Are 400cc twins the next sports bike trend?

Revival of the 400cc sports bike class

Posted: 25 July 2012
by Visordown News
Kawasaki already has a Ninja 400R based on their 650cc twin

HONDA, Yamaha, Kawasaki and KTM have all been linked with rumoured twin-cylinder sports bikes in the region of 400cc – so is this where the next boom of sports bike sales will come from?

Several sources in Japan have, in recent months, repeatedly 'confirmed' that a CBR400R is in the pipeline, based around a parallel twin motor and providing a halfway-house between the CBR250R and the CBR600RR. Others have also suggested that Yamaha and Kawasaki have similar plans, while Indian reports claim that KTM and Bajaj have been working on a 375cc twin for future sports bikes, Dukes and Pulsars.

While we've heard credible sources speaking about the Honda, the others are still in a grey area. While KTM has spoken of a small twin in the past, its recent plans for a small sports bike have revolved around the 'Moto3 350' and 'Duke 350' revealed in the firm's future product plan. All the reports about that bike have suggested that a single-cylinder motor would be its likely power source, although a twin, presumably based on the Duke 125/200's architecture, would achieve roughly the right capacity.

Kawasaki is unique in already having a 400cc twin-cylinder sports bike on sale in some countries, the Ninja 400R. However, that's just a sleeved-down version of the old-model ER6f/Ninja 650. An update, to adopt the latest ER6 styling, would make sense, but whether the bike can match a purpose-made 400cc machine – presumably smaller and lighter than the 650-based Kawasaki – is questionable.

Why the demand for such bikes? In the tough economy, sports bikes aren't shifting fast so smaller and, crucially, cheaper machines could be a partial answer. Add the fact that the motorcycle licence system in Europe is changing (from 19 January in the UK) to add 47bhp limit on the new 'A2' licence level. With direct access to full-power 'Category A' bikes having a minimum age of 24, a potentially large number of new riders could end up needing 47bhp machines for a significant time (two years experience on them being the only way to get a full licence before the age of 24), which would be roughly in line with the performance of these speculative 400cc models.



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honda, yamaha, kawasaki, ktm, 400cc, rumours, new bikes, sports, bikes, cbr400r, ninja 400, duke 350
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Discuss this story


Wilfrid Elliot
NO! Whatever next, single cylinder genny powered, tree hugging tourers?

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 14:56


evil ken evil
what about...

instead of a 400cc twin, make a babyblade 400 4 cylinder twincam 16 valve that revs to 18,000 rpms?

surely that would sell

or a instead of making a 250 cc concrete mixer, how about a 250cc inline four with twin cams and sixteen valves that revs to 21,000 revs

LOL now that would be progress ah ?

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 15:34


Drenched
I'm not particularly interested in this as a concept, but there are some things I would like to see.

Reduce the weight... 250cc or 600cc, why not focus on getting more bang for buck? If Ducati can make a Panigale that light, why can't we see more superlight sports bikes?

Improve the economy... If you're going to give me a rev box, how about one that actually delivers better MPG. On an average commute my CBR1100XX is more economical than my last bike, a 600!

Give it some character... I don't care if it's slower if it has personality. (Within reason)

Make it fun.. I want a bike that feels like you can beat it day in day out, that will pop wheelies with ease and flick from side to side with flattering precision.

If any of the new suggested 400CC bikes can do that, I may be interested, until then I'll settle for fast and lardy ;)

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 16:05


thoppa
Its very hard to get a driving licence for over 400cc in Japan so their domestic market already supports this capacity with a range of bikes that never make it to Europe. The best selling bikes in the UK are 125s, so if the law changes here and in the EU, then the European market might support the 400cc category too and 125s might become less popular. 400c is a good size for a single - 450 dirt bikes are a wild ride so if they keep the weight down, a 400 will still be lots of fun. I'd certainly take a look at a CBR400 twin/single as a commuter/second bike.

