Kawasaki launches Ninja 400R and ER4-N
Kawasaki's middle ground: nearly mechanically identical to their 650cc siblings, and not as highly string as the 250R
Kawasaki has just released a couple of middleweights in Japan: the Ninja 400R and ER-4N.
Heavily - well almost entirely - based on the bigger Ninja 650R and ER6-N save for bore, stroke and injector size, the bikes are the result of a "growing demand among ordinary motorcycle license (400cc or less) holders and returning riders for choices that are better tailored to their lifestyles".
Carrying the same diamond-shaped steel frame as the 650s, the two 400s are powered by 399cc liquid-cooled parallel-twins claimed to offer plenty of low and mid-range punch. There are also petal discs, decent suspension and a slick underslung exhaust to concentrate mass and lower the centre of gravity.
Kawasaki claims 42hp at 9500rpm and 37Nm at 7500rpm for the 400s, and a wet weight of around 203kg.
In terms of torque-to-weight, the 400s produce about 1Nm for every 5.5kg of mass, clearly outpacing Kawasaki's all-conquering Ninja 250R (1Nm/9.2kg). For riders ensconced in the lower capacity classes, that's an important area of differentiation.
In real terms, that means the 400s are likely to provide a far less highly strung environment than the 250R, but it's a moot point for Aussies anyway as the Ninja 450R or ER4-N are unlikely to make it Down Under - although they do make as lot of practical sense.
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