Breeze from the past

[faffi]

We've had blasts from the past, but this bike was no blast. At least not when it came to engine performance. But once I had dialed it in with much longer Koni shocks off a KZ1000 and some internal fork mods to improve function and raise that end also, it handled amazingly well. Good cornering clearance, unflappable stability under all conditions within its 80 mph top speed capabilities and an ability to change directions that makes the MT07 feel like a truck. Even the brakes were decent, although not up to current standards. Personally, I also think it is a really pretty motorcycle, but I can well see people disagreeing. It's one of a very limited number of bikes I miss, as does our oldest son - he inherited it, then sold it to buy a Ducati Monster. Something he regret dearly - hated the Duc, loved the little Kawa. YMMV  

 

 

Original test of the B-version if anybody should be interested, which is the same bike save for wire wheels and a solid disc brake http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_z400r 78.htm

[Beemer]

I like it's looks well enough and I surely like that it's a standard but like you said, it's lacking of h.p. and that's a big drag. I found that out when I still had my XZ550RJ, a friend of mine bought a new Suzuki 400 Intruder and I was forever waiting on him to catch up.

[faffi]

On a winding road I beat bikes like a Honda CBR1100XX, Yamaha FJ1200, Triumph 900 Trident, Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo and many more. Could I have gone faster on the bikes I mentioned? Yes. But with more effort and risk. Of course, once the road opened up, the slow 400 didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell. 

 

One thing I'd like to mention is the fun of being able to wring out most gears with no fear of going to jail - even if it had the power to redline 6th gear - which it didn't - it would be going slower than some race reps can do in first gear. The highest speed allowed here is 110 kph, most country roads are limited to 80 kph (70 and 50 mph), meaning that you cannot redline any gear on a big sportbike on any road in Norway without losing your license and copping a huge fine if caught. All that said - yes, the Kawa was a bit too slow for riding main roads. Country roads with little traffic was fine, though.

[r1limited]

15 minutes ago, faffi said:

On a winding road I beat bikes like a Honda CBR1100XX, Yamaha FJ1200, Triumph 900 Trident, Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo and many more

In our Miata or Del-Sol we beat A class cars v-8 turbo charged monsters.  But them straights seem to be the part they get all that time back.  Same with tiddler.  My R5 Smoked those 900's and VFR's anywhere but the straights.  Aint no big thing your riding against apples and oranges.

 

 

[firstyammerha]

That Z400G looks a lot like the CB360G Honda that I owned in 1975. 1000 rpm for each 10 mph of road speed in high gear. I rode it for 15000 miles before moving up to a 1980 Suzuki GS750C. Talking about Miatas and the like creaming V8 Corvettes and such, I watched a Lotus Elan back in the mid-seventies post the FTD at an SCCA slalom or autocross against many liter Vettes and the like. Driver/rider skill is the big factor in any racing contest. Don't ask about mine🙂

[faffi]

Not sure I follow you regarding looks - the Honda has a more classic design with wire wheels and no duck tail - but Kawasaki originally designed the 400 to be a better Honda 350/360. So functionally they were pretty close, the Honda probably a little faster than the rather gutless Kawasaki. Yamahas first attempt was even matching the Honda dead on with their XS360, later expanded to 400. Honda then launched their own 400 twin at the tail end of 1977, a much more modern design.