Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R reviews

I got the ZX-9R a year ago. It had 13k miles on it and I put 11k on it. The power is awesome. The seat from stock was replaced with a Corbin which made a big differance on my butt. The brakes are weaker than say a CBR but once you get used to squishing or pushing the levers and peddle, it's OK. I been getting around 45-51 mpg.'s depending on how much throttle I use. It's a comfy ride. There's a big tank so you can go a little farther. There is no fuel gauge so have to use the trip meter. Show less

Great all-around performer and excellent sport tourer. The last big bore superbike with carburetors. Comfortable with strong midrange and top end. The size and weight of a 600 with the power of an 1100. Smooth and quiet, no need for an aftermarket pipe (I have a 49-state spec bike). Handles great for a big bike, especially since my other bike is a TZR250 (Yamaha). Nice throaty sound from the stock pipe. Good brakes, large 46mm forks, and a 5 gallon gas tank round out this best in class performer. Show less

I love this bike. I bought it last summer and have already put 12,000 mies on it. Does wheelies with ease through first and second. Handles well too. I do wish it had inverted forks though. I love the rider position. It makes long rides tolerable unlike its competition. I never was big on Kawasaki but I found this one for a good deal and when I read about the reliability and power, it had to be mine. Show less

I have driven all kinds of bikes in my 30 years of riding. The 2003 ZX9R is by far the best bike I have driven for over all performace and comfort. I wanted to find a bike that would not kill me after 30 min of riding and I did just that! Show less

I bought the ZX9 2 weeks ago and the first time I rode it home, it stalled on me. Fuel ran out without any warning of any sort. I've been wondering eversince what my mileage per gallon was on the ZX9, and finally got an idea. I used the trip odometer and a full tank to get an average. Almost got it the hardway though. Since the bike doesn't have a fuel gauge or any kind of low fuel indicator warning, the bike sputtered and almost stalled AGAIN until I switched the petcock to reserve. I get around 160-170 miles before going on reserve. Aside from that, the missing fuel indicator flaw, the ZX9 is an excellent ride. It's very comfortable with lots of power and lots of torque. Caught myself in 6th gear at a stop with a passenger and rode it out from there! Show less

First I will give the negatives: <br />It doesn't have a fuel light, it has the annoying petcock thing, and it takes a little longer to warm up than I am used to. I am not too thrilled about the color scheme (mine is red/purple). The seat was a little uncomfortable (not too bad), but I replaced it with a corbin seat that really wasn't too expensive (about $60) and I haven't had problems since. Another problem I had was with a rear rider leaning a little too much on to me, but that could have just been the girl I was with or the height difference between the new corbin seat and the stock rear seat (I never did find a Corbin or Sargent seat for the rear). That is really it for the negatives. As you can see it is just little nit-picking things. As far as the upside, it is unbelievable. One of the most important things to me is long term comfort, something not easy to find with my lanky 6'4" frame. Not only is it the most comfortable pure sportbike that I have ridden, it is more comfortable than the previous sport tourers that I have owned (2001 BMW R1100S and Triumph Sprint RS), and the cruisers (Honda Shadow and Victory V92C). It is fast enough that I have yet to be consistantly beaten by any other bikes (I generally ride with sport bikes of all sizes), and it is just a blast to ride. Most importantly of all, I have yet to have to do any work on it at all. All in all I would recommend this bike to anyone and I plan to keep this one a very long time. Show less

I bought my 9R new in the spring of '02 and have never looked back. I have over 19,000 miles on my baby and have to honestly say that it is the BEST all around bike. It has enough power to hang with the big boys on the 1/4 mile, can hang on the twisties yet has the comfort of a Gold Wing. I have a 125 mile round trip commute to work. I have been on rides of 550 miles in one day and still ride the next! All the guys that sit on my nine don't want to but have to admit that the comfort and wind protection makes sense for an everyday rider. I have had no mechanical problems and most of the service you can do yourself. Show less

This is a great all around performance bike. It's good for long highway rides, city riding and loves the twistys. The motor is a little loud from the cam or valves but never affected the performance. Once you get the suspension dialed in, you can do whatever you want on this bike. Overall great bike, no regrets about buying it. Show less

I bought my bike brand new in 1999, when I got a deal on it from a local Kawasaki dealer, who had too many blue ones (the best color in my opinion). This is an amazing machine, it is very comfortable, nimble and fast. I have started to settle down as a rider and have lost the racerboy wannabe attitude. I find this bike very pleasant to ride fast or slow. A great bike. Show less

I have owned this bike for a year now. The riding position is great not too bent over like a R1 or GSXR. That means you can put on 300-500 miles a day if you wanted to do a little sports touring. The bike handles great. I have ridden with guys with Aprilias to Yamaha Rl's. The ZX9r hangs with them in the twisty stuff. And pulls away in the straights. My bike has a Yoshimura carbon fiber RS3 exhaust. The bike makes about 140hp, which is plenty of power. I smoked a CBR954 the other day. Hands down this is the best all around sports bike made. Ask any one who's rode or has owned a ZX9r. And I have owned a few sport bikes. I love this bike Show less