400cc bikes

[Scorpio8719]

hi so im looking for my first bike (yay) and im following advice and being sensible no sports bikes or litre bikes ect.

iv got my eye on a hornet now seeing as its the cheapest 600 for me to insure (440 tpo) but as im looking through ebay im seeing these 400cc 'sports bikes' gsx 600, zx400, cbr 400 ect. Has anyone got any experience with these? what are they like to ride?

on a more silly note, is knee down possible on a hornet?
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As light travels faster than sound is that why people seem bright until they speak?

[iMark]

I've never ridden anything apart from my 125cc... but I'm quite taken by the 400 Super Sport's and I do plan on making a 400 my "First Big Bike"

I'm sure Timmeh will be along soon to answer

He's riding a GSXR 400 and a RVF 400.
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K8 GSXR 1000
"G" : you got him to have a look at a forum which seems to have established a picture of an erect penis in a cat's mouth as it's mascot and thought he might consider it ok?

[Scorpio8719]

Cool, I do the the single swing arm one, Honda i think it is. Then again i like the vfr800 vtec because it has a single side swing arm

i just think they might be bit more fun than a hornet? they certanly look better
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As light travels faster than sound is that why people seem bright until they speak?

[Slacker24seve...]

As an ex-Hornet owner and current CBR400 owner, get a Hornet. It's faster, more practical, more comfortable, easier to ride, easier to work on an easy to get parts for. The suspension is slightly less sophisticated but the brakes are the same.

It's more than possible to get your knee down on one, I did reasonably often. I did a few track days too. I put 12k on mine in a couple of years and found it a great learning tool - wheelies are actually a lot easier and its very forgiving. only now have I upgraded to a Daytona.

TLDR - the Hornet is better in almost every measurable way except looks.

If you'd like to know anything specific about owning either, just ask.
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[iMark]

VFR 400 NC 24 and NC 30 both have single sided swing arms...

Would love either...


There is a CBR 400 NC23(Pretty sure its NC23 not 29 its an E reg) with Repsol Fairings near me, looks really nice



Pretty sure you could get a single side swing arm conversion for a CBR, and a GSXR though
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K8 GSXR 1000
"G" : you got him to have a look at a forum which seems to have established a picture of an erect penis in a cat's mouth as it's mascot and thought he might consider it ok?

[P.]

Ridden a VFR400 NC30 and a CB400SF.

I loved the SF. White/yellow/blue are the correct colours!

VFR was a bit different, probably one of the few bikes you could handle well as a newbie! Felt like it was stuck to the road!

[Derivative]

From the last thread I read, general consensus seemed to be that the 400's are getting a bit long in the tooth now and might be good as project bikes or if you're handy with a set of spanners, but maybe not for an every day bike.

Been looking at the same sort of thing and the 500's have taken my fancy (cb, gs, gpz, etc). Newer, cheap, cheap insurance, similar power, easier to get parts for. Not as good looking IMO though.

[Scorpio8719]

[KDub]

Good 400s are getting pretty expensive now. I think good NC30s are actually going up in value.

A mate of mine had a Hornet 600 for a short while, claimed it was the most boring bike he had ever ridden, and got a CBR400 instead.

If you can, get a couple of test rides.

As for 400s getting on a bit, sure, older bikes do tend to need a bit of maintenance, but not much more than any new bikes. I've got a '95 FZR600R that I use for ride outs, and an '82 XJ650 that I commute to work on. It depends on what you want really, I like fettling my own bikes, but if you just want to get out and ride, and let a mechanic keep everything in working order then you're better off with a newer bike.

Edit: 6ft 1! Get the Hornet, the 400s are about 4/5ths the size of a normal bike, I had trouble with them and I'm 5ft 10!

[Slacker24seve...]

Yes, it's tiny. The CBR is probably the smallest of the 400s, I'm 5'10" and find it small and cramped, but to be fair I want it as a track toy so it's not too bad as I'm barely in the seat! The ZXR400 is better in that respect. The parts situation isn't too bad, owners forums like 400GB are the place to go for tips.

