I currently ride a 2022 ninja 400. I absolutely love it as a first time rider. It's great overall and I love how it rides, my only SMALL complaint now that I've been riding for a few months is the accelleration in 1st and 2nd gear is a bit slow off the start which I feel like in emergency situations, it would be tough to get out of the way quick enough. I think when I move up to higher CCs, I might go for something like the Yamaha R7 for sure. I'm just going to enjoy my Ninja 400 for now as a new rider though
That kind of situation really comes down to being aware of the issue early enough to take action, more than bike acceleration, just because you're trying to get out of the way rather than accelerate fast enough to outpace someone who hasn't noticed a red light or similar. The big advantage of larger or more powerful bikes is often you can just hold first and not even shift, if you want to get away real fast though.
there's a lotta people in the comments talking about how this is a bad comparison, but as an aus rider who's still on a restricted licence for a few more years, this is a perfectly adequate comparison of the two punchiest LAMS sportsbikes I'd be able to ride- i do wish there were more smaller capacity bikes with aggressive ergos that weren't over 10k 😅 but if the price for 2ndhand r7s goes down after a while that might open it up a bit. thanks for making this!!
Yea it's a little different for us in Oz as our choices are more limited, even than the European system. The R7s second hand will probably be a great option once there's more up for sale. Normally takes a few years for enough to hit the market and prices to drop.
I would definitely choose the Ninja 400 for every day use, the R7 is just too uncomfortable, In fact at 47 years old, I’m really thinking about trading in my Ninja 600 for a 400 due to is very uncomfortable for me & I’m looking for something light & comfortable & something my wife can get her license on.
the Ninja 400 is a wonderful choice for a comfortable sport bike. make sure the first upgrade is a Corbin seat, it makes the bike sooooooo much more comfortable!
The Ninja 400 is a great choice by the sounds of it. My wife went from a scooter onto the 400 and found it an ideal bike, and she was really nervous about needing to learn the clutch, but got the hang of it very very quickly. As Ricky said a comfort seat is a really good investment, the standard seat is pretty plank-like.
Have been looking at the Ninja 650, thinking the ergonomics would be the same as the 400. I would put off reading the complaints about vibration in the bike. Do you find vibrations an issue? Cheers
Thanks for a great video mate I run a ninja 650 2021 which I love but the comparison between the two bikes in this video is very vast and you can’t really compare the two in all honesty. Thanks for the vid and keep em coming.
Stoked to see some Aussie R7 content! Your last review sold me on the Yamaha for my first road bike, can't wait to pick it up in a few weeks time. Keep up the good work mate, always enjoy your content.
Wicked! And take it easy out there, first road bike gives you a whole new appreciation for how little attention people pay in general on the road, and how invisible motorcycles seem to be.
It’s no doubt the R7 would be my first choice. Yes it would be expensive but overall I think it’s better. If you don’t like it that much you can also have an MT07 which will see you save a little and have a nice naked bike 🙆🏾♂️❤️
@@joshuaspop8865 I've ridden the MT-07 a lot and wouldn't say they are terrible, particularly on the later versions. It's just a do-it-all system suspension-wise, that's a decent match for the performance on offer and price. If you're expecting supersport style suspension or performance in general, you bought the wrong bike and it's a poor comparison, but for mixed conditions, unless you're massively outside the intended weight range, it will handle everything pretty well. Nearly all bikes will benefit from being set up specifically for your weight though, it's just especially true on the more value driven machines for the obvious reasons. Where the other bikes in the class outshine the MT-07 on the sporty suspension side of things, they lose out on the comfort end of things. Naturally the R7 has improved on both these areas, being a more sport focused machine in comparison.
@@MotoJournoKris what I meant is the R7 is a better deal if you love that CP2 engine. Really no upgrades needed. Plus, I prefer the styling much more. I get it though, people love that MT07, it just don’t do anything for me.
@@joshuaspop8865 Yep, I think in some ways the R7 offers what many riders hoped Yamaha would do on the MT-07, especially suspension-wise. And that's fair, not everyone likes nakedbikes!
