OH THE TIME HAS COME WHEN ONE CAN NO LONGER DRUEL AND DREAM BUT ACTUALLY GETS THEIR HANDS ON THE BIKE THEY ADMIRE. IN MY CASE, IT IS THE ZX 11. THE ABSOLUTE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IS THE SIZE OF THE BIKE WHICH IN COMPARISION TO OTHER SPORT BIKES, IS ON THE "LARGER" SCALE UNLESS YOU COMPARE IT TO THE GSXR 1300. THIS BIKE LOOKS HEAVY AND IT IS. YOU WILL FIND MANY DIFFERENT QUOTES ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF THIS BIKE AND IT IS IN THE +500LBS RANGE WHICH IS FINE FOR ME BECAUSE AS A SPORT TOURER, I WANT THE BIKE TO RIDE ME AND NOT ME RIDE THE BIKE. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH BIKES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHILE RIDING ON THE INTERSTATE OR LONG HAULS, WHEN YOU HAVE A "HEAVIER" MACHINE, IT ABSORBES THE BUMPS AND BRUISES. WHEN YOU RIDE A LIGHTER MORE NIMBLE BIKE, YOU SPEND MUCH MORE EFFORT CONTROLLING THE MACHINE ITSELF MAKING YOU MUCH MORE FATIGUED UPON YOUR ARRIVAL. ALTHOUGH THIS BIKE IS VERY STABLE THROUGHOUT THE TURNS AND TWISTIES BUT IS DEFINITELY NO MATCH FOR A DUCATI (LIKE ANYTHING MATCHES A DUCATI IN THE TURNS) OR TYPICAL RICE-ROCKET BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU didn't BUY THIS BIKE FOR THAT PURPOSE ANYHOW. ONCE YOU EXIT THOSE TURNS ANYONE WHO HAS GOTTEN THE JUMP ON YOU KNOWS YOU'LL BE FIRST INTO THE NEXT SET OF TURNS. :) I HAVE SEEN MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THE STOCK SEAT ON THIS BIKE. MY OPINION IS THAT IT SUCKS BUT YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF VERY HAPPY WITH THE STOCK SEAT. LET ME CLARIFY, THE STOCK SEAT IS GREAT AND CONFORTABLE FOR THE FIRST 75+ MILES OR SO. AGAIN, THIS IS MY OPINION AND YOU MIGHT FIND THAT STOCK SEAT PERFECT. I'M NOT A SUSPENSION BUFF AND I REALLY CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE SUSPENSION OR THE OTHER. I'M A HARLEY RIDER ON A SPORT-TOURER MOTORCYCLE WITH THE OCCASIONAL NEED FOR THAT SPACE BETWEEN TWO CARS FOR THE EXIT FAST APPROACHING AND I NEED TO BE THERE IN 1/2 OF 1 SECOND OTHERWISE I MISS MY EXIT AND SPEND THE NEXT 2 HOURS TRYING TO FIND MY WAY BACK AFTER TAKING THE NEXT EXIT, STOPPING AT THE CONVENIENT STORE AND TRYING TO GET DIRECTIONS FROM HA-BEEB. TIRES ARE ALL DEPENDENT ON HOW YOUR RIGHT HAND WORKS. THE SAME FOR GAS MILAGE. BEING THE LAID BACK RIDER I AM, I GET 45 MPG. I ALSO GET 10-12,000 MILES OUT OF TIRES, 25-30,000 OUT OF CHAIN AND SPROKETS WHICH IS UNHEARD OF FOR MOST RIDERS. I'M ALSO THE GUY WHO HAD A 85 VFR 750 WITH 130,000 MILES AND NOT A SINGLE VALVE ADJUSTMENT. JUST ASK THE AVERAGE MECHANIC ABOUT THAT BIKE AND THEY WILL TELL YOU IMPOSSIBLE; WELL I DID IT AND THE ONLY REASON I DUMPED THAT BIKE WAS THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I CURRENTLY USE MICHELIN PILOT ROAD TIRES AND VERY HAPPY WITH THEM. THEY HAVE HAD THE PILOT RACE TIRES FOR SOME TIME AND THE PILOT ROAD TIRES ALOT OF DEALERS don't EVEN CARRY NOR HAVE THEY