KAWASAKI Zephyr 400 (1989-1996) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Kawasaki Zephyr was a series of naked superbikes with a naked style made by Kawasaki in the 1990s. The Zephyr was available with four engine displacements, such as 400, 550, 750, and 1,100cc.

The Kawasaki Zephyr was manufactured for the Japanese market in 1989. It was based on the Kawasaki Z1, with dual side-mounted shock absorbers on the rear, an upright riding position, and an air-cooled engine.

In the 1990s, the Kawasaki Zephyr started the naked retro trend boom in the UK and Europe, and for a short period, Kawasaki was in second place among the best-selling motorcycles in the UK market.

In the aesthetic department, the bike was fitted with standard features, such as a round headlight with the instruments mounted on top, a one-piece dual seat, side-mounted rear shocks, a four-into-one exhaust system with a silencer on the right side, and lightweight aluminum wheels.

In the suspension department, the bike packed a telescopic fork on the front and twin side-mounted shock absorbers on the rear, delivering optimum suspension performance and handling.

As for the power figures, the 1989 Kawasaki Zephyr 400 had installed underneath its fuel tank a 399cc four-stroke four-cylinder air-cooled engine fed by four Keihin carburetors, delivering an output power of 46 hp at 11,000 rpm and 30 Nm (22 lb-ft) torque at 10,500 rpm.