KAWASAKI ZRX1200 (2001 - 2007) Review

Version: R

Year: 2003

Annual servicing cost: £200

Now 19 years old from new, sailed through all MOT's. This bike is a real mile muncher and always gets plenty of admiring comments moving or at standstill. Worst feature is only 5 gears.

Buying experience: I thought I wanted a 1200GS, the dealer in London was so disinterested I shelved the idea, only to see the ZRX 1200R in the window at Lloyd Coopers in Watford. Bike people here, I bought it 5 minutes later, with the extras total under £5,800

Year: 2003

Annual servicing cost: £250

Best: Suited my need for a high performance without having to buy an unmanageable pseudo racer. Worst: Seat. Rubbed my butt raw (literally) on a road trip and had to buy bicycle shorts to wear under my clothes on the 900 mile ride home.

Year: 2001

Yes, have recommended to many friends. Suspension might have to be updated depending on your weight.

Version: ZRX1200S

Year: 2001

Annual servicing cost: £200

Bike corners exceptionally well with right suspension set up and tyre and pressure maintenance. Lights are brilliant for night riding

Buying experience: Bought from a dealer in Australia got it for $12000 cash. It had been on a pedestal in shop for a long time. But people clamoured for the sports bikes in 2001 (been there done that) a mad moment seduced by a lone 1600cc cruiser (soon departed).

on my 3rd zrx , love it

I'm on my second one, the first was an S model, this is a modified R model. My main beef with the S was the wallow when cornered enthusiastically and the build quality. The R has been fitted with a USD front end and i'm chasing some different rear shockers to sort the back end. I'm replacing the fasteners with S/S ones. I love these bikes because they are practical and will tour (as long as the uncomfy seat has been replaced)and scratch well enough to induce huge grins. Some modern "streetbikes" such as the Z1000 offer better handing but without the pillion provision or underseat storage of the ZRX. But then again the ZRX and other bikes such as the XJR were never intended to compete with the streetbike class. All in all, a lot of bike for a relatively small amount of money.

I bought mine brand new in 2004, Ptx'd it 16 months later and bought it back a year on from that, from the same showroom, cuz I missed it's abilities. Mine was/is a 1200S version and is probably the most versatile 'real world' bike I have ridden, (Even after my VFR800). In June 2007, I rode it from N.W. Engalnd to Le Harve, France (via ferry of course), and then down to the Pyrenees, and into Spain and onto Alicante. A 3000 mile journey taking, 2 days there and 2 back on foreign soil,riding 600-700 miles per 10-11 hour day, with 2 days rest in Alicante, The bike didn't miss a beat. It's soooo comfortable and the 'S' fairing does a proper job of keeping you cacooned at silly speeds. Over these distances at high speed the fuel dropped to approx 30 mpg and I was filling up every hour, or sometimes less. Which meant day time, mid week fuel runs through France. The bike handled well on the none motorway stuff, but I've turned my eccentric axle cams upside down and dropped the forks 12mm, and then wound in front preload to max and rear to 4, just to try and speed up the steering and enhance suspension performance, as standard settings give it a Q.E.II kinda feel. The engine has huge dollops of pull (torque) and on the fast roads allows you to stay in top (5th) and ride it like a 'twist and go', overtaking every thing like some kind of video game. It was happiest at 5500-6000 revs for this sort of game, that being 90 ish, but it would happily drag you passed anything at warp factor 9 from 60 onwards. This will bring on the need for brakes, which are pretty good. The front wears 6 pot callipers and are the same as on Huyabusas, but need regular cleaning to keep all pistons sliding properly. I've found that the overall build quality is average to OK, but it doesn't get much better for any other muscle bike. I've replaced all my fasteners with stainless to keep it looking half decent, and with most ZRX's, you can buy an' bolt on a lot of blingy toys, and there are plenty of 'I'm a ZRX owner' web sites, some good, some blatantly run by mid 40's guys stuck in the 80's, maybe that's your bag! The 'Rex' is a great bike around town too, easy to balance 'n' filter with a standard riding position, allowing you to see properly without straining your black visored Arai noggin into un-natural positions only a ballerina could attempt. Overall it's nothing fancy by today's standard but is very comfy and very reliable and parts are easily sorted and easy to fit. It's 80's technology (carbs too!!) tweaked a bit, using more modern knowledge and components. Not hyper fast, but will probably out perform your 'real world' needs..I would buy another. Mac

just back from a 7 day 2166 miles tour through france,belgum,switzerland & italy on my 06 zrx.a fantastic bike.rideing & handling was spot on. total petrol cost £203 which was great for a naked bike with tent,hard luggage & a pillion on board.

The ZRX is the near perfect do it all motorcycle. I have ridden 600 miles in a day on it . I have taken it to track days and suprised the heck out of many a plastic fantastic. With a little bit of suspension work new front springs and some revalving , it can be made to handle surprisingly well. I get great mileage , about 43MPG on a commute. It apparently works as a great drag bike to. visit zrxoa.org or the UK zrxoc.com to learn what this bike can do . Awesome bike ,some bikes may come and go , but this one stays. Plus I got it for a song an 02 with 9K for < 3000="" english="" pounds="" .="" 3000="" english="" pounds="" .="">