Following the launch of the 2023 Kawasaki ZX-4R at the Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS), paultan.org got a close-up look at Kawasaki’s other middleweight sports bike. The ZX-4R is unique amongst the current world crop of sports bikes with its inline-four configuration, something it shares with its stablemate the Kawasaki ZX-25R.
While four-cylinder middleweight sports bikes are not new, the 1990’s seeing a whole slew of multi-cylinder lightweights from the Japanese manufacturers, the ZX-4R is the only one in its class. Launched last February in a worldwide online debut, the ZX-4R goes against the grain of the current trend of two-cylinder sports bikes like the Aprilia RS660 and Yamaha R7, alongside its own Kawasaki siblings, the Ninja 400 and Ninja 600.
So, why a four cylinder sports bike in this day and age of tightening emissions and noise regulations with the safety brigade hand wringing and moaning about motorcycle rider accident statistics? For one, multi-cylinder motorcycles are smoother due to better (not perfect) primary balance in the engine.
Another is the ability to pump more air into the engine, resulting in eye watering rev limits, a case in point being the Yamaha Phazer 250 from the late 80s with its 20,000 rpm red line. For the Zx-4R, this results in a 77 PS power output, and when the Ram-Air intake system is fully pressurised at speed, an increase of 3 PS to 80 PS.
Because, let’s face it, the sheer enjoyment of motorcycles is the speed and the ability to accelerate well beyond the standard box-on-four-wheels the lesser mortals drive. And having the ability to spank that engine to its 15,000 rpm redline results in a something like a howl from an animal on the hunt.
And you have to give it to Kawasaki for having the sheer guts to produce a motorcycle in these enlightened times that is about speed and performance and looks and little else. It remains to be seen if the ZXx-4R will ever come to Malaysia, for at the likely price point, it would be tough to make a marketing case for it given that for not much more money, you could lay your hands on a Ninja 650 or MT-09.
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I’d rather get the 4-pot ZX4 than the Ninja 650 which sounds like a washing machine…
inline 4 400cc sportsbike is nothing new, in fact all japanese giants did have them on offer in the 1990s. Suzuki had the fabulous GSXR400, while Honda offered CBR400 and also CB400. these bikes are popular in singapore as entry level bikes, unlike Malaysia where the entry level is 250 (when u still need a bike license)