5 Points Before Buy Kawasaki ZX4RR
So you might be considering a Kawasaki ZX4RR, and so you should. It’s an absolutely great-looking bike.
The price is decent, too, and it’s got plenty of those Ninja vibes of the bigger bikes in the Kawasaki sports lineup.
But the thing is, this is actually quite an unusual bike, certainly versus the other middleweight sports bikes in this price range.
And so before you go and take one out for a spin, here are the five key things that you need to know about it.
Plus, at the end, I’ll tell you exactly what type of rider should consider buying one.
Price
Now, there’s absolutely loads of choice in this middleweight sports bike market that ranges between seven-ish to about £10,000. ZX4RR
You’ve got the Honda CBR 650 R, the Yamaha R7, the new Triumph Dayton 660, the Aprilia RS 660, and even Kawasaki’s own Ninja 650.
They’re all somewhat similar on price and stature and the moderate riding position. But there is one key difference with this ZX4RR, and that’s the displacement.
You see, despite quite a range of engine configurations, you’ve got twins, a triple, an inline four, All of those other bikes are actually between that 600 and 700 cc capacity range, whereas this bike, being a 400, is about 250 or 300 cc down.
The result is really quite pronounced, with all those other bikes being able to make about 60 or 70 Newton meters of peak torque, with the twins able to make it lowest in the rev range.
This Kawasaki making the least torque by quite a stretch, so it’s 39 Newton meters peak, and yet it’s working pretty hard, to say the least, to do so at 13,000 RPM.
That’s double the revs at the peak torque figure of the R7, for example.
And as for horsepower, Well, it isn’t top of the pack in that regard either, and yet it’s spinning up to 14,500 RPM to make its peak. ZX4RR
In reality, out on the road, you can definitely feel a huge difference in character with this bike. There’s not that much to the mid-range.
There’s no gutsy punch until you get it spinning up to around 8,000 or 9,000 RPM, and then that’s when things start to get quite entertaining.
You really do need to keep on top of the gears and make sure the engine’s singing to get the most out of it. ZX4RR
Thing is, though, you’ve really got to ask yourself at this point, is that necessarily a bad thing? Admittedly, you can’t be quite as lazy with the shifting, and so newer riders, for example, might find a twin more forgiving.
About Engine
But what if you like the sportiness of a Revy engine and maybe even enjoy the sensation of going up and down the Gearbox? Quite honestly, there are so many parallel twins on the motorcycle market it, especially at this more affordable end of the spectrum.
And it makes a lot of sense because they’re so versatile and relatively cheap to produce and they’re compact.ZX4RR
But what it does mean is that this bike massively stands out from the crowd with its own special character. And I’ve got to admit, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Now, a huge part of what makes this bike fun to ride has to be the soundtrack with that screaming, revvy, inline 4 sound that I’m sure is super nostalgic for anyone who used to ride smaller capacity sports bikes many moons ago.
But it’s just that sound at the top end of the range combined with the super slick standard fit quick shifter that makes a combo that rarely failed to put a smile on my face. ZX4RR
On top of that, this particular press bike Performance Edition, which costs another £900.
Sound
The standout feature has to be the Akrapovic exhaust system, which not only looks absolutely beautiful with its carbon construction, but also adds a little bit of extra depth to the sound.
So yes, the engine is a massive standout point, but what about the rest of it? Well, as you’d expect, it’s a relatively slender bike, weighing in at just 189 kilograms wet, and so it feels super manageable and easy to get on with and nifty and flickable, but without being too twitchy.
Then you’ve also got a very nicely balanced ride quality from the shower suspension at either end. ZX4RR
And I think it’s really nicely set up for road riding with enough suppleness to make it feel comfy, even over fairly rough road conditions.
Now, while there isn’t a huge deal of damping adjustment, there is preload on the fork as well as the preload and rebound on the shock.
And so you do get a little bit of room for maneuver in the setup. And so to me, it feels like a super easy bike to ride and loads of fun out on the road.
On top of all that, though, I’ve got to say I’m really impressed by the brakes on this bike. ZX4RR
They may be own-branded, and so you might be thinking it’s an area in which they’ve cut back to hit a decent price point.
But actually, these four piston, radially mounted, monoblock calipers on dual 290 mill disk are fantastic.
I really like how firm they feel at the lever. And there’s also not much travel in the lever before it starts to bite. So yeah, it feels every bit as sporty on the brakes as it does with that screaming engine.ZX4RR
Sweet Handling
Now, perhaps looking at this bike, you might think it’s going to be super sporty in the riding position with that miniature Ninja esthetic, but I actually found it really quite comfortable.
The seat is actually quite low at 800 millimeters, and so most riders should be confident getting their legs down. ZX4RR
And while you do have clip on star handlebars, they sit in line with the top yoke, if not a little bit above.
And so combined with a fairly low peg position, you’re actually relatively set up.
I’d put it somewhere in between the Ninja 650, which is probably the most relaxed sports bike, and then the Yamaha R7, which is a lot more focused.
And so I think for a lot of people, this bike will actually be a nice compromise.
The only time it’s ever really a shortcoming is perhaps when you start to ride a little bit quicker and you feel like you’re pushing on because it’s not quite as long as something more serious like a ZX6R. ZX4RR
And so you don’t feel like you’ve got quite as much space to get low and tucking behind the screen.
So maybe for the absolutely dedicated sports bike nut or for anyone who’s looking at doing track days, for example, it might not be as aggressive as you’d like.
But ultimately, Kawasaki will want to sell plenty of these bikes, and I think this more balanced riding position is probably the best way to do that.
Balanced Ergos
Now, maybe it’s helped out a little bit with the extras that you get in this performance pack, like the exhaust system that I’ve already mentioned, the tank pad, the smoke windscreen, the seat cowl, and stuff like that. ZX4RR
But I think the general level of finish and the little bits of design detail on this bike are a touch above what I’d probably expect at this price point.
Don’t get me wrong, you have to like the general Kawasaki esthetic because it is thoroughly green, angular, and aggressive.
I think it has quite a nice quality feel to it. I like the design of the top yoke, for example, the way the front indicators are flush with the fairing, and I even quite like the pinched Ninja headlight design, which makes it look a little bit mean.
In fact, the only thing that could make it slightly better in my book would be that 40th anniversary edition that they’re offering for another 300 quid this year.
It It has that green, white, and blue color scheme that’s graced many a Kawasaki over the years and wraps it around this 2024 bike.ZX4RR
Looks & Finish
With the green wheels as well, I think it looks absolutely brilliant. I think that one would definitely be my pick.
Look, for anyone who does have that strong nostalgia for small capacity inline 4s of the ’80s and ’90s, almost certainly this is going to be a very fun bike to ride.
A talkie twin is always going to make more sense for just day-to-day getting around. But is it the fun choice? Absolutely, yes. ZX4RR
Kawasaki have put something on the market that’s a little bit different with grin factor in absolute spades.
And so for that, I think they should be applauded. Definitely check this one out if you want a middleweight sports bike with a bit of a difference.