Will 400cc motorcycles be in fashion again?

Remember the “golden age” of 400 cc motorcycles? No, it’s not the Honda CB400F from 1975-1977, which was a failure in most markets, but at least it ignited the spark of the four-cylinder “mini-superbike”. No, I’m talking about the glory days of the late 1980s and early 1990s, when exquisite junior sport bikes like the VFR400R/NC30 (based on the VFR750R/RC30), ZXR400, FZR400, GSX-R400, and others were popular – with VFR and ZXR being the obvious examples. Superbikes weren’t the only 400s of that time. Born out of Japanese internal licensing laws that restricted beginner riders to 250 cc two-strokes or 400 cc four-strokes, there were also road wonders like Yamaha’s 250 R1-Z, Kawasaki’s Xanthus, and even Suzuki’s single-cylinder Goose 400. The new 400cc machines currently being launched – the new ZX-4RR Ninja from Kawasaki, the upcoming RS457 from Aprilia, and the recently released Speed and Scrambler 400 from Triumph are among the most relevant – not to mention many others that are emerging. 2024 is already shaping up to be the beginning of a NEW golden age of the 400s. Aprilia seems confident that they will create other models based on their 457 engine, just like they did with their 660, as did Kawasaki and Triumph. Royal Enfield continues to introduce 350s, has their Scram 411, seems to be producing an HNTR 450, and it would be negligent not to fully explore their new liquid-cooled Himalayan 450. Ambitious Chinese brands Zontes and CFMOTO have a range of 350-450cc motorcycles with more on the way, including the newly revealed 450SR S for the latter. Even Harley-Davidson, with its new X440 exclusive to India, has joined BMW (with their G310 series) and Jawa, owned by India, in producing 400cc motorcycles built in India.

The keywords are “India” and “400cc” – because, yes, this revival of the 400 is different. While the “golden age” of the 400s in the 80s/90s was fueled by a Japanese peculiarity that made the 400s extremely popular and sophisticated, but at the same time, the prohibitive homologation regulations made older examples very cheap and therefore affordable for importation, this time there is a different catalyst. And that catalyst is India.

The South Asian giant is now not only the most populous nation in the world with a tradition of motorcycle transportation, but the rising standard of living and industrialization are fueling the growth of motorcycle sales and a shift towards larger displacement motorcycles. 

In 2023, motorcycle registrations in India increased for the 14th consecutive year, this time by 8.5%, to an impressive 17.5 million units. At the same time, there is a developing shift from traditional 350cc models, such as the classic Royal Enfield Bullet 350, to slightly larger machines. So, we are not exactly talking about 400cc motorcycles, but about motorcycles around 400cc, as evidenced by the Harley 440.