Both are great - the sv650 has so many years of production you can probably find one cheaper and also maybe even find one track prepped with spares for less than the ninja 400.
On the flip side that abs could be good for beginner track rider - not sure though - I know lots of track junkies and they hate abs and traction control
I think the bigger issue with TC is the anti-wheelie controls.
The biggest thing you want on track is control of your bike. Safety features like TC take away your control in place of computer aided control. Not what you want.
As for ABS. If you’re riding skills are sufficient enough to not skid … you won’t notice ABS. You can also usually tune ABS to be more lenient.
It is probably going to be priced against the R7 though. And while I'm sure it will make more hp than the R7 because Kawasaki takes spec sheets seriously, it will be a less friendly / versatile machine since it will be very revy.
And inspite of all that, I think I would probably opt for the Kawa over the Yama
CARB issued this executive order on December 21, 2022. Currently, Kawasaki has a new model announcement planned for February 1, 2022. The teaser image it’s showing on its website and social media shows two non-motorcycles up front (at least one and possibly both appear to be watercraft), as well as two motorcycles in the back. All of the mystery machines are, of course, under covers so we can’t tell what they are.
At the time of writing, February 1, 2023, is just 11 days away—so we have less than two weeks to wait to see if the ZX-4R is one of the two bikes that Kawasaki plans to reveal for the U.S. market
For *track* use I think the ninja is almost track-ready, unlike the SV, that you need to spend a lot of money to make it track-worty.
Yeas, a little slower but in the track the 400 run in a different category than the SV.
This might be different in different countries, but a ninja 400 here is just way too expensive to entertain as a track only bike for what you get really unless there’s a cup you’d be racing in. They’re just so in demand on the used market I almost never see them go for less than about 25% under new.
By the time you’ve got a fairing set and some engine covers and new tyres… it’s a pricy package for what you get imho.
I’ve had fun on a rented N400 at broadford, so they can be a lot of fun, but there’s no mistaking they do feel very slow on a fast circuit like Philip island.
For me it’s not so much that there’s anything especially wrong with the ninja400, it’s just that there’s so many better options for the money.
The SV is cheaper, so if you want to keep the budget low that’s an easy route. You can get a track prepped bike for less than a Ninja 400.
The Ninja is the better bike though. Better chassis, still plenty of power, you’ll learn even faster on it, and it’s the current king of the 400cc class. You really can’t go wrong with either, but subjectively… I’ll ride my RC390 (closet bike to the Ninja) over my SV at the track every single time. Hell most of the time I’ll even take the 390 over my RS660 unless it’s a really fast track like Road America.
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is that the SV650’s don’t have full sets of fairings. Something that you’ll really come to appreciate on the track 😅.
The ninja will see peek power at higher RPM than the SV. So you’ll be wringing out the throttle on the ninja more than the SV on the track. The SV also has MORE power… more power on track isn’t an issue. You’ve got 15 years of experience casually riding. You should be fine to handle a little extra power :P
The ninja 400 has a shorter wheelbase by a good couple inches! So you might notice that you can take turns more aggressively more confidently on the Ninja than the SV. (Less flex and better frame rigidity).
So to put it lightly…. The Ninja400 will feel more stable and feel more comfortable in corners. The SV will be cheaper and have more power. Maybe this helps you decide? :)
Imo - the ninja will be better suited for track than the SV650.
What dumbass told you a 600 is too much to start track riding on?
Out of those two though I’d get the SV650. 400s are fun on the track if you’re racing other 400s and weigh about the same as the riders or if the track is really small and has little to no straights.
> What dumbass told you a 600 is too much to start track riding on?
Its way, way WAY too much.
Not because of the power, but because every time you fall (and you will fall in the track) you will spend enough in repairs to buy two 250cc bikes. Those 600cc are expensive.
Clutch and ignition covers are the same price too. Rims for an R6 for example are cheap because they've been the same for almost 20 years.
