Kawasaki ZX4RR Review after 2500 km: Upgrading from a KTM Adventure 390

The first ride tells everything about ownership. You will get hooked when you laugh out loud and smile in every gear and meter of your ride.

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Introduction to the Zx4RR and the first ride

Always start with the thanks to those who helped me, and made this a sweet experience. Yokesh Kumar (GM JMB), Guru (GSFerrari).

I never liked Kawasaki until February 2023. I was(still am) a Yamaha fanboy and then a KTM fanboy. But 1 bike that caught my attention even before 2023 was the ZX25R. Just the exhaust note from all the online videos wanted me to get something like that. Unfortunately, the Zx25R was a distant dream in India. When they launched the ZX4RR, I hoped they would do the same in India. Instead, I was disappointed that they launched the ZX4R version for India. The price was close to Z900 and not too far away from the ZX6R.

At that time I still had my KTM 390 Adventure and was not keen on spending more on another bike. I tried to ignore the ZX4R but I was watching more videos of the ZX4R one way or another. I reached out to the Kawasaki JMB dealer in Chennai and requested to have a look and probably even sit and experience the ZX4R to see if this was worth the effort even to dream. It was clear that Chennai dealers except for Triumph and BMW, do not even carry test bikes. Kawasaki is the worst of the lot. Thank god their bikes sell because of themselves or they know they don't need to make any logical effort to attract customers.

Luckily I found an owner, Nivin, in Krishnagiri who was generous enough to allow me to come and see the bike. I didn't hesitate and it was a nice 500-odd km ride on a Saturday. KTM ADV 390 did the job and it was also during this ride I wanted something a little more powerful to hit those slightly above-normal cruising speeds. The ADV was not a slouch and I did the entire trip at an average of 87KMPH well below the recommended 100 on those highways (pun intended).

If Nivin reads -Thanks Nivin, his brother-in-law, and his family for hosting a stranger who was there to check out a bike that he(I) may or may not buy. Nivin and his family were warm and accommodating. After a coffee and a 30-minute connect Nivin introduced me to the Zx4R in black. The first site of the ZX4R felt like it was a small bike but well put together. The first start, the first sound from the bike will stretch one's mouth from ear to ear. I was smiling and if there was a point in this purchase that sealed the deal it was this first instance of hearing this bike.

Navin's generosity did not stop there. He graciously offered me to take a ride on the bike to get a full perspective. I did not have this expectation very well knowing it was not my bike but a customer's bike. I hesitated, but he and his brother-in-law rode my ADV while I tried the ZX4R. The first ride tells everything about ownership. You will get hooked when you laugh out loud and smile in every gear and meter of your ride. I was having so much fun just enjoying the hilarious sound and power this bike makes. I rode for a few km and my heart was 100% set on the bike.

I am 183cms tall and obese as per BMI but this is how it looks like.

I was not joking when I said it is a hilarious bike. Check out the grin inside the helmet. It is such a funny bike.

First impression during the first ride

• Small, agile, and comfortable
• Well-spaced seat
• Comfortable riding position and not aggressive
• Good Quality of materials
• Not loud but loud enough for the rider
• Engine sound is a symphony and stock exhaust is enough for most
• The engine has two modes, "the peaceful" riding mode and the devil mode. In other words, a Sub 8000 rpm vs post 8000 rpm creature lives like with any other inline engine.
• Being an Inline this bike can cruise at various speeds in every gear. One will not even notice lugging the engine as the engine grunt is so sweet and always hits the riders' ears.
• Vibrations do exist at the nagging 4k to 5k rpm but this is also around 80-90kmph which will not be the cruising speed at 6th gear.

I promised Nivin that I would meet him once I picked up the Zx4R.

For the ADV 390 owners
The ride back to Chennai was another fantastic ride in the ADV 390. The new adjustable suspensions are fantastic and while I may have sold the ADV 390, it is a no-brainer for potential buyers to upgrade their stock suspension to adjustable suspension. The on-the-ride adjustment means you can change it according to the changing conditions on the go and it worked wonders.

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