One of the most worrying aspects of Z440 ownership is the belt final drive. Not because it interferes with the transmission, which it doesn't as it gives a very smooth, quiet and precise feel to the power delivery. What I don't like is that there's no way of knowing how long the belt's going to last. One snapped with no warning at 7000 miles, another started to become noisy at 12000 miles and the original lasted 18000 miles until there was no adjustment left.
I bought the bike new, so there is no dubious, unknown history about this Z440. Critical to long belt life is careful alignment of the back wheel. The stock adjuster's markings were a couple of millimetres out when I checked them after putting the wheels in line with a plank of wood. I marked the adjusters so that the infrequent belt tensioning sessions were a cinch. However, after the belt snapped I went through the whole procedure again, found that the adjusters were 2mm out the other way. The back wheel was always a bit of a bugger to tighten up as it'd try to move away from the adjuster on one side. Because the belt is so susceptible to misalignment I really think that eccentric adjusters should've been fitted.
The belt drive adds to the character of the OHC vertical twin, makes the laid back engine all the more pleasant to use. It's not one of those desperately revvy Japanese motors, instead has a nice urge borne of torque from 3000rpm onwards. Below that, the chain driven balancer seems to fight with rather than smooth out the engine, an experience emphasized as the motor put on the miles. The pistons move up and down together, giving an even beat to the exhaust that was as relaxing as a boxer twin.
The relaxed nature was just as well because there was sod all high speed performance. Kawasaki claim 40hp but it feels much more like 30 horses. If top speed was a reasonable 105mph it was only ever attainable by doing top speed runs down hills, with a following wind and head down in the clocks. 90mph was usually possible and cruising at 80 to 85mph perfectly feasible if the wind pressure from the foot high bars was withstood.
I soon concluded that the best velocity was around 70mph, when the engine had a lovely, relaxed note, vibration was so mild it wasn't worth noting and the riding position was supreme in its comfort. Those ape-hangers of handlebars would, anyway, cause the front end to go all awry above 70mph, making it difficult to predict exactly where the bike was going. The forks were kicked out too far, a bit on the spindly side and seemed to lack much of a match between damping and springing.
Kawasaki obviously intended the bike to be a very laid back boulevard cruiser. The cut down seat was the most comfortable I'd ever come across. The pegs were mounted far forward but worked well with the tall bars once I'd become used to having my knees up high and my hands widely splayed. The limitation of the riding position was only showed up by speeds in excess of 70mph, when discomfort fought with ill-making handling to see which would cause me to back off first. Nine times out of ten it was the handling.
Dare I say that the custom styling that imposed the handling and comfort limitations was actually quite well done by a company that was later to force the dreadful EN450 on a reluctant world? Kawasaki got away with their mild custom job on the Z440 because they had an engine that looked the business, its style loosely based on those old British twins which gave hints of their functionality in the outline of their shape. The excessive amount of chrome and alloy may appear garish to some tastes, although the real problem with it was, that after five years, it needed an excessive amount of Solvol and elbow grease. The ten year old bike has retained all its major components in nearly new condition!
The Z looks and feels a lot lighter than its true mass of 400lbs. Parked next to most modern Japs it looks tiny. With the low seat height and compact form it feels more like a 250 or even 200cc motorcycle. There are advantages and disadvantages with such a design.
I can ride in town for hours and hours, chuffing along in third or fourth with very little need to tempt fate by making a dash through the gearbox. The belt drive emphasizes the way the engine lays down its torque and if I can take the chattering from the balancer chain, it goes down to 1500rpm. The bike can be swung around cars like a 125 and I've weaved my way in and out of queues of cages without the slightest fear of falling into any of the auto's. The balance of the Z was so natural that I could sit, feet up, at junctions waiting for the moment to go.
In town it was ridiculously easy to burn off cars without excessive left foot exercise, my only occasional worry being the front disc which could turn a bit vague after an hour's worth of cut and thrust riding. When it overheated there was a strong chance that it'd fade away to nothing. The couple of times I was caught out, I was able to wrench the Z around the obstacle, with a boot down to stop myself falling off.
