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I bought my Z400 with the intent of riding well into my Senior years. I mostly ride in the twisties near Santa Cruz CA but have moved farther North so now forced to ride more freeway to get there. Just thought I'd share what my Z400 looks like, going on two years and a list of mods. Latest is a full Musarri Exhaust System. Vagabond Fender eliminator, Larger Kawasaki Screen, Sharai lithium battery, Spears Racing clutch springs, Norton Motorsports seat, 15 tooth front sprocket, Zeta bar risers (1'up, 1' back), Kawasakibrad.com evap and pair valve eliminated, 02 sensor elimination (ordered), Custom fork work and preload adjusters (this week), shorty levers (generic), Bar end mirrors (generic, some custom work)....and Grip Puppies. Upon installing the full exhaust I thought it would run like garbage without a proper flash however it now runs much smoother, quieter, and the temperature gauge runs much cooler. The CAT retained a lot of heat. Also it doesn't pop and crackle like when I had the CAT and Coffman's.
Kawasakibrad says his 02 elimination plug adds 3% more fuel to the mixture. I do not race just a old guy riding the canyons so I may avoid flashing the ecu.
Please post some of your photos, would like to see some Z400s!!

 

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Beautiful!

Interested in those mirrors. Any info would be helpful.

I took a chance on an no name Chinese brand that turned out to be very good quality. Had to ream the mount holes bigger. A lot of fiddling with the view angle. Kawasaki used locktite on the barend weights so you you need a rattle gun to remove them, or the bolt could break. They were about $35.

 

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Hey, bike looks awesome. Adding a full system will definitely make the engine run hotter because it further leans out the mixture so it must be an elusion. I can't stress how much better the engine will run with a proper ECU flash but that is obviously not a must have, but it certainly will actually allow the engine run a lot cooler, smother, and increase performance by improving the fuel maps.

I've ridden it on two 150 mile canyon rides and the temp gauge is now always in the middle. I've got 5,500 miles on her, just relaying my observations. I fully intended to flash the ecu but its running so sweet right now. I'm in email contact with Kawasakibrad.com and purchased a 02 sensor eliminator plug. He told me his plug is programmed to deliver 3% more fuel. Used to get 60 mpg, the full exhaust dropped it to 57 mpg so it is using more fuel now.

 

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Here is mine:
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And with my luggage (older pic, without the slip-on, heated grips and windscreen:
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Pretty machine! I've never seen a white Z400. How many mile do you have and have you been able to tour on her?

 

[Flash Bantam]

Hey Flash, where are you on the 02 dummy plug? Adds 3% huh?⁹

Will go for a proper canyon ride soon but installed it and removed the 02 sensor. Rode it around and did a short freeway ride. I need to do a real ride before I can decide if I like the feel. Will look for throttle response, feeling and milage. Got 60 mpg stock, 57 with full exhaust and with this 02 dummy plug added will probably get 56 mpg due to more fuel in the mixture. I get back about this.

 

[Flash Bantam]

Thanks, keep us in the loop
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Update: Stock ecu and the full Musarri exhaust with silencer installed, 02sensor removed and plugged, replaced with an kawasakibrad dummy plug. Rode 100 miles today with freeway up to 90, extreme twisty canyon roads and high speed coastal highway. The temperature gauge never rose above 4 bars, mostly at 3 bars. She just purred like a kitten at all rpm. Had professional suspension work done so I'm riding with more confidence in the tight stuff. 56.5 mpg, I don't ride at race pace. I'm very happy with my Z400, it's just a super little machine!

 

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Did the Kawibrad plug help twitchy throttle?

The Z400 came alive when I removed the stock exhaust (the Cat / Coffman's) and installed the Musarri full exhaust system. It now feels like I don't have to pull the throttle grip as far to excellerate. The engine is running smoother and effortlessly. In my case the bike runs almost identical with the stock 02 sensor or with the 02 delete dummy plug. I may switch back and forth for more comparison. Haven't touched the airbox, still has the stock filter so that is a future project.

 

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Got me a set of bar end mirrors so I can be cool like Flash.
🐉 View attachment 19330

Dig your wind screen! I would like more protection on the freeway. Is the ride quieter? Does it buffet your helmet at high speeds? Is it adjustable? How is it mounted? Figured I ask all at once.

Team Green baby View attachment 19277 View attachment 19278
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Mighty fine stable!

 

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Its a Puig. 5022. I think. Ride is much more protected, very little buffeting. Wind shear hits at rhe top of the visor. Completely protects upper torso because its wider than most. Somewhat adjustable but not a lot. Rests on the top of the dash cowl with a neoprene strip for cushioning, and clamps to the bars. Very stable, been on the bike since it was 2 weeks old. Would put the same one on again.
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I just looked it up. Now that I'm riding more freeway to get to the Twisties, this Puig 5022 may do the trick. Price is just over $100 (plus tax and shipping).