@@hugolundinlundin8033 but the torque is scary for beginners unless you are tall and heavy new rider its ok...but the seat height and ergo I don't recommend to average newbie rider...
@@bebeKoRider no i think the torque is one of the positives as a beginner bike because the torque is very predictable and enough to have fun even as an experienced rider but not overwhelming as a newbie as long as they have some common sense. But a mt07 would be way better due to ergos and stuff like u said
There's also the extra weight, plus cost. If we're going to suggest 700's as beginner bikes then go ahead and say liter bikes and turbo busas while you're at it.
I have a teal N400 SE and love it, but I think I'll be jumping straight to an R7HO or a Triumph as soon as I'm off LAMS.... though if a ZX-4R does eventuate, that would be tempting too
The HO makes a lot of sense, I still struggle to work out the lams version really. Once they’re down to $10k or less used it becomes a more sensible option to me, but as it is it kinda feels like a cbr650r to me. But hey, what do I know?! Those 650 class bikes have been selling well throughout the era of LAMS. But yeah, if you’re a new rider the ninja 400 seems kinda a no brainer in the lams sport class. Maybe the new rc390 will too, but I’d give that a year to let other people find out what breaks. But yeah once off lams i like the HO a lot. It’s a bit les top end, but in the same vein as a aprilia 660 for 1/3 less. But as I say, what do I know I’m sure it’ll sell very well lol,so long as interest rates don’t rise too much as I’m sure most of the R7’s will get financed.
@@Bobby-wn5yr Yep its a shame they couldn't bring the price down to $10-11k, so it's a bit of a jump over the 400s but not too much more. That would also be just a bit above the SV650, if at the top end of that range. The 650s have crept up in price in comparison to the 300-400s.
Between those two bikes, I'd probably end up with neither. For the Ninja 400, I'd probably opt for the new RC390 over it, due to the better overall package. For the R7, I'd probably go for an RS660, for much the same reasons.
Certainly some nice advantages to the RC 390, at a similar and possibly even lower price. The RS 660 carries quite a premium over the R7 though, for all the extras.
@@moisesojeda1085 The Japanese manufacturers have a great reputation for reliability really, that's hard to match. I'd say KTM are doing well all things considered. Just pays to put some miles on under warranty to be sure any problems crop up early.
The Ninja 400 is overall a much better machine to the RC390. Has substantially more top end grunt while matching the low end, and it can be used and abused without blowing up…
That's the Ventura EVO 22L bag, which matches the L brackets and rack assembly from the same brand. Really recommend their systems. The bag alone I think is around $180 AUD, but I think you can get the bag, rack and L-brackets together for around $420-$440, and when you get a new bike the rack and bags are universal. It's just the L-brackets that are bike specific.
It can depend on a lot of factors, especially putting an aftermarket exhaust on, while I think you'd probably be riding the R3 harder in general, for the same performance out of the Ninja 400 which has a lot more low down torque.
For real tho. I’ve had my ninja 400 for three months and already out growing it..and there’s no point In buying the r7 since it’s not much more bike. So might as well go to r1 and just ride on rain mode (60% throttle) until I get the hang of it
Mate, this is definitely a bit of a wild comparison. 5.3k msrp for ninja 400, 8,999msrp for r7. They're not even in the same class for the rest of the world, we don't have detuned bikes stateside for example and you have a global audience.
I probably should have broken that down a bit better, but it's the same comparison. Like I said in the video the extra performance wouldn't be the main reason I'd consider the R7, it's all the other factors. They aren't really in the same class here either, even just looking 400 vs 650.
That'd be the best of both worlds for most riders, who aren't set on the supersport ergos. More upright seating position, sporty suspension, and the 650 engine still.
