400 sport bikes

[WetAndCold]

I need to get my arse in gear and book my tests, since I've ridden a fair few miles now (haven't had a day where I haven't ridden my bike since I bought it.)

For a while now I've had the idea firmly in my mind that after passing my test I would get a 400 sports bike. But which one exactly has never been certain.

Could I get some Ideas of the pros and cons of these bikes?

VFR400 (NC30)
CBR400 (NC29)
FZR400

CBR seems a bit girly with a lower seat, and the VFR is apparently louder and a bit taller (I'm 5'10). I initially dismissed the FZR along with the GSX-R and the ZXR 400's because apparently they're not as reliable as the hondas. But the other day in town I saw a FZR being ridden and was like OMFG that looks lush!!11!!1!

Granted I haven't seen the Hondas in the flesh, but my attention has suddenly been drawn to the fazer. How less reliable is it?

If I sell my shitty cage (Clio, 1.2 16v, with wolf race alloys if anyone's interested ) I'll buy one of these bikes and hopefully it will give me the motivation to pass my tests.

Plus I tried following my mates to the cinema on my 125. one had a Peugeot 1.4, the other had a Clio 1.6.....yeah....it was a lonely ride need a big bike!

Cheers!
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Honda CBR600f sport
Cage: 2008 Honda Civic type-R

[shereen]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=240645&highlight=

This may help a little.

NC30 FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[MarJay]

[killa]

Yeah listen to Marjay...he’s owned a few 400’s and enjoyed them...but don’t buy one!

I had a VFR400R, never failed to impress me. Servicing wise on engine issues it’s a little different to modern bikes but there was never an issue with the engine. The rest of the servicing was no different to anything I had done before.
To right off 400’s is silly, you’re right to be picky and it’s right to be patient whilst looking. Everyone has a different opinion, good or bad, based on the examples they’ve ridden or owned, just like any machine really.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[Reid]

Mar Jay's got it spot on really - they need time and investment to make the most out of something that is, lets face it, 20 y.o. technology. By all means get one but they are more of a toy than a day-to-day workhouse thesedays (which is what you seem to be after).

[Paulington]

Hey there!

As MarJay said, don't buy a 400cc sports. They are old, the technology is old, they've likely been thrashed for most of their working lives and the bikes you can buy now for the same price are much better.

Try looking at naked/faired sports tourer 600s like the SV650S, YZF600R Thundercat, Honda Hornet, Suzuki Bandit, Yamaha Fazer 600 and a load of others.

They are more modern, comfier, better technology, likely comfier and will likely take restriction better if you do have to restrict it.

Lots of much better bikes out there for the same price that will be cheaper to run and better first big bikes for you, do look around.

Cheers!
____________________
"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul."
Current Vehicles: '89 Kawasaki KDX200, '99 Yamaha XV535, '00 Honda ST1100 Pan-European, '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GS4 2.0 TDCi, '15 BMW 1 Series 116d Sport Turbo.
CBT: 27/08/08. Theory: 04/09/09. Module 1: 16/09/09. Module 2: 01/10/09.

[WetAndCold]

Well, my chips have been officially pissed on

I really want a sports bike though And I can't afford insurance on a 600. SV650's look bland at best, soooo boring. I want something I look out the window at and think oooh yeeah

Not 'oh well, it'll do till I can afford insurance on a bike I like'

Why did they stop making 400's anyway?

Ninja 250's have skinny as hell tyres and I'm thinking they won't be that much of a step up from a 125.

Damn it I suppose your right, I just don't wanna face the fact that the only sensible option is getting a shit looking yawnmobile
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Honda CBR600f sport
Cage: 2008 Honda Civic type-R

[Redoko]

[Rogerborg]

[Shaun]

Ignore the nay sayers.

Buy a 400, but not the FZR. They weren't as popular back in the day so spares and parts can be an issue with them.

The CBR400 was my favourite after owning 2 VFR's, more due to ground clearance than anything but that was only a major issue on track.

The VFR feels a lot smaller to ride than the CBR as well due to the V4 engine and thinner tank, both are still small bikes though, it really comes down to personal preference. The VFR does get the added joy of having a single sided swing arm but does tend to hold its value a bit more outrageously.

The only issue you should have with either of them is the reg/rec going, I had this with both VFR's I owned and eventually the CBR as well.