Where the short wheelbase and upright riding position fell down was over bumpy going. At high speeds on country roads the overwhelming feeling was of being totally out of control. The suspension, once caught out by a series of bumps, found it impossible to sort itself out. Often, that resulted in going into bends with sod all ground clearance, with either an excess of sparks or stomach churning lurches as various bits tried to dig out large chunks of tarmac. I was never under any illusions about the nature of the Z440 but, even so, this lack of chassis fidelity was a bit much as the Kawasaki had a nature that was well suited to exploring quiet country roads.
Its mild nature was seen in the reasonable way it went through consumables. A rear Arrowmax lasted for about 12500 miles, whilst a front bettered 15000 miles. Grip in the wet was adequate rather than stunning but they were perfectly suitable in the dry, with none of the queasiness of the OE Japanese rubber. The fat rear rubber was a tyre iron breaking feat to put on the rim! Be warned. Disc pads lasted 10 to 11,000 miles and the calipers have only needed two rebuilds (I try not to ride in deepest winter).
Perhaps the most impressive area of running costs was fuel economy. This varied between 50 and 70mpg, but usually I achieved at least 60mpg, more often than not 65mpg! Given the paucity of performance this is only just and proper but even with 42000 miles on the clock there has been no fall off in either performance or economy.
Oil usage has increased slightly in between 1000 mile changes; 300 miles in a day would have the level down quite close to the minimum mark. Carbs and valves need frequent attention, whilst camchain and balancer chains are not without their moments of infamy (but they're still original). Overall, the mildly tuned and natured engine has lasted remarkably well. I've never been left stranded miles from home or even had a serious accident. I do give the bike a lot of tender loving care.
An acquaintance who bought an identical bike at the same time went in for a bit of destructive testing. No careful running in, no oil changes and no maintenance of any sort. He'd gone from one extreme to another, having had a love affair with a Bonnie that kept blowing up on him, he was going to prove that Nippon engineering was a load of crap! In a year he did 24000 miles, riding as fast as he could, through the worst weather the English climate could produce and making deliberate misuse of the gearbox, throttle and clutch.
The bike was covered in crud, sounded like the valves were hitting the piston tops and had the belt drive so loose it could be pulled clear of the rear sprocket, more like knicker elastic than anything else. The thing still ran, would lurch along the road and didn't even spit out any blue smoke. The owner was disconsolate that he'd failed to blow it up, ended up cleaning the crud off, doing regular maintenance and getting another 16000 miles out of the engine before foolishly trading in for a Z750 twin.
I bought the bike new, so there is no dubious, unknown history about this Z440. Critical to long belt life is careful alignment of the back wheel. The stock adjuster's markings were a couple of millimetres out when I checked them after putting the wheels in line with a plank of wood. I marked the adjusters so that the infrequent belt tensioning sessions were a cinch. However, after the belt snapped I went through the whole procedure again, found that the adjusters were 2mm out the other way. The back wheel was always a bit of a bugger to tighten up as it'd try to move away from the adjuster on one side. Because the belt is so susceptible to misalignment I really think that eccentric adjusters should've been fitted.
The belt drive adds to the character of the OHC vertical twin, makes the laid back engine all the more pleasant to use. It's not one of those desperately revvy Japanese motors, instead has a nice urge borne of torque from 3000rpm onwards. Below that, the chain driven balancer seems to fight with rather than smooth out the engine, an experience emphasized as the motor put on the miles. The pistons move up and down together, giving an even beat to the exhaust that was as relaxing as a boxer twin.
The relaxed nature was just as well because there was sod all high speed performance. Kawasaki claim 40hp but it feels much more like 30 horses. If top speed was a reasonable 105mph it was only ever attainable by doing top speed runs down hills, with a following wind and head down in the clocks. 90mph was usually possible and cruising at 80 to 85mph perfectly feasible if the wind pressure from the foot high bars was withstood.
I soon concluded that the best velocity was around 70mph, when the engine had a lovely, relaxed note, vibration was so mild it wasn't worth noting and the riding position was supreme in its comfort. Those ape-hangers of handlebars would, anyway, cause the front end to go all awry above 70mph, making it difficult to predict exactly where the bike was going. The forks were kicked out too far, a bit on the spindly side and seemed to lack much of a match between damping and springing.
Kawasaki obviously intended the bike to be a very laid back boulevard cruiser. The cut down seat was the most comfortable I'd ever come across. The pegs were mounted far forward but worked well with the tall bars once I'd become used to having my knees up high and my hands widely splayed. The limitation of the riding position was only showed up by speeds in excess of 70mph, when discomfort fought with ill-making handling to see which would cause me to back off first. Nine times out of ten it was the handling.
