Kawasaki ZX-R 400-SP
Kawasaki ZX-R 400-SP | |
Manufacturer | |
---|---|
Production | 1990 |
Class | Sportbike |
Engine | Four stroke, transverse four cylinder, DOHC, 4 Valve per cylinder. |
Compression ratio | 12.0:1 |
Ignition | Transistorized |
Transmission | 6 Speed |
Frame | Aluminum diamond tubular, double cradle |
Suspension | Front: 41mm Upside down Showa forks. adjustable preload with rebound damping. Rear: Uni-Trek adjustable preload with rebound damping. |
Brakes | Front: 2x 300mm discs 4 piston calipers Rear: Single 240mm disc 2 piston caliper |
Front Tire | 120/60-17 |
Rear Tire | 160/60-17 |
Wheelbase | 1395 mm / 54.9 in |
Seat Height | 765 mm / 30.1 in |
Weight | 160 kg / 352.7 lbs (dry), 177 kg / 390 lbs (wet) |
Recommended Oil | K-tech 10W-40 |
Fuel Capacity | 16 Liters / 4.2 US gal |
Manuals | Service Manual |
Engine[edit | edit source]
The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Four stroke, transverse four cylinder, DOHC, 4 Valve per cylinder.. The engine featured a 12.0:1 compression ratio.
Drive[edit | edit source]
Power was moderated via the Wet multi disc.
Chassis[edit | edit source]
It came with a 120/60-17 front tire and a 160/60-17 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via 2x 300mm discs 4 piston calipers in the front and a Single 240mm disc 2 piston caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a 41mm Upside down Showa forks. adjustable preload with rebound damping. while the rear was equipped with a Uni-Trek adjustable preload with rebound damping.. The ZX-R 400-SP was fitted with a 16 Liters / 4.2 US gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 160 kg / 352.7 lbs. The wheelbase was 1395 mm / 54.9 in long.
Photos[edit | edit source]
Overview[edit | edit source]
Kawasaki ZX-R 400-SP
Kawasaki's ZXR400 is a scaled-down
version of the larger ZXR750 sportsbike, in looks and intent. A race styled
twin headlight fairing is mounted on a stiff aluminum frame, with race-spec
suspension and a high-performance inline-four cylinder engine. The engine is
dated, but strong for its size. Like all 400cc engines, the ZXR needs to be
revved to produce its best power, but a keen rider will reap the benefits of
careful gear selection. A slick six-speed gearbox helps, as does the ZXR's
light clutch. Ridden on track, the ZXR400's light-weight, accurate chassis
and race-developed brakes allow extreme cornering at high speeds. The 41mm
(1.6in) front forks and the rear shock are adjustable for preload and
damping.
Performance Bike 1990
The howling begins just after the motor
passes its rough patch in first gear on the way to its 14,500rpm redline.
Crouched behind the fly-splattered screen, with a sci-fi Hoover pipe at
either ear, I could hear the air-box resonating louder than the exhaust. All
the way up through the gears the two sounds vied for supremacy discordant
wailing screams that never quite drown each other out. As the bike goes past
the radar at 135mph anyone standing nearby can hear two bikes, not one. It's
an addictive fix for the rider. Such are the delights of an airbox mounted
in front of the fuel tank.
When Kevin Raymond wrote about the ZXR
last month he, not surprisingly, declared himself transported by it to a
state of ecstasy. This is a fairly typical reaction to riding any super-snnrt
400: each one is amazing on its own, and from that point of view you could
stop reading now and buy the one that's the nicest color, or has the
cheapest price tag which is the ZXR so you might as well start reading
again anyway.
It's only under the giant magnifying glass of a group test that a few bits
of the ZXR are less
It looks like a bargain because it is. than wonderful. Namely, the bit
stopping the rear tire from rubbing against the mudguard: like its giant
750cc relative the ZXR400 has the hardest suspension in its class.
