Kawasaki ZXR400 (1995-1998) Review | Specs & Prices

Version: L9 2002

Year: 1998

Annual servicing cost: £150

A very good bike overall.This was my first "biggish" bike from a 125. The power and screaming 4 cylinder engine never gets old, Sounds great and much better than any modern 400cc bike.I used the bike for all sorts from commuting, weekend fun etc. Its not a great commuter as the MPG is very poor and suspension very stiff and uncomfortable I found but manageable. Its a very small bike compared to most 600s, I also own a 2007 fireblade and it makes this bike look like a dwarf in comparsion. Very low seat height which could be good for some people. I'm just under 5 10 and not a particular large person and I feel this bike is small, Any bigger person would dwarf it.The engine has been very reliable and strong but mine has only done 12k miles. Mine sadly has had issues with corrison but mine was stored outside for a part of its life so that's most likely to blame, Its all cosmetic and everything still works fine. I do feel the finish/quality isn't as good/resistant to the weather as Honda/Yamaha bikes but not far off.

Buying experience: I bought from a dealership, £4000 in 2018 and it was mint at the time.These bikes are now becoming collectable and going up in value, a good investment.

Version: L model

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £200

its seriously uncomfortable....... but man is it fun! seriously good handling and purely a race bike with lights on it, even down to the way its built its designed to quickly remove all the lights and parts you dont want on the track. 4 bolts and an unclip and the number plate, pillion seat and subframe are gone... that simple. the suspension up front... brilliant... at the rear.... like taking punches to the kidneys even on its lowest setting (adjustable front and rear) seating position is super 90's attack mode thats very aggresive .....as a result this bike sucks at 30mph or cruising the m way. engine is gutless under 6k rpm, 6-8k is useable power 8-10 iths starting to show signs of life 10 - 14.5 its an on off switch. if you love working hard on a bike like rossi this is the bike for you as it needs your bum off the seat even at low speeds. if you want to sit on a bike and go easy with grunt... look else where. these bikes are no frills so no fuel guage,... needs warming up on choke and youll hold everyone on a group ride because it hates being cold. such a quirky bike but its aged absolutely well and always an ice breaker at bike meets. its a small bike so its crampt for space and im 5ft 7 so trust me its tiny.... bonus is women will come over and ask to sit on it as the low seat height and size of the bike appeals to pettit women... which i like as im 5ft 7 hahaa bbut the bike rides so well. bit clunky and less refined but really different. brakes arnt the best but youll lean the thing right over as the rear sets are crazy high stock.

Buying experience: bought private, needed work and maybe over paid.

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £500

Wonderful bike but not really comfortable especially in traffic and low speed

Buying experience: Bought privately, 3400€ @22yo, it is high, but I really wanted it (displayed price was 4200€)

Version: L5

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £350

Its not big but its clever! The most confidence inspiring bike Ive ridden to date, razor sharp turning, with surefooted and planted flickabilty incredible feel from the front end, the back skips about a bit under hard braking although it never feels unsafe. This is a small light arse up road race replica the forks chassis and brakes can take a whole lot more than they have to endure with this 65 pony engine. The end result is a moto gp handling, braking, turning bike of not so long ago. Its a great first bike and a hoot round a circuit, Ive taken a few scalps in the bends : ).

Year: 1995

OK I have owned three of these now. First one I bought in 1995 - then again after an R1 and a CBR600 I went back to one - then I bought another one last year. One blue and two maroon. The colour doesn't matter the engine and frame are all the same. The L9 supposidly had some engine tweaks - but not much to speak of. Obviously the H1s (89 and 90) are different - but anything from 91 onwards they are all the same. So. What to say. Well. We're talking about a 400cc with a shade over 60bhp. And a power band where not much happens till around 10,000rpm - and then all hell breaks loose. Well all the hell you can pack into 62bhp and around 160kg. But what a great little bike. Like I say I've had some big fast bikes - the R1 in particular - but this little thing in most riding conditions can keep up with the best. The handling is like everybody says spot on. The brakes are superb. The riding position is a bit cramped - I am 5'10" and its still pretty cramped. Its actually pretty good for pillions - because unlike modern sports bikes the pillion seat does not put them up with the Gods - so they have an OK time too - and its quite wide. But mainly you want to be on your own. And then this thing really howls. Between 10,000 and 14,500 it really does have a kick - and a great noise to go with it. Yes the rear shock is hard. Like hard. But really who cares on most modern roads the surface is pretty good - and there are some roundabouts where you just want to go round - and round - and round - OK you get the idea. Watch out for: People who say 'the carbs just need balancing'. Not they don't - they are most likely broken. We're talking carbs that will now be 20+ years old. Thats why fuel injection became the norm - because after about 15 years carbs just wear out - and a clean and balance will not likely sort them out. So you want one thats sorted. And don't worry about Japan imports - in case nobody told you they all came from Japan. If you can find one with less than 20,000 miles - for around £2500 - well - whats not to like?

Version: L2

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £100

Buying experience: A decent one of its age could be bought for 1500 pounds.

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.