Hatsuyume SCOOP!] Will 2026 be the year of "Yonghyak"? <3-Day Article #1> Everyone is waiting for it! Kawasaki Z400RS

In this Webike Plus annual "New Year's Dream Scoop," we propose three motorcycles that many users would like to have in 2026, centered around the much-awaited and highly anticipated model that will make its debut in the year of the horse. We would like to propose three motorcycles that many users would like to have in the new year, centered on those models that are likely to make their debut in the year 2026. We will be presenting this project for three consecutive days starting on New Year's Day, and for the first installment, we will be looking at Kawasaki!

<Common Preamble> Will the second 400NK boom be here?

The year 2026 will surely see the arrival of the new CB400 SuperFour, the domestic version of the CB500 SuperFour announced in September 2025. With its sibling, the full-cowl sport CBR400R FOUR, also expected to make its debut in Japan, Webike Plus predicts that 2026 will be the year when more attention will be paid to "Yonghyaks" than ever before.Although it is a Galapagos motorcycle with its own license system, the Yonhyoke is even lighter and more compact than the 600-class, which is considered easier to handle, and has excellent maneuverability with good footing. The number of motorcycle license holders is overwhelmingly large, with approximately 10.98 million holding a regular motorcycle license up to 400cc, compared to approximately 7.37 million holding a license for large motorcycles (accordingtoJAMA survey"2025 Japan's Automobile Industry").The year 2026 is expected to be the year of the Yonhyaku boom, but we would like to see another boom like the 400 naked (NK) boom that was triggered by the 1989 Kawasaki Zephyr (400). I think it is the best chance to dream of the return of the CB400 SuperFour.So, my first dream for 2026 is "Yonghyak NK in those days, again! The 400 cc, which is within easy reach in terms of price, will be the first dream of 2026. The affordable 400cc model is a strong candidate for young riders, and the lightweight and attractive YongHyakhas the potential to extend the motorcycle life of veterans who might be willing to ride a little longer. It would not be an exaggeration to say that "YongHyak will be the key to the domestic market for the next 10 years.Anyway, as this is my first dream, I hope you will enjoy reading this article with a dreamy mood and a little bit of alcohol from the toso (Japanese red wine).

Honda CB500 Super Fore unveiled at the Chongqing show in China in September 2025, with a newly developed 502cc engine and E-clutch, it is full of spirit in terms of content; a domestic version of the 400 is expected to appear at the East-West MC show in spring 2026.

CBR500R FOUR, an engine/body coercion of the CB500 SuperFour; the name, which does not refer to the RR, suggests a full-cowl all-rounder character, not a crunchy supersport.

A Kawasaki 400NK...that's the kind of thing that would definitely sell if it were released!

All this fantasy...and yet, this is already making Kawasaki fans yell "Why can't they release it?!" I'm sure that the Z400RS (tentative name) is making Kawasaki fans yell, "Why won't they release it? As you know, Kawasaki already has a 400cc parallel four-cylinder. The supersport ZX-4R is good, but it is the naked models that are widely accepted. Now that the Honda 400NK is about to be revived, many fans must be eagerly looking forward to Kawasaki's new model.

If the Z400RS is launched, there is a strong possibility that it will be the "most powerful 400NK ever," based on the 400cc SS, the most powerful bike in history. If the Z400RS were to appear on the market, it would be an ideal vehicle for downsizing from the larger models.

Anyway, Kawasaki has an abundance of neo-classics like this, including the FX and Zephyr, if not the RS. Kawasaki has been pushing the "60th anniversary of the W (the 650-W1 was introduced in 1965)" since last year... that's great, but please give us a 400NK by the end of 2026!

The Z400RS is based on the Ninja ZX-4R, which is the most powerful 400 on the market with 77 hp (80 hp with ram air pressurization). Is it ready to go?

One of Kawasaki's legends is the Z400FX, introduced in 1979 and famous for sparking a four-cylinder boom in the 400 class, which at the time had only two cylinders.

The Zephyr (400) appeared in 1989, 20 years after the FX. It appeared in the midst of the replica boom, and was one of the legendary machines that ignited the naked boom.

Z400RS (tentative name) CG

The CG is based on the ZX-4R's engine and chassis, with the tank design slightly resembling the Zephyr's. If the Z400RS is actually released, it will be a Z900RS/Z900RS/Z400RS. If the Z400RS is actually released, it will be the little brother of the Z900RS/Z650RS, but for the Zephyr generation that appeared in 1989, this one may be more appealing to them!

Z400RS/IMAGE CG] Since the motif is based on the Zephyr, the background is decorated with the same "cherry blossoms" as in the Zephyr catalog photo. How do you like it?