Kawasaki Er4N And Ninja 400R (Er4F)

[Richard-BKK]

Kawasaki ER4N and Ninja 400R (ER4F) are on the menu soon, cheaper than the 650cc models but still very similar. Powered by a parallel twin 399cc engine and according to some people they're very likely to be produced in Thailand as the new 400cc's share a good amount of parts with its bigger 650cc brother.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[JonnyF]

If this actually happens, what a shame they're using the parallel twin in the ER6n/f frame.

A modern 400cc inline 4 in the style of the 250R would be an awesome bike. Obviously more expensive to make but that would be pretty much the perfect bike for Thailand IMO.

Edited June 29, 2010 by JonnyF

[Richard-BKK]

The target for the new 400cc's is budget, a inline 4 engine doesn't meet that criteria.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[visions]

If this actually happens, what a shame they're using the parallel twin in the ER6n/f frame.

A modern 400cc inline 4 in the style of the 250R would be an awesome bike. Obviously more expensive to make but that would be pretty much the perfect bike for Thailand IMO.

Agree about the inline 4 but not likely to happen....cost would kill it. Why they opted for the twin 650 over the inline 4 600 here.

Hard to see how a 400 version it can be any cheaper than the 650? If the engine is a sleaved/de-stroked 650, then it actually would cost more to produce? What else can they leave off the bike to reduce costs?.

If there isnt a significant difference in price, then why would you buy a 4 over the 6?

[LivinLOS]

If smaller lighter it might be interesting.. If its just the same bike with a weaker power plant then not much interest at all..

[nikster]

If smaller lighter it might be interesting.. If its just the same bike with a weaker power plant then not much interest at all..

According to the specs page (too lazy too look up the link sorry), it's 205kg, same as the 650. In which case I don't really know what this is supposed to be for.

Somebody in another forum mentioned it's because 400cc is much easier to get a driving license for in Japan...

Edited June 29, 2010 by nikster

[Richard-BKK]

If smaller lighter it might be interesting.. If its just the same bike with a weaker power plant then not much interest at all..

According to the specs page (too lazy too look up the link sorry), it's 205kg, same as the 650. In which case I don't really know what this is supposed to be for.

Somebody in another forum mentioned it's because 400cc is much easier to get a driving license for in Japan...

The Kawasaki Ninja 400R actually is 203kg and the ER4N is 199kg, not that it will change much...

Edited June 29, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[eljeque]

Why not make an ER(2.5)n based ont he Ninja 250?

If thay can make an Er6n from tme the Ninja 600, I think they can do the same with the Ninja 250/

[dave_boo]

Assuming that it is produced in Thailand, would it split the cost difference between the little Ninja and the big one....i.e. round about 190 000 THB?

As a side note, does the fairing actually add 4kg onto those bikes?

[BSJ]

Just when you start to think Kawasaki is the smart Japanese motorcycle company....they cum up with a "Wood Duck" idea!

[katabeachbum]

If smaller lighter it might be interesting.. If its just the same bike with a weaker power plant then not much interest at all..

According to the specs page (too lazy too look up the link sorry), it's 205kg, same as the 650. In which case I don't really know what this is supposed to be for.

Somebody in another forum mentioned it's because 400cc is much easier to get a driving license for in Japan...

399cc and less is the way to go in Japan. Taxes, insurance, drivers lisence.

What we see her is Kawasaki moving manufactoring of bikes not targeting LOS market but Japan. Most interesting.

As for pricing, whats the logic in having one price for Benz E200 CDI and one for E220 CDI and one for E 250 CGI, when they all share the same engine , just different ECU poweroutput.. There is 1-2 million baht between them, so hitting different markets.

lets see if ER4 is here to raise the price of Er6, or if Ninja 400 will sell at 230k baht and Ninja 650 remains at 260k.

[Hog Head]

They need to offer either the KLX 450 or KLR 650, but keep winging about not being able to pass the Thai air laws.

Funny that Lifan can pass those very same laws with a carb !!!

I would buy either tomorrow

[Richard-BKK]

Assuming that it is produced in Thailand, would it split the cost difference between the little Ninja and the big one....i.e. round about 190 000 THB?

As a side note, does the fairing actually add 4kg onto those bikes?

Yes, the fairing is just under 4 kilogram

Edited June 29, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[nikster]

They need to offer either the KLX 450 or KLR 650, but keep winging about not being able to pass the Thai air laws.

Funny that Lifan can pass those very same laws with a carb !!!

I guess there are alternate ways to pass emissions tests in Thailand

[JonnyF]

Why not make an ER(2.5)n based ont he Ninja 250?

