Will the lighter engine return?

One need only browse through the price lists to see that the choice under 500cc is growing. BMW, traditionally the brand with the fattest machines, has had a single-cylinder G 310 R for several years. If you look at the Japanese brands, you have a lot to choose from under 500 cc. Also at KTAM you can find a nice naked 390 Duke.

Smaller motorcycles

In recent years, new brands have emerged from Asia with smaller motorcycles. Check out Mash. That brand has very affordable motorcycles with a classic look. Harley-Davidson recently pulled back the curtain on a lightweight X 440 with 27 hp. The block, by the way, comes from India.

Kawasaki 400

Kawasaki recently announced plans to release a 400cc four-cylinder later in 2023. That’s the Ninja ZX-4R with a whopping 80 hp. In the 1980s, you had more of those sporty light four-pitters. However, the flame was extinguished in Europe in the following years due to lack of interest and declining sales.

Affordable motorcycling

Times are apparently changing. Prices rise. If you still want affordable motorcycling, look for attractively priced ones with smaller displacement. They look quite nice, offer state-of-the-art technology and certainly don’t perform badly. Such a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R is simply a very fast bike.

Triumph 400 new

Meanwhile, Triumph also interferes at the front of light motorcycles with the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X. It is a single-cylinder, which actually performs quite well. Triumph cites an output of 40 hp and torque of over 31 Nm. That’s pretty decent for a one-pounder.

Triumph Scrambler

The Triumph Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X have a classic look. They are actually smaller copies of the larger Speed Twin 900 and Scrambler 900. A bit of patience is required, as the 400cc units will not arrive until the spring of 2024. Prices have not yet been announced, but count on them to be quite attractive.