 

[Flash Bantam]

Then why is the engine running BETTER? NOTABLY better. It runs cooler, it actually wheelies in 1st gear with just throttle input (no clutching), and there is NO popping from the exhaust.

There's theory and then there is actual. The actual in this case is pretty compelling.

BUT, as an experiment, I did just yesterday order an Oxygen sensor eliminator from KawasakiBrad. He tells me that the replacement signal it sends to the ECU (to keep the check engine light off) causes the ECU to richen the AFR by 2 to 3%.

I'm thinking that if what you and others have said about AFR is true (an in general it IS true), the O2 eliminator should get me just a bit more power and a little bit more cooling (although not enough extra cooling to necessarily drop another full bar on the temperature gage).

I base that on analyzing the many dyno charts that Jesse Norton, Graves, and others have produced showing the effects of multiple mods on the 400.

After studying those dyno charts, what I have concluded is that:

1. Any good full exhaust that eliminates the CAT and also increases flow via a better flowing header adds more power than anything else, EVEN WHEN NO TUNE IS ADDED (check Jesse's dyno charts closely yourself)

2. The currently popular velocity stack and airbox mod adds about half again as much power as a good exhaust (But i don't want to do that mod because having done it on 2 other bikes, a Yamaha R3 and a Kawasaki Z125, I know it works but it affects power at mostly very high rpm, and changes the intake sound in a way I really dislike)

3. The tune, if you actually look very closely at the dyno charts, improves throttle response and engine smoothness by richening low rpm and part throttle operation, and probably helps the cooling, but adds only minimally to peak power.

MY theory is that the 400 engine is a real powerhouse whose OEM performance is severely hampered by the COMBINATION of the CAT and the ECU's programming in response to O2 sensor signalling. A good full exhaust takes care of the CAT problem, and an O2 Eliminator that not only removes the O2 signal but replaces it with a signal that calls for a 2 ro 3% richer AFR, can combine to produce some pretty good results. Not AS good as a real tune, and not as good as adding the velocity stacks and airbox mod, but notably less costly and more pleasing to my ears.

I hope I am correct in what I think the O2 Eliminator might do. I'll let you guys know once i have received and installed it.

Jim G

I agree 100%. I rode another 100 miles yesterday which included high speed freeway and incredible twisty fun canyon carving. Ambient temperature was about 75f. My temperature gauge never rose above 4 bars and mostly was at 3. It used to rise so high that I thought it would over heat. At 6K, I know this machine very well, with the full exhaust it runs cooler, smoother, no back fires, and is using more fuel. Used to get 59-60 mpg now gets 55 mpg. All of this without an ecu flash. Just sharing information with forum members. In CA we don't have any smog inspection, even when buying or selling hense removed evap, ais, 02 sensor and Catalytic.

 

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Well I intended for Z400 owners to post some current photos here, but my post got hijacked.

Here is an excerpt from a private letter from Kawasakibrad: My O2 Eliminators are designed to make the ECU think the bike is running a bit leaner than it should. The ECU then adds a bit of fuel (about 3% based on the signal) and doesn't change anymore since it doesn't get feedback from the stock O2 (which is now gone). However, it's not enough of a change or lack of feedback to trigger any safety modes or a check engine light.

I love the way my Z400 is running right now and how it looks so that's all that matters to me. Feels like I'm being called out for just sharing my findings.

 

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You were doing fine in your argument until you said what I have highighted in red font. That is NOT correct. Yes, the O2 sensor is no longer sending a signal, BUT it is NOT true that the ECU falls back to the default fuel table, since the O2 Eliminator is providing a signal that tells the ECU to enrich the mixture by 2 to 3%.

Your Hayabusa example was also rather inapplicable since neither Flash Bantom nor I are experiencing any high rpm issues. On the contrary, both our 400s are running much BETTER at high rpm, and the O2 Eliminator should enhance that further by richening the mixture.

No one here is trying to argue that a real tune is not better. Sure it is. But it is not always necessary, and it's costly for some of us who have to ship internationally, and FlashBantom's and my experiences prove that it is not always necessary. And, Norton's and Graves's dyno charts also show that clearly - if you ever bother to look them up. Don't ask me to post links. You can find them on both websites rather easily. And if you then actually LOOK closely at them, you will see what I have been saying all along.

