Old 1100.....i think the stock weight was 175.....and mines so far gone ( modded) its gotta be less...
I've never owned a Kawasaki anything, not even a tractor. I'm tempted for this to be my first Team Green Machine. I've owned quite a few 400's, NC24. NC30, NC35, FZR400, and I never had a problem with lack of fun on road or track, or problems keeping up with other bikes on the road. Yes you can compare this to the 90's ZXR400 (which was the 400 race class weapon of choice back in the day) but those bikes barely made 60hp, and did not have all the emissions related crap. The exhaust system on this one has 3! catalytic converters. It's gotta weigh at least 25kg. Whoever brings a full system to market first is gonna clean up (If kawasaki sell enough of these). What I hope that sales will be strong and it will have a positive future effect for all sports bikes classes sales.
It looks great from certain angles and I bet wringing it’s neck would be a lot of fun, but I think for most that have experienced higher powered bikes the 400cc nostalgia factor would soon wear off. On the Cadwell infield it would be a blast - but I can just imagine riders of a certain age who bought one of these to relive the glory days of sports 400s suddenly crestfallen when getting passed both sides on even the shortest straights. I did my direct access on a VFR 400 and have fond memories of how fun it was on the roundabouts of the Peterborough parkways! Hanging back a little while the instructor was in front focusing on one of the other guys in the group offered plenty of opportunities to explore tail slides! I know I would have been a better rider if I had gone out and bought a VFR400 after passing rather than going straight to a VFR750 - but at my age I just don’t think it would feel right to go back to such a low powered bike. The weight though - 188kg wet??? A Ninja 400 is 168kg wet - a percentage of the extra will be the engine - but a big chunk, I would imagine, is down to the massive silencer and multiple CAT exhaust - just to bring something with 80hp within the Euro 5 restrictions. (Apologies for the following off topic political rant but seeing this so starkly evidenced has triggered me! ) It boils my blood to see the evidence of how a small number of faceless unelected bureaucrats can control the lives of hundreds of millions of people. It’s not that I don’t believe that the massive burning of fossilised fuels in such a short space of time is has accelerated climate change and environmental damage - I do - all science backs it up. What incenses me is the inequity inherent in the fact these faceless gits are unfailingly non-riding/non-driving and are allowed to enforce their will on others with impunity. Europe contributes 10% of global emissions - motorcycles represent 0.25% of that. So as percentage of global emissions - European motorcycles represent 0.025% (I think ). Each incremental Euro emissions standard has an exponentially smaller effect on CO2 output so all of the cost to manufactures that inevitably gets passed on to the consumer have such an infinitesimal effect on emissions that it’s laughable. They choose their targets based on their own lifestyle and ideology - and how powerful the target is to fight back. And back to the topic! Price! If the below turns out to be accurate then the bike is in the same price range as the Aprilia RS660 - a very different engine and riding experience of course but the higher power and lower weight has to be considered. ‘2024 Kawasaki ZX4-R - Price In the USA, only the high-spec RR version is currently being offered, but it comes in at a hefty $9,699. That would be around £7,900, but the UK price may end up higher than that. For comparison, the Ninja 400 costs $5,699 in the USA in ABS-equipped form, but £6,099 here. The Ninja 650 goes for $7,999 in the States and £7,799 in the UK. The ZX-10R starts at $17,399 in America and £17,499 in the UK. Taking those bikes as a template, there’s nearly a direct 1:1 conversion between the £ and $ when it comes to RRPs, suggesting the ZX-4RR could be over £9,500 in this country. The base ZX-4R will be cheaper, but not by a vast amount.”
Comparing prices of anything with the US I usually assume 1:1 - even if we have a strong pound you still have to take into account that most prices are quoted without any sales taxes. I fully expect the zx4rr to be a smidge under £10k when it lands here. Btw - you’re gonna be really pissed in the coming years. Those aforementioned unelected bureaucrats are planning to get as many of us off the road as possible, expanding ulez zones, creating 15-minute cities where you’re fined for going about your business, and worse. Our freedoms that we take for granted in the west are going to be seriously curtailed. By people you didn’t vote for.
Yes I have been following the developments with much interest and horror at how easily all of our freedoms are being sliced away a little at a time by an odd combination of liberal/socialist/green ideology using cloaked fascist methods - but all the time being influenced and leveraged by emerging powers for their own ends. But again - wayyyyy off topic! Must resist urge to rant……..
Well i cant say for the above bike and obviously quite a few people know that ive got a z1000 (yep - still got it) - 7th year of ownership and its never missed a beat...hands down best bike ive ever had....
