So this will be my first ever motorcycle. I’ve always been partial to the Kawasaki Ninja going back to the original ZX-7. Some say a 400 is the better starter bike while others say a 600 is a better starter bike. I’m 6’3 but I cycle so an aggressive seating position is actually comfortable to me. I went to the dealer and sat on the Ninja 400 and it felt just like my racing bicycle just the handlebars are a going to be a bit getting used to. My hands are actually in a different position from my body on my racing bike than on the Ninja 400. I have a few days to make up my mind, so any thoughts. 400 or 600 as the better starter motorcycle. Thanks in advance.
Tberd771
I’ll keep it short, get the 400...
I’ve owned a few 600’s (and many other bikes) over the years. The Ninja 400 is a better bike to learn on in my opinion. The power band is just right...
I’ve owned a few 600’s (and many other bikes) over the years. The Ninja 400 is a better bike to learn on in my opinion. The power band is just right...
TL;DR Because I ranted, go the Ninja 400. I didn't and regret it.
Agreed. I've kind of done things backwards. Started off with a Street Triple 660 (AU, learner approved), killed it, bought a S1000RR (still own). I've now bought a Ninja 400 in December.
Honestly, every time I ride the Ninja 400 I regret not having started on something like it. The thin wheels make it tip so easy, it weighs so little compared to my other bikes that it feels like riding a toy. How quick you can lean it in to corners is really confidence inspiring, and not being able to twist the throttle and hit dumb speeds makes you stretch your braking points out without feeling like you're going to die.
I ride with a friend that has a ZX6R. Generally he's always been faster than me, even when I've had the faster bike.
Our first ride on the 400's I was up his ass the whole way, he'd pull away a bit on some straight bits, but soon as the corners hit I'd be right there.
It has also made me faster on the S1000RR. Knowing I can dump the 400 around corners like they are nothing has made me trust the bike more, and be able to lean more without feeling like I'm hitting limits. The little 400 boosted my confidence, and trust in the bike. So on that I'm now leading or up his ass. So it teaches you to be a better rider.
It's also really dumb, forgiving, and fun to ride. I guess you may lose some of this if its a first bike, but going from my bigger bike to the 400 feels like the whole "Scooty Puff Jr" deal from Futurama, and because it feels like a little toy it feels like you can be silly with it and really push it. The lightweight and lower power make it easier to recover if you mess up / prevent you from messing up too much.
I bought the Ninja 400 as a budget track/race bike, but I've really been enjoying it on the twisty roads as well. So much so that I generally pick it over the S1KRR when there isn't a specific reason not to use it. I'm going to miss it TBH, as I've modded the Ninja 400 at this point a bit more than I'd like to take on road, so will probably just let the rego lapse.
Agreed. I've kind of done things backwards. Started off with a Street Triple 660 (AU, learner approved), killed it, bought a S1000RR (still own). I've now bought a Ninja 400 in December.
Honestly, every time I ride the Ninja 400 I regret not having started on something like it. The thin wheels make it tip so easy, it weighs so little compared to my other bikes that it feels like riding a toy. How quick you can lean it in to corners is really confidence inspiring, and not being able to twist the throttle and hit dumb speeds makes you stretch your braking points out without feeling like you're going to die.
I ride with a friend that has a ZX6R. Generally he's always been faster than me, even when I've had the faster bike.
Our first ride on the 400's I was up his ass the whole way, he'd pull away a bit on some straight bits, but soon as the corners hit I'd be right there.
It has also made me faster on the S1000RR. Knowing I can dump the 400 around corners like they are nothing has made me trust the bike more, and be able to lean more without feeling like I'm hitting limits. The little 400 boosted my confidence, and trust in the bike. So on that I'm now leading or up his ass. So it teaches you to be a better rider.
It's also really dumb, forgiving, and fun to ride. I guess you may lose some of this if its a first bike, but going from my bigger bike to the 400 feels like the whole "Scooty Puff Jr" deal from Futurama, and because it feels like a little toy it feels like you can be silly with it and really push it. The lightweight and lower power make it easier to recover if you mess up / prevent you from messing up too much.
I bought the Ninja 400 as a budget track/race bike, but I've really been enjoying it on the twisty roads as well. So much so that I generally pick it over the S1KRR when there isn't a specific reason not to use it. I'm going to miss it TBH, as I've modded the Ninja 400 at this point a bit more than I'd like to take on road, so will probably just let the rego lapse.
I can relate. I have the S1000R and a Ducati 750 Supersport. The Ninja gets more miles and more smiles. I've been riding and doing track days for 40 years and have owned and ridden almost everything out there-the Ninja gets my vote for the most fun all rounder. I now have one for street and one set up for track. The S1000R is going away in the spring...waaaay too fast for my brain to keep up with and too heavy to load up after a day of track riding.
