Ninja 400 special edition

[yankee99]

http://www.greatbiker.com/มายังไง-kawasaki-เตรียมเปิดตัว-ninja-400-ต้นปี-2015-นี้/Anyone see this yet.

Mods I know it's a Thai link but the pictures are universal language please don't delete.

http://www.greatbiker.com/มายังไง-kawasaki-เตรียมเปิดตัว-ninja-400-ต้นปี-2015-นี้/

Edited January 4, 2015 by yankee99

[dave_boo]

My understanding is that it's a sleeved down ER-6F. So all the weight and none of the ummph.

As in the same claimed HP as the 500 series but an additional 20kg of weight.

[yankee99]

My understanding is that it's a sleeved down ER-6F. So all the weight and none of the ummph.

As in the same claimed HP as the 500 series but an additional 20kg of weight.

if that's the case very disappointing. I would have liked to see the 400 in the 300 chassis

[dave_boo]

My understanding is that it's a sleeved down ER-6F. So all the weight and none of the ummph.

As in the same claimed HP as the 500 series but an additional 20kg of weight.

if that's the case very disappointing. I would have liked to see the 400 in the 300 chassis

The 300 isn't significantly down on power from even the Honda 500 series.

[Sirpia]

These have been available in Japan for many years.

It's just the er6n and er6f, but altered to produce 400cc due to the licensing structure there.

Strange if Kawasaki Thailand are thinking of selling them as well as the 650 range. You can't imagine that they would be much cheaper.

[yankee99]

looks like ฿185,000

[dave_boo]

If the price is correct, I'd bet it sell like hotcakes.

Has the big bike look, better than the CB500 series, and is fully faired for the price of the cheapest 500. They'll also be traded up from/sold off rather quickly for two reasons.

1. It's just too damn heavy for the power. The CB500 series has a better ratio and people quickly leave those behind. This will be worst.
2. Some will be bought for the delusion that they can easily be upgraded to 650 performance on the cheap. I.E., purchase it at 185K and spend a bit replacing the parts to make it a 650.

Thais being who they are will purchase it because they look bigger and badder than the Hondas. After the owners get embarrassed a couple of times they'll want to upgrade. The thought process that it will be easy to 'upgrade' will be disabused quickly also. Replacing sleeves and pistons and ECU at minimum is required. Will probably require new throttle bodies and exhaust to boot. I think just the first 3 items will take one into the mid 200K region rather quickly with the last 2 easily exceeding the buy-in price of a 650.

[Sirpia]

looks like ฿185,000

That's what it says in the rumour link.

I'll leave the searching to someone else, but would presume that all parts bar the sleeving are from the 650 version. I can't see how they could sell that for 185k.

A bored up Ninja 300, now that would be interesting.

[Sirpia]

If the price is correct, I'd bet it sell like hotcakes.

Has the big bike look, better than the CB500 series, and is fully faired for the price of the cheapest 500. They'll also be traded up from/sold off rather quickly for two reasons.

1. It's just too damn heavy for the power. The CB500 series has a better ratio and people quickly leave those behind. This will be worst.
2. Some will be bought for the delusion that they can easily be upgraded to 650 performance on the cheap. I.E., purchase it at 185K and spend a bit replacing the parts to make it a 650.

Thais being who they are will purchase it because they look bigger and badder than the Hondas. After the owners get embarrassed a couple of times they'll want to upgrade. The thought process that it will be easy to 'upgrade' will be disabused quickly also. Replacing sleeves and pistons and ECU at minimum is required. Will probably require new throttle bodies and exhaust to boot. I think just the first 3 items will take one into the mid 200K region rather quickly with the last 2 easily exceeding the buy-in price of a 650.

Just out of interest.

I know nothing of this bike, other than it is a the 650 turned into a 400 for the Japanese market because of their licensing laws. Do you think Kawasaki could sell it at 185k when the 650 version is the bones of 300k? Is it really that much cheaper for them to produce?

