KAWASAKI Z400 (2019 - 2021) Review

both very good

incredible for a 400 45 bhp twin. 70 to a 100 in top is amazing. 115 plus mph 60 mpg. After having 1000 cc sports bikes I am genuinely amazed.!

excellant all round

very economical and good on tyres

basic but enough for me

The front and rear suspension is class..no weird feedbacks on the rear or front when riding down sketchy roads. You can basically take this bike anywhere provided there's asphalt.Rear shock is also adjustable. Very comfortable for about 2.5 hours before needing a break, I wouldn't recommend a pillion though. Tyres are OK for a few rides,after that your rear will start to slide. Brakes are spot on after a good warm up but the ABS can be a little bit intrusive. The gearbox is perfect,no funky glitches whatsoever..provided you keep the chain lubricated and tightened.

Sub 48hp motor,perfect for A2 license holders with the potential to reach more than 55hp at the hands of the right tuner. Do I find myself asking for more power? No not really..but then again I like the potential that exists with this little engine. Very smooth at operation,no hiccups,no overheating,no leaks,not a single issue. Kawasaki have created an outstanding,economic, reliable and powerful engine that will put most bikes of the same class to shame. You will be able to tame it easily but you will always keep finding more ways to push it. Cruising is nice but you wont be able to hold yourself for too long since it likes to be revved.Most of the power comes between 8.5 to 10k rpm after that it falls dramatically but that's not an issue since the limiter is @ 12k rpm*Top speed is 193kmh(speedo)/186(gps)

A year later and 8k kilometers in,no corrosion or mechanical part failure was found. This bike is built well and has no issues running in the scorching heat of Greece. Be warned though..the plastics are very flimsy and not sturdy at all, I've had clips break. Some screws needed to be re-tightened as well. Other than that everything else feels secure.

6.300€ out the door and you get: Aggressive styling, a punchy motor and reasonable fuel economy. 2 Services so far have only been 120€ at Kawasaki which is quite reasonable. Parts are a bit high priced.

Well let's see..for the price you get..a gear indicator,a digital dash,a slipper clutch and a nice set of the essential tools.. that's about it. Kawasaki offer some nice extras like a comfort seat or a belly pan..but then you ask yourself..is it really necessary? Not really. The one thing I recommend is switching the mirrors because they are absolutely awful,why? Because you just get a very nice view of your shoulders. There's a lot of aftermarket extras to choose from which is a Plus.

Brakes haul up really well. Contrary to the reviewer on MCN, I would say it handles really well and is stable for a bike that is soooo light. It responds to handlebar, or footrest input very, very well. If you try to steer/flick, by your waist/hips though, like I used to on many a 125cc many moons ago, well then it does feel "skittish."

Stir it up and it is quick enough for any day to day (legal and sensible) use. Like many bikes, it is not the smoothest response from a closed throttle, kinda like an original Yammy MT-03. Not as good fuelling wise, as the Honda CB300R (which was perfect). Gearbox is class. The odd glitch when revved hard between 2nd and 3rd, otherwise, awesome.

No issues so far. Standard tyres are a bit 90's...but the chain and brakes are pretty good. Mirrors are awful though. Paint is ok, not Honda deep. Plastic are good, not nasty. Like almost every new bike, probably needs a fender extender and after market hugger to keep the crud at bay.

Cheap as chips. less than several 125cc bikes on the market and all for a bike that (fettled) runs in the SuperSport 300 WSBK class, albeit, minus the fairing.

Slipper is nice. ABS kicks in a bit too soon for my liking TBH.

Both brakes and suspension are excellent for a bike of this power and at this price point. For me there is no need to change either, they work perfectly well and give a good ride and handling, and reassuring stopping power.

I LOVE the engine. The bike just begs to be revved and rewards you with ear to ear fun - I bought the bike for the engine and am absolutely not disappointed in any way. The comparison with the "classier CB500F" by the reviewer is a joke - that ponderous beast would bore me to death with its characterless engine and fat old body (and I have ridden both the F and R versions for full day trips, before I bought the Z400). I guess the reviewer sees the CB500F as more planted and secure - but then so is a ship's anchor!

12000kms later and not a single issue, or any corrosion either - ridden a lot in the wet too (unfortunately!)

I live in Thailand so quoting costs makes little sense, but very cheap for me, just the reular servicing at Kawasaki with full synthetic oil used. The service schedule is every 6000kms, but I do every 4,000kms since it is as hot as hell here and I do like to hear her revving, so ride her fairly hard. Costs me 30 GBP for what should be a 6000km service. I did splash out on a Leo Vince slip-on that sounds gorgeous - but that's a chosen extra!

What do you expect at this price point? It has a slipper cluth (fantastic addition), gear indicator, abs - and that's about it; and all I need on this bike. The original tyres were great for a few months but very soon hardened and took my confidence away a little. Replacing with Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3s has changed that completely - a shame they weren't the standard fitting. The old ones went straight on my CB300F commuter and are great for that (see - modern Honda's do have a use; commuting!)

I am a light weight, which is why I wanted a little weight bike as I age (48yrs old.....how the f~~k etc am I either a) still alive, or b) am I 48? I feel like a teenager :-D) and this thing is like a mtb, with nigh on 50bhp. I like the way it handles, I do not find it skittish at all, I have had to alter the way I ride to appreciate it though (I tend to grip the heel plates quite tightly, then everything clicks into place. It took me a week or two to realise, but this lightweight bike also has a very low centre of gravity, especially for a liquid cooled bike). Brakes are sharp and the ABS kicks in too early for me. I have had to re-calibrate my brain having never needed the nanny state previously, even having grown up on gravel strewn roads on the backwaters of Wales...brake-skid-release-apply the brake again-repeat until stationary...it is not that hard!

take it by the horns and this little engine will reward. It deserves its place on any track day for someone looking to learn and is wasted to a certain extent at road legal speeds. I never owned an rd350, just a bit before my time, but I was riding 125/250/500cc 2stroke mx bikes in the 80's and whilst it will never be that wild, it loves to be thrashed and is a true pocket rocket when riled, with a broad power band

Only done around 2.5k so far, mainly through lockdown (I have a spastic leg atm, so for me this was exercise!) I am an older rider, so maintenance is part of ownership to an old spunker like me and I see no issues thus far. Sure it doesn't have the think paint of an old Honda (XBR etc), but it is no throw away object either.

I'll be spannering myself and on this bike, it has a major advantage over the competition. The KTM (which is this bikes only serious competitor in the the A2 sector, for fun factor) duke 390, will and I mean will(!) be harder to work on and keep corrosion free. This is not a knock on build quality, it is a knock on design. You cannot keep something clean if you cannot reach it to clean...nuff said

Needs grippier tyres, they are not terrible, but they are far from great either. Slipper clutch is nice