When Kawasaki first teased us with the then-upcoming ZX-25R a few years back, Filipinos rejoiced because finally, a 4-cylinder sportbike is now within reach, especially by those who are “graduating” from scooters and underbones. Then on July 2020, the ZX-25R has been officially launched with a price tag of PHP 410,000.
Unfortunately, what seems to be a promising bike (in terms of sales) didn’t turn out to be as expected. A lot of Filipino riders were like “hindi pa ginawang 400cc (they should’ve made it 400cc)” – referring to the 400cc rule on expressways. On the other hand, some deemed the PHP 410,000 price tag too much for a non-expressway legal motorcycle.
Well, folks, Kawasaki heard you and has announced that a 400cc ZX is on the way, and possibly arriving in March.
ZX-4R/ZX-4RR
This year, Kawasaki will be introducing two new 400cc sportbikes to add to their ZX lineup: the ZX-4R and the ZX-4RR.
So far, the official spec sheets have not been released by Kawasaki, but a little digging on the internet gave us some bits and pieces of the upcoming brother to the ZX-25R.
Both the ZX-4R and the ZX-4RR will be powered by an inline-4 cylinder engine that is capable of redlining to 11,500 rpm. Both bikes will also feature a high-tensile trellis frame to reduce weight. Stopping power will be provided by a pair of 4-piston calipers for the front and a single piston (possibly by Tokico) at the rear, with ABS.
Both bikes will also feature a Showa suspension package, a 4.3-inch TFT display with smartphone connectivity, 4 riding modes, 3 levels of traction control, and a ram air intake system inspired by the flagship ZX-10R.
From what we got, the only things that differentiate the “R” and the “RR” is that the latter will be equipped with an adjustable Showa suspension package and Kawasaki Quick Shifter.
Availability and pricing
As of this writing, our friends from Kawasaki Motors Philippines Corporation (KMPC) have not confirmed the arrival and pricing of the ZX-4R and ZX-4RR. However, MotoPinas.com got word from a source that these models might arrive late in March, with an SRP of “above PHP 400,000”. Unfortunately, our source didn’t confirm if it’s March 2023 or March 2024.
In Europe, Kawasaki will begin deliveries of the ZX-4R and the ZX-4RR in Q3 of this year as 2024 models.
Hindi pa ginawang 400cc? There you go.
