A step up from a 125 or, MarJay's guide to 400cc sportsbikes

[MarJay]

After some interesting goings on regarding some questions asked about these bikes, I thought that I might write a brief FAQ submission on the subject.

The big 4 Japanese manufacturers all made sports 400s. They are all out of production now due to a change in the licensing laws in Japan, which made it almost impossible to get a license for a bike over 400cc. This is a shame IMO as there is a large gap in the market between learner sized bikes and 600cc middleweights.

(Ducati made a 400cc sportsbike called the 400SS for the japanese market, but it is a 400CC V twin, very delicate very rare, and very very slow. The 600SS makes the same sort of power as the Jap 400s, so I won't go into any detail about the 400SS.)

Many of these bikes were never officially imported into the UK, and arrive as ‘grey imports’ brought over from Japan. Many of the bikes you may find that will have come straight off of the boat with some cosmetic damage, but will otherwise be in good condition. This is because as part of the Japanese bike test, it used to be a requirement to be able to lay your bike down and then pick it back up again! Also, the road tax on a vehicle is paid for the first couple of years with the bike, and after that time the road tax renewal is crippling. This means that many low mileage good condition 400cc bikes find their way to the UK and into the hands of young BCFers!

There are many weird and wonderful 400cc models that find their way from Japan, but I will just cover the sportier end of the spectrum. If I miss any out or omit any important details, then please feel free not to flame me for it!

Most 400 sports bikes make around 60bhp and have a top speed of around 130mph. Many are speed restricted to 112mph, and they often can be de restricted with a km/h Speedo converter, a special de restrictor box or even by removing the metal sensor plate from the back of the speedometer!

OK here goes:

Honda:
Honda made two configurations of four cylinder 400cc bikes. One is a V4 and the other is an inline 4. The inline 4 is known as the CBR400, and the V4 as a VFR400.

VFR400:
The VFR400 series of bikes is based upon a 400cc ninety degree V four configuration with gear driven cams. The earliest of these would be considered a sports tourer by today’s standards and was known as the VFR400 NC21. With a comfortable dual seat and strange wheel sizes, it can’t really be considered an out and out sportsbike, but is very reliable and should be cheap. The model ran from 1986 to 1988 and so won’t be in tip top condition after all of this time, but can make a good used buy if cheap enough. With an eighteen inch rear wheel and a sixteen inch front, tyres can be a problem, but they seem to handle well.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/hon-vfr400-86-bikepics-31634.jpg Ahh the nostalgia! (I used to own one, and I sold it to Dusty.)

The next model in the VFR400 line is the NC24. The NC24 has a couple of new features over the NC21, the most noticeable being the less padded seats, with the pillion accommodation being much less practical. The other feature being Honda’s Pro-arm single sided swing arm, and a five spoke rear wheel. Otherwise it was pretty much the same bike as the NC21.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/hon-vfr400-86-bikepics-31635.jpg

The third and most popular little VFR is the NC30. Made as a miniaturisation of the famous Honda Super bike contender the RC30, the NC is a gem of a bike. Small, and cramped for taller people, but with a bulging midrange for a 400 because of a reasonably major engine re-design, and rapier like handling, the NC30 is seen by many as one of the best handling bikes around. Bike magazine reckon that only a well ridden 748 can beat it in the corners. This relies on the fact that you have a good one, and as with all grey imports the journey of often months, along with perhaps years of storage strapped down in a container can mean the suspension is past its best. The NC30 was officially imported into the UK for a time, but it cost more to buy new than Honda's flagship litre bike the CBR1000! This means that most of these are grey imports, however parts availability ought to be better because of it. And there is a Haynes manual!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/vfrs.jpg

The newest and arguably the best looking VFR is actually not a VFR but an RVF, the RVF400 NC35. This is basically a cosmetic revamp of the NC30, with fractionally less power and upside down forks. Again these handle like they are on rails, and because they are slightly newer and more expensive, you are less likely to get hold of an abused model.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/honda-rvf400-97-bikepics-078851.jpg

All of the bikes mentioned here have a fantastic reliability record and are all well built. Obviously the older the bike, the more likely it is to break and the older NC21 and 24 models can be quite bad. A lot of Hondas are known for Regulator/rectifier issues, and there are aftermarket reg/recs that fix these troubles. The VFR/RVF bikes are known for these types of issues, although they are generally considered to be sound otherwise. However, if something does go wrong parts can be a nightmare, and the V4 engines are small and fiddly to work on, and so expensive. This leads to another downside of the bike which is that the generally younger owners often tend to ‘forget’ maintenance tasks which can be very expensive as mentioned earlier. Despite the excellent reliability record of these bikes, any bike that is abused can become a money pit. Beware of models that look unloved!