If thay can make an Er6n from tme the Ninja 600, I think they can do the same with the Ninja 250/

Misread the original post, a naked 250 might not be a bad idea.

Edited June 29, 2010 by JonnyF

[Hog Head]

I guess there are alternate ways to pass emissions tests in Thailand

Surely you are not suggesting a backhander? Perish the thought

Lifan USA pumps air into the pipe right at the head to reduce emissions. Wonder if they do that here

[dave_boo]

Assuming that it is produced in Thailand, would it split the cost difference between the little Ninja and the big one....i.e. round about 190 000 THB?

As a side note, does the fairing actually add 4kg onto those bikes?

Yes, the fairing is just under 4 kilogram

That seems a bit...heavy. Are we to assume that the 400cc versions of those bikes don't get ABS? And what rumours of pricing?

[Richard-BKK]

I not want to go into pricing, but I guess that it would be somewhere near 200,000 Baht. The price is at the moment completely irrelevant as the rumor only tells about the motorcycles being manufactured in Thailand – not being sold in Thailand. The specifications do not included ABS.

Is there a market for the 44hp 400cc Kawasaki's? I think so, lots of Ninja 250R riders want to go a bit bigger but 260,000 Baht is just to much for them...

I not want to make the same mistake I once did with the Ninja 250R (manufacturing of the Ninja 250R started in November 2007, but the bike became available in Thailand almost a year later)

[jackcorbett]

Very valid point about it might not being offered in Thailand at all or if it is much later than now.

Now....I tend to agree with the opinions stated here about the bike being about the same size and weight of the 650 model. Where I disagree is that this is a disadvantage and that one should go straight to the 650, especially if the prices are similar. In fact, I'd be tempted to spring for one myself if it would come in only about 50,000 baht cheaper at 200,000 baht. Here's why.

One of our fellow condo owners here bought the 650 model a couple of months ago and like a true German he is very particular and he went into detail about his likes and dislikes of his 650. His main dislike is the fuel economy which he contends is abysmal. Prior to this he had the Honda Phantom. So even if all Kawasaki did was to put cylinder sleeves in the two cylinders to downsize them and to make the appropriate changes to the carburators or fuel injection system, air intake, exhaust, etc this could still be a big win for Kawasaki. Smaller cylinders equal smaller mouths to feed everything else being equal.

I once had a 350 Honda CB which was a great all around little bike and I wound up trading it off for the 450 Honda 450 CB. Honda 450 CB Note the 450 model's weight at 186 kg. Now take a look at the Kawasaki 650, the ERn6. Kawasaki ERn6 Its weight is 178 kilograms so it tips the scales at just 390 pounds. Now that's pretty light weight. When one compares the Honda CB 350 to the CB 450, the CB 350 is definitely more agile. However at this time Honda was claiming that the 450 was the equal to such British bikes as the Triumph 650. And it was to all practical purposes equal in performance although possibly the 650 bikes would do a quarter mile at a couple miles an hour faster, but that's about it. I found that my Honda 450 had a lot of acceleration compared to the 350 up to 90 miles an hour. I'd say its top speed was around 100 miles an hour (it would do the claimed 110 only in a dream). It had all the power needed, even on super highways where it had all the power needed to pass cars easily that were doing 70 miles per hour. Also the extra weight of the Honda CB 450 gave it greater stability at higher speeds than the Honda CB 350 which would have made it the better tourer. However, I sold the bike before I had a chance to do anything more than about 60 miles at a stretch. Later on I bought a 650 BMW which performed about the same as the 450 Honda and I did 500 miles in one day on it without getting tired at all, but I'm sure the BMW vibrated less.

I'd be tempted to buy this animal at 200,000 baht if it is sold in Thailand but probably won't. The reason is fear of death. I live in Pattaya and the Nouvo Elegance 135 is perfect here. Even on Sukamvit road where I can easily pass cars. I do not intend on venturing very far out from Pattaya so there is no need of a bigger machine. Driving here (in and near Pattaya, not elsewhere in Thailand) is not a nice enjoyable ride in the country side. It's got a lot of truly despicable people out on the road who don't know how to drive and don't care whose lives they are risking including their own. My German friend even said about his 650 Kawasaki..."WHere do I get the chance to use its power?"

Edited June 30, 2010 by jackcorbett

[katabeachbum]

My 2010 Ninja 650R returns 25 km/liter if I drive it at Phantom speeds, while my Phantom did 30 km/liter.

You can use the Ninja 650R full power approx every 5- 10 minutes depending on your guts and chice of roads.

Not sure kawasaki bothers to sell ER4 here, since production price if equipped equally must be same as ER6. But perhaps, since ther is a large gap from 250 to 650.