There is going to be a small number of people who will love and keep the R7 forever. But I suspect it will end up being one of those bikes that changes hands a lot cos there are better bikes for the job and alot learners are going to scratch the super sport itch only to hate the position. Some might even be put off riding cos of it. My mates first bike was an MT07 with drop bars, he hates riding it so he doesn't. The R7 riding position is too committed for most and the position is probably the worst to learn on. I think it will sell for it's looks and here is AUS you can't get any LAMs bikes with a decent engine that also has clip ons, so for sure it will sell but not for any practical reason. 10 years ago when I was shopping for a LAMs bike this would have be number 1 choice. Now as an experienced rider that's owned and ridden a heap of different bikes, I know this would not have been a wise choice for me.
Yep totally agree, I don't think the proper supersport style ergos are for everyone, and even for those who think they might like it, I'd say in many cases they'll find it either uncomfortable or impractical for their use of the bike. Especially for new riders that's true, as you're having to jump in without much or any experience, and it's an additional challenge in the learning process. But I'm sure there'll be some diehard racing fans who don't want to compromise. As long as they have some understanding of what they're getting into, they should have that option. I'd also say it's significantly better than people trying to jump on a 600 cc supersport machine, where that's allowed as a first bike.
The r7 us completely trash and was told a ninja 650 even a ninja 400 can beat it, just by the weight and lack of actual horsepower that says A LOT. My friend has a zx6r and went up against his friend who has a r7, and he was hype to beat him and still had some hp to heaving his friend behind, while the other guy is planning on trading his in for an r1 lmao😂🤣.
Neither the Ninja 650 nor the Ninja 400 will beat the R7 0-60, and I doubt that'd change anywhere else. Someone not knowing how to ride is the most likely issue that'd see an R7 outperformed by any large extent on either of those bikes. Restricted R7 vs unrestricted 650 may be a different story. Even the ZX-6R is only a tiny bit faster 0-60, although it's going to offer more top end due to almost double the horsepower, and will runaway from there. That's not really something to be hyped about... If your friend can't stomp an R7 once past 60 mph on a ZX-6R that says more about their riding skills than anything else.
bro youre on crack, the Ninja 400 gets consistently smoked by the R7. Ninja 400 only has 43hp vs 74hp on the R7. I wont even get started on the TOURQUE. the R7 has almost DOUBLE the torque 😂😂 also the handling alone is literally day and night to the 400.
I currently ride a 2022 ninja 400. I absolutely love it as a first time rider. It's great overall and I love how it rides, my only SMALL complaint now that I've been riding for a few months is the accelleration in 1st and 2nd gear is a bit slow off the start which I feel like in emergency situations, it would be tough to get out of the way quick enough.
I think when I move up to higher CCs, I might go for something like the Yamaha R7 for sure. I'm just going to enjoy my Ninja 400 for now as a new rider though
That kind of situation really comes down to being aware of the issue early enough to take action, more than bike acceleration, just because you're trying to get out of the way rather than accelerate fast enough to outpace someone who hasn't noticed a red light or similar. The big advantage of larger or more powerful bikes is often you can just hold first and not even shift, if you want to get away real fast though.
@@MotoJournoKris very good point. Overall right now the Ninja 400 is a quick enough bike to ride and it’s a lot of fun
there's a lotta people in the comments talking about how this is a bad comparison, but as an aus rider who's still on a restricted licence for a few more years, this is a perfectly adequate comparison of the two punchiest LAMS sportsbikes I'd be able to ride- i do wish there were more smaller capacity bikes with aggressive ergos that weren't over 10k 😅 but if the price for 2ndhand r7s goes down after a while that might open it up a bit. thanks for making this!!
Yea it's a little different for us in Oz as our choices are more limited, even than the European system. The R7s second hand will probably be a great option once there's more up for sale. Normally takes a few years for enough to hit the market and prices to drop.
I would definitely choose the Ninja 400 for every day use, the R7 is just too uncomfortable, In fact at 47 years old, I’m really thinking about trading in my Ninja 600 for a 400 due to is very uncomfortable for me & I’m looking for something light & comfortable & something my wife can get her license on.
the Ninja 400 is a wonderful choice for a comfortable sport bike. make sure the first upgrade is a Corbin seat, it makes the bike sooooooo much more comfortable!