HEARD OF THEM. ENGINE WISE, I WILL STRETCH AND SAY BULLETPROOF. IT IS TRUE THAT THIS BIKE IS NOT MADE TO WHEELIE. THOSE HOTSHOTS (WHICH I ADMIRE BY THE WAY WHEN THEY PASS ME ON THE INTERSTATE OR BRIDGES ON ONE WHEEL) WHO TAKE A ZX-11 AND RIDE THE ONE BACK WHEEL ARE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETE WITH THE OIL PUMP WHICH IS NOT IN ANYWAY DESIGNED FOR WHEELIES. THIS ENGINE IS NOT A BULLETPROOF ONE WHEN YOU WHEELIE ON IT AND OIL STARVATION IS A HUGE PROBLEM ON THE ZX 11 IN PARTICULAR. YOU CAN BUY THAT AFTER MARKET KIT WHICH BYPASSES THE OIL PUMP SOMEHOW BUT THAT IS IN THE AREA OF $700 AFTER INSTALLATION. BUT YOU WILL STILL HAVE PLENTY OF YAHOO'S OUT THERE WITH THE NEED AND KEEP IT UP GUYS CAUSE I FIND YOU ENTERTAINING WHEN YOU BLOW BY ME ON ONE WHEEL. AS WITH ANY BIKE, KEEP THE ELECTRICAL PARTS COVERED WHETHER YOUR WASHING THE BIKE OR IT GETS RAINED ON. ME, I JUST PUT A GARBAGE BAG OVER THE HANDLEBARS WHEN I'M WASHING IT AND THIS IS GOOD ADVICE FOR ANY MOTORCYCLE. THE BRAKES ON THIS BIKE I FEEL ARE A BIT ON THE WEAK SIDE. I don't RIDE HARD ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT BRAKE FADE BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THE BRAKES COULD BE A BIT STRONGER ESPECIALLY ON A BIKE THIS SIZE. FROM EXPERIENCE, BRAKE PADS SUFFER FROM HEAT SO MANY RIDERS BUY THOSE EXPENSIVE RACE PADS; DO NOT DO THAT ON YOUR STREET BIKE. RACE PADS REQUIRE PLENTY OF HEAT TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AND THE NORMAL STREET DRIVER CAN'T HEAT THOSE PADS UP TO EFFECTIVELY USE THEM. IF YOU THINK STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IS SUFFICIENT, WELL UNLESS YOUR STOP AND GO REQUIRES YOU TO SPEEDS OF 120MPH+, don't WASTE YOUR MONEY. POWERWISE, THE BIKE IS INCREDIBLE. THIS BIKE IS AROUND THE 10-SECOND QUARTER MILE MARK AND WILL SIMPLY AMAZE YOU AS TO THE POWER/SPEED RATIO IT HAS WHEN IT COMES TIME TO USE THE POWER TO GET INTO TRAFFIC, GET AWAY FROM SOME NUTCASE, OR JUST FIND YOURSELF ON THAT OPEN INTERSTATE AND TIME TO FLY. SURE, THERE ARE 2 BIKES I BELIEVE OUT THERE THAT ARE FASTER, BUT WITH A 10-SECOND BIKE, I ASSURE YOU THAT 10-SECONDS AND A TOP SPEED OF CLOSE TO 180 IS PLENTY. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE STYLE IS STILL COOL, THE BIKE IS STILL FAST AND EVERY COP WHO PULLS UP NEXT TO YOU KNOWS THAT YOU don't HAVE TO PULL OVER IF YOU don't WANT TO AND THERE'S NO WAY TO STOP YOU. :) THAT OLD ATAGE DOESN'T APPLY HERE CAUSE THIS BIKE IS FASTER THAN THAT RADIO OFFICER. ANOTHER OPINION HERE THAT MAY UPSET SOME YOUNGER RIDERS WHO ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE SOMEONE ELSE TO LET THEM HAVE THIS MOTORCYCLE. MY ADVICE IS TO STEER CLEAR FROM THIS MOTORCYCLE IS YOU RESEMBLE ANYTHING OF A NOVICE. THIS BIKE IS COMPLETELY UNFORGIVING. ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY UNFORGIVING. EVEN AS POWERFUL AS THE NEW 600cc CYCLES ARE, THEY HAVE A TRUE ASPECT OF FORGIVENESS WHILE RIDING, THIS BIKE DOESN'T. AS FAR AS THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE AVERAGE JOE WHO HAS SOME MINIMAL EXPERIENCE WORKING ON ANY TYPE ENGINES, CAN SUCCESSFULLY WORK ON THIS BIKE. ONCE YOU LEARN (LIKE ME) HOW THE FAIRINGS COME OFF AND ON, WHICH ONES TO TAKE OFF WHEN AND FOR WHAT JOB, THEN IT COMES TO BE A SNAP. YOU WILL WANT TO DO THIS WHEN YOU FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE DEALER WILL CHARGE YOU FOR THE MAINTENANCE. EVERYTHING UNDER THE TANK AND FAIRING IS RELATIVELY EASY TO WORK ON. OIL CHANGES, SPARK PLUGS, FUEL FILTERS, STARTERS, FUEL PUMPS, ETC. ETC. ETC ARE ALL EASILY ACCESIBLE AND YOU CAN DO THIS WORK YOURSELF. SHOOT, EVEN IF YOU BUY A ZX 11 THAT HAS BEEN SITTING AND HAS "BAD" FUEL, YOU CAN YOURSELF TAKE OFF THE CARBS AND CLEAN THEM YOURSELF INSTEAD OF THE $300/BILL FROM YOUR LOCAL DEALER TO DO THIS JOB. VALVE JOBS YOU DO YOURSELF ALSO BUT YOU NEED THAT $12/SPACER TO MEASURE THE VALVE GAPS. IT CAN NOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH THAT IF THE CARBS NEED TO BE CLEANED, EVEN IF YOU SIMPLY THINK THE CARBS NEED TO BE CLEANED, YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THEM, TAKE THEM APART AND CLEAN THEM OTHERWISE YOU'LL JUST HAVE THE CONTINOUS ROUGH IDLE AND POOR PERFORMANCE. RUN THE BIKE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THE CARBS WILL NEVER BECOME SLUGGED UP, OR VARNISH, ETC. DIRTY CARBS WILL NEVER COME CLEAN WITH THOSE OVER THE COUNTER GAS/CARB CLEANERS. THERE IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE; THEY NEVER WORK. THEY DO WORK EXCELLENT ONCE THE CARBS ARE CLEAN. OK, don't BELIEVE ME AND TRY TO USE THOSE CLEANERS INSTEAD OF TAKING THE CARBS OFF AND TAKING THEM APART AND CLEANING THEM. YOU'LL JUST BE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE WHO SITS WITH A ROUGH IDLE AND CONSTANTLY PLAYS WITH THE IDLE ADJUSTMENT, WHICH BY THE WAY ON THE ZX 11 IS A VERY EASY REACH SINCE IT STICKS OUT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE JUST NEXT TO THE FAIRING AND NOT "INSIDE" THE BIKE WHICH MAKES IT ALMOST MISSION IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH AND IF YOU CAN REACH IT, YOU'LL BURN YOURSELF ADJUSTING IT. WTG KAWASAKI ON THAT DESIGN. THIS IS THE MACHINE THAT CAN TAKE APART ANY CAR BUILT ON THE ROAD TODAY WITHOUT QUESTION. THERE ARE CURRENTLY ONLY 2 OTHER CYCLES WHO CAN SLIGHTLY OUT-RUN YOU BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY LICK OF SALT IN YOUR RIDING ABILITY, THOSE OTHER BIKES ARE NOT GOING TO BLOW YOU AWAY AND IN MOST CASES, YOU MAY JUST OVERSHADOW THEM. NOW REMEMBER, THIS EXTENDS ALL THE WAY BACK TO MODEL YEAR 1990 WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING CONSIDERING YOUR TYPICAL YAHOO ON HIS NEW 2003 929RR OR ZX-12 WILL THINK YOUR MEASLY 1990 CAN'T COMPETE AND HE COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG. HAPPY RIDING!!!!!!
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