I don't think there is as much horsepower disparity as most would think. I've read a number of reviews and shootouts with the CBR and all seem to point to about 22-23 hp on the dyno. I've seen memebers here post dynos with 22-23 hp with piped and rejetted/snorkeled but otherwise stock KLX's.

Although it pointless to compare dyno results from totally different dyno's it still tells a bit of a story where the klx isn't nearly the dog it gets pegged for.

 

The comparisons to speed, gearing, and rpm can also vary a good deal because of tire size...front and rear. IMO the OEM speedo's on these things are worthless for trying to qualify true speed and especially speed-to-rpm scenarios. The Trailtech Vapor instrument panel has a speedo that you can calibrate to almost perfect accuracy...much like a common bicycle computer that allows a perfect setting to your wheel/tire size. My '06 runs a 110/100 Kenda Trakmaster rear tire and an 80/100 Kenda Parker Desert front. I have 13/47 gearing. My Vapor speedo is set perfectly to my front tire size and verified by GPS. I run right at about 6000 rpm for 50 mph. That's pretty low gearing, but it is astounding for tough, technical off roading. It will climb a telephone poll, but it kinda sucks on the pavement for sure for any jaunts of more than a few miles.

 

Yes!

I am really hoping to trying one sometime soon. My wife used to have an EX500r Ninja and that little parallel twin was a really nice motor once it got spooled up.

I wonder how well that new 300 twin would work for dual sport duty!!!??? Might not have the torque for serious off-roading, but at least as a SuMo, it'd be real WR killer!

 

I believe the most comprehensive test I read in one of the major online mags said it was about as fast as the old air-cooled 500 Ninja. One of my acquaintances down at the motorcycle shop I used to work at bought one about 6 weeks ago. He claims he milked 110mph out of it, verified by GPS. He's not known to be a lying blowhard like dan888, so it may be true. The guy also drag races a heavily modded ZX14 dragbike too. He also has a Yamaha Zuma scooter he plays around on that he has completely torn down and did a Yosh big bore kit along with all kinds of crazy stuff. That scooter hauls a$$ big time...crazy! He knows his bikes and how to work on them, and I know he's already made a couple of modifications to the ZX300...but I'm not sure what.

 

air cooled ninja ? are you sure you aren't thinking of the zuki gs500 ?

 

No, and for some reason I was thinking air-cooled, which it obviously ain't.

 

A scooterist friend of mine has a vintage Vespa built up to ~40hp. It'll destroy many motorcycles off the line.

Interesting times in the entry-level at Kawasaki. They also have the Ninja 400 which I understand is more closely related to the 650 twin. Their new 300 looks strong enough to make the 400 redundant however.

Reminds me of Honda in the 70s with an entire range of small-displacement bikes from 250 - 550 in 50cc increments.

 

I see the ZX400 is finally coming to the U.S., but something odd strikes me about that bike. It looks like a 400cc engine stuffed into the ZX650R frame. The weight seems to indicate that also. The engine produces about 43-44 hp. The ZX300 produces 39 hp and is a lot lighter. I'm not bashing the 400, but it seems a little odd on the mix of power to weight when you can go to the 300 or the 650...39 hp and much less weight or 72 hp at basically the same weight. It just seems odd. Power-to-weight ratio between the two has the 400 only a tiny bit behind the 300, but it is behind. You usually want a little benefit of gaining that extra weight like you get with the ZX650 at 72 hp. I just find it amazing that all reports I see have the weight of the ZX650 and 400 Ninja at just about exactly the same.

 

Sometimes I wonder if these odd size bikes aren't more a response to markets with graduated licensing or insurance categories, and less about having a line-up of a functionally distinct products(?).

 

its two bad kawi wouldn't bring the actual zx400 over here if they were going to introduce a 400cc bike. inline 4 61-64hp

Kawasaki ZXR400 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia