Give Kawasaki their due - at first glance the ZRX1200R looks like a pretty authentic Eddie Lawson Replica. But fear not, spare underwear not really needed - recall those brutal old four's handling foibles that would have you in the nearest ditch if all of the power was employed. Left-overs from the seventies that made for a certain amount of amusement a couple of decades ago. Look a little closer, the big Kawasaki runs to water rather than air cooling, its 1164cc's adding up to around 120 ponies, not far off the market leading Yamaha FZ1 - the extra capacity defining more torque most of the way through the rev range.
Most of that torque is lost in the additional 40lbs it had to carry - the Yamaha though lighter than the Kawasaki somewhat missing the plot with its poorly designed chassis which should have dumped at least another 50lbs. The Kawa's specs wholly retro with regard to its mass but the combination of decent geometry and firm(ish) suspension adds up to a much more dynamic machine that those eighties throwbacks, though let's not forget that the Big K's original straight four, the Z1, defined the art of putting an excessive motor into a minimal frame, though they learnt the basics in the 500 triple H1 back in the sixties! You could get one of those buggers to disintegrate under you if the throttle was slammed shut in corners.
One retro feature it could do without, the silliness of the bracing on the swinging arm, the point of maximum stress (across the swinging arm mounts) not benefiting from the brace just suffering from the extra unsprung mass! Oh, so, eighties - pass the sick bucket, please! Yes, you can tell our advertising revenue aint dependent on the Big Four!
What that all means, of course, is that under normal riding the ZRX is a pretty pleasant big bike experience. You can play around with the suspension, but anyone who tries for something less than a firmish ride won't be amused by the antics when charging out of corners, not quite flashbacks to a misspent youth but close. No, no, turn the damping and suspension settings on high, enjoy the good stability and put a bit of effort, muscle, into the steering to keep lighter bikes in sight in the bends.
You won't escape a certain top-heaviness when really going for it but it doesn't show much sign of biting back viciously, though there is more than enough power to broadside the bike out of corners and it wasn't the most natural of machines on wet roads when I wasn't quite sure what the tyres were going to do. Softly, softly a suitable survival mantra! The brakes were okay in such circumstances and more than powerful enough in the dry to leave the marital tackle well battered when too much speed entering a corner would otherwise have meant testing out the bike's ability as a skate-board.
Fuel was pretty obnoxious, 35(ish)mpg, with a five gallon tank the range was about equal to the comfort offered by the seat and riding position. The latter was okay by me but then I grew up on a motley collection of Jap twins and fours which certainly toughened up various bits of my body. 100mph cruising a mild work out, any more than that - other than for short periods - would've left me perfectly poised for life as the village hunchback. Saw 155mph on the clock - I think, my vision was beginning to go under the stress of the wind force. If you want real speed kicks buy an FZ1 or add a decent half fairing.
The ZRX is generally, though, a pretty usable piece of motorbike insanity - you can play sensible commuter (though its mass and width will sometimes leave you locked into traffic), long distance tourer or just throw it around your favourite piece of highway. Year 2001 bikes are rarely bad, really depends if you have a thing about old style fours or not... I don't and would rather take the FZ1, thank you very much! Or a meaty vee-twin, or...
The big Bandit has never really done it for me, either. Just too ubiquitous to take seriously. The usual excessive mass and torque, never really compared to an old GSXR11 with its plastic torn off and a proper set of bars fitted. Pretty popular on the back of its bargain basement price and tough as an Oriental hooker motor. Plenty of kicks, plenty of capability and plenty on the road.
Again, any seventies or eighties born-againer who fancies his chances on something new that looks recognizably like a motorcycle will find plenty to rejoice in. Or perhaps not, as well as its ubiquitous nature, the styling doesn't really have any resonance from the past yet fails to look modern in any discernible way - and from many angles looks plain ugly.
