2004 Kawasaki ZZR 1200 review from United States of America
"This is a great looking, fast, reliable, and well handling motorcycle"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Some scoring of the cam lobes.
General comments?
This bike is fast by any standard with breathtaking acceleration.
It handles very well, and feels solidly planted all the time. It is a very stable bike.
The bike looks great. One of the better styling jobs by Kawasaki.
The acceleration is linear, and the engine doesn't need to be revved that high to get this bike moving.
You can cruise at 90+ all day long on this bike, and it's not even breaking a sweat.
The wind protection is very good.
The braking is very good.
Reliability is excellent.
This is a sport tourer, however the emphasis is on the sport side.
I've put about 20,000 miles on it, and I'm still very happy with it.
Depending on you size, age, health etc. it will be comfortable or not.
The stock seat is horrible for long rides.
There is one known problem that many of these bikes had, and that is the cam lobes pit severely. Some owners have replaced the cams, others continued to ride without replacing them with no apparent failures or other ill affects.
The bike is rather heavy and has a sizable wheel base.
Gas mileage is typically around 42 MPG, assuming you're reasonably gentle with the throttle.
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model Year | 2004 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Acceleration marks | 10/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Handling marks | 8/10 |
| Braking marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 800 miles |
| Most recent distance | 20000 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Harley-Davidson Sportster XL 1200R |
| Date of Entry | 2nd August, 2008 |