There’s a guy on YouTube “SRK Cycles” who says basically everything you just did. It hit home for me with auto racing. I became a better driver at the track when I moved into a small lightweight vehicle that I could toss into corners harder. It made me faster everywhere because I learned higher limits.
i feel pretty good about my choice. I’m looking to be a good rider, not the flashiest in a straight line.
i feel pretty good about my choice. I’m looking to be a good rider, not the flashiest in a straight line.
Welcome to da forum. 
Dunno which is a better starter bike for ya, I do know the 400 is an incredible value, n great, well balanced package.
Dunno which is a better starter bike for ya, I do know the 400 is an incredible value, n great, well balanced package.
The Ninja 400 is an amazing starter bike, yet it still has enough power and speed to get you in trouble. With that being said, people have been killed on bicycles for a perspective. It may be all the motorcycle you ever need, fun to ride, and should not leave you wanting more. I absolutely love mine and I am definitely not in the minority!
Contrary to popular belief, 600, 750, and 1000 (super sports) are not hard motorcycles to ride. At low speeds, they are very easy to ride and control. Besides the aggressive riding position, they are no different than riding any other motorcycle and kind of have split temperaments. At low speeds, they can be smooth and fairly predictable.
Where people get into trouble is they have very powerful brakes and (especially) very fast acceleration, with most of them 0-60 around 3 seconds and top out at 155 MPH plus (with 1000cc closer to 190 MPH). If you ride like a jackass, you can get over your head quickly on one and you can indeed end up riding over your ability instantly. The main problem with them is temptation, like buying a known fast car. You will be tempted to test out the performance and race the guy in the Honda revving his engine next to you. That is why they make poor choices as starter motorcycles, temptation and a new rider lacks the skills to max out a scooter! (sounds ridiculous, but very true).
If you whisky throttle it, you can end up getting hurt badly because it will simply do what you tell it to do. There is no rider aid for stupidity, remember that!
600, 750, 1000 Supersports (vs any other motorcycle)
-Most brutal acceleration
-Most powerful brakes
-Throttle tube throw (goes from "I am cruising." to "HOLY ****!" with a quick blip of the throttle)
-Aggressive riding stance
-Lots of power compared to weight
-You spend a lot of time watching the speedometer, especially if police are in the vicinity
-To me, they have the best sound (inline 4 sound is sweet)
Ninja 400 (or Z400 if you like the naked version)
-Beginning rider friendly and much safer to start on plus grow into
-Plenty fast enough and can be made even faster
-May be all the motorcycle you ever need
-Plenty of modifications available
-Cheap cost (relative to what you get)
-Cheap insurance
-Cheap on fuel with good economy
-Comfortable for most
-Just awesome
-The Ninja 400 is a much better track bike than a Z400
Lastly, there is no such thing as "growing out of a motorcycle", other than in a person's head. The Ninja 400 is still as fast or faster than a lot of sports cars as far as acceleration and you can always take it to the track and find out you are not as fast as you think with it!
While I did start on a 2004 GSXR 600, I can honestly say the Ninja 400 has made me a better rider in a little over a month than the GSXR ever did.
Contrary to popular belief, 600, 750, and 1000 (super sports) are not hard motorcycles to ride. At low speeds, they are very easy to ride and control. Besides the aggressive riding position, they are no different than riding any other motorcycle and kind of have split temperaments. At low speeds, they can be smooth and fairly predictable.
Where people get into trouble is they have very powerful brakes and (especially) very fast acceleration, with most of them 0-60 around 3 seconds and top out at 155 MPH plus (with 1000cc closer to 190 MPH). If you ride like a jackass, you can get over your head quickly on one and you can indeed end up riding over your ability instantly. The main problem with them is temptation, like buying a known fast car. You will be tempted to test out the performance and race the guy in the Honda revving his engine next to you. That is why they make poor choices as starter motorcycles, temptation and a new rider lacks the skills to max out a scooter! (sounds ridiculous, but very true).
If you whisky throttle it, you can end up getting hurt badly because it will simply do what you tell it to do. There is no rider aid for stupidity, remember that!
