Kawasaki ZXR400 (1995-1998)

This is a genuine pocket rocket. It has crisp, precise handling and an engine that is unbelievable. For a 400cc this bike packs quite a punch. The super stiff suspension and very racy position makes this bike highly uncomfortable to ride. You soon forget about this though as you a propelled to ridiculous speed, ridiculously quickly. Cornering on a smooth road is impeccable and the chassis gives you the confidence to keep pushing it that little bit quicker. Feedback from the tyres is incredibly clear thanks to the super stiff forks and shock. It is quite possible to achieve knee down with a pillion on the back although I would not recommend it (I discovered this by accident). The engine lacks the top end power of a 600cc bike but is more than sufficient to propel you to a genuine 130mph. This in my opinion is more than compensated for by the sweet handling. The engine starts to redline at about 14500 revs by which point the engine is screaming like a banshee. I warn you this noise is addictive. When I bought the bike it had a straight through exhaust on it (no baffles) and you could hear the bike coming from several miles away. The reliability of my bike seems to be pretty good considering that it has 45k+ on the clocks. The dashboard is literally the bare essentials so don't expect any gadgetry. As far as maintenance and repairs go, it is very easy to work on yourself. There is a great website called www.zxrworld.co.uk that has all the workshop manuals for free download. I cannot recommend this bike highly enough. If you can find a good condition example have no hesitation about buying. There will be no disappointment and silly quantities of fun to be had with this bike.

Since the day I first started getting into motorbikes, the ZXR400 was always the bike I wanted. Saw a few in magazine articles, then a few in the flesh, and they look absolutely stunning. After a few years of pootling round on 125's, I finally bought one. Everything I'd ever read about was true, the front end is brilliant, superb brakes when they're sorted out, average when in typical neglected condition. The rear suspension is trademark kawasaki hard but it never bothered me too much, I was too busy enjoying the bike. Of all the 400cc's these were always reportedly the fastest, and compared to the NC30's and the like, they are physically large too. The engine always seemed smooth, powerful, always ready, but then having just stepped up from 125cc 2 stroke, it would do! 400cc bikes are great bikes for new riders, something of a stop gap instead of jumping straight on a 600cc machine. They are brilliant for getting some confidence and experience on. Would I have another one? Absolutely, even today they are still one of the best looking bikes around in my opinion, trouble is, after this length of time, many are in need of some money spending on them to get them back up to scratch, but when they work, they work very well.

I bought a mint-condition 2003 model and was staggered by its speed and handling. I was also reasonably impressed by the build quality. Like everyone says, the front end is planted and truly confidence inspiring. It's the only bike I've ever ridden that lets you get away with braking mid-corner! The rear suspension's just too hard and no amount of adjustment seems to work. All this aside, I loved that bike and used it everyday for commuting into London, which it managed with no problems at all. For a tiny 400, it was remarkably comfortable (much easier on the wrists than my gsxr 600). And then one day it all went horribly wrong. I started it on a cold morning on full choke, the revs jumped to 4000 (as was usual) and the next thing I know there's an awful rattle. The same day the dealer diagnosed the problem: the cam had become dislodged and wrecked the engine. Apparently, it's not particularly uncommon, regardless of how well you maintain your zxr400! Strengths: Handling, looks, speed. Weaknesses: The one that effectively wrote it off.