotherHun]

The Ninja ZX-4R looks quite nice for such a small bike, but I'm not sure that 4 cylinders make much sense together with a 400cc-motor. 100cc per cylinder mjust sound like a sewing machine.

The torque with such shot glasses must be subterranean ????

[eisfeld]

9 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

The Ninja ZX-4R looks quite nice for such a small bike, but I'm not sure that 4 cylinders make much sense together with a 400cc-motor. 100cc per cylinder mjust sound like a sewing machine.

The torque with such shot glasses must be subterranean ????

It's the adult version of putting cards between spokes of a bycicle in order to feel like you're going fast on a powerful machine while actually not really. Sorry guys! ????

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

The Ninja ZX-4R looks quite nice for such a small bike, but I'm not sure that 4 cylinders make much sense together with a 400cc-motor. 100cc per cylinder mjust sound like a sewing machine.

The torque with such shot glasses must be subterranean ????

I had a Honda VFR400 NC30 for a couple of years in Bangkok. 100km/h in first gear with screaming 14,500 RPM (red line). I loved it. And if I would need a new bike now then I am pretty sure I would buy the ZX-4R - exactly for that reason that it has 4 cylinders and high rev and only 400cc.

 

Obviously bigger bikes have more power and more torque and can be ridden at lower RPM. But who wants that? There is a reason they call these things pocket rocket. Does it make sense? Not really. And that's the point. 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, eisfeld said:

It's the adult version of putting cards between spokes of a bycicle in order to feel like you're going fast on a powerful machine while actually not really. Sorry guys! ????

I think it's a question of how much fun you have. I prefer a "small" bike which feels like fun compared to a bigger bike with more power.

 

I just saw this video. Same concept.

 

[JustAnotherHun]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

1. 100km/h in first gear with screaming 14,500 RPM (red line). 

 

2. Obviously bigger bikes have more power and more torque and can be ridden at lower RPM. But who wants that? 

1. Uhh, what a nightmare.... ????

1. Me.

[JeffersLos]

3 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

a 400cc-motor. 100cc per cylinder mjust sound like a sewing machine.

I might buy one for my 5 year old grandson. Looks like it would be good for going around the garden. 

[Kwasaki]

12 hours ago, eisfeld said:

I don't think you are trying to sell it to me unless I missed something ????

You know what I mean, say you was unlucky and had accident what happens then.

 

I understand you wanting a ride and shopping around dealers is difficult finding one that will let you test ride. 

 

Dealers around our way will let you test ride if you make arrangements with them. 

 

Honda, Triumph, Kawasaki and Suzuki.

 

[Kwasaki]

10 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I had a Honda VFR400 NC30 for a couple of years in Bangkok. 100km/h in first gear with screaming 14,500 RPM (red line). I loved it. And if I would need a new bike now then I am pretty sure I would buy the ZX-4R - exactly for that reason that it has 4 cylinders and high rev and only 400cc.

 

Obviously bigger bikes have more power and more torque and can be ridden at lower RPM. But who wants that? There is a reason they call these things pocket rocket. Does it make sense? Not really. And that's the point. 

Yeah don't understand comments post here they obviously never ridden 400 sports that said the CB400SF would go over 200 kph and get to it fast. 

[OneMoreFarang]

10 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah don't understand comments post here they obviously never ridden 400 sports that said the CB400SF would go over 200 kph and get to it fast. 

I have to admit I never rode 200km/h with my bike. It had the restriction removed, but I never tried.

Just the acceleration and especially the sound were fun. 

[Kwasaki]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I have to admit I never rode 200km/h with my bike. It had the restriction removed, but I never tried.

Just the acceleration and especially the sound were fun. 

When I first came Thailand big bikes seem to be few and far between unlike today. 

 

When in CM I bought what were termed as grey bikes a CB400SF for 67,000 it was made up of 2 bikes. 

They can keep up with most any riders on 1000cc bikes. 

Sold it 3 years later for 85,000, try doing that these days. ????

 

The 400 kwacka sport would leave behind much bigger cc bikes behind on roads like say the Mae Hong Son loop or on some roads in Nan.

 

 

[JonnyF]

10 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I had a Honda VFR400 NC30 for a couple of years in Bangkok. 100km/h in first gear with screaming 14,500 RPM (red line). I loved it. And if I would need a new bike now then I am pretty sure I would buy the ZX-4R - exactly for that reason that it has 4 cylinders and high rev and only 400cc.

 

Obviously bigger bikes have more power and more torque and can be ridden at lower RPM. But who wants that? There is a reason they call these things pocket rocket. Does it make sense? Not really. And that's the point. 

I agree.

 

I have an MT09 and a Panigale but you can only really stretch their legs on longer trips and you have to do silly speeds if you want to ride them hard. 

 

I'll probably buy the ZX4R (SE) for that reason. You get all the fun without the need for massive speeds. Having said that, it's no slouch, does 240kph top speed and 0-100 in about 4.5 seconds so it would outrun a lot of these lolopping thumpy heavy machines that some people like to own.