600, 750, 1000 Supersports (vs any other motorcycle)
-Most brutal acceleration
-Most powerful brakes
-Throttle tube throw (goes from "I am cruising." to "HOLY ****!" with a quick blip of the throttle)
-Aggressive riding stance
-Lots of power compared to weight
-You spend a lot of time watching the speedometer, especially if police are in the vicinity
-To me, they have the best sound (inline 4 sound is sweet)
Ninja 400 (or Z400 if you like the naked version)
-Beginning rider friendly and much safer to start on plus grow into
-Plenty fast enough and can be made even faster
-May be all the motorcycle you ever need
-Plenty of modifications available
-Cheap cost (relative to what you get)
-Cheap insurance
-Cheap on fuel with good economy
-Comfortable for most
-Just awesome
-The Ninja 400 is a much better track bike than a Z400
Lastly, there is no such thing as "growing out of a motorcycle", other than in a person's head. The Ninja 400 is still as fast or faster than a lot of sports cars as far as acceleration and you can always take it to the track and find out you are not as fast as you think with it!
While I did start on a 2004 GSXR 600, I can honestly say the Ninja 400 has made me a better rider in a little over a month than the GSXR ever did.
I'll recommend the all-rounder 400 over the dedicated racer 600. You are new to riding so my guess is that you might not yet know what type of rider you'll become. The 400 will be more flexible and let you try a greater variety of riding.
I started on a cruiser thinking that was what I wanted. The traditional American icon must have endured for a reason, right? But I soon switched to mild sportbikes like the Ninja 650R that I had for about 11 years, and now my Ninja 400. I found the sportbikes to be more comfortable on long highway trips and they are much more easily managed on twisty mountain roads or in urban traffic than the heavier cruiser. So whatever you choose, just be aware that your riding style may change as you gain experience and try new things, like cross country travel or racing.
The 400 will be more of an everything bike, while the 600 supersport is really dedicated toward racing instead of being an all-rounder. Go with the 400 and learn from it. It's easy to ride and the more upright stance will help you to look around in traffic. (Ok, my supersport experience is limited to about 80 miles on a ZX-10R, but I found it noticeably more difficult to look around and behind in city traffic than my Ninja 650R I rode at that time.) These 400s have more than enough power for any US highway, and are even good at quick passes on two-lanes (you'll also learn more skills, like dropping down a gear while revving the engine to accelerate quickly in a high speed pass). Additionally, all things being equal, you'll have less money into the 400 so you won't take as much of a hit on depreciation if you do decide that you want something different after riding for a year or two.
Oh, and I'll echo some of the cautions above about the abrupt power on a supersport. Just search "whiskey throttle" for some informative videos about what not to do with a new bike.
I started on a cruiser thinking that was what I wanted. The traditional American icon must have endured for a reason, right? But I soon switched to mild sportbikes like the Ninja 650R that I had for about 11 years, and now my Ninja 400. I found the sportbikes to be more comfortable on long highway trips and they are much more easily managed on twisty mountain roads or in urban traffic than the heavier cruiser. So whatever you choose, just be aware that your riding style may change as you gain experience and try new things, like cross country travel or racing.
The 400 will be more of an everything bike, while the 600 supersport is really dedicated toward racing instead of being an all-rounder. Go with the 400 and learn from it. It's easy to ride and the more upright stance will help you to look around in traffic. (Ok, my supersport experience is limited to about 80 miles on a ZX-10R, but I found it noticeably more difficult to look around and behind in city traffic than my Ninja 650R I rode at that time.) These 400s have more than enough power for any US highway, and are even good at quick passes on two-lanes (you'll also learn more skills, like dropping down a gear while revving the engine to accelerate quickly in a high speed pass). Additionally, all things being equal, you'll have less money into the 400 so you won't take as much of a hit on depreciation if you do decide that you want something different after riding for a year or two.
Oh, and I'll echo some of the cautions above about the abrupt power on a supersport. Just search "whiskey throttle" for some informative videos about what not to do with a new bike.
Just for Sh!ts and G!ggles, go sign up at the ZX6 forum and pose this same question...
I bet your answers will be quite different...LOL
I bet your answers will be quite different...LOL
I started on an 05’ GSXR 750. Granted I had grown up riding dirt bikes but still... way too much bike. Super sport 600s are too much bike for beginners.
Put it this way, I have done a lot of track days on my old CBR 600 track bike. Now I am tracking a ninja 400.
If you want to build a good foundation and have fun, get a ninja 400
You may not get yourself killed starting on a SS 600 but you most certainly will have more fun and build a better foundation starting on a 400.
Put it this way, I have done a lot of track days on my old CBR 600 track bike. Now I am tracking a ninja 400.
If you want to build a good foundation and have fun, get a ninja 400
You may not get yourself killed starting on a SS 600 but you most certainly will have more fun and build a better foundation starting on a 400.
Yeah, my Ninja 400 is modded a bit now, but here is a funny story. This literally happened two days ago (4/13/2021).
We all know the Yamaha R6 is a very quick motorcycle, even among supersports, so this is a little indicator of the Ninja 400 being "fast enough".
