Kawasaki ZR800 Z800 ABS reviews

Overall it's a great bike with some tweaks. Stock I could not stand the programing of the throttle and it was very jerky, and lack luster response which wasn't smooth with dead spots that felt like you were pulling an Airstream behind you. That all changed with a reprogram of the ECU . It is now how the bike should have been from Kawasaki! It pulls smooth without the flat spots. 6th gear is now very usable without it shaking and will pull smoothly from as low as 45 MPH. MPG is also much improved. Before I had to really nurse it to get 40. Now I consistently get in the low to mid 40's riding normal with a few harder accelerations . Comfort is very good and I have no problems doing long trips. The bags and trunk seem flimsy and the trunk lock is a joke. I have a 1200 Voyager as well and the bags are MUCH more heavy duty and way more solid feeling. Belt tension is set way too tight from the factory! It makes the shifts quite harsh 1 - 2 especially and does create some wine and moises. I still need to loosen mine. I was hoping that it would on its own a little but after 6600 miles it is still way too tight. and makes some noise. The dealer wouldn't loosen it when I had it in for service saying that is was "in spec" even though they said that the factory spec is very tight. The only other thing is the windshield is a bit tall for my preference. I like (need) a bit of wind to keep me a bit cooler in the Florida heat. Oh speaking of heat. As per the gauge they do run HOT. stock. The ECM tune changes the temp that the fan kicks on which keeps the engine temp down in traffic. It is a great reliable comfortable and powerful bike. Well balanced and definitely feels lighter than it's 900 lbs. With a few not very expensive additions it becomes WAY better! WAY more bang for the $$$ than almost all other bikes in this class. Show less

I brought my 2016 Voyager 1700 ABS new out of box, I make a 5K miles round trip starting in Houston, Tx to Chicago, Charleston S.C. Birmingham Alabama and home, the Bike rode comfortable never felt fatigued or strained. One leg of the trip from Baton Rogue La to Houston was in steady heavy rain and the ride was as secure as riding in my car, minus the roof of course. I hand the right gear for rain or cold weather but never had a worry about the Bike's performance. I added slip-ons exhaust in 2020 and it greatly improves the power band in all gear ranges. Best bang for the Buck no doubt. Show less

I cannot believe the reviews on this piece of Junk. They are obviously paid reviews. Performance is Pathetic. The Fairing is non aerodynamic. Wind noise from the fairing requires Ear Plugs. The head wind requires more power than the Bike has. Gas mileage is worse than an automobile 160 miles on a tank. Brakes grab and are noisy. Seat is a torture device. No response from 2000 rpm in 6th gear, engine just bogs down. Can't imagine two people on this bike. One needs to get off and push. The wind pushes this bike all over the road its so non aerodynamic. You need both lanes on a windy day. The vibration will put your hands to sleep if you can get it above 70 MPH. Kawasaki you Should be Ashamed. Show less

This bike was great in every way except riding position for long distance . I didn't care for only one sitting position which was leaned over tank, and a bit of weight on wrists. This position prevented moving into another riding position, after many miles of leaning over tank continuously . Bike was a little top heavy in parking lot settings, but good out on the open road, plenty of power and speed . Very dependable , no problems. Brakes very good . Loved riding her, but didn't like sport bike riding position for long periods cross country. Not confidence riding on curvy tight down hill rides. Everything else was great. Show less

Replacing a 2002 Aprillia Futura. It was my favorite bike. Tha Kawi is a good ride and I am learning to love it. When the bike is moving, I am liking the bike very much. Only comment is that when cornering, the bike requires a bit of pressure to stay in the curve. When handling at slow speed, weight is taking some getting used to. Handling on slopes is a challenge. Stock seat not too comfortable and I will replace it. Show less

This is an awesome motorcycle! The comfort of a tourer, I hate feeling like I'm laying on the gas tank, but the power to take off like a rocket! All the features are awesome from the heated grips (which are very handy this time of year in Michigan), the ABS and the adjustable windshield. The only thing Kawasaki should've done to make this a truly top rate Sport-Tourer was add cruise control as a standard feature. I'd pay the extra money for cruise control. Show less

The bike is well balanced even for my short height. After installing a low seat from Sargent, I can flat foot the bike. Power delivery is almost perfect but a little soft under 2,000 rpm. Other than that, it's as smooth as silk especially the transmission. I get about 47 mpg. mixed city/highway. It's a very comfortable ride and well behaved in the curves. The KIPASS systems take a little to get used to, but when you do, it's fine. All the safety features of this bike have already saved me more than once. I can't ask for anything more from a Sport Tourer. Show less

I love the way the bike handles. At 1,100 lbs. (with me) it is very nimble on the road. I did have to get used to the ABS system because at low speeds when the rear brake is applied, the front kind of grabs a little. The only thing I do not like is the location of the horn button. I've got regular size hands and have to take my hand completely off the hand grip to sound the horn. that's not too safe with Los Angeles drivers. Also, the audio system needs a mute button. I've been averaging 500+ mile Saturdays, have had no problem with the seat comfort and am prepping for a trip to Reno in August. Show less

I bought it new in North Carolina, all black. I rode it back home to Canada via The Tail. I did rent an '08 in Colorado and loved that but the '12 is better. Stock seat is comfortable for 600 miles. I'm going to add a 1/2" handle bar risers. I also need lowering links for my height just for flat footing at stops. It handles like a 600cc bike even though it weighs 2X. I'd recommend it highly to anyone looking for a sport tourer. Show less

Still loving this bike. I did have one breakdown which is very rare. We lost a rear wheel bearing on this bike on the Blueridge Parkway. This happened in an area where we had 0 cell reception. Lucky for us a park ranger drove past after 30 minutes that we were able to get to help us. We also met some very nice people in Bedford, VA. who were lifesavers. Kawasaki fixed the problem but would not cover the rear tire that wore out totally on one side due to the alignment issue. Overall, I'm still happy with this bike. Show less