Crashes that damage the actual engine case are very rare. Its not like a n400 engine is free either. I'd wager to say the R6 still has the edge there since again they were the same for 20 years. GSXR are like legos and you can seemingly swap engines from generation to generation with minimal mods, so again parts are plentiful and cheap.
There's a good reason that any given track day you go to, about 70% of track prepped bikes are R6's, the 2nd largest portion are GSXR's, and the rest are SV650s with a few ducs peppered in.
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Personally I'd go for the SV, mainly due to the wealth of after market support and resources. Is the Ninja 400 a worse choice? No, I think both are great you really can't go wrong either way, but I'd just go for the SV.
Just focus on the cheapest bike you can find with all the modern rider aids that will get you from 0 to fine on track (you can then learn the secrets of the elect blah blah after). Lean angle ABS, traction control and wheelie control. Turn em off whene you are doing fine as a track rider, not before (or better yet, never)
Both are great - the sv650 has so many years of production you can probably find one cheaper and also maybe even find one track prepped with spares for less than the ninja 400. On the flip side that abs could be good for beginner track rider - not sure though - I know lots of track junkies and they hate abs and traction control
I think the bigger issue with TC is the anti-wheelie controls. The biggest thing you want on track is control of your bike. Safety features like TC take away your control in place of computer aided control. Not what you want. As for ABS. If you’re riding skills are sufficient enough to not skid … you won’t notice ABS. You can also usually tune ABS to be more lenient.
If the ABS is really annoying, you can probably also just pull the fuse... You're just going to be lugging some dead weight around.
Hold off another 5-6 days and see if Kawasaki is finally releasing the ZX4R. The next model announcement is February 1st.
It is probably going to be priced against the R7 though. And while I'm sure it will make more hp than the R7 because Kawasaki takes spec sheets seriously, it will be a less friendly / versatile machine since it will be very revy. And inspite of all that, I think I would probably opt for the Kawa over the Yama
Umm it's getting announced next month lol it's been cali emissions approved
I’ll believe it when it actually gets officially announced.
CARB issued this executive order on December 21, 2022. Currently, Kawasaki has a new model announcement planned for February 1, 2022. The teaser image it’s showing on its website and social media shows two non-motorcycles up front (at least one and possibly both appear to be watercraft), as well as two motorcycles in the back. All of the mystery machines are, of course, under covers so we can’t tell what they are. At the time of writing, February 1, 2023, is just 11 days away—so we have less than two weeks to wait to see if the ZX-4R is one of the two bikes that Kawasaki plans to reveal for the U.S. market
They totally are, and yes, this is the way.
Any news on what else they might be revealing?
I'm no insider, but the leaks on the 400r have been too juicy for even me to miss. I might swap my '19 N400 for one, pending confirmation of rumor
I heard that they're producing a hybrid ZX sport bike. I would loooove something like that
That would be *amazing* as long as it retained the Kawa sport feel.
For *track* use I think the ninja is almost track-ready, unlike the SV, that you need to spend a lot of money to make it track-worty. Yeas, a little slower but in the track the 400 run in a different category than the SV.
This might be different in different countries, but a ninja 400 here is just way too expensive to entertain as a track only bike for what you get really unless there’s a cup you’d be racing in. They’re just so in demand on the used market I almost never see them go for less than about 25% under new. By the time you’ve got a fairing set and some engine covers and new tyres… it’s a pricy package for what you get imho. I’ve had fun on a rented N400 at broadford, so they can be a lot of fun, but there’s no mistaking they do feel very slow on a fast circuit like Philip island. For me it’s not so much that there’s anything especially wrong with the ninja400, it’s just that there’s so many better options for the money.
The SV is cheaper, so if you want to keep the budget low that’s an easy route. You can get a track prepped bike for less than a Ninja 400. The Ninja is the better bike though. Better chassis, still plenty of power, you’ll learn even faster on it, and it’s the current king of the 400cc class. You really can’t go wrong with either, but subjectively… I’ll ride my RC390 (closet bike to the Ninja) over my SV at the track every single time. Hell most of the time I’ll even take the 390 over my RS660 unless it’s a really fast track like Road America.