Dare I say that the custom styling that imposed the handling and comfort limitations was actually quite well done by a company that was later to force the dreadful EN450 on a reluctant world? Kawasaki got away with their mild custom job on the Z440 because they had an engine that looked the business, its style loosely based on those old British twins which gave hints of their functionality in the outline of their shape. The excessive amount of chrome and alloy may appear garish to some tastes, although the real problem with it was, that after five years, it needed an excessive amount of Solvol and elbow grease. The ten year old bike has retained all its major components in nearly new condition!
The Z looks and feels a lot lighter than its true mass of 400lbs. Parked next to most modern Japs it looks tiny. With the low seat height and compact form it feels more like a 250 or even 200cc motorcycle. There are advantages and disadvantages with such a design.
I can ride in town for hours and hours, chuffing along in third or fourth with very little need to tempt fate by making a dash through the gearbox. The belt drive emphasizes the way the engine lays down its torque and if I can take the chattering from the balancer chain, it goes down to 1500rpm. The bike can be swung around cars like a 125 and I've weaved my way in and out of queues of cages without the slightest fear of falling into any of the auto's. The balance of the Z was so natural that I could sit, feet up, at junctions waiting for the moment to go.
In town it was ridiculously easy to burn off cars without excessive left foot exercise, my only occasional worry being the front disc which could turn a bit vague after an hour's worth of cut and thrust riding. When it overheated there was a strong chance that it'd fade away to nothing. The couple of times I was caught out, I was able to wrench the Z around the obstacle, with a boot down to stop myself falling off.
Where the short wheelbase and upright riding position fell down was over bumpy going. At high speeds on country roads the overwhelming feeling was of being totally out of control. The suspension, once caught out by a series of bumps, found it impossible to sort itself out. Often, that resulted in going into bends with sod all ground clearance, with either an excess of sparks or stomach churning lurches as various bits tried to dig out large chunks of tarmac. I was never under any illusions about the nature of the Z440 but, even so, this lack of chassis fidelity was a bit much as the Kawasaki had a nature that was well suited to exploring quiet country roads.
Its mild nature was seen in the reasonable way it went through consumables. A rear Arrowmax lasted for about 12500 miles, whilst a front bettered 15000 miles. Grip in the wet was adequate rather than stunning but they were perfectly suitable in the dry, with none of the queasiness of the OE Japanese rubber. The fat rear rubber was a tyre iron breaking feat to put on the rim! Be warned. Disc pads lasted 10 to 11,000 miles and the calipers have only needed two rebuilds (I try not to ride in deepest winter).
Perhaps the most impressive area of running costs was fuel economy. This varied between 50 and 70mpg, but usually I achieved at least 60mpg, more often than not 65mpg! Given the paucity of performance this is only just and proper but even with 42000 miles on the clock there has been no fall off in either performance or economy.
Oil usage has increased slightly in between 1000 mile changes; 300 miles in a day would have the level down quite close to the minimum mark. Carbs and valves need frequent attention, whilst camchain and balancer chains are not without their moments of infamy (but they're still original). Overall, the mildly tuned and natured engine has lasted remarkably well. I've never been left stranded miles from home or even had a serious accident. I do give the bike a lot of tender loving care.
An acquaintance who bought an identical bike at the same time went in for a bit of destructive testing. No careful running in, no oil changes and no maintenance of any sort. He'd gone from one extreme to another, having had a love affair with a Bonnie that kept blowing up on him, he was going to prove that Nippon engineering was a load of crap! In a year he did 24000 miles, riding as fast as he could, through the worst weather the English climate could produce and making deliberate misuse of the gearbox, throttle and clutch.
The bike was covered in crud, sounded like the valves were hitting the piston tops and had the belt drive so loose it could be pulled clear of the rear sprocket, more like knicker elastic than anything else. The thing still ran, would lurch along the road and didn't even spit out any blue smoke. The owner was disconsolate that he'd failed to blow it up, ended up cleaning the crud off, doing regular maintenance and getting another 16000 miles out of the engine before foolishly trading in for a Z750 twin.
