2020 Kawasaki Z400

Introduced in 2019, the Kawasaki Z400 received immediate praise for being an approachable, affordable, reliable, but also fun and exciting naked bike. In the 2019 first ride review, we surmised that it is also the “kind of bike that will bring out the best rider in you.” Its sporty character is adopted from the equally popular Ninja 400 with the 399cc parallel-twin engine, but the Z pulls its styling from the flagship Z models and implements a more upright riding position. So if you are looking for a small-displacement naked bike with a comfortable ergonomic layout you will be leaning more toward this naked than its faired brother.

The Z won Cycle World’s Best Lightweight Sportbike of 2019 because in addition to its shredability on the racetrack its “high-level competence makes everyday riding at any speed confidence-inspiring. Need to grind out a 60-mile-a-day commute? No problem, and it’ll throw in phenomenal fuel mileage.”

In comparison to the Ninja 400 we found that “the Z400 isn’t necessarily more sporty feeling, but it does have a more natural bend, that’s as well suited to city riding as it is hunting apexes around curves.”

On the in-house dyno the small bike produced 44.1 hp at 9,830 rpm and 25.1 pound-feet of torque at 8,250 rpm. In testing: “What’s great about the Z400′s engine is that you can hammer through the gears and get an undiluted sensory experience without putting your license at risk or thoroughly scaring yourself. Throttle response is abrupt for a beginner bike, but, honestly, it gives it a raw edginess that reminds you you’re not just riding a beginner bike; you’re riding a Kawasaki—makers of gonzo performance machines like the Ninja H2R and ZX-10R.”

Small naked bike competition? KTM 390 Duke, Honda CB300R, Yamaha MT-03, and Husqvarna Svart/Vitpilen 401.

For 2020, the Z400 is available in two colorways: Metallic Matte Graphite Gray/Metallic Spark Black and Candy Steel Furnace Orange/Metallic Flat Spark Black. MSRP is a beginner-friendly price of $4,999.