Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

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Bowches
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Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Sun Dec 01, 2019 12:44 pm

Hi everyone just bought a road going Kawasaki ZXR 400 L9 (1999)

Here are some pictures of it. link below

https://postimg.cc/sQN6YKHD

https://postimg.cc/qgH12mLq

https://postimg.cc/wRtxq6Gx

Foxy400
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Foxy400 » Tue Dec 03, 2019 6:00 pm

Was this before of after you dropped your NC29? Are you keeping both? Interesting colour scheme..is it original?

If that's outside your house, you need your hedge cutting ;)

Bowches
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:13 pm

I bought this after dropping my NC29. I will keep this ZXR 400 for at least a year. Unfortunately now its making some rattling sound between 3000 to 4000 rpm. I think the cam chain tensioner or something around there is wrong. This is going to be the last old bike I am going to buy. Getting a bit fed up with fixing bikes.

Foxy400
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Foxy400 » Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:37 pm

Don't blame you. I felt the same when I had problems with my NC29 and NC35, so I bought a brand new Bonneville, although I still have the 2 Hondas.
What's happening to your NC29? I'm looking for some parts if you're thinking of breaking it!

Bowches
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Sun Dec 08, 2019 3:33 pm

Foxy400 wrote:
Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:37 pm
Don't blame you. I felt the same when I had problems with my NC29 and NC35, so I bought a brand new Bonneville, although I still have the 2 Hondas.
What's happening to your NC29? I'm looking for some parts if you're thinking of breaking it!
haha im not breaking my NC29. I'm doing it up, painting the wheels, callipers, new rear shock and front springs (forks) and carb clean and tune

Foxy400
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Foxy400 » Sat Jan 25, 2020 9:32 am

Any news or developments with the ZXR400? I had one way back in the early 90's, not long after they came out. I wanted the ZXR750 but couldn't afford it so went for the 400, purely on looks, I had no idea you had to rev it hard to make suitable progress. I had chopped in my GPz750, so it was quite a difference!
I didn't take much notice of the 400-import industry that was growing at that time, I think I was put off by all the doom&gloom info from dealers and manufacturers. So I never even knew the NC30 and NC35 existed!
I liked the ZXR400 but it wasn't very practical for the longer distance riding I was doing at the time. Unfortunately it was stolen from it's shed in my back garden in 1993. I then went to Australia for a year and used the insurance payout to buy a CBR600, a far more practical bike for seeing the faraway sights.
When I got back in '95 I intended to buy another CBR600 but a ZXR750 popped up in the MCN classifieds, just down the road, in gorgeous Gitane blue. I had to have it. However it became more of an ornament because it was such a pain to ride, literally, on anything but open roads. It finally went in exchange for another CBR600, which became a '99 FireBlade, which gained a stable mate in the form of an NC35 (I'd finally discovered them!). The FireBlade was sold and replaced with a Bonneville (a huge contrast) and finally an NC29 joined the other two. There's a half-rebuilt XS400 in there as well.
Although I liked the ZXR400, both the NC35 and NC29 are better bike in my opinion. Now that you've got a ZXR and NC29, which do you like best?

Bowches
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:05 pm

Foxy400 wrote:
Sat Jan 25, 2020 9:32 am
Any news or developments with the ZXR400? I had one way back in the early 90's, not long after they came out. I wanted the ZXR750 but couldn't afford it so went for the 400, purely on looks, I had no idea you had to rev it hard to make suitable progress. I had chopped in my GPz750, so it was quite a difference!
I didn't take much notice of the 400-import industry that was growing at that time, I think I was put off by all the doom&gloom info from dealers and manufacturers. So I never even knew the NC30 and NC35 existed!
I liked the ZXR400 but it wasn't very practical for the longer distance riding I was doing at the time. Unfortunately it was stolen from it's shed in my back garden in 1993. I then went to Australia for a year and used the insurance payout to buy a CBR600, a far more practical bike for seeing the faraway sights.
When I got back in '95 I intended to buy another CBR600 but a ZXR750 popped up in the MCN classifieds, just down the road, in gorgeous Gitane blue. I had to have it. However it became more of an ornament because it was such a pain to ride, literally, on anything but open roads. It finally went in exchange for another CBR600, which became a '99 FireBlade, which gained a stable mate in the form of an NC35 (I'd finally discovered them!). The FireBlade was sold and replaced with a Bonneville (a huge contrast) and finally an NC29 joined the other two. There's a half-rebuilt XS400 in there as well.
Although I liked the ZXR400, both the NC35 and NC29 are better bike in my opinion. Now that you've got a ZXR and NC29, which do you like best?
I have to say for excitement its going to be the ZXR 400 with more power and the sound is awesome! The whole bike is better actually.....the suspension is firm, the seat is bigger and alot more padded and comfortable. The styling is quite boring compared to the CBR 400. The steering feels a bit heavier than the CBR 400. Also the ZXR 400 has upside down forks unlike the CBR 400 which has not got USD forks. Also the ZXR 400 front callipers have four pistons unlike the CBR 400 TWO pistons for each calliper.