I remember there was a new tax on big bikes introduced a few years ago, I think one of the thresholds was 500-1000cc, so some of that difference could be tax (about 15k baht say).

[dave_boo]

If the price is correct, I'd bet it sell like hotcakes.

Has the big bike look, better than the CB500 series, and is fully faired for the price of the cheapest 500. They'll also be traded up from/sold off rather quickly for two reasons.

1. It's just too damn heavy for the power. The CB500 series has a better ratio and people quickly leave those behind. This will be worst.
2. Some will be bought for the delusion that they can easily be upgraded to 650 performance on the cheap. I.E., purchase it at 185K and spend a bit replacing the parts to make it a 650.

Thais being who they are will purchase it because they look bigger and badder than the Hondas. After the owners get embarrassed a couple of times they'll want to upgrade. The thought process that it will be easy to 'upgrade' will be disabused quickly also. Replacing sleeves and pistons and ECU at minimum is required. Will probably require new throttle bodies and exhaust to boot. I think just the first 3 items will take one into the mid 200K region rather quickly with the last 2 easily exceeding the buy-in price of a 650.

Just out of interest.

I know nothing of this bike, other than it is a the 650 turned into a 400 for the Japanese market because of their licensing laws. Do you think Kawasaki could sell it at 185k when the 650 version is the bones of 300k? Is it really that much cheaper for them to produce?

I remember there was a new tax on big bikes introduced a few years ago, I think one of the thresholds was 500-1000cc, so some of that difference could be tax (about 15k baht say).

I don't know if the price is correct. It's a bit inconceivable, to me, that they could sell it at such a price. Even in the West, the difference between the 600 and 1000 cc bikes is only ~60K thb.

Assuming it is sleeved down with a different ECU (or the same flashed with different microcode), and worst comes to worst, different throttle bodies and exhaust, how much could Kawasaki save making that bike? I would think it would cost them the same if it's 400 or 650. So that would imply that either the price projected (185K thb) is not right or Kawasaki Thailand has been making a killing on their 650 version.

As an aside, it appears that the Ninja 400 is 649,950 JPY, approximately 180K thb. The 650 sells for 788,400 JPY (216K thb). In LoS, the ER-6F is 291K thb. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the Japanese 650s are made in Thailand....

[Sirpia]

As an aside, it appears that the Ninja 400 is 649,950 JPY, approximately 180K thb. The 650 sells for 788,400 JPY (216K thb). In LoS, the ER-6F is 291K thb. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the Japanese 650s are made in Thailand....

So are the Honda 471cc bikes. and they're more expensive in America than Thailand. (so I read, I'm not checking) Presumably there are no free trade agreements for vehicles between Thailand and the US (I could well be wrong), so after transport and import duties they are still cheaper than 10km from where they are made here.

[dave_boo]

As an aside, it appears that the Ninja 400 is 649,950 JPY, approximately 180K thb. The 650 sells for 788,400 JPY (216K thb). In LoS, the ER-6F is 291K thb. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the Japanese 650s are made in Thailand....

So are the Honda 471cc bikes. and they're more expensive in America than Thailand. (so I read, I'm not checking) Presumably there are no free trade agreements for vehicles between Thailand and the US (I could well be wrong), so after transport and import duties they are still cheaper than 10km from where they are made here.

The CB500F (cheapest of the bunch) runs 6,000 USD with ABS. That's a grand total of 13,000 THB more expensive. Consider freight and delivery, not that bad.

But that's not the point. The ER-6F is CHEAPER in Japan after being shipped over from LoS.

Perhaps you are thinking about the Kawasaki Ninja 300 which is 182,500 thb but only 175K Stateside? Or the Z1000 which is 12,000 USD (397K vs 599K thb in LoS)? Or the Vulcan which is 8,000 USD (265K vs 285K in Los)?

Seems the charging locals more even though it's made in their back yard is limited to Kawasaki.

