400cc motorcycles - one of the most affordablein the secondary market, prices are low even for the so-called Japanese “big four” - firms Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. However, motorcycles with such an engine size, in addition to a completely lifting price, have both advantages and some disadvantages, or rather, features.
About popularity
Due to the fact that for a relatively smallthe price can be the owner of a good machine, 400-cc motorcycles have been and remain popular in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Old age, almost no one confuses, because the manufacturing countries monitor the quality of the produced equipment. In the case of Japan, 400-cc motorcycles are designed exclusively for the domestic market. This is due to the peculiarities of taxation. For example, the Yamaha SR 400 motorcycle was first released in 1978 in two versions: 400 and 500 cubic meters for the domestic market and for export, respectively. The difference between the two motorcycles, in addition to the cubic capacity, was also during the piston.
But to meet an old Chinese motorcycle 400 cubes is impossible: in this country two-wheeled transport with an engine capacity of more than 250 cm is prohibited3, and a large cubic capacity of Chinese manufacturersproduced exclusively for export. 400-cc Chinese vehicles began to appear on the wave of popularity among motorcyclists, especially beginners, of this engine size.
Why love them
In addition to the price, 400-cubic bikes have one morefeature. This is the look. As mentioned above, the Japanese models of this volume were produced mainly for the domestic market of the country, and many models have a modification with this volume, for example, the same Honda Bros was produced as a 650-cubic. Low gas mileage (from 4 liters per 100 km when driving on the highway, depending on weather conditions and speed) will allow you to learn to ride without spending too much on fuel. But one more important plus is weight. Motorcycles 400 cubes weigh an average of 150-180 kg. There are no motorcyclists who do not fall, so (especially for girls), you need to ride a motorcycle, which a person is able to lift from the road. In addition, there are times when you need to roll a bike (this is not always a breakdown, sometimes it is possible, for example, to “bypass” a traffic jam).
Ideal for beginners
A sensible person will never choose histhe first "horse" motorcycle with a large cubic capacity. Such a technique not only accelerates very, very quickly (1-2.8 seconds to a hundred kilometers from a 600-mile bike), but also has sharp cravings and, of course, excellent brakes. To this it is worth adding that at speed any maneuver must be accurately measured, therefore among beginners on powerful motorcycles there are frequent drops due to loss of control or due to the fact that “I overdid it with brakes”.
Motorcycles of 400 cubes are ideal for beginners.Someone will say that such a volume is small, quickly tired and wants something more, and will be wrong, because the 400-cube unit will easily “make” any car and accelerates to two hundred kilometers per hour. But in the race skills of the pilot is more important than the power of the engine. But even if a novice motorcyclist sensibly decides not to drive on his “six hundred”, until he masters control, nothing insures him from various incidents on the road, where the correct reflexes must also be applied to the smart head, which will save from serious injury. Not having enough skills to unlock the potential of 400 cubes, is there any point in taking something more?
State of the art
400cc Japanese motorcycles mostlyOldies, like, say, Honda Bros 400 - a model with a cool, aggressive design and a two-cylinder V-engine, produced from 1988 to 1992. Thus, the Japanese "chetyrehsotkam" may already be far beyond twenty, and with proper care, the technician can serve longer, but who can guarantee that the former owner was well watching his bike? There are also relatively fresh models, for example, the Honda CB400SS, released in 2005, but buying second-hand equipment is always a kind of lottery: you almost never know what the mileage is, what circle the ordometer goes, how many owners were and how the machine was serviced. Many careless drivers do not consider it necessary to properly monitor the equipment, knowing that they will sell it in a couple of seasons, so if you do not understand motorcycles, you need to go for an inspection with a mechanic - many services provide such a service for a small fee, or at least take along a seasoned friend-motorcyclist.
About the price
Age is the main drawback of 400 cubic horses,In connection with it, a problem is born in the search for spare parts. On the other hand, Chinese manufacturers, seeing a gold mine in this cubage, began to produce models for export, especially for Russia and the CIS countries. The Chinese motorcycle, the 400-cc Lifan LF, which is now produced in the Moscow region, in the town of Zhukovsky, and is called the Stels 400 Cruiser, has become a completely successful model. Domestic firm Stels quite successfully joined the market, releasing its 400 cubic motorcycle, the price also does not stand out from the total in this niche, and amounts to 100-150 thousand for a new device. In fact, Stels Cruiser and Lifan LF are copies of the Yamaha Virago, a very successful model, produced in the nineties and thanks to the Chinese auto industry, which has received a new life.
China vs Japan
So, to summarize, 400-cubic motorcycles canbe either Japanese or Chinese (omit rare exceptions). There is a choice before the motorcyclist: either a new Chinese, or an old Japanese man, which is better? There is no definite answer. Buying Chinese equipment is still a lottery, because this country can be called a record for the frequency of factory marriage. Perhaps the owner is lucky, and the same Lifan runs without breakdowns for the first few years, and someone may break the same model in a couple of weeks. Experienced motorcyclists advise to sort out the Chinese motorcycle immediately after purchase, eliminate, if they were found, assembly errors and replace poor-quality parts, and then drive. In this case, the technique will serve properly. In addition, the owner can hope for a guarantee, which no one, of course, will give when buying a used vehicle.
Japanese motorcycles, exchanging the second and evenThe third dozen, too, can be "young" only outside. If the bike was in good hands, it will never let you down and will become a reliable companion. If, however, I spent my two-wheeled life without proper care, it would be a real agony for the new owner, especially considering that for many models it is now very difficult to get the details.
And the years go by, or the sale of "Asians"
Sooner or later the motorcyclist will have a desirechange your transport, and the bike will need to sell. Despite the fact that a new 400-cc Chinese motorcycle will cost as much as a Japanese old one, two or three years later it will lose a lot in price. The cost of motorcycles falls rapidly, especially for Chinese vehicles. Sell your Chinese horse, even throwing off a third of the original price, can be difficult, because people are suspicious of the automotive industry Celestial.
But the Japanese motorcycle age of 20 and even 30years almost will not lose in price for those for a couple of years that a motorcyclist will need to run in his first bike and see what you want from the vehicle Sell it will be in any case easier than the Chinese counterpart.
More about newbies
Motorcycle 400 cubes - is the golden mean, but allEqually not a toy. As mentioned above, he will give a head start to the car and can produce a speed of up to two hundred kilometers per hour, but at the same time the bike is calm enough and will forgive the beginner some mistakes. However, if you have very little experience in driving, you should treat the motorcycle of this group with caution and be aware that this is no longer a moped. Critical situations on the road happen, it can be not only the actions of other drivers, but also surface irregularities. Even in a powerful car, transmitted gas or a brake that is pressed too sharply will basically only lead to financial losses - crumpled bumpers, wings, etc., and a reflexively squeezed front brake on a motorcycle can lead to a hospital bed. Therefore, before choosing a motorcycle, you need to make clear demands to it, and not look at power, choosing something “better” in the absence of knowledge and skills aimed at realizing the potential of the bike.