Handling feels better slightly on the CBR 400 and I feel it has better torque from 2000 to 4000 RPM than the ZXR 400.
I have many memories on the CBR 400 and it has been very reliable for me, I got it at 13800 miles and it now has nearly 47000 miles.

The ZXR 400 has started to make some rattling sound between 2700 Rpm and 4000 rpm in all gears, maybe something to do with the cam chain tensioner.

Overall for excitement and speed its the ZXR 400. For reliability and the long term, the CBR 400 will stay.
I'm slightly leaning towards the ZXR 400 for fun although CBR 400 is very close. The better looking bike is the CBR 400 for sure....

Bowches
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:09 pm

The rattling sound is still there, I sent my front callipers for the CBR 400 to get painted along with the rear wheel. I am waiting for that and also I have to put a washer in the clutch which is missing. When I sort the CBR 400 out which will be within next 2 weeks I hope, I will go onto the ZXR 400.

I also have a CBR 600F stunt bike and I have to install a front headlight on that so thats another thing.

I think the ZXR 400 rattling sound will probably cost me 200 pounds or more to fix, I hope its less than that. But im pretty sure it will be something to do with cam chain tensioner maybe......

cbr400rrn
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by cbr400rrn » Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:59 pm

£200 for a cam chain tensioner, wow is that for a dealer price fitted though

Foxy400
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Foxy400 » Fri Jan 31, 2020 8:11 pm

Bowches wrote:
Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:05 pm
Foxy400 wrote:
Sat Jan 25, 2020 9:32 am
Any news or developments with the ZXR400? I had one way back in the early 90's, not long after they came out. I wanted the ZXR750 but couldn't afford it so went for the 400, purely on looks, I had no idea you had to rev it hard to make suitable progress. I had chopped in my GPz750, so it was quite a difference!
I didn't take much notice of the 400-import industry that was growing at that time, I think I was put off by all the doom&gloom info from dealers and manufacturers. So I never even knew the NC30 and NC35 existed!
I liked the ZXR400 but it wasn't very practical for the longer distance riding I was doing at the time. Unfortunately it was stolen from it's shed in my back garden in 1993. I then went to Australia for a year and used the insurance payout to buy a CBR600, a far more practical bike for seeing the faraway sights.
When I got back in '95 I intended to buy another CBR600 but a ZXR750 popped up in the MCN classifieds, just down the road, in gorgeous Gitane blue. I had to have it. However it became more of an ornament because it was such a pain to ride, literally, on anything but open roads. It finally went in exchange for another CBR600, which became a '99 FireBlade, which gained a stable mate in the form of an NC35 (I'd finally discovered them!). The FireBlade was sold and replaced with a Bonneville (a huge contrast) and finally an NC29 joined the other two. There's a half-rebuilt XS400 in there as well.
Although I liked the ZXR400, both the NC35 and NC29 are better bike in my opinion. Now that you've got a ZXR and NC29, which do you like best?
I have to say for excitement its going to be the ZXR 400 with more power and the sound is awesome! The whole bike is better actually.....the suspension is firm, the seat is bigger and alot more padded and comfortable. The styling is quite boring compared to the CBR 400. The steering feels a bit heavier than the CBR 400. Also the ZXR 400 has upside down forks unlike the CBR 400 which has not got USD forks. Also the ZXR 400 front callipers have four pistons unlike the CBR 400 TWO pistons for each calliper.

Handling feels better slightly on the CBR 400 and I feel it has better torque from 2000 to 4000 RPM than the ZXR 400.
I have many memories on the CBR 400 and it has been very reliable for me, I got it at 13800 miles and it now has nearly 47000 miles.

The ZXR 400 has started to make some rattling sound between 2700 Rpm and 4000 rpm in all gears, maybe something to do with the cam chain tensioner.

Overall for excitement and speed its the ZXR 400. For reliability and the long term, the CBR 400 will stay.
I'm slightly leaning towards the ZXR 400 for fun although CBR 400 is very close. The better looking bike is the CBR 400 for sure....
As far as looks go, to me the ZXR is better looking than the NC29. Those air ducts just don't look quite right on the 29. In terms of quality there's no comparison, the Honda is far superior. Both bikes need to be revved hard off the line for a good getaway. The NC29 still amazes me with how it takes off as the revs build past 7000. Because it says it's only a 400 on the side I think other riders are quite surprised as well. However, neither bike comes close in terms of looks, when compared to the NC35. The RVF is a beautiful bike :grin:


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