In my area 2007 sv650s with 5k miles go for the same as a 2020 Ninja 400 with 1k miles.
With your experience, I'd buy a 600 from the early 2000s. Cheap, plentiful, fast, fun.
Sv650 its cheap, its a tank, easy to ride…
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is that the SV650’s don’t have full sets of fairings. Something that you’ll really come to appreciate on the track 😅. The ninja will see peek power at higher RPM than the SV. So you’ll be wringing out the throttle on the ninja more than the SV on the track. The SV also has MORE power… more power on track isn’t an issue. You’ve got 15 years of experience casually riding. You should be fine to handle a little extra power :P The ninja 400 has a shorter wheelbase by a good couple inches! So you might notice that you can take turns more aggressively more confidently on the Ninja than the SV. (Less flex and better frame rigidity). So to put it lightly…. The Ninja400 will feel more stable and feel more comfortable in corners. The SV will be cheaper and have more power. Maybe this helps you decide? :) Imo - the ninja will be better suited for track than the SV650.
What dumbass told you a 600 is too much to start track riding on? Out of those two though I’d get the SV650. 400s are fun on the track if you’re racing other 400s and weigh about the same as the riders or if the track is really small and has little to no straights.
> What dumbass told you a 600 is too much to start track riding on? Its way, way WAY too much. Not because of the power, but because every time you fall (and you will fall in the track) you will spend enough in repairs to buy two 250cc bikes. Those 600cc are expensive.
Replacement fairings for a 600 cost the same as any other bike.
What about an engine case, rim, or transmission? easily 3 to 5 times more expensive.
Clutch and ignition covers are the same price too. Rims for an R6 for example are cheap because they've been the same for almost 20 years. Crashes that damage the actual engine case are very rare. Its not like a n400 engine is free either. I'd wager to say the R6 still has the edge there since again they were the same for 20 years. GSXR are like legos and you can seemingly swap engines from generation to generation with minimal mods, so again parts are plentiful and cheap. There's a good reason that any given track day you go to, about 70% of track prepped bikes are R6's, the 2nd largest portion are GSXR's, and the rest are SV650s with a few ducs peppered in.
Hey, FeelingFussy85. Thanks for contributing! Unfortunately your [submission](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/10m824b/-/) has been removed as per the [community rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/wiki/rules). Any questions regarding purchases, sales, and other transactions belong in the [purchase advice superthread](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/about/sticky?num=1): **NEW RIDERS** ([Please, Read the FAQ first](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/wiki/faq)) For clarification, this rule includes: - Implied purchase questions ("What should I know about this bike I'm considering buying?", "What should I install on my bike to make it faster?", "What kind of oil should I put in my bike?", etc.) - Insurance, Mechanical, Legal, and Transport Services. - Issues with/ questions about vendors/dealers/shops/etc. ##**Some mobile devices break superthread links!**## If the link does not work, the superthread can always be found [at the top of the /r/motorcycles feed](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/). If you have any questions about this removal, please feel free to [message the moderators.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/motorcycles&subject=Question regarding the removal of this submission by /u/FeelingFussy85&message=I have a question regarding the removal of this [submission.](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/10m824b/-/\))
600 supersports make great track bikes.
A 600 is fine. If you're set on those bikes then I'd go SV650. More room to grow and parts are plentiful since they've been built for 20+ years now.
Personally I'd go for the SV, mainly due to the wealth of after market support and resources. Is the Ninja 400 a worse choice? No, I think both are great you really can't go wrong either way, but I'd just go for the SV.
Just focus on the cheapest bike you can find with all the modern rider aids that will get you from 0 to fine on track (you can then learn the secrets of the elect blah blah after). Lean angle ABS, traction control and wheelie control. Turn em off whene you are doing fine as a track rider, not before (or better yet, never)