 

Plus "small" bikes have a lot of benefits. Light clutch, less weight, less engine heat, less gyroscopic force from the engine, flickable, good fuel economy, good stopping power, cheaper consumables etc.

 

Kawasaki aren't making it easy for me though. I tried to put a deposit one at the motor show and was told the sales person was "having dinner", then I signed up for a test ride from a FaceBook link and nobody called me back. Gotta love Thailand ????. 

[JonnyF]

9 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

I might buy one for my 5 year old grandson. Looks like it would be good for going around the garden. 

With the greatest respect, I very much doubt you'd be able to ride this bike anywhere near it's limits.

[n00dle]

On 3/23/2023 at 3:48 PM, Kwasaki said:

Be looking forward to looking at the spec on the ZX-4R and it's weight.

then why not click on the link where that info is provided.

[n00dle]

34 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I had a Honda VFR400 NC30 for a couple of years in Bangkok. 100km/h in first gear with screaming 14,500 RPM (red line). I loved it. And if I would need a new bike now then I am pretty sure I would buy the ZX-4R - exactly for that reason that it has 4 cylinders and high rev and only 400cc.

i had the same and think the same. i rue the day i sold my nc 30. I had an nsr 250 rr too. 

It is an interesting comaprison. NC30 59 HP the kawasaki page says the 400 is 75 bhp and weighs 188kg (net so i assume dry) the nc 30 is 182kg wet.

i doubt the kawasaki has that cam whine and insane engine braking tho,

[Kwasaki]

8 minutes ago, n00dle said:

then why not click on the link where that info is provided.

Did that a month ago. ????

[n00dle]

11 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I had a Honda VFR400 NC30 for a couple of years in Bangkok. 100km/h in first gear with screaming 14,500 RPM (red line). I loved it. And if I would need a new bike now then I am pretty sure I would buy the ZX-4R - exactly for that reason that it has 4 cylinders and high rev and only 400cc.

 

Obviously bigger bikes have more power and more torque and can be ridden at lower RPM. But who wants that? There is a reason they call these things pocket rocket. Does it make sense? Not really. And that's the point. 

Reposting as response to the right person:

i had the same and think the same. i rue the day i sold my nc 30. I had an nsr 250 rr too. 

It is an interesting comaprison. NC30 59 HP the kawasaki page says the 400 is 75 bhp and weighs 188kg (net so i assume dry) the nc 30 is 182kg wet.

i doubt the kawasaki has that cam whine and insane engine braking tho, 

[Kwasaki]

4 minutes ago, n00dle said:

i had the same and think the same. i rue the day i sold my nc 30. I had an nsr 250 rr too. 

It is an interesting comaprison. NC30 59 HP the kawasaki page says the 400 is 75 bhp and weighs 188kg (net so i assume dry) the nc 30 is 182kg wet.

i doubt the kawasaki has that cam whine and insane engine braking tho,

Heavy bikes shame no diamond frame model's available in RR spec. 

[n00dle]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I have to admit I never rode 200km/h with my bike. It had the restriction removed, but I never tried.

Just the acceleration and especially the sound were fun. 

i did  bangkok phuket and back in a loop well over 1000 km, and got the nc 30 up to the limiter quite a few times, 180 was certainly possible but it was lovley around 150. I just couldnt see the point of derestricting

[JustAnotherHun]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah don't understand comments post here they obviously never ridden 400 sports that said the CB400SF would go over 200 kph and get to it fast. 

For me it's not a question of top speed to prefere big bikes.

If someone wants to ride down a german autobahn at +200 km/h and has fun - good for him.

My roads back in Europe are much slower. Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees etc. Small, curvy, tricky. Speed most of the time between 80 and 120 km/h.

 

And yes, an experienced rider on his light 400cc bike will not lose one meter to me on my Z900 or my KTM 1290 Super Duke.

What makes me happy on the ride is the pure power from lowest r.p.m on, the acceleration, elasticity, torque.

To hold the motor permanently over 12000 r.p.m to feel the power is no fun for me. I'm too old for the screaming noise and I dont't want the marmots on my way all die from a shock :-).

 

But I never would laugh about the rider of a smaller bike. Why should I? We all are bikers, we want fun, we want freedom. To each his own to get there.

Edited April 20, 2023 by JustAnotherHun

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

For me it's not a question of top speed to prefere big bikes.

If someone wants to ride down a german autobahn at +200 km/h and has fun - good for him.

My roads back in Europe are much slower. Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees etc. Small, curvy, tricky. Speed most of the time between 80 and 120 km/h.

 

And yes, an experienced rider on his light 400cc bike will not lose one meter to me on my Z900 or my KTM 1290 Super Duke.

What makes me happy on the ride is the pure power from lowest r.p.m on, the acceleration, elasticity, torque.

To hold the motor permanently over 12000 r.p.m to feel the power is no fun for me. I'm too old for the screaming noise and I dont't want the marmots on my way all die from a shock :-).

 

But I never would laugh about the rider of a smaller bike. Why should I? We all are bikers, we want fun, we want freedom. To each his own to get there.

Yes I understand where your coming from and know many bikers don't particularly like screamer engines. 

