Kawasaki ZR-7 reviews

I bought my 2000 ZR7 new in the Spring of 2003. It was my first street bike (although I've been riding dirtbikes since I was 8, I was 24 when I bought this). Very easy to ride. Very easy on gas (50-60 mpg). A lot of bang for the bucks. A Corbin seat is a must if you want to put 200+ miles/day on. It's a low tech bike, but it beats sitting around the house all weekend! Show less

I have been riding this bike for about a year now and it's great. If you are a person who is interested in getting into riding, this bike is for you. It has plenty of power so you won't grow out of it right away. The riding position is very comfortable for a long ride. It is also great for city riding. It is very maneuverable in and out of traffic lights. I have been using it for communting to work and school. Well what are you waiting for? Go for it! Show less

I own a bone stock 2000 zr-7, and frankly, it is one of the best all-around motorcycles out there. Sure the "standard" design has left most American buyers wanting for some time now, since the early 80's and the Zephyrs in fact, but this is the best attempt at retaking that ground that I have seen. I bought it early in 2004, with a scant 2800 miles on it. This bike is still in perfect condition and looks great. The design is muscular and just SCREAMS power. The motor could be worked up quickly with the addition of a decent slip on (read "not so cheap yoshimura or such") and re-jeting or any host of other minor mods, and handling would be helped by some harder springs and maybe a change of tire to something a bit more sporting, but as is, from the showroom floor.. this bike is a nearly perfect daily drive. Enough power to get the jump on most things, and while it may not have the death-wish pull of most liquid-cooled fours, that are the rage these days, it DOES have a center stand, ample aftermarket, and well heck! it even still looks good! And insuring a bike with almost no plastic is a great thing to come by when you're in college and have to spend all your money on beer and books. I give this bike a 5 star rating only because 6 isn't an option. Congrats to Kawasaki for making yet another wonderfully useful machine. Show less

I bought my 2000 ZR7 new in April 2003, so I got a real sweet deal on it. The only times that it has been back to the dealer was for valve adjustments at 650 miles & tires/valve adjustment at 8350 miles. I've put 8250 miles on it in the first season that I had it. It's been a great all around bike. I installed a mid sized wind screen and bought a set of soft bags and have had no problem putting 1500+ miles in a week of riding. No, it's not as fast as a Yamaha FZ1 or Suzuki Bandit 1200, but it's a whole lot cheaper to insure. Show less

What's deceiving about this motorcycle is that it looks like a hooligan bike. This bike looks a lot like the Honda 919, Honda 599 and the Suzuki SV650, all of which are excellent hooligan bikes. So, a lot of people bought the ZR 7 thinking that they were going to get a hooligan wheelie-machine. The ZR 7 is more like the Honda Nighthawk...just with a sportier look. The ZR 7 has a lot of great features: good looks, dual front disc brakes, mono-shock rear suspension, center stand, a large metal gas tank, and a beefy 170 rear tire. It beats the Nighthawk 750 all day long in my opinion. The Nighthawk 750 is what this bike should be compared to...not fuel injected hooligan bikes. This bike is fun and does what it's supposed to do very well. This bike can't keep up with any 600cc sportsbike. It's a commuter with bullet-proof reliability, a comfortable seating position, and a look that doesn't' scream "NERD" like some other commuters. If you can pick one up for under $2,000, then it's a good deal I guess, and there's a lot of fun to be had on it. It's a shame that Kawasaki didn't design the performance of this bike to match the looks. They realized their mistake and made the Z750...what this bike should've been in the first place. Show less

This is my first bike. I bought it in July of 03' and I'm having a blast! It's easy to handle and the color is beautiful. I won't stand out amoung most other street bikes, but I love it. I want to add fairings and I'll be good for at least two more seasons. Show less

Great price. Adequate power to ride around on, lots of potential as with all bikes in its UJM heritage. A great bike for tinkering. Not sorry I bought it in the least, but the transmission is as slow and klunky as they come. Understears a bit, easy to fix, but disappointing on the twisty bits riding it home from its previous garage. Show less