[Sirpia]

As an aside, it appears that the Ninja 400 is 649,950 JPY, approximately 180K thb. The 650 sells for 788,400 JPY (216K thb). In LoS, the ER-6F is 291K thb. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the Japanese 650s are made in Thailand....

So are the Honda 471cc bikes. and they're more expensive in America than Thailand. (so I read, I'm not checking) Presumably there are no free trade agreements for vehicles between Thailand and the US (I could well be wrong), so after transport and import duties they are still cheaper than 10km from where they are made here.

The CB500F (cheapest of the bunch) runs 6,000 USD with ABS. That's a grand total of 13,000 THB more expensive. Consider freight and delivery, not that bad.

American Honda list the CB500F as $5,799 + $310 delivery charge. Total 202,577k baht.

Big Wing list it as 205k baht on their site.

Honda Australia also sell them cheaper than Thailand. With the CBR listed as 209k baht with the 2014 models reduced to 200k. Compared to 210k baht just down the road from where they are made.

Also interesting is that Honda Australia still sell the CB400 new, I believe these are also sold in Japan due to the licensing laws, I didn't know that Australia also import and sell them officially. I presume they are Japanese built.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Sirpia

[dave_boo]

As an aside, it appears that the Ninja 400 is 649,950 JPY, approximately 180K thb. The 650 sells for 788,400 JPY (216K thb). In LoS, the ER-6F is 291K thb. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the Japanese 650s are made in Thailand....

So are the Honda 471cc bikes. and they're more expensive in America than Thailand. (so I read, I'm not checking) Presumably there are no free trade agreements for vehicles between Thailand and the US (I could well be wrong), so after transport and import duties they are still cheaper than 10km from where they are made here.

The CB500F (cheapest of the bunch) runs 6,000 USD with ABS. That's a grand total of 13,000 THB more expensive. Consider freight and delivery, not that bad.

American Honda list the CB500F as $5,799 + $310 delivery charge. Total 202,577k baht.

Big Wing list it as 205k baht on their site.

That's the non-abs option. Compare similar bikes and the US price jumps to 6299 + 310 = 6609 USD or 218K thb....

[Sirpia]

^ Okay.

just looking at Aussie again and the F version with ABS rings in at 195k baht.

anyway, we digress.

It would be good to see the Ninja 400 sold here at 185k baht!

Does anyone have power to weight ration compared to the Ninja 300?

[dave_boo]

^ Okay.

just looking at Aussie again and the F version with ABS rings in at 195k baht.

anyway, we digress.

It would be good to see the Ninja 400 sold here at 185k baht!

Does anyone have power to weight ration compared to the Ninja 300?

List weight is 174 kg. Dynos have it at 35 HP. So 0.201 kg/hp.

List weight for the 400 is 203 kg. List HP (which considering Kawi's propensity for inflating needs to be taken with a grain of salt) is 43. Thus 0.212 kg/hp.

Edited January 5, 2015 by dave_boo

[Beardog]

They may have a real hard sell when you can get a 1 year old 650 Er6n Or Ninja for 15,000 -40,000 more baht & it isn't a cruiser style to court the aging farangs that prefer a cruiser over a sportbike. Personally I would rather see Kawi put an 800cc into an aluminum frame instead of a smaller frame bike. I think on the choices the difference with more weight for the 400 Ninja I would splurge & get a 500 Honda instead.

[ll2]

ninja 300 is 180 k something so i dont think so they can sell it for 185 k thb.

but at 210, still it will be a good value bike but honda 500 series is lighter and a bit more powerful. and it is not a sleeved down bike of another model like this.

[macknife]

This seems really odd. I doubt it would be any faster than a Ninja 300. Perhaps in a straight line but that is where the advantage would end.

[fullcave]

Kawasaki has done it again! All the weight of an Ninja 650 performance of a 400. Brilliant! Will sell like hotcakes!

btw - Are the braking power requirements for a super heavy 400 the same as for a heavy 650 or less?