First bike ZXR400, CBR400, Some sports 400 or other

[littlewing]

Been doing a little bit of research and am wanting to buy my first bike soon.

I passed my A2 test 2 weeks ago and so have to ride 33bhp.

I am thinking, ZXR400, CBR400, FZR400, or.. Bros 400.

What do you thinks?

[EddyJones]

Im in the same position as you and ive bought a zxr 400, Ive yet to get it on the road properly but I have rode down a duel carrageway/home. Seems plenty fast enough as a first big bike and the handeling is meant to be excellent

[Eddie Hitler]

Or.... a big single.

[daz_d_biker]

Not fancy a v4? Id say zxr. I think theyre the largest sporty 400. Plenty fast enough for the road and sound ace with a race can like any IL4 How about a cbr600f? An older steel framed one, they are cheap as chips and excellent bikes. Just get it restricted until you're used to it as a bit faster than a 400.

If you buy an rvf400 i have some restrictors if anyone wants them.

Daz.
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"bikes are replaceable - but a complete nutter aint."

[Matt06]

If you're planning on keeping your bike restricted then get a supermoto with a lively single cylinder engine. It will take the restriction well and you will be left with plenty to have fun with. Like the DRZ400 or something.

I used to have a ZXR400 and it was awesome, completely shit restricted though. Absolutely nothing there when you open the throttle. Without is a different story .
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Current: MT-10, Bandit, Grom, GPZ500
Previous: YBR125, GSXR400, ZXR400, MT-03, NTV650, R6, z750, ZX6R, MT-09

[Fahd]

Honda CBR 400RR. They're reasonably cheap if you look around and are stupidly fast for a first bike.
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I Ride: Honda CBR 400RR.
I Drive: Audi S3.

[MarJay]

Here's an example of a thread where everyone advises the person to get the bike that *they* own, because its obviously the best.

Here are the facts of the situation:

The newest 400 sports you'll find will be minimum of 5 years old (ZXR400). Most other sports 400's will be 15+ years old. Even with the best build quality in the world, the large majority will be shagged. Even the shagged ones are overpriced IMO, and only now are prices coming down to a sensible level. People are asking £2k for a RVF400 thats ten years old. A ten year old CBR600 wouldn't fetch that much by a long way!

400s aren't all that when restricted. If you're going to restrict it, then why limit your choice anyway?

SV650's only make 10bhp more, but actually cost a lot less to insure. Sports 400's are in insurance group 12, whereas the faired SV is group 10, and the unfaired group 9. Restriction does not affect insurance at all.

an SV650 is physically bigger than a 400, so looks like a bigger bike. I believe an SV will take restriction better than a 400.

SV650's are a lot cheaper to buy, and most of them aren't shagged, even the cheap ones. An unshagged SV will handle as well as a shagged 400, and a sorted SV will handle as well as a sorted 400.

Most 400's are grey imports, which means they probably spent 6 months of their lives strapped down in a crate. This isn't good for the suspension! Also parts and dealer backup may be an issue.

The SV is a better first bike than a sports 400. Its more practical, its newer, it handles just as well (unless you're paying through the nose for a sorted 400) its slightly quicker in terms of power, Its cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, at least as cheap to run and looks physically bigger than a sports 400.

Buy with the head and not with the heart, and you'll end up with an SV every time.
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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.

[Blau Zedong]

Totally agree Marjay, it's just that the SV looks like a baboon's anus.
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[MarJay]

[binge]

Ok heres a thing.
You buy an un-forgiving 400cc sports bike. To be fair, you need to be a good rider to ride one fast.
You spend your restricted period learning how to ride a slow bike, fast.
2 years later, you jump onto a modern, Forgiving 600cc bike. And you wipe the floor with the average "show off" 600 rider.

Thats my plan anyway.


If you have your heart set on a supersport 400 bike. Then id seriously recommend a Honda.

Yes! I bum Lick honda. But ive also seen my mates with Suzuki 400s, Kawasaki 400s and Yamaha 400s.
Although the Kwak has the best spec of the bunch with USD forks and producing the most power. It will also make you a mechanic by the time you come to sell it!

Hondas, MAIN problem with them is the regulator. My dog can change a regulator!

If id had the choice to start over, Id of probably still bought a 400. I dont know why, They don't have a lot going for them to be honest. But they are good fun to ride because they do need to be ridden hard to be ridden fast.

[S1KE]

i agree with binge
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[phk6]

ridden hard up to the 130 top end and still pwned around a nice 140mph corner :O
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Current .. 2008 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure ..
Before .. 2003 Yamaha Fazer 1000 .. 2004 Kawazaki Z1000 .. 2003 Suzuki Sv1000s .. 1999 zx6r Track Bike .. 1999 CB 500 Cup ..
/Phil

[Deano]

buying as 400 will teach you thrash a bike properly if you decide to ride like that. as I felt I could get my 400 to closest to the limit than any other bike ive ever owned.

Marjay has good points but the little hondas build quality wins over suzuki by far.
parts are cheap just look at ebay. I picked up a set of forks for £10 try getting a set of SV forks for that

a whole set of fairings for £200 from a chinese importer. there is massive amounts of information over on 400greybike.

If your having trouble deciding over a 400 choose a honda. you can pick them up for around £1000. yes RVF's can go for silly money but I've seen them go for £1500.

Parts availability is still widely available as Ive never had any problems ordering parts for my NC from any shop that I've used.

[gmanxiii]

I've not had difficulty getting parts for my NC30, it was officially imported for a short while and the UK bike shares almost everything with the imported ones so honda dealers tend to be able to get any parts you cant find on ebay or 400greybike.

Yes they are shagged and overpriced but i love mine. They hold a premium for a reason, kinda similar to why some people pay stupid money for things like art/records etc. Depending on how you look at it, it can be worth the money or not. But there'll always be someone who'll pay for it.

I said this to cansa already, do you want a bike with abit of soul or purely just something to get you about on. Head and sensible option would be the SV and i wouldnt say no to one they are good bikes. Heart however would be with a 400 though. Anyways modern sportsbikes are getting about the same size now.
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I kills hondas

VFR400NC30 > ZZR600 > CBR600FX > CBR1000rr

[TUG]

[Deckx]

if you're going for a 400, i'd go for a zxr, especially if you get low milage less than 10 years old as they still look the biz. !!

I wouldn't touch a FZR and all the CBR's are pushing on with age, as well as getting a bit dated looking.

Surprised you haven't mentioned a vfr/rvf ? although am i the only one that thinks that a IL4 sounds way better than V4. (I don't usually admit that as i own a rvf )

[damz]

rvf for me was cheaper to insure than all the 600's (and sv650) which was the main reason why i bought it, i ddnt see any point paying for extra insurance for 33bhp

[Ben.]

www.kgcycles.com

do nice fairings for an sv if you want it to look sporty.

the power of the bike wont kill you, its how responsable the rider is...

i think sv's can look cool if you hve the cash...
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[MarJay]

[Wave2k]

A Ducati 748.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
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RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[littlewing]

i intend on finding one with the restriction certificate, and if i cant, then getting it restricted and removing the restriction so bare this in mind.

i also have around 1000 to spend, can stretch to 1500 though.

the sv650 unfortunately is one of the ugliest bikes ive seen.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[littlewing]

unfortunately both models repel me.

ive got my heart set on the ZXR400, people dont seem to be so keen on it here? (without the restriction mind)

[littlewing]

unfortunately both models repel me.

ive got my heart set on the ZXR400, people dont seem to be so keen on it here? (without the restriction mind)