[shereen]

You can buy my old nc30 that I part exchanged a month ago

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260980206630?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

PMSL at the price they want
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[Shaun]

I've seen a lot of outrageously priced 400's recently, largely from dealers but I've seen good examples priced at the £4000 mark!

Don't pay that, ever, I'd expect to pay around £1500 for a good example from a private seller, that's for either the CBR or VFR.

[shereen]

[Moxey]

Marjay got it mostly right looking at it.

Wouldn't recommend buying a 400 sport as an only bike, two of my mates did exactly that after passing their test one on a NC29 and the other a ZXR 400 both have had issues and they both happened to pay the same £1100 (Both are 92 plates) but for the most part the issues haven't been too major (the CBR had a small hole in the downpipe, wiring fault in the headlight and one of the panels snapping off whilst the ZXR had a melted block connector from the alternator to the rec killing the batt when ridden) for those issues however with that bike as a sole means of transport your left stranded fault finding and waiting for parts to come from the back end of nowhere when you need them hence I didn't consider one until the opportunity arose and it was as a second bike.

Oh and the insurance on something like an SV, Bandit, ER6F should be cheaper than a 400 too anything without the 'sports' moniker in fact is probably cheaper (can insure a bandit 1200 for less than my 400 at 20).
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Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

[killa]

I must be either incredibly lucky or good at spotting a decent bike then because the VFR i had was a lovely bike to own in all aspects. Not only was it well built and had good quality components but it was eventually sold for the same price I bought it for. In the time i owned the bike i found a small hole in the fuel sucked pipe and had to change a HT lead.
The general servicing was pretty easy the only thing I didn’t attempt, mainly because I didn’t have the tools was the valves and shims. I don’t know enough about the FZR to comment but the 400’s that have been well maintained and looked after seem to fair better to conditions than an SV for example.
As for performance, the VFR is/was a dream to ride.
____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[MarJay]

[Reid]

[CaNsA]

FWIW

I have had 2 ZXR400's
Both have been 1991 models.
I prolly spent 300 quid on the 1st one i had a couple of years back.
Sold it.
This one i will prolly need to spend the same on my current zxr soon.
Parts are hard to come by, and they are damn expensive.

However, they are awesome bikes.
Great fun, and pretty good as workhorses if you look after them.
Im not far off 6ft tall and the zxr is a the most comfortable of the 400s as it is the biggest out of the lot of them.

The money you would be saving on insurance will be spent on parts and stuff.

Get an old CBR600f (1995 and before).

[Joncrete Cungle]

Get a CBR / VFR 400, they are great little bikes provided you stay on top of the maintenance. Be patient and hunt down a reasonably priced model in half decent nick.

[WetAndCold]

Had a look at insurance for a FZR600 and a CBR600f - prices are still gay

On MCN reviews, the SV650 has 3 stars for reliability whereas the VFR has 5 stars, with them commenting on superb Honda quality...

The only low insurance 600 'commuting' bike I like the look of is the er6f, but It's ~£2500 second hand.

OK, are the things that commonly go wrong with the 400's that hard to fix? I don't mind a bit of work and they can't be that unreliable...
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Honda CBR600f sport
Cage: 2008 Honda Civic type-R

[Shaun]

The main one to look out for is the reg/recs going, quite a big issue on the older Honda's, other than that there isn't any major issues to look out for.

ZXR400's however, they have very little in the way of reliability, go with one of the Honda's and you shouldn't have any major issues, just do the usual checks and try to find one that's been well looked after.

[CaNsA]

[Vincent]

I'd spalsh out on a totaly mint restored, (properly), example. If you go for something a bit less desirable, say an early VFR or FZR it shouldn't be too pricey. Let someone else spend the big money doing it up and, if you look after it, it'll hold its value. If you're looking to do it on the cheap, it could be hard.
I love all 400s, (well nearly), they're fun, cute and sexy..........................................and potentialy expensive. When the right one turns up, I'm going to get a CB400R Aero, ugly or not.
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Space Is Deep

[Tim..]

VFR
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Project builds: My VFR400 nc30 build thread + Honda Britain Rep VFR + What? Another VFR +Project 'cos I want one' + V8 coffee table
www.marshallracing.co.uk
OCD - Helping to bring the standard of my bikes up and make me slowly go mad since 1999

[Shaun]