For several years, from 1990 to 1996, this motorcycle was simply the king of all world autobahns. He was second to none in speed and dynamics of acceleration, nor in comfort. The absolute leader of the top was the outstanding exterior of this model.
Today, the Kawasaki ZZR 1100 is not unreasonably considered a classic of a sports tour. The time of sunset of fame gave way to years of oblivion, but today this model again attracts fans of the genre. Honestly, this is because the old "zizierk" pretty much fell in price, while still not giving reasons to talk about serious obsolescence. Of course, the resource of these devices is not infinite, and experts do not advise buying motorcycles that cover more than 50 thousand km, but there are many excellent specimens among the products on the secondary market. If you decide to purchase a Kawasaki ZZR 1100, a review will help you understand all the features of this bike. And there are many of them.
Motor and its features
The Kawasaki ZZR 1100 engine has impressive performance. Representatives of the full-strength series, which for the most part settled on the US market, impress with a capacity of 147 horses. Released for the markets of Europe and Japan, the models have slightly smaller, but still impressive characteristics, giving out power within a hundred horsepower.
The motor has not only considerable power, but also large dimensions. 4 cylinders are installed in a row, their total volume reaches 1052 cm 3 .
Frame
Like many Kawasaki motorcycles, the ZZR 1100 has a diagonal cast aluminum frame. Reviews indicate a good margin of its strength. Minor drops do not lead to serious deformations. However, silencers, widely spaced apart, raise questions. At the slightest obstruction to the side, they receive serious damage, and can even come off at all.
Pendants
Kawasaki ZZR series motorcycles released before 1993 do not have a suspension adjustment function. And later releases are equipped with it, and you can configure them to preload the springs and damping the rebound at your discretion. Despite the modernization, the ZZR suspension leaves much to be desired. The feathers of the fork are thin, which significantly affects the handling. At the same time, they are so reliable that you can never even remember them before a run of 30,000 km. After crossing this line, the moment usually comes when replacement of oil seals is required. Keep a control of the rear shock absorber, which may suddenly fail due to rod corrosion.
Brake system
Considering that the Kawasaki ZZR 1100 motorcycles on the market today are second-hand devices, immediately after the purchase, inspect the brackets for souring. Pay attention to the brake discs. If their wear and tear is at its limit, this directly indicates pre-sale fraud with a speedometer.
Modifications
The debut of the Kawasaki ZZR 1100 motorcycle took place in 1990. Released for the American market, the model is known to the world under the name ZX11 Ninja. 1992 was marked by a number of modernization measures: the base was increased (by 15 cm), the characteristics of inertial pressurization systems were improved. Power reached 147 liters. from. For the domestic market of Japan and some European countries, a light version was first produced with a capacity of up to hundreds of horses.
Problems
The Kawasaki ZZR 1100 motorcycle, reviews of which indicate a number of chronic ailments, is not so easy to maintain. First of all, this concerns the work of the checkpoint. It works smoothly only during the youth of the motorcycle. Should he run at least 20-30 thousand, how problems make themselves felt. When you turn on the second and third gear flies. Blame it on the lack of accuracy and the aggressive style of the former owner will not work, because the problem is massive. At the same time, competitors of the same production years and with similar characteristics do not have such difficulties.
Often, immediately after the purchase, it becomes necessary to sort out the carburetors. Testimonials indicate that the Kawasaki ZZR 1100 is not so easy to do. The fact is that it’s very difficult to remove the carburetor block. Access to it is difficult, most likely you will have to contact the service. Raises questions and tidy. Glasses glare, small numbers.
The motor is structurally noisy, only a specialist can isolate harmful noises from the gamut. And you will have to do this, because due to extraneous sounds, you can miss the noise of the generator drive circuit caused by a malfunction of its tensioner. Regular checks require clutch.
Reviews indicate that on these motorcycles, the rear subframe is often damaged. It is welded to the frame and may crack. This can be detected if you remove the saddle and look under the rear lining. Be sure to do this before buying, so as not to inherit this shortcoming from the previous owner.
Often causes complaints and light. Headlights and turn signals fail and require replacement. This is also one of the "branded diseases" of the series. However, when purchasing goods in the secondary market, you may not encounter this problem. Perhaps the past owner at one time eliminated it.
Comfort
Kawasaki ZZR 1100, the technical characteristics of which favor long and fast trips, is stable on the track and convenient for long trips. This is evidenced by numerous reviews.
The pilot's landing is comfortable, you have to lie down on a motorcycle at speeds close to two hundred. Good wind protection minimizes the impact of oncoming air currents.
The passenger seat is ordinary, traditional for the sports class. Its dimensions are very modest, but this feature is inherent in most motorcycles in this category.
Tuning
The manufacturer has built a service network almost all over the world. Branded parts are not cheap, but problems with their availability are extremely rare. In addition, China is always ready to help out the master-customizer, which produces many analogues and alternatives.
You already know what to do right after the purchase. But modernization does not always concern only the technical side of the issue. Often subjected to the intervention of the new owner and the exterior of the bike.
Released many years ago, motorcycles of this series have an ambiguous design. Today, not everyone likes factory painting in several colors, and even now, it has decent wear. And here the owners of ZZR can go one of the two most common ways: to preserve the original style or to update it in accordance with the present.
The cladding is often modified. Some manage to build even a bike on the basis of this bike. To do this, you have to remove excess body kit parts, upgrade, or even completely remove the front fairing, raise the wings of the wheels. Some also get rid of the rear seat, making it easier to weigh heavily.
Undergoes modernization and tidy. Reviews often say that the numbers on the sensors are small, it is not always convenient to read them.
If you plan to not only ride the Kawasaki ZZR 1100 in the city, but also try it on a long road, take care of the trunks in which you can put everything you need. After all, this bike has to travel.
Prices
Motorcycle Kawasaki ZZR 1100 in good condition today can be found at around $ 4,000. If the previous owner rode only along the roads of distant countries and had never been to Russia and the CIS, the price could be higher. Offers with prices below $ 3,000 should be wary - such motorcycles in most cases have malfunctions.
In our area, as a rule, there are versions released for Europe and Asia, the power of which does not exceed a hundred liters. from. American 147-horsepower motorcycles are a rarity.