So they are tough old twins that last better than most. There are quite a few still running in good shape that can be picked up for around £500. As Customs go I reckon they are a good buy. Even if you don't like the style they can easily be converted to a more sensible form
H. J. D.
H. J. D.
****************************************************
Love, lust and lunacy played no part in my purchase of a Z440. A member of my much extended family (the husband of the second cousin of my father's third wife) wanted shot of the machine. I wanted some wheels, not so much for the commuting chores - although that would be very handy - but for wandering around the country on weekends. The Kawasaki had gone through three owners and 19000 miles with apparent ease. Mine for £750.
Now, the Z440 wasn't much of a fire-breather, more the mildest kind of vertical twin, which went throb-throb in a healthy if not invigorating way. The pistons move up and down together, the vibration taken care of by a balancer system not that different to which myriad Superdreams were subjected. The system worked well up to 8000 revs but pushing the engine hard had the pegs and petrol tank thrumming away. There was plenty of low end and midrange grunt, no need to rev the balls off it, and I took the vibration as a sign to back off the throttle.
The Z being mildly custom in appearance demands a certain amount of laid back riding on the engine and chassis both. Up to 85mph there was little to worry about, its 40hp sounding and feeling nicely on the ball. Koni rear suspension undoubtedly offered superior control to the stock junk, the bike feeling well planted on the road even on Japlop tyres that were past their prime.
The front end was more limited by the disc brake than the forks. Not that the brake lacked power, just that I had no idea how close it was to locking up until the tyre screamed for help. In the rain the vagueness increased and there was a distinctive amount of lag - dangerous stuff, indeed, for someone like myself not used to riding on the edge.
It became so bad, so intrusive to my enjoyment of the motorcycle experience, that I took the bike to the local Kawasaki dealer. He seemed shocked to see a twelve year old bike still on the road but his mechanic quickly tracked the problem to a warped disc. I started sweating at the cost but he pointed me in the direction of a mail order supplier who sold pattern discs. I wasn't even charged for the diagnosis and promised a good deal on the Zephyr that I'd been eyeing with lust. An easy enough job for me to fix myself and I bought a new set of pads off the Kawasaki dealer. That made the braking tolerable rather than alarming but it still wasn't the kind of device on which to let loose a complete novice.
Otherwise, the Z was a very user-friendly motorcycle that went where it was pointed with unerring accuracy and didn't mind if I tried to pull off in too tall a gear. The belt final drive which had been replaced at 15000 miles by the previous owner, intensified the impression of giving the rider an easy time rather than trying to push things to the limit. Not only did it require little attention, it was also smooth, quiet and miraculously clean. All chains should be fully enclosed to keep the muck off the bike.
I'm sure it was the presence of the belt that made the gearchange so smooth and slick. Helped along by all the owners doing 1000 mile oil changes. Even selection of neutral was possible at a standstill whilst the bike could be run down to 1500 revs in top without the transmission churning away (the balancer would clang away if the throttle was whipped open).
My joy and jubilation at riding the bike through our fine countryside, when the machine had become like an extension of my limbs and I experienced no discomfort from my relatively moderate velocities, came to an abrupt end one fine summer Sunday afternoon (with 24,600 miles on the clock). The engine started misfiring then failed completely.
This was the beginning of a series of electrical hassles that was to last for 7000 miles until I bought a new wiring loom and had replaced most other electrical components. In the first instance it was just the death of the ignition coils but in replacing them with used, non-standard components from a breaker I seemed to have over-stressed the rest of the electrics. Either that, or they were just wearing out or the rectifier/regulator was breaking down when they got hot. Yes, it was some kind of intermittent problem that disappeared every time the Z was taken in to be checked.
Infuriating? Yes. Mind blowing? More like mind numbing. I began not to look forward to every ride, began to dread being left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Joining one of rescue services provided some peace of mind but I suffered four breakdowns until the problem was finally solved. The best advice I can offer to anyone similarly afflicted is to replace the main loom and major components - ASAP, otherwise the worry and frustration will drive you mad.
The bike had been well cared for and I had no complaints about the general finish (I cleaned and polished it once a week). Except, of course for the exhaust system. The OE one disintegrated at 23000 miles, couldn't be ridden as the bike went red hot at 5000 revs and wouldn't run over 6000rpm! The 2-1 replacement was a mistake. Firstly, it was loud enough to give me earache and have the cops charge after me. I'm the kind of guy who always pays his bills on time and police attention left me a nervous wreck. You hear stories and you never know what else will be added to the charge list once they get you in the system. Secondly, even before I was able to replace it, the ultra thin down-pipes cracked up. It was all but dragging along the ground by the time I got home.