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 17:58


IrishRob
I can't wait for more smaller capacity bikes. I have a road-legal 750 which I mainly use for trackdays and just cannot enjoy it on the road. I would quite happily have a 400cc sportsbike that I could ride at 90% on the roads as well as a small 60's style scrambler: Upright, lightweight, wide bars, low seat, good space for a pillion. Wouldn't need to do more than 70/80 mph just something very relaxed for a 'jeans and t-shirt' bimble. Both would have to be less than 5 grand.

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 22:20


mikeprytherch
NO

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 22:20


Fred Santos
In the emergent markets like here in Brazil, the sprotbikes leap is huge. Let's thinks in Brazillians Reals:

The first one, a street bike
Honda CG 150 - 7000
Yamaha YBR - 6500

Therefore, a baby naked street Bike
Yamaha YS250 Fazer - 12000
Honda CB300 - 12600

Little Sports
CBR 250 - 16.500
Ninja 250R - 16.500

the next step are a 600cc
Kawasaki Ninja 650R - 28.990
CBR 600F - 33.000

If you want a RR, prepare for the kill:
CBR600RR - 49.000
ZX-6R - 46.000
GSX-750R - 48.900

And now, if you want a Liter one...
Prepare your wallet for more than 58000 BRL.

Mid class range are nice. My wallet can afford now a 400cc twin easily.

Posted: 25/07/2012 at 22:44


Hugh G. Rection
Are 400cc twins the next sports bike trend?


I hope not!

Posted: 26/07/2012 at 10:37


iandaytona
Of little interest to me personally but can see why this may be the case.
New licenceing laws would make them attractive to new riders, sporty, not alot of power but enought to be fun.
Twins, more powerful than a single, not as peaky as a four, giving useful all round performance and economy, and yes they could be cheap.

They would/should be small and light, with low seat heights making them attractive to the increasing number of lady riders.

Posted: 26/07/2012 at 16:59


our man in Bangkok
None of this is for "the west"... We are an insignificant market.
We buy scooters, 125's and super bikes for inflated prices.

400cc are needed to be competitive in Asia and South America.. the biggest growing markets. The biggest opportunities for new revenues.

Once the 400 is tooled, why not sell it to the other markets.
Especially for the potential for massive mark ups we pay in Europe (India's 1600 pound KTM 200 which costs 3500 pounds in the UK)

Whether Europe takes it on not... 400's will be built.

Posted: 26/07/2012 at 18:36


Anthony DeVincenzo
My 550 cc twin in my Aprilia SXV is a pretty damn awesome ride. Supermoto twin and its awesome!!! You would have to keep the weight way down on the sportbikes to make them fun.

Posted: 26/07/2012 at 20:53


Jamie Briggs
Personally, I think this would be great, especially in my area, we don't have motorways, just A and B roads on the Isle of Wight. Add to this, loads of speed cameras about on Sundays when everyone goes out for a ride. Focussing on just great handling, a 400cc twin would be brilliant. I'd expect about 60 bhp from one of these stock, but as it'd be a twin, nice load of usable torque lower down.

The more I think about one of these, the more I want one.

Posted: 27/07/2012 at 13:25


Leon Trotsky
Historically, I always recall Japanese 400s being suitable only for the enthusiastically vertically-challenged, which is great for smaller riders but not so good for taller people who wish to avoid the overhead of a season ticket to the chiropractors.
Anyway, good step between the 250s and 600s but I guess they stopped selling them in Europe as they weren't selling enough - has the number of potential buyers for a 400cc bike suddenly ballooned? Perhaps; nanny state speed limits and police farces obsessed with nicking road users make big bikes "challenging" and presumably a 400 twin would do a billion to the gallon, which is a good thing when it's £6+ for eight pints of distilled dead dinosaur.

Posted: 27/07/2012 at 15:16


alan butler
Lets make moto2 interesting by using 400cc twins.Many companies would compete and make this class a true GP class.This would be much better than the present dumb Honda races.Alan B.

Posted: 30/07/2012 at 07:50

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