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Discussion Kawasaki Ninja 400

Discussion in 'The Pub' started by maelstrom, Dec 22, 2022.

  1. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Saw a girl riding one of these this morning. Didn't know they existed.
    ninja400se-2022-blue-01.jpg
    It just needs hexagonal wheels to go with the styling. Don't worry about the colour, it is worse in real life. This one is a twin and is 224400 Baht here vs. the 4 cylinder 250 which is 299000. Meanwhile in my life, I can cross the idea of buying a new W800 off the list because they have gone "Cafe", (insert vomit emoticon), so you can only get them in black, black, black, or brown with a brown seat. Thank you generation man bun for your contribution to fashion. I think the field is narrowing down to a used bike now, a green W800 or a Yamaha XJR1300.
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2022
  2. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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    Ninja 400 is hottest thing in racing over here at moment. About 37kw output and 165kg makes it faster than zx25r, which we don't get anyway. Used for several seasons in MotoAmerica Jr Cup series where it pretty much rubbed out R3 and RC390 as contenders.

    So good, it's getting 600 Supersport times at all major tracks: Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, Palmer, etc. Would even place top-5 in +1000cc Superbike races too! :)

    So much demand in club-racing scene, people are paying over MSRP for used crashed models!! Many bolt-on upgrades to get it over 45kw and below 135kg weight!
    https://www.cyclenews.com/2018/10/article/jeremy-toye-ninja400r-com-kawasaki-ninja-400/

    But yeah, it's extremely UGLY!!!
     
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    Last edited: Dec 22, 2022
  3. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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  4. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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    Rocco Landers came through out AFMracing club with Ninja 400 and won every race. Would've even placed top-5 in all 600 & 1000 classes as well. Went on to dominate MotoAmerica races the next year, winning 15 of 16 races.

    https://www.roadracingworld.com/new...-race-one-results-from-sonoma-raceway8102019/



    At Sears Point Sonoma, Rocco absolutely demolished Ari's previous lightweight-twins record previously set on RC390
     
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  5. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    I live under a rock in the land of scooters, so don't see many motorcycles. I just got a shock to see something so new and hideous. I had to go and look in the carpark to find out what it was. As for all the racing stuff, I would say that Rocco is a fast rider. Don't care about the motorcycle. The last place finisher could have been on a Ninja 400 too. :)
     
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    Last edited: Dec 22, 2022
  6. Why?

    Why? Active Member Premium Member

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    Most new bikes are in my opinion, love the look of 80's and 90's sports bikes or an older 70's inline air cooled 4 cyl.
     
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  7. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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    Yeah me too! My favourite:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  8. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    I know someone here that has one, it's a model from a few years ago, I remember it not being to my tastes looks wise and I have taken it round the block for a ride.

    I'm with the rest of you when it comes to the styling, very late '80's -> '90 -> early 2000's, then someone took a bad hallucinogenic and started seeing in jagged angles reminiscent of the 'Transformers', or maybe someone has their french curves stolen, whatever it is, it leaves me flaccid...
     
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  9. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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    I compare lots of modern styling to origami gone bad!
     
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  10. Sweeks

    Sweeks Active Member Premium Member

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    ha, very good description
     
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  11. GreyImport

    GreyImport Administrator Staff Member The Chief Contributing Member

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    Well when the top level of motorcycle design and engineering is butt ugly then its a natural flow on

    Add a muffler the size of a 44 gallon drum to appease Greta and there u have it


    duke.jpg
     
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  12. jmw76

    jmw76 Well-Known Member

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    I do not mind the sharp edgy look of the modern sports bikes. But I am not a big fan of the praying mantis look of a number of the naked bikes these days.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. jmw76

    jmw76 Well-Known Member

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    To me, the modern sports bike look is just an evolution of the Yamaha R1 design from 1998.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Jo Verhelst

    Jo Verhelst Forty2 Contributing Member

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    wakeupcall.jpg
     
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  15. thebeefsalad

    thebeefsalad Well-Known Member

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    I hate the color of my 919, but I love the bike otherwise. I'm going to be sitting at a Kawi dealer on the 1st as it's rumored they are going to announce the zx400 here in the u.s.
     
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  16. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Just when I thought the 4 cylinder bikes were dead, Kawasaki to the rescue. It will murder the twin cylinder pile of garbage. I guess it will be banned from that racing class so they can keep running their blowbags.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2023
  17. Linkin

    Linkin The Mechanic Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    I have worked on a Ninja 400 here and there, and they had one at TAFE when I was still completing my studies.

    They are a nice little lightweight bike, super light clutch pull and good slipper clutch. Very learner friendly. Good for what they are, but they are not a supersport bike.

    Even the new ZX-25R is a steel frame, single disc, learner type bike. Kawasaki supposedly have a ZX-4R in the works, and Honda might have something based on the modern CB400 in the works.

    The dream? 250/400 4 cylinder with alloy diamond/deltabox type frame, ohlins front and rear with double discs, radial m/c with all the modern goodies like cornering ABS, power modes, traction control etc. Sadly we have to deal with emissions nonsense, but a full exhaust system and dyno tune can always fix that :)
     
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  18. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Dear Mr Kawasaki,
    Can I have one like this but a 400 (twin shock), thanks.
    z900rs-2020-green-01 (1).jpg
     
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  19. Frankster

    Frankster Grey Pride...Adventure before Dementia Staff Member Premium Member Ride and Events Crew

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  20. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Kawasaki are definitely throwing down the gauntlet for the other manufacturers.

    Given the increase in power output over the decades, perhaps 400's are the new 600 sports bikes performance wise
     
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