I was riding in Beecher Illinois on Route 1 and about to get on 394, heading towards Crete (I ride through here a lot for not much traffic, faster roads, and decent scenery).
So a guy riding a blue Yamaha R6 passes me like nothing (think he saw me ahead of him and decided to whiz by). We end up at the light and were about to go on the expressway, I nod at him and he does the same. The light turns green, and I let him go first, then as soon as I turn the corner I gun it (my first performance test of my new mods). I pass him like he is standing still and then I hear his engine gun as well and see him coming up to me but slowly. We get off the expressway and start heading into Crete, there is a straightaway there after the turn.
After turning, I gunned it again and got up to 90 pretty quickly, he follows suit and it takes him a bit to catch up to me and eventually, by the time we are in town, he catches up to me and is right behind me. I turned into the first gas station to go to put gas in my Ninja 400 and I saw him follow me.
I get off my bike and pop up my modular helmet, and he comes up next to me and he asks me, "What IS that? That thing is quick!" I told him, "It is a 2021 Ninja 400 ABS" and point at the emblem, he seemed really surprised. I told him I do have a full exhaust and Power Commander V on it, along with other support mods (O2 Eliminator, Smog block off plate) and a generic Akrapovic tune on it.
He actually said he thought I was on a newer Ninja 636, which I am sure would have given his R6 a run for his money. I praised his motorcycle and asked him what he had done to it, just an Akrapovic slip on and fender eliminator. He said it was a 2020 blue Yamaha R6 and man, what a beautiful bike! We chatted a bit then he had to go, so I told him I would see him around and take care.
If a R6 owner is calling this a "quick motorcycle", it is no dog, that is for sure! While his R6 would eat the Ninja 400 alive in a race, even I was surprised how quickly I passed him and it did take him a bit to catch up to me. It has respectable speed and power and my mods have made it even faster.
We all know the Yamaha R6 is a very quick motorcycle, even among supersports, so this is a little indicator of the Ninja 400 being "fast enough".
I was riding in Beecher Illinois on Route 1 and about to get on 394, heading towards Crete (I ride through here a lot for not much traffic, faster roads, and decent scenery).
So a guy riding a blue Yamaha R6 passes me like nothing (think he saw me ahead of him and decided to whiz by). We end up at the light and were about to go on the expressway, I nod at him and he does the same. The light turns green, and I let him go first, then as soon as I turn the corner I gun it (my first performance test of my new mods). I pass him like he is standing still and then I hear his engine gun as well and see him coming up to me but slowly. We get off the expressway and start heading into Crete, there is a straightaway there after the turn.
After turning, I gunned it again and got up to 90 pretty quickly, he follows suit and it takes him a bit to catch up to me and eventually, by the time we are in town, he catches up to me and is right behind me. I turned into the first gas station to go to put gas in my Ninja 400 and I saw him follow me.
I get off my bike and pop up my modular helmet, and he comes up next to me and he asks me, "What IS that? That thing is quick!" I told him, "It is a 2021 Ninja 400 ABS" and point at the emblem, he seemed really surprised. I told him I do have a full exhaust and Power Commander V on it, along with other support mods (O2 Eliminator, Smog block off plate) and a generic Akrapovic tune on it.
He actually said he thought I was on a newer Ninja 636, which I am sure would have given his R6 a run for his money. I praised his motorcycle and asked him what he had done to it, just an Akrapovic slip on and fender eliminator. He said it was a 2020 blue Yamaha R6 and man, what a beautiful bike! We chatted a bit then he had to go, so I told him I would see him around and take care.
If a R6 owner is calling this a "quick motorcycle", it is no dog, that is for sure! While his R6 would eat the Ninja 400 alive in a race, even I was surprised how quickly I passed him and it did take him a bit to catch up to me. It has respectable speed and power and my mods have made it even faster.
The N400 is a great starter bike, it’s also a great bike to keep. I bought it as my fist street bike, (have dirt bikes as well) and commuted for 2 years on it. Also did many Sunday rides on the twisties. It was great for both. However it is a bit cramped for a 1 hour long commute. I put just under 40K miles on it commuting and weekend riding and glade I did. I made some mistakes on the twisties and it was very forgiving. A 600 would not have been forgiving...
I have upgraded my commuter to a BMW F800ST, but still have the N400. I commute on the BMW and ride the N400 on the weekends. My plan is to keep the N400 as my weekend ride.
I have upgraded my commuter to a BMW F800ST, but still have the N400. I commute on the BMW and ride the N400 on the weekends. My plan is to keep the N400 as my weekend ride.
I have also got the Ninja 400 as my first bike and i am planning to keep it all my life, i have more and faster bikes but the 400 is special.
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