400s?!

So i've started looking at bikes for when my license becomes unrestricted, the current plan is to buy one cheap that needs a bit of work and get it sorted over the next 18 months of being on a restricted lisence.
Been looking at 600s and they're all a bit... obvious... so i've been looking into 400s (400 sports...obv)
The options are
ZXR400, CBR400, FZR400, VFR400, GSXR400

I'm leaning towards the later FZR's the 90-95 model (with the sharp diving front end) and the GSXR 400. Probably more so toward the FZR...

I know that most 400s are grey imports and parts aren't always the easiest things to come by, and before anybody says anything i know i like making my life difficult, but has anybody owned any of them, i've not ruled ANY out yet, or know much about them?
I'm still not 100% about it but its in my thunkings :D

I've been doing a bit of reading and am seeing mixed reviews of them all and they all seem to be a bit vague about it all.

OPINIONS PLEASE! ;D

Cheers ;)

Owned an NC24 VFR400 (the one before the NC30, 16" front wheel...) and an NC23 Triarm CBR400RR, TOP bike! VERY fast with excellent handling.

Get yourself on 400greybike.com, top 400 import forum ;)


http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...0/DSC05053.jpg

Be aware these bikes will be +/- 20 years old and will have seen a LOT of abuse, good panels are hard to come by....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 470four

Owned an NC24 VFR400 (the one before the NC30, 16" front wheel...) and an NC23 Triarm CBR400RR, TOP bike! VERY fast with excellent handling.

Get yourself on 400greybike.com, top 400 import forum ;)


http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...0/DSC05053.jpg

Be aware these bikes will be +/- 20 years old and will have seen a LOT of abuse, good panels are hard to come by....

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Cool stuff just what i wanted to hear ;D
Will check out that site :]
I'm not too fussed about OEM panels tbh if they're in a state then its quite easy to find plastics to replace them. Not glamorous but they tidy it up ;]
Still only in the thinking stages atm but i'm very tempted, i may or may not have had a sneaky peak on biketrader ^^

The GSX-R is good fun, but the CBR's are more numerous.

As 470 says, get on 400greybike.

Take a look at ZXR 400s. Great little bikes that will teach you a lot about riding . When you get to the point where your getting the best out of one , you'll have no problems with a bigger bike .

Sean is probably right, but I would always choose the RVF400 (which is missing from your list!) just because even for a 400, it still has that 'wow' factor and is still a gorgeous little bike by todays standards!

Tough to find ones that haven't had the arse ragged off them though... It's a bit like trying to find an M3, or an impreza, that has been driven 'kindly' for it's life!

400's are a bit like 125s in that a lot of youngsters get them, who dont have the money or inclination to look after them and service them like they need, given the thrashing they normally get. But find a well treated one and it will give you plenty of years of good fun.

The RVF is missing SF because for one with a half decent engine you'd be looking at 3k+ whereas you can get a decent baby blade for about 1.2k and a VFR for about 1.9k
etc.etc. and tbh i'm not that keen on the looks either :(

Will go on 400greybike at the weekend and have a look see!

LOVED my Triarm.... solid build, HOWLED up to a 14,500 redline, would easily keep up with litre-bikes!

One of the original big-bike-baiters, LOTS will have been on track at some point so check for lockwire, drilled sump-plugs etc...

Only sold it as I wanted a Doocat - also something a bit more pillion friendly. :D

RVF's are FILTH. 8-)

The CBR's are arguably easier to work on being an inline 4-cylinder, the VFR's are a NIGHTMARE to change plugs on unless you are eight-years old or have two elbows per arm? Also a tad heavier due to the engine design, the V4 of the VFR's will however give you a bit more bottom end pull & an EPIC exhaust note! Both the Triarms & the VFR NC30's have gear-driven cams which will whistle at high revs in a turbo-stylee :D

Have to say i had the Rvf nc35 and what a bike that is, great cornering ability and plenty enough speed to keep up with bigger bikes. My mate had a tunned vfr 400 and that was a great little bike too.

The FZR and ZXR were both sold officially in the UK at some point and so parts are easier to locate.

Regardless of how good these things are (a mate had a VFR400 in the mid 90s), most are now getting on. They were also often owned by novices who thrashed them unmercilessly. In the 90s when insuranced worked differently (much more on CC than outright statistical risk), they were popular due to the high performance but low insurance cost - this may not hold so true now, as insurance companies know that they are likely to be written-off easily as parts are scarce/expensive.

Nothing wrong with a good one - many are getting sought-after/collectable, but for a fixer-upper with plenty of parts on fleabay, you are far better off with an early noughties 600/750 for the same money.

HTH

dont write off the idea of an RVF, deals are out there.
my mate has one, he paid 1200 for it! it was VERY shabby, but panels are available from Tyga and i grafted a cagiva mito rear end on it (copy of a 916) and it looks the muts!.
the FZR is ok, go for the SP model if you can.
the fastest and most tunable is the ZXR.
the hondas with gear driven cams sound nice but you cant skim the heads if you ever wanted to, theyre also a bit of a 'mare to get the carbs in and out being a V format.
every GSXR4 ive ever known has had electrical problems.....

if it was me tho i think id spend a grand on a CBR4 (NC29) just for the looks....

yh I've not written off the VFR I'm just not looking at it as a likely possibility as they're so much harder to get at the right price. If one comes up when I'm looking to buy one then ill look at it the same as any other.

I had a VFR400 NC30 and I must say it was a fantastic bike, Fitted a M-max kit to disable the speed limiter (Jap imports are limited to 113mph). Knocked out the washer midway down the standard stainless end can and I had a full power 130mph bike that handled better than most bikes on the road.

The NC30's were officially imported into the UK for a few years, these were fitted with a oil cooler I believe but the imports were not. Only advantage with the RVF over the VFR was they had a 17in rear wheel compared to the 18in in the VFR, oh and they looked better some might say??

I wish I could afford another NC30 now. 400's are great fast, light good on fuel etc. What ever you get you'll love it George. :) :)

The FZR is too fragile. You'll spend more time fixing it than riding it. ZXR is quick, but gutless below 8000rpm. The GSXR isn't much better. If it were my money, it would be a toss up between a VFR and a CBR. The Mrs had a VFR and it was ace. You can make people on bigger bikes look pretty stupid in the twisties. The CBR is a better everyday bike. Just as torquey, just as fast, nearly as sharp in the twisties, but a bit more comfy and forgiving on the road. :)

CBR400RR NC29, owed one for several years in mid 90's, great bike, did a few track days on it to. ;) ;)

:) :)

Gorgeous bike there razor. Must say I'm getting more and more tempted by the 400RR, solid engine, not too uncommon so parts are easy enough to get, enough about to be pretty cheap, and great looks too... hmmmmm

Love the sound of the vfr400, totally diferent from the rest of the bunch.