Initially this was a bit of a problem for
us because Kevin, who lives at the end of a bumpy 30 mile fen track, had
praised the ZXR's stability. We found the bike stable all right but the
choppy ride created approximately the same physical symptoms over a 100 mile
ride as a light assault by a trainee mugger specialising in wrist, buttock
and kidney. Kevin pointed out that the bike he rode last month, lent by Roy
Pidcock Motorcycles, had far less rear preload. So if you want your ZXR to
feel more compliant, get out the C spanner. The bike's beautiful steering
response is, according to Kev, hardly affected.
In the end we never bothered adjusting
the preload on our bike because we were having so much fun riding it.
Kawasaki UK have deliberately priced the ZXR cheap to make sure anyone
contemplating handling sharpness and light weight of a 400 will go to a big
K showroom first. The ZXR has both qualities in abundance.
On a day's testing at Cadwell Park,
everyone liked the Kawasaki because of its stability under braking (you can
really pin it down hard and feel exactly how much more grip there is to go),
clear feedback to the rider and pokey motor. The stiff suspension was paying
off by allowing smoother braking, cornering and accelerating. On the road
the ZXR is just a very, very quick-through-the-bends bike because it changes
direction so fast and feels so safe doing so. It's tempting to climb all
over the thing just for the hell of it but there's no real need it tips in
with the barest nudge of a footrest.
It would be pretty difficult to hustle a
heavier, longer wheelbase 750 or 1000 round a country lane at anything like
the same rate, which makes the little ZXR the absolute ideal tool for
anywhere with smooth tarmac, lots of corners and not many straights. Anyone
living north of Derby or south of Paris who's thinking of buying a big bike
should try one of these first.
Cadwell was also the best place for the ZXR's motor. Slick, smooth
gearchanges, 10,000rpm plus at all times, crisp throttle response. On the
road this ideal is not always practical and although the Kawasaki has a
strong torque curve it lacks instant zap. It's really got to be spinning to
8 or 10,000rpm before the action starts, but most riders liked this definite
powerband.
Round town the ZXR feels harsh and
slightly vibey, needs a fair bit of clutch slip (a jerky process below
4,000rpm) and clunks going from first to second. The low, swept-back bars
don't help either, though once outside a 30 limit there's no problem with
the riding
tion. Should you be unfortunate to find yourself on a motorway, the low
screen will keep your speed down and the engine's desire to creep above
10,000rpm will keep it up. How you resolve this problem is entirely up to
you.
With such a big price differential
between the ZXR and the FZR400, it's tempting to think there are some areas
where you'd have to accept a lower standard. Apart from the choppy ride
which spoils a basically excellent riding position and the lack of highly
fashionable
bump damping adjusters (so what?), there aren't any areas of compromise.
Power, nan-, dling, braking and steering are all top line stuff. The ZXR
also has an economical motor, the biggest tank range, the best mirrors, the
most easily-removed bodywork, the best pillion seat (ha ha) and a high build
quality. It looks like a bargain because it is.
Make Model | Kawasaki ZX-R 400-SP |
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Year | 1990 |
Engine Type | Four stroke, transverse four cylinder, DOHC, 4 Valve per cylinder. |
Displacement | 399 cc / 24.3 cu-in |
Bore X Stroke | 57 х 39 mm |
Cooling System | Liquid cooled |
Compression | 12.0:1 |
Induction | 4x Keihin CVKD30 carburetors |
Ignition | Transistorized |
Starting | Electric |
Max Power | 59 hp / 44 kW @ 12000 rpm |
Max Torque | 40 Nm / 29.5 lb-ft @ 10000 rpm |
Clutch | Wet multi disc |
Transmission | 6 Speed |
Final Drive | Chain |
Frame | Aluminum diamond tubular, double cradle |
Front Suspension | 41mm Upside down Showa forks. adjustable preload with rebound damping. |
Rear Suspension | Uni-Trek adjustable preload with rebound damping. |
Front Brakes | 2x 300mm discs 4 piston calipers |
Rear Brakes | Single 240mm disc 2 piston caliper |
Front Tire | 120/60-17 |
Rear Tire | 160/60-17 |
Wheelbase | 1395 mm / 54.9 in |
Seat Height | 765 mm / 30.1 in |
Dry Weight | 160 kg / 352.7 lbs |
Wet Weight | 177 kg / 390 lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 16 Liters / 4.2 US gal |