Unfortunately, no amount of aftermarket parts are going to wake this bike up. It's just too old tech and far too heavy to really feel potent. A pipe and a jet kit will help it to feel a bit more lively, but it's never going to endear the kind of passion something like the SV650 does off the showroom floor. A shame as the motor lets down an otherwise nice package. Nice handling, comfy, and fairly spacious, it assumes the perhaps unwanted role of sport-tourer behind the likes of lighter, more agile, and quicker sporty standards. Have a look at the engine as it rests in the frame- it's a crime that something that large contributes more mass than it does power. It's looks say streetfighter or boulevard bad boy, but it's more roadside diner patron than muscled athlete. Too much lard. A good choice for the more conservative and relaxed rider who wants to tour? Even that pursuit is hobbled by a five speed gear box. It just feels way too frantic and stressed on the freeway, and you'll be forever searching for that sixth gear. Show less

I have been riding bikes of all descriptions for over 25 years. After moving back into the London and losing my garage my old bike had to go :(. It wasn't long before I was miserable and missing two wheels just too much so off I headed to my local bike dealer to fix the problem. City riding was going to be the main use of the bike with a few tours and the bikers joy of Sundays in the country, so I really needed an all rounder. I am also a pretty big guy and the fashion for today's pocket rockets are just too small for me to be comfortable on for any period of time so after looking at all the usual Hornets, fazers and bandits, along with their sportier cousins I confounded everone that knows me by buying the ZR7! Let me explain why - The ZR7 is not a fashion statement and its not a super speed machine, what it is is a superb all-rounder that does most things very well at a really reasonable purchase price and with far lower running and insurance costs than most bikes around this size. I commute on it into the City most days and its low speed handling is great, in the UK we can lane split even in very heavy traffic (so long as you are careful). When you get to open roads you can wind up the motor and make excellent progress and while never leading the pack most riders while find it hard to lose a Z even on twisty sections. On rideouts with friends it is often commented that even though they are pushing it they just can't seem to shake the 'ol girl off their tails. On longer runs I am convinced that this is a bike that covers ground really well and better than virtually every other bike in its class - the reason is the combination of comfort and endurance (you can easily exceed 200 miles on a tank). You don't need to stop every hour to flex the wrists and walk around for 10 minutes to get the feeling back in the butt! Slip a Yoshi can on to make the noise just right, add a bikini fairing and you've got a bike for all round fun and entertainment. I have had mine for two years now and I can say that even though she has to be parked on the street in all weathers she is still in very good condition - with only a little corrosion showing. Not bad when you consider that I ride all year round in all weathers. This bike makes a great deal of sense for riders that arn't impressed by top speed but want a bike that can hustle along when needed and be comfortable on longer trips. Reliablility is excellent and there has been no sign of the starting problems other have seen. I do use premium unleaded all the time though. If you returning or a new rider this bike has a lot to offer at a great price (in the UK you can pick then up easily for around $3500 for a minter). Show less

I traded my 1990 GPz900R A7 Ninja for a second hand bike with low klms on it. I've read the reviews - www.motorcycledaily.com, www.motorbyte.com, www.mcreports.com, www.activebike.com and www.powersportsnetwork.com. Love the bike, plenty of torque over the complete rev range. There's a huge storage area under the seat. The bike is real easy to service, has a centre stand and the rear suspension linkageas all have grease nipples. I find the seat and the riding position quite comfortable. The bike feels well balanced and lighter than you'd expect. It's really economical. I did 300klm and only used 15.5 litres! There are some down sides - I feel like there should be a 6th gear ( my GPz900R had 6 gears, so that may also account for that some what). There is some vibration. The mirrors are quite narrow - hard to see what's behind you. The pilion seat has a steep forward angle on it and the pillion is constantly trying to stop themselves from sliding into your back. All these nits can be easily fixed, see www.zr-7.com I'm keeping mine! Show less