Kawasaki ZX7R

...I had always liked the Kawasaki ZX's. The 600s were a bit out of my price range but I found this American imported ZX-7 on the Lings website.

I called and booked a test ride for the following Saturday.

When I arrived at the shop the ZX was already parked out the front with a full tank waiting.

The first thing I noticed was the dimensions of the bike - it was huge. Kawasakis (especially the older ones) ...
...for a 400 I looked at the ZXR400 but this was massive compared to the VFR400 (which I later went on to buy). The ZX-6 is massive compared to the CBR6, YZF6 etc.

I climbed aboard and realised that I could only just touch the ground - even on tip toes! This combined with the 190kg weight and strange weight distribution was not a good combination for a shorter rider like me. "This is going to be difficult to manouvre" I thought.
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I purchased my 1993 ZX-7R from Lings in Harleston for £2,000 about 4 years ago.

After cutting my teeth on a VFR400R (an absolutely gorgeous bike) I thought it was time to move up to something a bit more powerful. At the time I weighed 13.5 stone, despite me being short at 5'7".

Due to my weight I thought I needed something that was at least 600cc (the 400 started to struggle pulling me!). I had always liked the Kawasaki ZX's. The 600s were a bit out of my price range but I found this American imported ZX-7 on the Lings website.

I called and booked a test ride for the following Saturday.

When I arrived at the shop the ZX was already parked out the front with a full tank waiting.

The first thing I noticed was the dimensions of the bike - it was huge. Kawasakis (especially the older ones) always seem to be big bikes. When I was looking for a 400 I looked at the ZXR400 but this was massive compared to the VFR400 (which I later went on to buy). The ZX-6 is massive compared to the CBR6, YZF6 etc.

I climbed aboard and realised that I could only just touch the ground - even on tip toes! This combined with the 190kg weight and strange weight distribution was not a good combination for a shorter rider like me. "This is going to be difficult to manouvre" I thought.

As I fired it up a 'real' engine sprung in to life. The sound was deep and throaty - like a proper bike should sound.

I kicked up the side stand. Pulled in the clutch and clicked it to first gear - the gearbox felt smooth. After a few deep breaths I pulled away. Whilst the shop was still in sight I took it easy.

Once I reached the roundabout on the edge of town I started to feel part of the bike. I took the first exit and decided to open the ZX up. The acceleration was mind blowing. Up to 4000 rpm the engine pulled. From 4000 rpm to 10,000 rpm it pulled like a freight train, and there were still around 3,500 rpm till the red line! The engine sung, the exhaust note changed and the wind noise became almost unbearable.

1st, 2nd, 3rd and I looked at the speedo - how fast?!? and I had hardly noticed. This is one fast, licence losing machine that demanded respect. I eased on the brakes. One finger on the lever and the front end nose dived scrubbing off the speed almost as quickly as it has produced it. This was a true sports bike, despite it's massive size.

I turned off the main road down a twisty back road that was recommended by the bloke in the shop. The zx was effortless to ride. It was very flickable through every bend. It changed from left to right to left again effortlessly. If you went in to corners too hot and had to brake hard or went in in a too higher gear it didn't matter. The 750cc engine had the torque to pull you out of the corner at the same speed you went in. There was no coggind down to second and winding it up through the gearbox.

I took the ZX back to the shop and parked it up. Once I had come to a stand still I realised how heavy the bike was, how difficult it was to push around, and how I couldn't touch the ground unless right on the tips of my boots.

I walked in to the shop. The grin on my face told the bloke he had just sold the ZX. He didn't even need to ask me.

I picked the ZX up the following weekend. The journey home was a lovely ride. 40 miles down main roads, through the city of Norwich and then back road scratching out to the sticks of Norfolk. I got to know the ZX and realised that although this was a sports bike it took a lot to get it out of shape. Some bikes are tempremental in that they are either behave or they don't. There is no warning you are going to be spat off, or that the head is going to shake or it is going to flip. The ZX is not like that at all - If it tank slaps it gives you a warning first and enough time to shut the throttle. If the back end is going to break away it does it slowly - again giving you the chance to react. It is the best sports bike to learn how to ride a 'sports bike' on.

On the way home I took it to my mechanic for a once over. He took it down the road and said "it's a kawasaki" - Not as reliable as a Honda but not as bad as an Italian bike. I was told that it had had a hard life and that it shook its head from 130mph!

Over the year and a half I owned the ZX it never let me down - not once. The engine fired in to life once the button was pressed - even after a winter of being stored in the garage. It went straight through it's MOT and the only penny I spent on it was the MOT fee itself.

It was a pleasure to ride. It was great for back road scratching as it was very flickable and had a torqey engine. The forgiving nature of the bike, and the way in which it was preddictable taught me to ride.

It was great on larger roads. Wind resistance was not a problem. Over taking was not a problem - no need to change gear it was a mere flick of the wrist and the bike took off.

It was great in town, unlike my current Speed Four. The ZX's torquey engine meant city riding was a pleasure. The riding position, although sporty, was not overly crouched and the engine never overheated.

I did have issues parking up though, but this was not the fault of the bike. I could not park it on slopes - I couldn't reach the ground, or on gravel - I was not strong enough to push it out, I could not park it on grass - again I was not strong enough.

I have problems in that I have short and stumpy arms and legs. This meant that I could not touch the ground and it was a long reach out to the handlebars. However, if you are larger than me you should have no problems with the ZX at all. My size only hampered me when pushing the bike around and parking up/stopping at junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights etc. Once moving I had no problems with it whatsoever.

The ZX7R is now an old machine that is obsolete, along with many other 750ccs. It appears that the trend is now either a 600cc or a 900cc/1000cc. It is a shame because a 750cc is the ideal size. It is also a nostalgic bike since these were the 'big boy' machines that were used through the nineties in BSB and WSB. I used to feel like Anthony Gobert everytime I used to ride my ZX (even though I could never powerslide the rear like he could) and feel that I could take on Foggy. Lol.

If you have the chance to own a ZX then take it. An absolutely brilliant bike that is fast, powerful and flickable but at the same time predictable and forgiving. All that and you get reliability chucked in as well! You won't be disappointed.

 

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