Kawasaki to introduce Ninja ZX-4R! | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Kawasaki to introduce Ninja ZX-4R!

Also adjustable shock and up/down quickshifter on the RR over the R. And both come in at 414 pounds, which is lighter than I expected.

"The Ninja ZX-4R and Ninja ZX-4RR have max power of 11,500 rpm in Canada due to noise regulations" suggests that Power Commander is going to make some money on these models.
 
Also adjustable shock and up/down quickshifter on the RR over the R. And both come in at 414 pounds, which is lighter than I expected.

"The Ninja ZX-4R and Ninja ZX-4RR have max power of 11,500 rpm in Canada due to noise regulations" suggests that Power Commander is going to make some money on these models.
Maybe I had high expectations for the weight. the regular ninja 400 is only 370 lbs or so and the zx6r is only 10lbs more than the 4rr.
Does anyone know what the old aluminum framed 400s weighed?

that rpm limit is a big downer, wonder how much hp it loses from that.
 
Maybe I had high expectations for the weight. the regular ninja 400 is only 370 lbs or so and the zx6r is only 10lbs more than the 4rr.
Does anyone know what the old aluminum framed 400s weighed?

that rpm limit is a big downer, wonder how much hp it loses from that.
26.5lb ft of tq? 🤮
 
Also adjustable shock and up/down quickshifter on the RR over the R. And both come in at 414 pounds, which is lighter than I expected.

"The Ninja ZX-4R and Ninja ZX-4RR have max power of 11,500 rpm in Canada due to noise regulations" suggests that Power Commander is going to make some money on these models.
Likely an ecu flash will cure the rpm limiter.

I'm real interested in this.

I'd sell my 600 and buy one for sure.

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Also adjustable shock and up/down quickshifter on the RR over the R. And both come in at 414 pounds, which is lighter than I expected.

"The Ninja ZX-4R and Ninja ZX-4RR have max power of 11,500 rpm in Canada due to noise regulations" suggests that Power Commander is going to make some money on these models.
Where is that quote from?
 
OK, I'm seeing it now. I don't think they're saying redline is limited to 11,500 RPM. Peak torque has been stated by Kawi to be 26.5 @ 11,000 (converts to 55.5 HP, btw). It would make more sense to me that the noise limited tune has peak HP occuring at 11,500 RPM (which would also mean that peak HP would be no more than 58).

I also remember something like this occurring with the ZX-10R, and the "fix" was intentionally trivial

Edit: In the context of Brian's comment below, I should point out that I was thinking of an older version (2012?)
 
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I want to give it a fair shake, but I think I need to see a real world comparison and dyno graphs between it (with the power limit removed) and the Ninja 400 and the Ninja 650.

Shopping based only on the spec sheet is a mistake, but:
- approximately 50 pounds heavier and $2700 more than a Ninja 400 for maybe +10 peak hp? (45-50 for the Ninja 400)
- approximately 10 pounds lighter and the same price as a Ninja 650 for maybe -10 peak hp? (65-70 for the Ninja 650)
 
I’ve always liked the Ninja 650R (in orange) so would probably take that each and every time over this thing.

But I’m sure there’s a market for this new fun beast…otherwise why would they bring it here.
 
"The Ninja ZX-4R and Ninja ZX-4RR have max power of 11,500 rpm in Canada due to noise regulations" suggests that Power Commander is going to make some money on these models.

It's probably drive-by-wire. The power-hobbling is probably done the same way it's done on bigger Kawasaki models ... Rider-request 100% throttle gets translated to commanded-actual-throttle-position less than 100% depending on RPM. If this is the case, a PowerCommander won't fix it ... it'll need ECU remapping. And the feasibility of *that*, depends on how seriously they took encryption and anti-tampering. Hopefully, the ECU isn't too locked down, so that someone can figure out how to deal with it in reasonably short order. The 2022 ZX10R took quite a while for someone to figure out, due to how locked down it was.

I'm moderately interested, but not in hobbled form. As it stands (hobbled), my FZR400 has more power and less weight ... but it's 32 years old.
 
From what I understand, Euro 5 emissions regulations were the final nail in the coffin for the ZX-6R and the other 600s which are no longer available in Euro markets. So from a marketing standpoint, maybe this is what supersports look like now that 600s are gone, at least in Europe & the UK. It's a bit fuzzier where it fits here and in the states where the 600s are still available, but I've never really understood the desire to have a supersport on the street in the first place.

Track use is different though, and if 75-80hp (unrestricted) is accurate then it would probably end up competing with the 650/700 twins category with similar weights and powers. That's where the thoughts about comparison to the Ninja 650 came from. I think it makes sense in that context.
 
That it has been "possible" for Kawasaki to achieve Euro 5 with both the ZX10R and with the ZX4R, suggests that they probably could have done it with the ZX6R as well if they wanted to, but the sales volume didn't justify it.
 
Hopefully, the ECU isn't too locked down,
I betcha dollars to donuts there's going to be a euro XZ4RR cup series, that will run a spec ECU... so locked down tighter than a nun's... wine cabinet.
If no series, there will be an aftermarket ECU by Thursday.
 
There's no way this will be in the same price range as litre bikes unless it comes as a setup race bike with lights, which it won't. My guess is the $11-12k mark. Just a bit below 600's on initial cost, and probably substantially cheaper on insurance which will make it attractive. Without a really good suspension and an impressive electronics package why would it come close to $20k?
Damn, I should go on Price is Right (is that still a show?).
I wonder where this bike will fit in with local racing? Tossing this in with LTWSPBK will all but guarantee a victory. R3's and older 400's will have nothing on this.
 

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