The Ninja 400 is a great choice by the sounds of it. My wife went from a scooter onto the 400 and found it an ideal bike, and she was really nervous about needing to learn the clutch, but got the hang of it very very quickly.
As Ricky said a comfort seat is a really good investment, the standard seat is pretty plank-like.
Have been looking at the Ninja 650, thinking the ergonomics would be the same as the 400. I would put off reading the complaints about vibration in the bike. Do you find vibrations an issue? Cheers
Wouldn't the Ninja 650 have been a better comparison?
and ninja 400 is not even a sports bike..its a sports tourer...r3 would have a better sportsbike feeling for a beginner...
He said this r7 is de tuned at 50 hp.
Yammie Noob said don't talk about the Ninja 650!
@@bebeKoRider How is it a tourer? It doesn't even come stock with saddle bags
@@bebeKoRider the ninja 650 isnt a sport bike, the ergo is the same as the ninja 400
Thanks for a great video mate I run a ninja 650 2021 which I love but the comparison between the two bikes in this video is very vast and you can’t really compare the two in all honesty.
Thanks for the vid and keep em coming.
Stoked to see some Aussie R7 content!
Your last review sold me on the Yamaha for my first road bike, can't wait to pick it up in a few weeks time.
Keep up the good work mate, always enjoy your content.
Wicked! And take it easy out there, first road bike gives you a whole new appreciation for how little attention people pay in general on the road, and how invisible motorcycles seem to be.
nice video mate :)
Thumbs up!
Nice video Kris.
The R7 is for racing and the ninja for delivering pizzas. Got it ;)
It’s no doubt the R7 would be my first choice. Yes it would be expensive but overall I think it’s better. If you don’t like it that much you can also have an MT07 which will see you save a little and have a nice naked bike 🙆🏾♂️❤️
Yep the MT-07 is a great option there too!
Only problem with the MT07 (I owned one) is the brakes and suspension are terrible. I can’t imagine riding that bike properly with out an upgrade.
@@joshuaspop8865 I've ridden the MT-07 a lot and wouldn't say they are terrible, particularly on the later versions. It's just a do-it-all system suspension-wise, that's a decent match for the performance on offer and price. If you're expecting supersport style suspension or performance in general, you bought the wrong bike and it's a poor comparison, but for mixed conditions, unless you're massively outside the intended weight range, it will handle everything pretty well. Nearly all bikes will benefit from being set up specifically for your weight though, it's just especially true on the more value driven machines for the obvious reasons. Where the other bikes in the class outshine the MT-07 on the sporty suspension side of things, they lose out on the comfort end of things.
Naturally the R7 has improved on both these areas, being a more sport focused machine in comparison.
@@MotoJournoKris what I meant is the R7 is a better deal if you love that CP2 engine. Really no upgrades needed. Plus, I prefer the styling much more.
I get it though, people love that MT07, it just don’t do anything for me.
@@joshuaspop8865 Yep, I think in some ways the R7 offers what many riders hoped Yamaha would do on the MT-07, especially suspension-wise. And that's fair, not everyone likes nakedbikes!
I'd choose the r7 better performance more rugged and better looking in my opinion, great review 👍 mate keep posting 📫 👍
R-7 is not a beginner bike, please don't suggest this, thats a bloody dangerous thing to tell people.
It's not even crazy fast lol, the ergos are a bit much for a beginner but not to bad
@@hugolundinlundin8033 but the torque is scary for beginners unless you are tall and heavy new rider its ok...but the seat height and ergo I don't recommend to average newbie rider...
@@bebeKoRider no i think the torque is one of the positives as a beginner bike because the torque is very predictable and enough to have fun even as an experienced rider but not overwhelming as a newbie as long as they have some common sense. But a mt07 would be way better due to ergos and stuff like u said
There's also the extra weight, plus cost.
If we're going to suggest 700's as beginner bikes then go ahead and say liter bikes and turbo busas while you're at it.
