2004 Kawasaki ZRX1200R Motorcycle reviews

I have a 2005 ZRX and bought it last November. I have been commuting on it and have gone on several long rides. I sure like the power and the way it handles. I'm a pretty big guy so I need a good size bike to look normal on. This bike has tons of power and great looks that gets the heads turning. My gas mileage has been great, about 43 around town and 48 on the freeway at 75/80 mph. I haven't touched the engine with any custom performance mods because it's fast enough for me. I have added a Laminar lip, engine guards, a back rack and a little billet aluminum extras but overall it's stock. The only gripe I have is on my last long trip to LaGuna Seca in July I had major seat pain. The stock seat is not good for long time cruises. I had a little pillow under me for a while, which helped, but an aftermarket seat is definitely in the future or a good gel pad. I am very pleased with this bike and love the low maintenance. don't worry about breaking down on this ride because the engine is bullet proof. Ride safe everyone and be careful with the power of the ZRX1200R. Show less

This is not my first ZRX. I had an 01 a few years ago that I put 10,000 miles on. It was a great bike but fool that I am I sold it. Well a year later I had to have another one and found someone who was willing to sell me their 04. I have owned maybe 30 to 35 motorcycles in my life and the ZRX is the only motorcycle that I sold that I had to get back. When I die my son will get two motorcycles because I will never sell my 1800 Goldwing or my ZRX. What can I say about the ZRX? It is an excellent bike for an older individual. Plenty of power, handling, and comfort. No it is not cutting edge but it works great for me. If I could only have one bike the ZRX would be it. Torque monster and plenty of aftermarket stuff so you can make it your own. There is nothing that can't be improved on the bike if you have the money to spend. I don't like stock bikes because I don't want to have someone pull up to me at a stoplight on the exact same motorcycle. Fat chance that that will happen. I probably have about forty mods that makes my motorcycle mine. If you can find a low mileage ZRX by all means give it a try. In my mind it is one of the best kept secrets in motorcycling. Show less

The ZRX1200R is an outstanding overall streetbike. It's an excellent choice for the pragmatic, long-term rider. Having riden many sportbike (VFR, RC-51) years prior to the purchase of my ZRX1200R, I can provide some useful insights to the potential buyer who wishes to contrast this machine with modern sportbikes. The ZRX provides an intermediate posture that allows for upright or leaned-into angles depending upon rider needs. The seat is high and tank low - therefore one cannot use the tank (for support) like a sport bike. Nonetheless, a cafe style posture can be maintained for short distances and provides improved stability and adequate shield from windblast. The pegs are dead-center (not forward and rearward) and are rather high. Therefore, riders with long legs (like myself) have a very tough time with long rides - with much pain in the knees. The bike handles great for its weight. It's surprisingly responsive up to mid speeds. At higher speeds to bike feels heavy in turns - so, much effort is required to lean the ZRX. This bike's handling is an excellent comprimise. Turns can be shaky and dangerous with stock settings - even with "optimal" settings the bike must be gripped carefully in fast turns (esp. w/bumps) to avoid the shakes. The bike has solid power thru the entire RPM range (literally 2000-10000 RPM) - especially in terms of torque. The motor revs much slower than a typical 1000cc sports bike. The engine is ideally suited for street work with or without passengers. The torque is such that I feel little or no difference with a 120 lb passenger. The comfortable, low-RPM torque is great for commuting, and yields excellent mileage with the stock machine. My stock mileage is 40-46MPG. Many folks who modify the engine for power see a large dropoff in mileage with the ZRX. (My personal opinion is that if you want a supersports bike then buy a supersports bike - leave the ZRX alone!!) The transmission is quite knotchy - especially between 1st and 2nd gears. From time to time a light shift in higher gears (e.g. 3rd to 4th) will result in the bike spinning our of gear (into some space between 4th and 5th). The lack of a 6th gear is sometimes frustrating but is appropriate for the suspension setup on this machine (it's simply not designed for high speed work - esp. in the turns). Nonetheless, I rarely break 5000 RPM even when I'm pushing. At 4500 miles the bike is rock-solid in terms of reliability. The stock tires are probably half way down even with some fairly agressive daily cornering. The ZRX is a joy to work on and maintain - chains adjusts, lubrications, cleanings are easy with the aid of a Pit Bull or comparable lift - the rear end is surprisingly light. I enjoy the ZRX1200R because it is a solid, reliable, excellent performing, machine. It hides one hell of an engine under that practical and fairly introverted skin. I park her in town without a lock and nobody messes around. If you're looking for a solid, long-term bike, with good performance and great economy then this is the machine. If you're looking for a crotch rocket or touring bike then you might look elsewhere. Show less

Well, after reading tons of online reviews I decided to take the plunge and get a red 2004 ZRX. I bought it just last week (May 3, 2005) so I haven't had an oppotunity yet to put a lot of miles on it. This bike reminds me a lot of my last bike, a 1986 Ninja GPz 900R which I sold in 2000. They both weigh about the same and have the same riding position and powerband, but the ZRX handles and brakes way better. The seat can be a little hard on the butt after about 45 minutes, but I've experienced worse. Overall, I really love this bike so far and it was definitely the best bang for the buck I could find. Show less

This is a kick butt bike, I bought a 2004 model and changed the pipe, added a jet kit and went down one tooth on the sprocket. These changes really weren't nessessary being that the bike was really powerful in its stock condition. With these changes this bike will literally jump out from under you. I LOVE THIS BIKE!! Show less

I have a stock 1200 ZRX. The bike has great performance, super midrange and lots of power. The seating position is great. The only problem is the amount of vibration I get from the handlebars. In less than 30 minutes I find my hands going numb - which really kills the desire for all day rides. What is the best way to get rid of this problem? Also the stock seat gets wearing after about 1 hour? Otherwise no complaints. Show less

I've owned a lot of motorcycles and my 2002 ZRX1200 is one of the best yet. The more I ride it the better I like it. It doesn't get as good of gas mileage as my '84 GPZ750 Turbo, which makes for more gas stops, but I like the low end torque it has. Show less

I'd like to praise a ZRX1200R feature unmentioned in any other review. On the ZRX1200R, under the seat, you'll find a truly HUMONGOUS onboard storage compartment. Such a large storage area capacity is unheard of on virtually any other motorcycle. THANK YOU Kawasaki!!! Show less

Well after spending 14 months in Iraq I decided to reward myself with a new motorcycle. The decision was as easy as ZRX, anyway loved the bike from the first day I drove it. Not sure if many people have to go 100 miles to get their bikes from the dealer, but I did and the ride back home was great. This was the first 100 mile ride back home from Kaiserslautern (K-Town) to Hanau, I smiled all the way. The bike is a dream to ride, it has all the power you would ever need and I find myself getting off the throttle as 100mph is achieved extremely fast. Granted, I have the AUTOBAHN but, I prefer to ride on the secondary roads. The bike handles great, the engine is smooth with excellent acceleration. The brakes work very well, as I have had to test them a few times! This is what a motorcycle should be: Fun, Fast and great looking! Show less

Once again Kawasaki has proven that they are still aware of what a motorcycle should be like. This bike is like a stealth fighter, you will wonder what it was as it passed you. Show less