The Kawasaki Zephyr is a naked motorcycle manufactured and sold by Kawasaki in the 1990s. In addition to the 400 cc model, which had been on sale since 1989, there was a 750 cc model that went into production in 1990, an 1100 cc model that went into production in 1992 and ZEPHYR χ, based on the original 400 cc model Zephyr, was launched in 1996 with a 4-valve engine instead of a 2-valve engine and a horsepower output of 53 hp instead of 46 hp. The official vehicle name for the 400 cc models, ZEPHYR, is sometimes referred to as ZEPHYR 400 to make a clear distinction.
In 1989, at the height of the racer replica boom, the Zephyr, with its classic styling – ‘no cowl’, ‘two rear shocks’ and ‘air-cooled’ – was a new choice and immediately after its launch, it recorded explosive sales and became the driving force behind the ‘naked boom’ of the time. The name “Zephyr” came from the Greek god of the west wind, and was meant to bring a new wind from Kawasaki, which was based in Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan.
The Zephyr 400 was powered by a 399 cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke DOHC 2-valve, parallel four-cylinder engine with maximum output of 46 PS / 11,000 rpm, maximum torque of 30 Nm / 10,500 rpm, dry weight of 181 kg and vehicle weight of 198 kg.
Even after the end of production, the bike has remained a firm favourite among retro-bike enthusiasts, and prices on the used car market have soared in recent years, particularly due to the increased demand for bikes after the 2020 pandemic and the scarcity of mid-size four-cylinder bikes.