The R7 is not an upgraded R6, it marketted by yamaha as a Beginner bike.
I have a teal N400 SE and love it, but I think I'll be jumping straight to an R7HO or a Triumph as soon as I'm off LAMS.... though if a ZX-4R does eventuate, that would be tempting too
They look great in the teal! It's certainly nice to upgrade once you're off restrictions too, and a ZX-4R would be very cool.
The HO makes a lot of sense, I still struggle to work out the lams version really. Once they’re down to $10k or less used it becomes a more sensible option to me, but as it is it kinda feels like a cbr650r to me.
But hey, what do I know?! Those 650 class bikes have been selling well throughout the era of LAMS. But yeah, if you’re a new rider the ninja 400 seems kinda a no brainer in the lams sport class. Maybe the new rc390 will too, but I’d give that a year to let other people find out what breaks.
But yeah once off lams i like the HO a lot. It’s a bit les top end, but in the same vein as a aprilia 660 for 1/3 less.
But as I say, what do I know I’m sure it’ll sell very well lol,so long as interest rates don’t rise too much as I’m sure most of the R7’s will get financed.
@@Bobby-wn5yr Yep its a shame they couldn't bring the price down to $10-11k, so it's a bit of a jump over the 400s but not too much more. That would also be just a bit above the SV650, if at the top end of that range. The 650s have crept up in price in comparison to the 300-400s.
I would go with the ninja 400 and put better suspension and full exhaust, flash tune and have a great bike for less than a R7.
That's the advantage of the little bikes, you've got so much left to spend if you're comparing to a 650.
Between those two bikes, I'd probably end up with neither.
For the Ninja 400, I'd probably opt for the new RC390 over it, due to the better overall package.
For the R7, I'd probably go for an RS660, for much the same reasons.
Certainly some nice advantages to the RC 390, at a similar and possibly even lower price. The RS 660 carries quite a premium over the R7 though, for all the extras.
RC390 is not reliable, Ninja 400 has a bullet proof engine
@@moisesojeda1085 The Japanese manufacturers have a great reputation for reliability really, that's hard to match. I'd say KTM are doing well all things considered. Just pays to put some miles on under warranty to be sure any problems crop up early.
The 390 engines are well known to blow up. No one beats Japanese reliability.
The Ninja 400 is overall a much better machine to the RC390. Has substantially more top end grunt while matching the low end, and it can be used and abused without blowing up…
Where did you get the bag for the ninja 400 that's on the back of it. And how much is it.
That's the Ventura EVO 22L bag, which matches the L brackets and rack assembly from the same brand. Really recommend their systems. The bag alone I think is around $180 AUD, but I think you can get the bag, rack and L-brackets together for around $420-$440, and when you get a new bike the rack and bags are universal. It's just the L-brackets that are bike specific.
My friend started off with an R3 then switched to a Ninja 400 he said the R3 wasted way more gas.
It can depend on a lot of factors, especially putting an aftermarket exhaust on, while I think you'd probably be riding the R3 harder in general, for the same performance out of the Ninja 400 which has a lot more low down torque.
Need a ZX7 with a DOHC V-Twin 737(In the Spirit of the 636)
Show us more riding!!
There's a bit more in the separate tests!
I need a comparison between Duke 200 and CBR1000-RRR SP
They aren't both LAMS bikes, but I'm game. You provide the bikes.
So go with 400 for a good 6 months then upgrade to a r1m right?
Haha I'm a bit more cautious so I'd probably give it a little longer before making that jump!
For real tho. I’ve had my ninja 400 for three months and already out growing it..and there’s no point In buying the r7 since it’s not much more bike. So might as well go to r1 and just ride on rain mode (60% throttle) until I get the hang of it
Mate, this is definitely a bit of a wild comparison. 5.3k msrp for ninja 400, 8,999msrp for r7. They're not even in the same class for the rest of the world, we don't have detuned bikes stateside for example and you have a global audience.
I probably should have broken that down a bit better, but it's the same comparison. Like I said in the video the extra performance wouldn't be the main reason I'd consider the R7, it's all the other factors. They aren't really in the same class here either, even just looking 400 vs 650.
