‘The ZX-4RR packs a serious punch with a redline of 16,000rpm’
And now? Well, there’s a resurrection of the sort of performance that made the ZXR400 so legendary and impressive in the 90s. The ZX-4RR packs a serious punch, with a redline of 16,000rpm and a whopping 75bhp on tap, meaning that on paper at least it has the upper hand in terms of pubbragging rights, unlike so much of the sub-600cc machinery that has been released in the last ten years. And, of course, it comes with three-stage traction control, ABS, an up/down quickshifter and four rider modes, all fed through a colour TFT dash that allows for smartphone connectivity.
So how does it stack up against the original GOAT of the pocket rockets, and what does over 20 years of engineering development bring to the table?
Still glorious
At first glance, there’s no denying the old ZXR400’s beauty. It’s a proper thing with a sense of presence, thanks to that big, wide fairing, huge screen and chunky tank. Even after 20 years of abuse it looks well built, from little things like the simple switchgear and old school tacho that still work (mostly), to big things, like the rustfree swingarm and clean fairings – even if this particular bike has seen some love after being down the road fairly recently. Yet still, it just oozes that 90s/noughties flair, with a size that’s more akin to a 600cc machine or above, rather than something that’s housing a relatively modest 398cc.
Oddly, it actually dwarves the new ZX-4RR in terms of its stature, the new bike having a more compact, sharper design. Sure, the RR looks crisp with its aggressively angled fairings and compact plastics, but even so, it’s not as raw thanks to a huge amount of plastic and lumps of fairing floating around, especially in the cockpit. Where some of the wiring for the lights on the ZXR400 is not only exposed but is also held in place by a little hook, the modern ZX-4RR goes out of its way to shroud everything in plastic, which I don’t mind too much – but it can be a bit of a turn-off at times, especially if you like a race bike-esque sense of rawness to your sportsbike.
Single-minded
That ZXR400 rawness carries over into the riding position, too. Built for a time when sportsbikes and going flat-out were the name of the game, the ZXR has an uncompromisingly brutal riding position – and this one even has clip-ons that are set slightly further out than standard. Even so, it feels like a modern race bike in its nature; the bars are low, the pegs are high and even though the chunky tank and roomy seat offer quite a lot of space, the ride is committed, positioning the rider over the front end with weight on the wrists.
All this makes the ZX-4RR feel quite pedestrian by comparison, thanks mainly to the location of the handlebars above the top yokes which means your weight’s not too far forward. Not only that, but the ZX-4RR also feels like a far smaller machine too; where the ZXR has the dimensions reminiscent of a 600cc supersports bike, the ZX-4RR feels far more compact, and more new-rider friendly, in a Ninja 400-esque (Kawasaki’s entry-level A2 machine) manner. Ridden in isolation the new Kawasaki still feels like a sportsbike, but in direct comparison with such a focused, old-school legend as the ZXR400? Well, thanks to its more relaxed positioning, it doesn’t even sit on the same page.
Close as you like
Yet where they do compare more evenly is in the engine department – or they appear to when you are looking at the spec sheet, anyway. Both are low-capacity, screaming sub-400cc machines, yet they don’t feel anywhere close to identical in their application of power, something that is magnified when they’re lined up together on a drag strip.
Sure, the ZXR has probably lost a few ponies since its inception but on the flipside our test bike does have shorter gearing for a little more acceleration, alongside a Domino-quick action throttle. It feels brutally aggressive; the throttle pickup feels almost like it’s a 1:1 connection, with the smallest flick of the wrist resulting in a massive tug on that throttle cable, which in turn supplies a ferocious delivery of power.
That old-school 398cc motor is utterly gorgeous in its response too, as, although it very nearly sits in the ‘classic’ segment of motorcycling, its urgency and willingness to rev feels just as nifty now as it did throughout the 90s and beyond. Although it’s still a rev-hungry monster that’s happiest above 10,000rpm, it actually makes its power and torque lower down than the ZX-4RR, and with the additional aftermarket goodies, it outguns the new machine in a straight drag race, up to 60mph or so.
Yes, you read that right - the old ZXR has the run on the new ZX-4RR from a standing start. That might seem surprising at first but this is also because the gearing (and first, specifically) is so long on the ZX-4RR, that it makes a two-stroke seem punchy at the bottom end, and that remains the case up until 30mph or so.
Yet when it’s singing above the magical 12,000rpm mark and you are firing through that silky smooth quickshifter the new Kwak eats up the distance, leaving