CBR400
The CBR400 is the slightly cheaper inline 4 model that Honda produced in parallel to the VFR. The original versions have CBR600 style jellymould fairings and are known as the CBR400 aero. These, like the NC21 and 24 are very old now and only worth a look if cheap. The Aero build quality was not up to the standard of the VFR series and so can be in a state by now.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/hon-cbr400-87-bikepics-29037.jpg

The first of the ‘pretty’ CBRs is the CBR400 Tri-Arm. These were released around 1988 and again, can be in a state after 16 years or so. They are very handsome looking bikes and handle well, if a little softly and are generally reliable if looked after.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/hon-cbr400-89-bikepics-00420.jpg

Then we get to the really nice CBR the Gull Arm. The difference between the Gull Arm and the Tri arm is in the name really, the Gull arm has what is known as a banana swingarm. The styling was changed somewhat to more reflect the fireblade of the same era. It won't fool anyone, but is a very nice looking bike nonetheless.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/hon-cbr400-94-bikepics-21140.jpg

What holds for the VFR in terms of reliability and parts availability pretty much holds true for the CBR. However the CBR is easier to work on with a less complex engine. The suspension is marginally more budget than that of the VFR series on the whole, however I doubt that you would notice when riding. I have heard rumours that the clutches on the Gull-Arm models are weak, and that checking to see if the bike drops out of second under hard acceleration is a good idea before buying.

These Hondas are a couple of notches above the other manufacturers sports 400's in terms of build quality, and good examples will stand up better to UK winters than, say, the Suzuki GSX-R400. The VFR is generally known to be that bit better than the CBR however, because the VFR series of bikes was meant as a showcase as to what Honda can do.

Kawasaki
Kawasaki made a number of sporty and all out sports 400cc machines, one of the earliest common ones being the ZX-4.

ZX-4
The Kawasaki ZX4 is the direct forerunner of the well known ZXR400. It is styled similarly to the VFR400 NC21 mentioned above and is fairly rare. Parts availability for this bike is a nightmare, despite this it can be a solid buy as long as it is cheap.
https://www.mook.co.jp/cu01/miira/zx4.jpg
(Woot! I found an image of one! )

ZXR400
In 1988 Kawasaki brought out in Japan, the earliest ZXR400. This is the twin headlight model that is only in this country on the grey market. That is to say it was never officially imported. This bike is mechanically similar to the newer officially imported model, but parts can still be an issue. As with the other older bikes mentioned before, they are quite old now, and so finding one in good condition will be close to impossible.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/zxrs.jpg

In 1990 Kawasaki Released the physically largest of all of the 400cc sportsbikes, the ZXR400 that we all know and love (and thrash as some members may testify! ) This bike handles well (as with all other sports 400's) and are fairly reliable. They were officially imported and so parts should not be an issue. The design of the bike has not changed since it was released and manufacturing ceased relatively recently. This means that there should be a ZXR to suit any budget.The upside down forks of the ZXR provide oodles of cornering confidence. The rear shock on these bikes is known to be a little on the hard side (as with all kawasakis) however. They are not the most comfortable of bikes with high pegs and a longish reach to the low bars, but saying that, this bike is probably the most suited to take pillions out of the full on sports 400s. The ZXR400 is also the most powerful sports 400 as standard, making some 5bhp more than the others on average (65bhp). It is also the most tuneable, however as with most 400's it is easier and cheaper to go out and buy a 600 Reliability is better on these models than the grey import ones, however as mentioned before, the older the bike, the more likely it is to have been abused.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/kawasaki-zxr400-97-bikepics-057110.jpg

ZZ-R 400
The ZZ-R 400 is a sleeved down version of the early ZZ-R 600. Heavy and slightly underpowered, these sports touring aimed machines are more suited to taking pillions than the other full on sports 400s. Fairly practical too, but rare and parts can be a pain as not every part between the ZZ-R400 and ZZ-R600 is interchangeable. They are popular however, and you don't have to ride everywhere like you have something to prove, as you have to with the sportier bikes. They are also physically large and so suitable for all of you lanky freaks who are taller than five foot five!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/zzrs_205.jpg

Suzuki
GSX400R
Suzuki released the beam framed GSX400R in the late eighties as their 400cc sports competitor. Often misdescribed as a GSXR400 these bikes were short on power compared to their counterparts of the era. They have a dual seat, and again are somewhat similar in style to that of the VFR400 NC21.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/suzuki-gsx400-96-bikepics-186986.jpg

GSXR400
These distinctive 400cc pocket rockets are easily distinguishable from their counterparts because they have an up and over double cradle frame. This is seen by many as a disadvantage, but chassis flex can't really be too much of a problem on a 400!
These machines are reputed to be very uncomfortable, but they make reasonable power, although not quite as much as the Hondas or ZXR. They handle sweetly as the other sports machines do, and as an added bonus they have upside down forks (for the tart value!).
Parts can be a pain as they are not as common as the Hondas or ZXR, but some see the GSXR tag as outweighing any disadvantage like this.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=6250