I'd split the difference and get a Ninja 650....
That'd be the best of both worlds for most riders, who aren't set on the supersport ergos. More upright seating position, sporty suspension, and the 650 engine still.
I prefer the Yamaha, I suppose, but I'm not a spoerts bike fan. I'll stick to my 390 Duke.
There is going to be a small number of people who will love and keep the R7 forever. But I suspect it will end up being one of those bikes that changes hands a lot cos there are better bikes for the job and alot learners are going to scratch the super sport itch only to hate the position. Some might even be put off riding cos of it. My mates first bike was an MT07 with drop bars, he hates riding it so he doesn't. The R7 riding position is too committed for most and the position is probably the worst to learn on. I think it will sell for it's looks and here is AUS you can't get any LAMs bikes with a decent engine that also has clip ons, so for sure it will sell but not for any practical reason. 10 years ago when I was shopping for a LAMs bike this would have be number 1 choice. Now as an experienced rider that's owned and ridden a heap of different bikes, I know this would not have been a wise choice for me.
Yep totally agree, I don't think the proper supersport style ergos are for everyone, and even for those who think they might like it, I'd say in many cases they'll find it either uncomfortable or impractical for their use of the bike. Especially for new riders that's true, as you're having to jump in without much or any experience, and it's an additional challenge in the learning process. But I'm sure there'll be some diehard racing fans who don't want to compromise. As long as they have some understanding of what they're getting into, they should have that option. I'd also say it's significantly better than people trying to jump on a 600 cc supersport machine, where that's allowed as a first bike.
The r7 us completely trash and was told a ninja 650 even a ninja 400 can beat it, just by the weight and lack of actual horsepower that says A LOT. My friend has a zx6r and went up against his friend who has a r7, and he was hype to beat him and still had some hp to heaving his friend behind, while the other guy is planning on trading his in for an r1 lmao😂🤣.
Neither the Ninja 650 nor the Ninja 400 will beat the R7 0-60, and I doubt that'd change anywhere else. Someone not knowing how to ride is the most likely issue that'd see an R7 outperformed by any large extent on either of those bikes. Restricted R7 vs unrestricted 650 may be a different story.
Even the ZX-6R is only a tiny bit faster 0-60, although it's going to offer more top end due to almost double the horsepower, and will runaway from there. That's not really something to be hyped about... If your friend can't stomp an R7 once past 60 mph on a ZX-6R that says more about their riding skills than anything else.
bro youre on crack, the Ninja 400 gets consistently smoked by the R7. Ninja 400 only has 43hp vs 74hp on the R7. I wont even get started on the TOURQUE. the R7 has almost DOUBLE the torque 😂😂 also the handling alone is literally day and night to the 400.
Real men get a liter bike as their first
It is I, real men. 2011 r1 baby
Nah, has to be a turbo Hayabusa!
@@MotoJournoKris pfft ain’t no body want that.
No, has to be a navy Air ship!! :) :) :)
@@MotoJournoKris Nah, BossHoss....turbo!
so expensive in australia lol
Yep somewhat offset by wages but the AUD hasn't been too strong in a long while!
Come to America. The southern border is wide open! Lol
"Hey guys, today we're going to be comparing a Miata to a Ferrari"
R7 far from a Ferrari..
Terrible analogy!
The miata wins lols
"Hey guys, today I'am gonna post some dumb comment on UA-cam about a topic I have no clue about!"
ha
r7 uncomfortable
The Ninja 400 is certainly more comfortable, thanks to the more relaxed ergos. Just depends how sporty you want.
What do you mean begginer? LOL
For first bike, ninja 400 is best. 😁
👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿
Care to explain?
@@Clove_Parma he's a hater..no need for an explanation..:3
@@bebeKoRider Samantha is not a dude! Pay attention to HER name. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@Clove_Parma I think it's a coded message. Seven thumbs down, they must not like the R7!
@@shiwadaay07 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