Bear in mind you may well have an off on your first big bike. I crashed my Hornet at the first corner at Oulton, quite fast. I did a lot of damage but getting it roadworthy again was a piece of piss, doing that with a 400 would be more expensive and time consuming.
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[Scorpio8719]

hhhmmm think il give the 400s amiss then i dont wana be looking like mr bean with a bike wedged between my arse cheeks.


so whos fitted a single side swing arm to a hornet?
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As light travels faster than sound is that why people seem bright until they speak?

[haroman666]

Cant comment on much to do with other 400's but if you can hold your own with a spanner and a multi-meter then an old 400 is ideal. I've fucked about loooads getting my Bandit to decent mechanical condition, but now it's sorted, it's perfectly sweet. And there's always bits on ebay. Sure bits are harder to come by in comparison to a 90's 500/600 but i've never been stuck finding what i need and i've spent a good £700 on parts since October.

I know there's gonna be a difference, but on my B4, I can easily scrape the footpeg on roundabouts. As for kneedown... Not tried but i'm sure I could. The Hornet, being a similar style of bike may be the same.
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The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[MG]

[Slacker24seve...]

[thomp1983]

ive owned a zxr400 for about 18 months now, i bought it for a grand in decent condition, maintenance wise it has needed (just the stuff that had to be done, there's only improvements ive made that aren't listed),

headgasket £300 (diy but i fitted and renewed quite a few bits such as cam chain, tensioner, chain guide, £50 on shims as i have kent cams in it)
service £50
chain and sprockets £100
2 tyres £240 (michelin pilot power 2ct's)

think that about covers what ive spent, the last 3 on the list would apply to any bike, i got 15 months out of the tyres it cam with the news ones have just gone on so a 15 year old 400 hasn't really cost me all that much, the headgasket was a pain and only cost so much as i changed alot of other stuff that you wouldn't necessarily have to i just like keeping my things tip top.

to live with in the real world, the zxr is the biggest of the 400's, im 5 ft 10 weigh about 13st and find it perfectly comfortable i can ride it for 2-3 hours at a time before wanting to stop, performance wise my bike is mildly tuned (k+n filter, dynojetted, kent cams, cbr coils, performance downpipes and can) and it holds it own reasonably well with my mates 600 ninja up to about 70mph during average riding, yes if he pins his wide open he's quicker than me but in the real world neither of us corner at more than 90mph and the handling of the 400 means i can close the gap in corners on him, the main noticeable difference between us is i have to plan my overtakes better, the extra power he has allows him to take more cars at once but having to plan your manoeuvres due to the bikes restraints will only improve your riding.

my main advice is there great bikes and a good start to learning the craft but unless your prepared to do your own maintenance the majority of 400's will cost you a fortune keeping them on the road. also with age you can get electrical issues that take an age to find (there not difficult just it takes time tracing the system) which again will bleed you dry if your paying someone else

chris

[Scorpio8719]

i dont mind doing my own repairs and mantinance, part of the fun of bikes although id need a guide or somthing to change a head gasket!

i read alot about how 400s have good handling, is that because they are smaller and lighter? i read in Fastbkes(i think) that there one of the best classes to learn to corner on that and a rs 250
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As light travels faster than sound is that why people seem bright until they speak?

[Slacker24seve...]

[johnnyarctic]

[Clanger]

I happily rode my Honda Bros 400cc for four years, even though I'm a lanky bugger...it was a brilliant bike, so forgiving, so planted. My first 'big' bike after the Superdream... I rode the wheels off it, I toured everywhere on it. I loved that bike.

And even though it was a grey import, because it was Honda, parts were easily sourced and cheap.

Loved the fact that it was a single sided swinging arm, 5 spoke wheels and stubby exhaust as standard.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Scorpio8719]

[Slacker24seve...]

[Scorpio8719]

huh im 24. i have no idea how risky my postcode is b29 if anyone knows? i must live in the part of hell with the bike thieves.

D high risk area, go figure
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As light travels faster than sound is that why people seem bright until they speak?