Yamaha
FZR400R
The Yamaha FZR400 is reputed to be the best handling of the Jap 400's. The trouble is, they are quite rare and delicate, and so not many people have had an opportunity to test this theory. I am lucky in that I recently had the opportunity to ride a minter which had been modified with FZR400SP forks (the single seat high spec race version). I have to say that it handled like a dream, and the EXUP enhanced engine had a lot of midrange for such a small bike. I rode a CBR400 on the same day, and despite the fuelling being somewhat off on it, I have to say I preferred it. The FZR had loads of midrange and handled well, I just felt much more confident riding the CBR. This was a personal thing, and it might just have been because the FZR had been completely rebuilt the day before and was very shiney indeed!
The main downside to this bike (as with many Yamahas) is that it has a notoriously weak clutch. Be sure to test ride any bike that you conteplate buying (or get someone to do it for you for the 33bhp'ers out there) and check that the clutch does not slip under hard acceleration. Again, as with many of the other bikes mentioned above, FZR's are very rare and parts can be a nightmare. They are very pretty though!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/fzrs.jpg

A word on insurance
All of the sportier models of these bikes are in insurance group twelve. This is the same group as a Hornet 600. However, these bikes will be cheaper to run and handle better. It also depends on wether or not you want the look of a sportsbike. The CBR400 aero, NC21, NC24, and ZZR400 will all be marginally cheaper to insure, but I am not sure of their specific insurance groups because of their rarity.

Basically insurance group 12 will be a fair amount for a 17/18/19 year old, but it is manageable. I believe I paid £500tpft at 19 on an NC21. Interestingly enough, the SV650S is actually only insurance group ten, and makes more power. However it does not have the sportsbike look and is not as sharp in the corners. It is a viable alternative because it is a practical comfortable sporty bike, but it depends what you want really.

I hope you enjoyed my guide, I probably omitted a few details but I hope that people can add to it as is neccesary.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[McJamweasel]

Just a few bikes to add,

The Bandit 400 (the first VTEC bike), Fazer 400, SV400, Monster 400. There's probably more too.
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BCF: Be yourself, just don't be an arse.

[MarJay]

[Dr Nick]

[hugo-a-gogo]

[Demonic69]

You missed the RF400
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Only Honda make the V.T.E.C (V.V.T.) system, so Suzuki could not have. VTEC is Hondas own method.

Suzuki would have had some method of V.V.T. which would work in a different way.

[RealNinja]

[Supa4]

Check out www.400greybike.co.uk for lots of information on 400 Grey imports.

[MarJay]

Or not...

I hear that 400 grey bike was shut down because the admin threw a wobbler .
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Ian (GPX)]

You missed out the GPZ400R !

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

[Kickstart]

Hi

That isn't the first model of GSX400R (although it might be a 250). The original GSX400R was actually imported in very limited numbers and had a single headlight. From memory they imported a batch of 50, mainly for race use.

Think the first VTEC bike was a version of the CBX400 from about 1984.

Quite a few bits on the FZR400 are the same as the FZR600. Noticeable that a load of bits inside the FZR600 engine have "1WG" stamped / cast onto them, and 1WG is the model code of the early FZR400.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Going2fast]

[Becky]

Hi

I have an E reg Jap grey Kawasaki ZX4 import in immaculate condition. Have spent loads doing her up and she's amazing. Only problem is now the exhaust system needs replacing. Having loads of probs trying to locate one - any help in this direction would be greatly appreciated as many breakers don't have one.

Becky (rebecca_sowerby@hotmail.com)
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Becky

[TheShaggyDA]

Nice write up

Had a CB400/4 cafe racer in my kitchen for a while. Has got to be the best looking exhaust ever made, IMHO :-

https://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Honda%20Bikes/images/Honda%20CB400.jpg
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Getting a ZX4 exhaust will be difficult, unless you want to buy a hideously expensive new one. Not that many were imported as grey imports. Your best best is probably to either get the current one repaired or to get it copied in stainless steel by someone like Gazelle or OS Stainless.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Andy C]

great read and loads of info here cheers!
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[Josh|RD125LC]

Yeah, shame most of the 400's are too small for me though.

I think someone said that the ZXR400 would be ideal for me. I'm near enough 6ft. Saw an NC29 in person, and it was tiny. Same as the VFR's and RVF's. Don't really know what 400 would be suited for me.
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Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

[Silver]

[dave1rs]

[Josh|RD125LC]

Too low for my long legs. Its cramped when I sit on them.
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Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

[Jrod]

I'm 6,2 and fit on the zxr fine, Thats with rearsets that bring the pegs up and back 20mm.

[Josh|RD125LC]

Yeah I am actually looking at the ZXR's at the moment. They seem to be one of the big 400's out there. They're going for some good prices as well.
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Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

[MarJay]

Pictures updated!
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.