2003 Kawasaki ZZR 1200

Summary:

Fast but heavy, vastly underrated, and now cheap too

Faults:

Faultless so far.

General Comments:

For a start this is very fast.

A quarter-tonne bike that covers the quarter mile in 10.5s! That will run to 180mph without the BS factor?

That's a fast bike; it's faster than Honda's Blackbird. It also boasts more ground clearance and more settled suspension. This helps it to hide its weight disadvantage to out-handle the Blackbird too (I know because I owned a Blackbird).

The ZZ-R offers brilliant rider accommodation with a huge fairing and a really well balanced riding position.

Tank range is very good for such a missile, but be warned, if you’re trigger-happy you could be stopping every 130 or so miles and spending time in jail if they catch you.

The engine and handling really suit the bike though; Ultra-linear power with smooth delivery and a very stable chassis make for a bike you can ride a long way on - very quickly. You can easily satisfy all your needs with this one bike (scratching, touring, commuting, except off roading!!) and even pillions like them.

This is a bike that has been very cleverly designed and developed to fulfill a niche missed altogether by the ZX-12R, Hayabusa and most other superbikes. It's the best big super sports-tourer, and the one of the most versatile day to day bikes you could own.

I really like it, but am gonna sell it and buy a KTM Adventure!

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th March, 2008