Here, at least, the big Kawasaki wins out in a major league way - fair enough, its better finish reflected in its higher price, which leaves some dosh free for Bandit owners to upgrade their bike after getting over the initial purchase cost - its retro stance perfectly embodied despite its modern watercooled engine. Probably worth paying a little extra for over the Bandit if you're not going to use the even more expensive FZ1's performance. All of these big brutes can be described as being poorly designed but none of them are actually bad on the road! Just enjoy and buy whats takes your fancy.
Mark Thompson
Most of that torque is lost in the additional 40lbs it had to carry - the Yamaha though lighter than the Kawasaki somewhat missing the plot with its poorly designed chassis which should have dumped at least another 50lbs. The Kawa's specs wholly retro with regard to its mass but the combination of decent geometry and firm(ish) suspension adds up to a much more dynamic machine that those eighties throwbacks, though let's not forget that the Big K's original straight four, the Z1, defined the art of putting an excessive motor into a minimal frame, though they learnt the basics in the 500 triple H1 back in the sixties! You could get one of those buggers to disintegrate under you if the throttle was slammed shut in corners.
One retro feature it could do without, the silliness of the bracing on the swinging arm, the point of maximum stress (across the swinging arm mounts) not benefiting from the brace just suffering from the extra unsprung mass! Oh, so, eighties - pass the sick bucket, please! Yes, you can tell our advertising revenue aint dependent on the Big Four!
What that all means, of course, is that under normal riding the ZRX is a pretty pleasant big bike experience. You can play around with the suspension, but anyone who tries for something less than a firmish ride won't be amused by the antics when charging out of corners, not quite flashbacks to a misspent youth but close. No, no, turn the damping and suspension settings on high, enjoy the good stability and put a bit of effort, muscle, into the steering to keep lighter bikes in sight in the bends.
You won't escape a certain top-heaviness when really going for it but it doesn't show much sign of biting back viciously, though there is more than enough power to broadside the bike out of corners and it wasn't the most natural of machines on wet roads when I wasn't quite sure what the tyres were going to do. Softly, softly a suitable survival mantra! The brakes were okay in such circumstances and more than powerful enough in the dry to leave the marital tackle well battered when too much speed entering a corner would otherwise have meant testing out the bike's ability as a skate-board.
Fuel was pretty obnoxious, 35(ish)mpg, with a five gallon tank the range was about equal to the comfort offered by the seat and riding position. The latter was okay by me but then I grew up on a motley collection of Jap twins and fours which certainly toughened up various bits of my body. 100mph cruising a mild work out, any more than that - other than for short periods - would've left me perfectly poised for life as the village hunchback. Saw 155mph on the clock - I think, my vision was beginning to go under the stress of the wind force. If you want real speed kicks buy an FZ1 or add a decent half fairing.
The ZRX is generally, though, a pretty usable piece of motorbike insanity - you can play sensible commuter (though its mass and width will sometimes leave you locked into traffic), long distance tourer or just throw it around your favourite piece of highway. Year 2001 bikes are rarely bad, really depends if you have a thing about old style fours or not... I don't and would rather take the FZ1, thank you very much! Or a meaty vee-twin, or...
The big Bandit has never really done it for me, either. Just too ubiquitous to take seriously. The usual excessive mass and torque, never really compared to an old GSXR11 with its plastic torn off and a proper set of bars fitted. Pretty popular on the back of its bargain basement price and tough as an Oriental hooker motor. Plenty of kicks, plenty of capability and plenty on the road.
Again, any seventies or eighties born-againer who fancies his chances on something new that looks recognizably like a motorcycle will find plenty to rejoice in. Or perhaps not, as well as its ubiquitous nature, the styling doesn't really have any resonance from the past yet fails to look modern in any discernible way - and from many angles looks plain ugly.
Here, at least, the big Kawasaki wins out in a major league way - fair enough, its better finish reflected in its higher price, which leaves some dosh free for Bandit owners to upgrade their bike after getting over the initial purchase cost - its retro stance perfectly embodied despite its modern watercooled engine. Probably worth paying a little extra for over the Bandit if you're not going to use the even more expensive FZ1's performance. All of these big brutes can be described as being poorly designed but none of them are actually bad on the road! Just enjoy and buy whats takes your fancy.
Mark Thompson