It seems like we’re going back in time when 400cc Japanese supersports were all the rage in the 80s. With QJMotor launching the SRK 421 RR, it looks like the Chinese have picked up the handbook.
Come to think of it, it makes perfect sense. For years, the Kawasaki ZX-4RR has been the go-to choice in this segment. Can QJMotor grab a share of the pie?
And it’s not without credentials, too. Powering the motorcycle is a 16-valve, 421cc inline four-cylinder motor. It’s essentially the same as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR, with a slightly longer 41.2-mm stroke that helps it with the extra displacement.
The engine generates 76.4 hp at 14,000 RPM – reaching its peak earlier than Kawasaki, which peaks at 14,500 RPM. It also gets more torque – 28.8 lb-ft (39 Nm) at 13,000 RPM, compared to 26.5 lb-ft (35.9 Nm) at 11,000 RPM of the ZX-4RR. It gets a slipper clutch alongside an up-and-down quickshifter to transfer that power.
QJMoto credits the advances to the components. From DLC-treated tappets, electroplated ceramic cylinder walls, clutch plates, piston rings, and bearings from Japan, as well as forged steel camshafts, this isn’t your typical cheap Chinese knockoff.
That motor sits in a steel-aluminum frame and fully adjustable upside-down forks with a multi-link rear shock from Marzocchi. Braking is all Brembo – twin 300-mm front discs with radial four-piston calipers, and a 240-mm rear disc with two-piston caliper. Dual-channel ABS completes the setup.
You get two ride modes: Normal and Sport, which change the throttle response and the degree of ABS and Traction Control System (TCS) assistance. A 7-inch TFT display takes care of smartphone connectivity and navigation mirroring. You also get a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), an 18W dual-port USB (A&C) fast charger, and front and rear integrated cameras that come as an option.
The bike weighs 388 lb (176 kg) – that’s 28.6 lb (13 kg) less than the steel-framed Kawasaki ZX-4RR. It sports a 4.2-gallon (16-liter) fuel tank – a rather big tank for a small-displacement motorcycle. And the 31.8-inch (808 mm) seat height is pretty accessible for most riders, too.
Then, there’s the futuristic “Mecha”-inspired styling. Much like that of other QJMotor bikes, it all comes courtesy of Italian design firm C-Creative, which is led by former Benelli and MV Agusta design leader Adrian Morton and former MV CEO Giovanni Castiglioni.
The bike houses twin LED headlamps in a single, visor-like hole carved into the front fairing – a Ram Air intake. I love the sharp lines, geometric cuts, and the hollowed-out tail section that maximizes airflow.
It takes on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR head-on, a bike that costs £8,699 (US$11,630 per direct conversion) and is not even available in the States. Rather, you get the tamer ZX-4R for $9,299 in the USA.
At the same time, the SRK 421 RR is listed at £5,299 ($7,084). Forget the ZX-4RR, it undercuts even its younger sibling, ZX-4R! It’s even cheaper than the 500cc crop of bikes like the Ninja 500 and Honda CBR500R. Wow.
You can’t beat Chinese bikemakers when it comes to pricing. And that’s exactly why I think this one has all the potential to go on to become big for QJMotor. The only thing left to do is sort out distribution and servicing.
Source: QJMotor UK
