1989 Motorcycle reviews

I purchased my 1988 ZX10 off eBay. The seller was in Mississippi and I live in Northern California. Flew back, got the bike, made a stop in Arkansas and Kansas to see friends/relatives and rode it home - 3,002 miles. The bike had a little over 9,000 miles on it when I got it. Cosmetically, it was (is) a 9.9. It has a Corbin seat, Throttlemeister throttle lock, stainless steel brake lines, Kerker exhaust, Stage 3 jet kit, tinted windshield and Michelin tires. It's a great bike, averaged 51 miles to the gallon. Comfortable to ride and handles well. For the price of a new bike these days, you can't go wrong with a ZX10. Show less

My 89 ZX10 was bought used in '96 with 17k kms on it. It now has 79k trouble-free kms on it. Other than the usual wear & tear items (tires, chain, sprockets, etc), it has given me zero problems, not a single thing gone wrong! I have never owned a vehicle of any kind, which consumed so LITTLE oil! It is completely stock, except for the addition of an alarm. Riding the ZX10 is a beautiful combination of comfort and speed. I have ridden many long one-up touring miles (400-600 miles/day ave.) and always found it completely comfortable. But it is also very fast, at least in a straight line! I consistently get 52 mpg (imperial gallons!) in everyday relaxed commuting. One drawback in context of today's world is that this bike is a porker (570+ lbs), which doesn't exactly slow it down, but doesn't make you want to fly too hard into the corners. All things considered, for an older bike that can be had for a song, it has held up extremely well in most of the important areas: reliability, speed, comfort, and yes, (arguably) looks! Show less

This Ninja is big and powerful. It's roomy and comfortable enough for all-day riding. So weather you're doing triple-digit speeds to get there, or taking the back roads, the 5.8-gallon gas tank is a welcome relief from frequent fuel stops. This bike handles well for such a big rig. It has nice brakes and good weather protection. It's a truly beautiful sport tourer. The Ninja looks as good today as it did back in 1989. It's versatile as well. You can find the red line for some serious excitement, or cruise the highway and return 50mpg. Some of the after-market accessories have proven to be very helpful. I chose to go with the Corbin seat -- excellent investment. The exhaust is a system from D&D. Four into two into one, very nice. The brake lines from Russell in stainless steal add good looks as well as function. The market still offers a wide variety of tires from all of the best manufacturers. Radar anyone? Show less

Having owned this machine for the past seven years, only high recommendations for it. There have been minor problems over the years. All in all, never have been left stranded by this machine by a mechanical failure. The ride is smooth above 3500 rpms to around 6500 rpms, which puts you well above the legal limit in every state. Fuel comsumption is best around 75mph, approx. 55 mpg. At 65 mph you're getting around 50 mpg. And with a 6.6 gallon tank, that adds up to a great touring range. Show less