A pair of secondhand stainless steel silencers were matched to the old down-pipes after they'd been cleaned up and covered (as in heat-treated) in heat resistant black paint at work (a multi-national in the satellite business). Worked a treat, no more corrosion and the carburation was even smoother than with the OE exhaust.
With the electrics and exhaust sorted, the tyres shod with Avons, I was all set for the next summer. All went well, every ride had me high and invigorated...so much fun that it was a surprise the government hadn't tried to outlaw it. Then at 34,300 miles I was rolling along in the Pennines, as happy as could be at 70mph, when the belt broke. Almost a major disaster as I was having a bit of a race with an old duffer in a Metro, who'd been nudging my mudguard for about five miles. Confronted with a suddenly slowing motorcycle he must've thought I was taking the piss and rammed the back of the bike.
No fun at all. I was all over the shop, the Kawasaki feeling like the wheels were falling out. Ended up skidding along the side of the road, the Metro rolling pass with the arrogant old fart waving a fist at me in anger. I came close to falling off but fought with the bars to make it to the safety of a bit of grass.
As well as the belt, the back mudguard was crunched up and over the rear wheel. Both the tyre and the light/numberplate assembly were ruined. I pulled the warped metal off so that I could push the bike the three miles to the nearest telephone. There are some very steep hills in the Pennines!
The bike wasn't difficult to fix as the local breakers had two crashed examples but my heart wasn't really in it any more. Something to do with the near death experience. I kept the Kawasaki to 37000 miles when the engine was clattering at the bottom end and rattling at the top end. I did find that fresh oil almost revived it, at least for long enough for me to ride to the Kawasaki dealer and trade in for a brand, spanking new 550 Zephyr. I was allowed £1300 against the RRP, which sounds good but if you haggle hard you can get a 10% discount for good old cash.
Still, I was well pleased with the deal. The UMG reckons major engine problems after 35000 miles so I think I had the best that the bike had to offer. The Z440 can be described as a nice motorcycle that's pleasant and friendly to ride within its limits. It definitely gets under the skin - for a while, until it's time to move on to something better. The Zephyr felt wonderfully smooth and sophisticated the first time I rode it, making the Z440 feel so old, but I still have a tender spot for the old twin.
Martin Ellis
Now, the Z440 wasn't much of a fire-breather, more the mildest kind of vertical twin, which went throb-throb in a healthy if not invigorating way. The pistons move up and down together, the vibration taken care of by a balancer system not that different to which myriad Superdreams were subjected. The system worked well up to 8000 revs but pushing the engine hard had the pegs and petrol tank thrumming away. There was plenty of low end and midrange grunt, no need to rev the balls off it, and I took the vibration as a sign to back off the throttle.
The Z being mildly custom in appearance demands a certain amount of laid back riding on the engine and chassis both. Up to 85mph there was little to worry about, its 40hp sounding and feeling nicely on the ball. Koni rear suspension undoubtedly offered superior control to the stock junk, the bike feeling well planted on the road even on Japlop tyres that were past their prime.
The front end was more limited by the disc brake than the forks. Not that the brake lacked power, just that I had no idea how close it was to locking up until the tyre screamed for help. In the rain the vagueness increased and there was a distinctive amount of lag - dangerous stuff, indeed, for someone like myself not used to riding on the edge.
It became so bad, so intrusive to my enjoyment of the motorcycle experience, that I took the bike to the local Kawasaki dealer. He seemed shocked to see a twelve year old bike still on the road but his mechanic quickly tracked the problem to a warped disc. I started sweating at the cost but he pointed me in the direction of a mail order supplier who sold pattern discs. I wasn't even charged for the diagnosis and promised a good deal on the Zephyr that I'd been eyeing with lust. An easy enough job for me to fix myself and I bought a new set of pads off the Kawasaki dealer. That made the braking tolerable rather than alarming but it still wasn't the kind of device on which to let loose a complete novice.
Otherwise, the Z was a very user-friendly motorcycle that went where it was pointed with unerring accuracy and didn't mind if I tried to pull off in too tall a gear. The belt final drive which had been replaced at 15000 miles by the previous owner, intensified the impression of giving the rider an easy time rather than trying to push things to the limit. Not only did it require little attention, it was also smooth, quiet and miraculously clean. All chains should be fully enclosed to keep the muck off the bike.
