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Kawasaki ZX-4RR

Several European websites report the ZX-4RR makes 80 HP (77 HP and 80 HP with Ram Air)

www.motomag.com

La Kawasaki ZX-4R est confirmée en Europe pour 2023 !

Coup de théâtre pour la ZX-4R, en rumeur depuis nombreux mois. D'abord confirmée pour le marché américain, l'Europe accueillera aussi la nouvelle sportive 4 cylindres Kawasaki !
www.motomag.com www.motomag.com

www.motociclismo.it

Kawasaki presenta la nuova Ninja ZX-4R: 4 cilindri, 400 cc, 80 CV

È l’unica sportiva di 400 cc con un motore a quattro cilindri in linea che, nella sua versione più performante, arriva ad erogare 80 CV. Tre le versioni: Ninja ZX-4R, Ninja ZX-4R SE e Ninja ZX-4RR, con alcune soluzioni tecniche della sorella ZX-10R. Caratteristiche e scheda tecnica completa
www.motociclismo.it www.motociclismo.it

www.motorradonline.de

Kawasaki ZX-4 R und RR 2023 : RR in Deutschland ab September 2023 erhältlich

In Asien und den USA stellte Kawasaki die neuen Ninja ZX-4 R und RR vor. Lange erwartet, mit neuem Vierzylinder, 399 Kubik und 80 PS. In Deutschland ist ab September 2023 nur die RR erhältlich.
www.motorradonline.de www.motorradonline.de
 
The old FZR4 was ~65hp with carbs. So 70-80 out of a more modern efi 400 seems reasonable.
 
$10k
I predict it’ll be a stillborn

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What is it's closest competition in terms of performance and not engine size? Probably the R7, and it's not much cheaper. And Yamaha isn't having any trouble selling those at all. We had a deposit on one for almost four months before our name came up (my wife just upgraded her track bike to an R7 from an R3).

The ZX-4RR has a few features that justify a slight premium over the R7. The only problem I see is $9,699 and the forks are only adjustable for preload? Ugh. I mean, for a track day bike the rear shock will probably get tossed in the garbage before it ever rolls out of the hot pit, but a set of Showa SFF-BP forks can be quite good with just a respring and adjustment of damping - and you won't be able to do that with this bike.
 
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AwDang said:
$10k
I predict it’ll be a stillborn

47C30C35-8D9D-4D94-985C-EC65EF23B431.png
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The only other bike I can think of right now is the CBR650R that comes that retails at $9.899. The Honda's got more power but the Kawi has better suspension. The Honda also weighs an extra 30 pounds.

I think anyone who's interested in track days would be interested in the Kawi.

I rode a CBR400RR a few times in the 90s and it was a blast.
 
I'm about 40 pounds too heavy for it, I'm sure. Would have been a nice bike back when I was a teenager though.
 
cabanza said:
The only other bike I can think of right now is the CBR650R that comes that retails at $9.899. The Honda's got more power but the Kawi has better suspension. The Honda also weighs an extra 30 pounds.

I think anyone who's interested in track days would be interested in the Kawi.

I rode a CBR400RR a few times in the 90s and it was a blast.
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Not a chance in hell when you can get a used and prepped 600 for $5k
 
AwDang said:
Not a chance in hell when you can get a used and prepped 600 for $5k
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Same case could be made against the R7 and yet Yamaha can't keep them on the showroom floor. And every track day seems like there are more and more of them out there.

In general, a prepped 600 for $5K is a pipe dream in today's market unless you're talking about something like an '05 Gixxer 600 that's been thrashed for decades and crashed 87 times. Not that some of those aren't still great bikes.
 
JustAnotherSquid said:
Same case could be made against the R7 and yet Yamaha can't keep them on the showroom floor. And every track day seems like there are more and more of them out there.

In general, a prepped 600 for $5K is a pipe dream in today's market unless you're talking about something like an '05 Gixxer 600 that's been thrashed for decades and crashed 87 times. Not that some of those aren't still great bikes.
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R7 is different, it has an aspirational race class for all of the dreamers. The 400, like the earlier versions are orphans and cult bikes. UNTIL MotoAmerica and the manufactorers build a class for it and drop some $$$ into it.

Plenty of 3g R6’s out there around or under $5k. Hell there are 675’s out there for the same money.
 
I know most of the people that own the R7s I've seen at the track and not a single one has bought it because it has an aspirational race class. The reality is, it fits nicely into a performance segment that the 2nd gen SVs have owned for decades. But those bikes are getting older and rarer (see my sig!) and the third gen is pretty heavy in comparison, so until the R7 came out there weren't many new options in that category. (The Ninja 650 would be an option but race parts are hard to come by in the US and that matters.)

The RS660 came out about the same time, and it is also selling as fast as Aprilia can ship them to dealers. We looked at buying one when we bought the R7 and it was the same story - put down a deposit for full MSRP and in a few months they might have a bike for you.

I know several people that are already interested in the ZX-4RR as a track bike (including myself!) but we'll see how many of them actually buy one. Keep in mind the same doom and gloom was predicted for the R7 - 'it's too expensive for what it is and no one is going to buy it' but here we are and all those nay-sayers were completely wrong.
 
JustAnotherSquid said:
I know most of the people that own the R7s I've seen at the track and not a single one has bought it because it has an aspirational race class. The reality is, it fits nicely into a performance segment that the 2nd gen SVs have owned for decades. But those bikes are getting older and rarer (see my sig!) and the third gen is pretty heavy in comparison, so until the R7 came out there weren't many new options in that category. (The Ninja 650 would be an option but race parts are hard to come by in the US and that matters.)

The RS660 came out about the same time, and it is also selling as fast as Aprilia can ship them to dealers. We looked at buying one when we bought the R7 and it was the same story - put down a deposit for full MSRP and in a few months they might have a bike for you.

I know several people that are already interested in the ZX-4RR as a track bike (including myself!) but we'll see how many of them actually buy one. Keep in mind the same doom and gloom was predicted for the R7 - 'it's too expensive for what it is and no one is going to buy it' but here we are and all those nay-sayers were completely wrong.
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You forgot about the FZ/MT-07. Many were being raced/tracked BEFORE the R7 was developed (with direct feedback from racers) to make Yamaha more competitive in lightweight twins.
The fact the wana-bes and posers buy them is the goal of of the sales dept. That would not be possible without the marketing of racing. With the 400/4 not having a venue to showcase its abilities, it will wither on the vine. Just as the FZR4 and CB1 did back in the day.

This is history repeating it’s self.
$1000 different MSRP
~30 more HP
~30 more terminal velocity mph.
Likely identical insurance cost for a 27yo male.

All I’m doing here is pointing out the obvious. I actually like 400/4’s, I’ve owned and tracked several FZR’s but it’s a niche market pure and simple.

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Got to check one of these out the other day. It’s clear were way past the hey-days of the 90’s sportbike revolution.
While it’s a nice bike, it’s not a $10k IMHO.
It sits and feels very much like a Ninja 300 that’s had the 4 shoehorned in and the dash updated. Cost cutting is in full display with the fully welded trellis frame. Yes, including a welded on subframe.....dumb idea for a track bike. The large stamped steel assemblies at the junction of the swing arm, engine and frame look right out of the N250/300 parts bin.
 
After seeing it in person I also have to agree. Kawasaki squandered an opportunity here. The bike as it sits for less money? Fine. The bike for $10k with higher spec? Fine. But this bike for $10k? I don't see it selling.

But who knows ... I've been wrong before.
 
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