FlashBantom already has the O2 Eliminator and has described his bike's performance. I have already recently posted separately on my plans to test the KawasakiBrad O2 Eliminator in a thread in the engine performance subforum. I will post my results too once I have the eliminator in hand and have tested it a reasonable period of time. Until then, I'm going to not comment further. There's no point. It's like trying to convince an anti-vaccer to get vaccinated, or a Trump supporter that the January 6th event was just a bunch of tourists visiting the capital. In the meantime, let's just let the thread go back to what FlashBantom, the initial thread starter, intended: a PHOTO thread of members' 400s. Here's a photo of mine:

View attachment 19544

Jim G

Beautiful Z400! your full exhaust is awesome. Thanks for posting.
We are sharing our findings at this point of modifications. Never said I would not get a flash tune but this is where we are right now. There's a motorcycle service near by that provides dyno tune service, NorCal Cycles. After the full Musarri and air filter upgrade they were going to the dyno and ecu flash all at once. However it runs so sweet I decided to just ride it for awhile. Put about 500 miles on her with a smile on my face the whole time.
Oh, leave the 02 wire on the bike when you test the Kawasakibrad plug so you can switch back and forth. I guess Z400 owners will be afraid to post current photos here now.

 

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One more, Canon 760D with efs 18-200 lens, f4.5, 1/400sec, iso100, 50mm. The camera is on the ground.

 

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shoulda shot at closer to 200 mm to blur the background.

Garage door behind me. I do have some older long lens shots but this series was the most current.

 

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What do you do when you get an Amazon gift card? All of my jeans have holes in them, two new pairs, check. Found a radiator cover that I like, check. Ran across a Z400 wind screen for $37.00 with free shipping......should I gamble? Guess what, it's pretty darn nice. It's raining today but will take a ride soon.
Here's the review I wrote because some people sent it back not knowing how to mount it:
Name brand: Fayedenicy
Inexpensive price, high quality polycarbonate and sturdy. The brackets are marked left and right, they bolt onto the existing stock bracket. Placed plastic washers between metal parts. You'll need a 3mm Allen wrench. Took about 45 minutes. Applied protective polish on it, looks awesome.

 

[Flash Bantam]

If you contact KawasakiBrad, he will verify the 2-3% enrichening. And no, it is not the same as unplugging the O2 sensor, since the Eliminator replaces its signal with one that triggers the ECU to enrichen the mixture.

And, I stand by my actual results, which others have also apparently gotten independently. If you don't want to believe what I, and they, have written, then don't. But in the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the improvements in the way my 400 is running for relatively low cost. Hopefully you'll find good improvements, at sensible cost, in whatever way YOU go.

Jim G

Kawasakibrad has updated his Ninja 400/Z400 advertising description for his 02 Sensor eliminator plug. I have ridden 1500+ miles with this plug with excellent results, no flash. My Z400 still runs at 3-4 bars on the temperature gauge and I ride on some hot days up insane steep twisty roads. My Z runs so strong and smooth. I'm also on hwy 280 at 80+ mph a lot, to get to the twisties. She pulls at the higher speeds stronger then ever. Downside: only getting 55 mpg, used to be 60. I'm sharing my results and am NOT telling anyone what to do with their machine! https://kawasakibrad.com/shop/ols/products/o2-eliminator-ninja400-z400

 

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Here is a picture of mine just got it this was the first real ride. Love this thing, I notice my speedo is off about 5.5% wonder if there is a way to calibrate it by pushing buttons.


View attachment 22069

Great photo, crown of spring flowers around her. The speedometer/abs are on the back wheel so sprocket changes don't effect the speed readings...however a taller rear tire such as a 140/17 would nearly correct the speedo error.

 

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My lightly modded Z400 (Zelda). About 2500 miles on her now, and loving every bit. 61 MPG (US) on average. An excellent commuter.

Zelda is a perfect name for your Z400! My bike's computer says I'm getting 55 mpg but checked it manually it shows 58 mpg. I plan on riding my Z400 for many years.

 

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Just for giggles I've been playing around with a SuperTrapp similar can fabricated in Las Vegas.
Right now 5 discs with the closed cap is near perfect on the road. Did run an open cap with 1 disc for a bit, though that setup would benefit from an ecu flash. It'll never have the topend of a Spark but what the heck, the local constable is already mad at me. 😀
View attachment 24972

oh wow! Supertrapp exhaust! Been a long time since I've seen this system. Bet it sounds awesome.

 

[Flash Bantam]

My goodness you have all the bells and whistles, mak am in my mid 60's and just purchased a Z400 2023. Love it and hope to ride till I'm 100.
Bit pissed off I won't be getting a letter from the Queen. Haha

Thanks malcom zeeb, We Seniors have to make our presents known! Just turned 70 with no intentions of quitting. I ride with a couple of friends and solo. This little machine is perfect for how and where I ride. Had to be honest with myself and not let ego and horsepower guide me. Do we get a letter from the queen when we turn 100? Maybe the king will carry on. Cheers, safe and fun rides await us.