[Richard-BKK]

Kawasaki claims that the new Ninja 400R does 37km/L

[katabeachbum]

Kawasaki claims that the new Ninja 400R does 37km/L

and I am sure the 650 can do 35 km/l if someone tried

but since I have my Ninja 650R for fun, its usually more like 20 km/L

[Richard-BKK]

My 2010 Ninja 650R returns 25 km/liter if I drive it at Phantom speeds

since I have my Ninja 650R for fun, its usually more like 20 km/L

Sorry if I'm wrong, but this two statements are not really compatible.

[villagefarang]

My 2010 Ninja 650R returns 25 km/liter if I drive it at Phantom speeds

since I have my Ninja 650R for fun, its usually more like 20 km/L

Sorry if I'm wrong, but this two statements are not really compatible.

Makes sense to me. If I drove my 650 like I drove my old Phantom, my millage would be better. As it is, my milage sucks but I'm having loads of fun.

[thomo]

I'd certainly be interested a 400 version, as the next step up from my little cbr 150, which I'm very with. Unfortunately for the time being my budget will be rather restricted.

BTW 2nd hand 250 ninjas are now going for under 100k. 650 ninjas going for under 200k.

How much longer do people reckon we'll see 250ninjas going for 50-60,000b, or 650 ninjas going for under 100k?

2 years time?

[BigBikeBKK]

My 2010 Ninja 650R returns 25 km/liter if I drive it at Phantom speeds, while my Phantom did 30 km/liter.

You can use the Ninja 650R full power approx every 5- 10 minutes depending on your guts and chice of roads.

Not sure kawasaki bothers to sell ER4 here, since production price if equipped equally must be same as ER6. But perhaps, since ther is a large gap from 250 to 650.

LOL- I averaged about 16-17 km/liter on my ER6n and about the same on my Ninja 650R but that's probably because I've got 'em pinned most of the time. Of all the things I consider when buying a bike Fuel Economy isn't something I care about at all. Range on tank? Yes. Fuel economy? Who cares?

[Richard-BKK]

Okay, maybe I have a complete different view of a Honda Phantom TA200, so let me explain how I see them – they are most-of-the-time the last to get away from any traffic lights, they need a few kilometers to get anywhere near a safe cruising speed, and cornering is something what is best done at 40 to 50 km/h anything faster becomes dangerous...

So how does that compare to a Kawasaki Ninja 650R and make it burn fuel like 20km/l ???

[Richard-BKK]

Anyway, I have the idea that there's a market for the 400cc. I now see 1 to 2 year old secondhand Honda CB400's sold with questionable books for 210,000 Baht. So if Kawasaki sets the 250cc at 150,000, the 400cc at 200,000 and the 650 at 260,000 Baht they cover a good amount of the market.

[BigBikeBKK]

I'd be tempted to buy this animal at 200,000 baht if it is sold in Thailand but probably won't. The reason is fear of death. I live in Pattaya and the Nouvo Elegance 135 is perfect here. Even on Sukamvit road where I can easily pass cars. I do not intend on venturing very far out from Pattaya so there is no need of a bigger machine. Driving here (in and near Pattaya, not elsewhere in Thailand) is not a nice enjoyable ride in the country side. It's got a lot of truly despicable people out on the road who don't know how to drive and don't care whose lives they are risking including their own. My German friend even said about his 650 Kawasaki..."WHere do I get the chance to use its power?"

Aye, if you don't have the cojones to ride a big bike best to stick to scooters...

Where do you have a chance to use the modest ~70Hp of the Kawasaki 650?

How about here-

Or here-

Count how many cars you see in the video above and then tell me again how scary and dangerous Thai roads are

"Sorry, but you have posted more media files than you are allowed to" Grrrr... anyway the list is endless

Perhaps if you ventured a bit past walking street you might realize that Thailand is blessed with some of the most fantastic roads anywhere.

Ride On!

Tony

Edited June 30, 2010 by BigBikeBKK

[BigBikeBKK]

Anyway, I have the idea that there's a market for the 400cc. I now see 1 to 2 year old secondhand Honda CB400's sold with questionable books for 210,000 Baht. So if Kawasaki sets the 250cc at 150,000, the 400cc at 200,000 and the 650 at 260,000 Baht they cover a good amount of the market.

I agree- I never thought Kawasaki would be able to sell the rather over-priced mini-D-Tracker 125 and mini-KLX 125 yet by all accounts they are selling quite well- Kawasaki has filled a niche that no other bike manufacturer offers here in Thailand. Let the Good Times Roll!