I'm sure it was the presence of the belt that made the gearchange so smooth and slick. Helped along by all the owners doing 1000 mile oil changes. Even selection of neutral was possible at a standstill whilst the bike could be run down to 1500 revs in top without the transmission churning away (the balancer would clang away if the throttle was whipped open).
My joy and jubilation at riding the bike through our fine countryside, when the machine had become like an extension of my limbs and I experienced no discomfort from my relatively moderate velocities, came to an abrupt end one fine summer Sunday afternoon (with 24,600 miles on the clock). The engine started misfiring then failed completely.
This was the beginning of a series of electrical hassles that was to last for 7000 miles until I bought a new wiring loom and had replaced most other electrical components. In the first instance it was just the death of the ignition coils but in replacing them with used, non-standard components from a breaker I seemed to have over-stressed the rest of the electrics. Either that, or they were just wearing out or the rectifier/regulator was breaking down when they got hot. Yes, it was some kind of intermittent problem that disappeared every time the Z was taken in to be checked.
Infuriating? Yes. Mind blowing? More like mind numbing. I began not to look forward to every ride, began to dread being left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Joining one of rescue services provided some peace of mind but I suffered four breakdowns until the problem was finally solved. The best advice I can offer to anyone similarly afflicted is to replace the main loom and major components - ASAP, otherwise the worry and frustration will drive you mad.
The bike had been well cared for and I had no complaints about the general finish (I cleaned and polished it once a week). Except, of course for the exhaust system. The OE one disintegrated at 23000 miles, couldn't be ridden as the bike went red hot at 5000 revs and wouldn't run over 6000rpm! The 2-1 replacement was a mistake. Firstly, it was loud enough to give me earache and have the cops charge after me. I'm the kind of guy who always pays his bills on time and police attention left me a nervous wreck. You hear stories and you never know what else will be added to the charge list once they get you in the system. Secondly, even before I was able to replace it, the ultra thin down-pipes cracked up. It was all but dragging along the ground by the time I got home.
A pair of secondhand stainless steel silencers were matched to the old down-pipes after they'd been cleaned up and covered (as in heat-treated) in heat resistant black paint at work (a multi-national in the satellite business). Worked a treat, no more corrosion and the carburation was even smoother than with the OE exhaust.
With the electrics and exhaust sorted, the tyres shod with Avons, I was all set for the next summer. All went well, every ride had me high and invigorated...so much fun that it was a surprise the government hadn't tried to outlaw it. Then at 34,300 miles I was rolling along in the Pennines, as happy as could be at 70mph, when the belt broke. Almost a major disaster as I was having a bit of a race with an old duffer in a Metro, who'd been nudging my mudguard for about five miles. Confronted with a suddenly slowing motorcycle he must've thought I was taking the piss and rammed the back of the bike.
No fun at all. I was all over the shop, the Kawasaki feeling like the wheels were falling out. Ended up skidding along the side of the road, the Metro rolling pass with the arrogant old fart waving a fist at me in anger. I came close to falling off but fought with the bars to make it to the safety of a bit of grass.
As well as the belt, the back mudguard was crunched up and over the rear wheel. Both the tyre and the light/numberplate assembly were ruined. I pulled the warped metal off so that I could push the bike the three miles to the nearest telephone. There are some very steep hills in the Pennines!
The bike wasn't difficult to fix as the local breakers had two crashed examples but my heart wasn't really in it any more. Something to do with the near death experience. I kept the Kawasaki to 37000 miles when the engine was clattering at the bottom end and rattling at the top end. I did find that fresh oil almost revived it, at least for long enough for me to ride to the Kawasaki dealer and trade in for a brand, spanking new 550 Zephyr. I was allowed £1300 against the RRP, which sounds good but if you haggle hard you can get a 10% discount for good old cash.
Still, I was well pleased with the deal. The UMG reckons major engine problems after 35000 miles so I think I had the best that the bike had to offer. The Z440 can be described as a nice motorcycle that's pleasant and friendly to ride within its limits. It definitely gets under the skin - for a while, until it's time to move on to something better. The Zephyr felt wonderfully smooth and sophisticated the first time I rode it, making the Z440 feel so old, but I still have a tender spot for the old twin.
Martin Ellis