Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

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cbr400rrn
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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by cbr400rrn » Fri Jan 31, 2020 11:09 pm

Foxy400 wrote:
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:
Ok i shall agree with you about the looks of the nc35

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Suzuki416 » Sat Feb 01, 2020 7:04 pm

also agree with the last 2 comments.. I have a 89 NC29 & 3 NC35's - Always space for another too... lol

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by cbr400rrn » Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:18 pm

Suzuki416 wrote:
Sat Feb 01, 2020 7:04 pm
also agree with the last 2 comments.. I have a 89 NC29 & 3 NC35's - Always space for another too... lol
3 of them, greedy bugger :lol:

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Suzuki416 » Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:51 am

I'm currently 'discussing' the upgrade to its 'bigger much more expensive brother'..
Wife has mentioned I'll have to get rid of a few bikes for that to happen - but its not discounted - we looked at a RC30 last year, but didn't due to to many mods on it & no standard panels.

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by cbr400rrn » Sun Feb 02, 2020 9:41 pm

.

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by cbr400rrn » Sun Feb 02, 2020 9:47 pm

Suzuki416 wrote:
Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:51 am
I'm currently 'discussing' the upgrade to its 'bigger much more expensive brother'..
Wife has mentioned I'll have to get rid of a few bikes for that to happen - but its not discounted - we looked at a RC30 last year, but didn't due to to many mods on it & no standard panels.
Definitely need a standard one of those. The prices of them have gone through the roof within the past 10 years but then again quality doesn't come cheap.

Sorry o.p for hijacking your thread

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Thu Feb 06, 2020 11:55 pm

Foxy400 wrote:
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:
The ZXR 400 is definitely more exciting to ride than the NC29. But the NC29 I think will probably be more reliable in the long term.

The best looking four hundred is definitely the RVF 400 by far. I really feel the NC29 looks alot better than the ZXR 400. The hoover pipes look pretty cool on the ZXR 400 and I quite like dash layout on the ZXR 400. The speedometer and rev counter is alot more clear to read whilst riding unlike the CBR 400 in which the numbers are smaller in size and therefore it takes a split second longer to see the speed at which I am going whilst on the bike.

I am gonna take the ZXR 400 to Santa pod this February 23 and I'm pretty sure its gonna go faster than 13.1 seconds which is my quickest time (2nd time at Santa pod) on the CBR 400. Handling seems to be better on the NC29 compared to the zxr 400.

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Foxy400 » Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:32 pm

Very brave of you to run an NC29 at the Pod. I'd never risk my 30 year old bike doing something like that, I'd be too worried it'd explode. Having said that Graeme France reckons it's fine to run these bikes to the red line regardless of age, providing it's been regularly serviced, but then he'd be able to fix it if it went bang, whereas I wouldn't.

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Bowches » Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:13 pm

Foxy400 wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:32 pm
Very brave of you to run an NC29 at the Pod. I'd never risk my 30 year old bike doing something like that, I'd be too worried it'd explode. Having said that Graeme France reckons it's fine to run these bikes to the red line regardless of age, providing it's been regularly serviced, but then he'd be able to fix it if it went bang, whereas I wouldn't.
Hey Foxy400,

I ran my ZXR 400 for the first time at Santa pod last week. I have uploaded a video on my youtube channel.

It was really windy and for I came to Santa pod at about 11:45am. They hadnt run a single bike or car cause the wind was so bad. Finally got the first run at 2pm as they wouldnt let the bikes go on due to the wind (or the cars as well I think).

First attempt was 13.8 sec and then 13.5, then 13.34, then 13.32 and final run of the day was 13.25 second quarter mile at 100.1mph. My tyres on the ZXR are crap so cant really get that good grip. Not bad for the first attempt on the ZXR.

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Re: Just bought a Kawasaki ZXR 400 1999

Post by Foxy400 » Fri Apr 17, 2020 3:17 pm

I've been stuck in New Zealand for over 6 weeks and only got back last Thursday, so only just read your post. Well done! Although I wouldn't risk my bikes it's good to know they can be used like that and survive. Now I need to find your YouTube video.


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