 

Apart from my Blade my favorite bike in UK was my Bandit 1200 sweet motor 5 gears and purred along. 

Use to pull away 1st, then to 3rd then to 5th. ????

 

[JustAnotherHun]

4 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

my favorite bike in UK was my Bandit 1200 sweet motor 5 gears and purred along. 

 

Great bike! I still have my stone old Honda CB1300 Superfour from 1998 and I love it ????

[OneMoreFarang]

About "small bikes". You don't have to look at the sad ending.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Great bike! I still have my stone old Honda CB1300 Superfour from 1998 and I love it ????

Remember the CB 1000 my first sports touring bike was a 1990 CBR1000F.

Chopped that in to buy one of the first Fireblade's coming into UK on 15th April 1992. 

 

[eisfeld]

The great thing about motorcycles is the huge variety. You get comfy ones that putter along and can carry you 1000km+ day rides. Then you have these crazy powerful racing machines that will push you to your limits before they reach theirs. Then you have these super torquey naked bikes that like to pop a wheely at every corner exit. And of course the little racers that rev to the moon like these Kawas.

 

And each are totally different in terms of riding experience but they all provide good fun in their own way. That's why I love'em. Would love to try one but Kawa Phuket said no test rides available.

[eisfeld]

4 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

My roads back in Europe are much slower. Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees etc. Small, curvy, tricky. Speed most of the time between 80 and 120 km/h.

Yea one of my favorite places to ride. Below my weapon of choice for spirited day out in the Alps. Would this Kawa 400 provide me with as much fun? I dunno. I have not noticed many small cubic four pots there.

 

[eisfeld]

7 hours ago, n00dle said:

It is an interesting comaprison. NC30 59 HP the kawasaki page says the 400 is 75 bhp and weighs 188kg (net so i assume dry) the nc 30 is 182kg wet.

It's actually 188 wet. I checked the US site which says 414.5 lb curb weight which is 188kg. I also wasn't sure when I read "net" but I guess it makes sense - 'net' is the amount with everything included (e.g. price including tax and service charge).

 

So 188kg wet is actually pretty good for a watercooled four cylinder street legal bike and really not far off from your NC30.

 

Edit: it was actually the ZX4-RR not ZX4-R that I saw on the US site but I think the point still stands.

Edited April 20, 2023 by eisfeld

[JonnyF]

On 4/20/2023 at 5:58 PM, eisfeld said:

Yea one of my favorite places to ride. Below my weapon of choice for spirited day out in the Alps. Would this Kawa 400 provide me with as much fun? I dunno. I have not noticed many small cubic four pots there.

 

The Tuono is a lovely bike. I really like the 660 but it's ridiculously priced here.

 

As for small 4 pots in Europe, they haven't released any for years. The ZX-25R was Asia only. I think the ZX-4R will be released there but I'm not sure how well it will do, since lots of people there like the pub/forum bragging rights of a bigger bike. I think the 4R would do very well in the Alps as long as you kept it on the pipe. 

 

Torque is a lot of fun, my MT09 wants to lift the front wheel until you get into 4th. But there's something fun about extracting every bit of power out of a smaller engine. I know it's a cliche, but it's true that it's more fun riding a slow bike fast than riding a fast bike slow.

 

I sat on the 4R at the motor show and it's surprisingly comfy. Higher bars than most supersports, not quite as high as the Ninja 400 but not far off. 

 

 

[eisfeld]

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

As for small 4 pots in Europe, they haven't released any for years. The ZX-25R was Asia only. I think the ZX-4R will be released there but I'm not sure how well it will do, since lots of people there like the pub/forum bragging rights of a bigger bike. I think the 4R would do very well in the Alps as long as you kept it on the pipe. 

I'm sure it could be fun (nearly every bike is fun there hehe) but probably not so much in the hairpins. I think the slow corner exits would be a bit of a downer and why people prefer torquey bikes. With speeding fines increasing and being quite hefty nowerdays, a lot of folk have switched to prefering torque over top end. A bike like the ZX-4R could help bring back the feeling of street racing while not going jail speeds but it's a niche.

 

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Torque is a lot of fun, my MT09 wants to lift the front wheel until you get into 4th. But there's something fun about extracting every bit of power out of a smaller engine. I know it's a cliche, but it's true that it's more fun riding a slow bike fast than riding a fast bike slow.

After I rode a MT09 for the first time I told the guy they need to market it as a unicycle ????

The saying about slow bikes fast vs fast bikes slow is true. But I think there's also this: torquey bikes that maybe don't have the highest power. So you can still wring them out in the first several gears without going crazy fast but the catapult-like acceleration is tons of fun.

[ozimoron]

On 4/20/2023 at 10:02 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

I have to admit I never rode 200km/h with my bike. It had the restriction removed, but I never tried.

Just the acceleration and especially the sound were fun. 

I had a Ducati 860 Darmah back in the day. It topped out at 185 ks. I hit an eagle in a dip and killed it, luckily it hit right between the fork legs and not me.  I resolved never to do that again.

 

I always wished I had bought the 750 because they are more fun to ride at higher revs than the bigger bikes without scaring myself to death.