1994 Kawasaki ZZR600 review from United Kingdom
"A bit heavy by modern standards, but still a great, quick, comfortable and reliable machine"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Exhaust - middle section rusted out. Replaced with a great sounding Micron four into one system which unfortunately has left a gaping hole in the power-band between 4 and 7 thousand revs!
Front disks (rotors) - cracks appeared between the holes drilled into the disks, which required them to be replaced.
Battery - amazingly lasted for 10 years!
Rear wheel bearings - from years of over-tightening the chain.
Tires - Rear tyres last about 5000 miles whilst the front ones can do double that.
Chain & sprockets - on my second set, they seem to capable of 20000 miles if treated correctly.
General comments?
The motorcycle still looks modern in most color schemes.
Reliability has been outstanding with the bike never leaving me stranded.
I have done track-days on the ZZR where I've worked the machine to the full to keep up and sometimes overtake the more modern competition.
I have also undertaken 2000 mile round trips with 1000 miles being covered in 24 hours! Whilst I can't honestly say that I arrived refreshed - I wasn't as sore as you might think. Wind protection is pretty good and you can ride at 85mph all day.
The fuel-gauge isn't particularly accurate, but I have managed more than 160 miles on the 18 litre tank.
In general, the bike behaves exceptionally considering it is now over 10 years old. It might not be the latest and the greatest, but then again nor am I.
Recommended reviews
| Fast, reliable all rounder, but watch out for brakes and exhausts |
|
| Like it a lot, but bit heavy though |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1994 |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Acceleration marks | 7 / 10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Handling marks | 7 / 10 |
| Braking marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 12000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 29000 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Kawasaki GPX600R |
| Date of Entry | 23rd March, 2005 |