Kawasaki announced at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan that the naked version of the top-selling Ninja 400 - the Z400 - will officially be making its way to New Zealand shores in early 2019.
When Kawasaki New Zealand launched the Ninja 400 in February of this year, it was assumed it was only a matter of time before the naked Z400 would arrive. That was confirmed overnight as Kawasaki unveiled the new Z400 alongside other new models for the 2019 model year at the EICMA show in Milan.
The 2019 Z400 will arrive in New Zealand in February of 2019, with a price that is yet to be disclosed.
With an engine displacement of 399cc , the new Zed delivers significantly increased performance compared to its predecessor with the 33.4 kW on tap a full 4.4kW up on the Z300.
Kawasaki claims the higher performance can largely be credited to the new downdraft intake - rather than the outright increase in cubic capacity, which is accompanied by a larger airbox offering increased intake efficiency.
In terms of personality, Kawasaki says the increased performance over the Z300 is complemented by a rider-friendly character; the smooth response and abundant low-end torque facilitate throttle control for new and experienced riders alike. Being a 400, the new Zed falls easily into the LAMS class.
Just like the Ninja 400, the frame of the new Zed takes inspiration from the H2 with a steel trellis style frame. The engine is rigid-mounted and is also used as a stressed member of the chassis as a whole. The new frame design contributes significantly to the bike’s low curb mass - which comes in at 3kg lighter than the outgoing Z300.
Styling wise, the Z400 takes its lead from the larger Z650, with the same stacked instrument cluster as the larger bike and a similar looking headlight assembly. However, the new bike rolls out with LED lighting as standard, which definitely adds to the appeal.
Kawasaki also has prepared a list of factory accessories for riders to customise their Z400 more to their direct needs. With everything from ergonomic seats to windscreens and crash bungs, the new Zed has plenty of optional extras ready to go.
The Z400 will arrive in New Zealand in February in two colours, green and red, which correspond to those which Australia also gets as the only other LAMS spec country.
