Kawasaki KZ400-B2 reviews

I bought a 1996 Eliminator for my first time on the road. Excellent starter bike. I travel about 50 miles everyday for work on the interstate. This bike loves the interstate. 80-90 mph is smooth as glass; although I do not recommend that speed for everybody. I am getting a larger bike this year for cruising because I'm older and wiser now. If you ever get a chance, buy this bike. It'll fool everybody! Show less

This is actually a review of a '78 KZ400 A2 Deluxe. I bought this bike off Ebay on a whim and it has been a fantastic sight unseen purchase. I liked it because of what I thought were aftermarket add ons. After I had the bike brought to SC from GA and did some research, I found out the fairing, hard bags and crash bar were all factory stock. The man who had her just loved to tinker with old bikes and make them run well. He did a fantastic job on this one. It is the first used bike I have owned that I didn't have to do anything to. I already own an '88 Kawasaki Voyager (super comfortable) and a '90 Yamaha V-Max (super fast)and believe it or not this is the bike I would give up last. It's dead reliable with basic maintenance and just so easy to ride that it's just what I thought the two wheel experience should be. It is actually a fantastic TOURING bike if you actually tour which to me means getting out there to see the sights on the two lane state roads rather than mind numbing interstate rides which are just traveling rather than touring. Getting out on the two lane low country SC backroads and visiting country stores, farmers' stands and little roadhouse eateries is where this bike shines. Totally comfortable and stable at 60mph with some throttle to spare but the scenery is so nice, why rush? Rides just as well two up also. And no need for for fancy or "in character" type biker clothes. A denim jacket, work boots, and basic white 3/4 helmet with sunglasses is what seems to fit the style of this bike. Performance is on par with a spirited econo car and this bike will run away from most cages in town. The seat could be a little softer but I'll figure out something for that. I have recently become interested in the super scooters like the Suzuki Burgmans, but every time I ride this I ask myself if I would gain that much for what I would spend on them. If I had to pin it down, evertytime I ride this bike, it just makes me smile. Show less

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

Bought a 1997 Eliminator (named Kelli) last year as my first bike. Hence, I don't have a point of reference but it can be safely said that it is a good machine. It's a cruiser that is powered by the Ninja 600 cc engine (inline 4 cylinder), so she'll move quickly when prodded (has a shaft drive, thus it's not as quick as many crotch rockets, but great for a middleweight cruiser). Granted, it's not made for long-distance touring (if you try that, by all means replace the stock seat--gets pretty uncomfortable at 75-100 miles). However, the rest of this bike is something I would highly recommend to anyone. Even at 225 pounds (in full riding gear), she pulls me along just fine. haven't tried racing against bigger machines yet; I know she could blow away the Mean Streak (same horsepower but 200 lbs heavier) and most Harleys (V-Rod an obvious exception). Kelli's been good to me, although I think one more season and I'll be ready to move up to a bigger bike. Show less

Being a 5'5' woman it is not the easiest to find a good fitting bike. THIS BIKE FITS!! It also has lots of power and is very low maintenance....shaft drive liquid cooled is an obvious benefit. Weight is good too. Very easy handling. Like the stock color too. It's the first bike i have not had to custom paint. Though yellow and purple may not be everyone's cup of tea it does come in basic black also. The only downside i have found is an uncomfortable seat.(an easy fix). Show less

This was my first bike. I bought it used for practically pocket change. It was filthy and out of tune. After a week-end of scrubbing and wrenching I started riding it full-time. Eventually I put a nice two-into-one Kerker header and some top-notch tires on it and really started learning how to ride. That little twin took me all the way through the desert southwest, out to West Virginia and back, all without a single breakdown (wore out a chain and took a nail in my rear tire though). I eventually sold it (for more than I paid for it) years later when I moved to the South Pacific. I still regret letting that gutsy, little scooter get away from me. Show less

I had one of these. Put 37,000 miles on it then sold it to a gal who still uses it for her paper route. Now it has 55,000 miles on it without major breakdowns. I remember it was a box basic bike and few frills but it rode good, was reliable, didn't cost an arm & leg to operate. I've had many bikes. This one was one of the best. Ah. It's the simple things we remember. 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

When I went to the motorcycle dealer for my first bike, most of them were out of my price range. But there was a little black bike in the back room that was very affordable. I bought it, and I have ridden it for a couple of years now. It's comfortable, fun, and doesn't need a whole lot of upkeep. The size is perfect for beginners as is the price. Show less