2001 Kawasaki ZR-7S

I purchased this previously owned ZR7S on July 4, 2004. It had 3,200 miles on the odometer and, with the exception of heat discoloration on the exhaust headers, was in mint condition.

The ZR-7 was produced first as a naked (without fairing), budget street bike. In 2001 the faired ZR-7S model began production. It’s ergonomics are that of a standard style bike (upright seating position) with just a touch of forward lean for sportiness. To keep the price low, Kawasaki used a proven and reliable 750cc air cooled engine. The bike as a whole is an excellent, reliable all around bike that provides more than enough speed and handling capability for all but the sports bike enthusiast. It is a good bike for commuting, novices to build their skills, day trips with a passenger and multi-day trips without a passenger. 2003 was the last production year.

Pros: low speed stability; linear power delivery; good acceleration; an excellent commuter; a very good solo tourer with tie downs and plenty of cargo capacity; 5.8 gallon fuel capacity; economy (50mpg +-); fun in the twisties unless you are an extremist; inexpensive; reliable engine; not much plastic to worry about if you drop it; low center of gravity; all but the very short or very tall should find it comfortable; and a friendly owners group at the ZR-7 Forums.

Cons: the stock seat sucks for long trips, excessive front fork dive under hard braking, some have throttle hesitation when starting off from idle, some have a buzzing noise in the fairing and finally...how the hell am I ever going to justify selling it and getting a different bike? All these shortcomings except the last one are easily fixed.

Specifications Performance Statistics

My Modifications & Maintenance »Wrenching

Reviews: 2000   2000   2000   2001   2002   2002

Comparison: ZR-7, SV650, Bandit 600

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