1981 Kawasaki reviews

The KZ440 offers a ride with great handling. I bought a 1983 KZ440 LTD belt drive. The bike will do what you want it to and get you there in style. The seat offers a comfortable upright riding position, but is cramped with an extra passenger. I am 6'4 and still road the bike for hours at a time with few problems (and sore kidneys). I found on the highway it was difficult to pass people as acceleration was really slow beyond 100 km/h, but I did manage to get it up to 150 on occasion. Unfortunately, due to low oil I seized a bearing and riding season is over for me. I hate it when people describe motorcycles as good "beginner bikes" or great "commuters". If you wanted to do a road trip on this bike you could, 440 is enough engine to beat most cars in traffic. Also, lighter bikes are easier to handle at low speeds, U-turns, etc. I really like the style of the bike too, and the seat is very comfortable. The belt drive makes accelerating smooth and seamless. Still, I felt want for power, even if I could always pull ahead of traffic. The acceleration often left me wanting more. The choke is inconveniently located on the carbs on the left side of the bike. For the 4 months I drove it, I never came close to dropping it. I attribute this to the bike's design, it is very stable. All in all, a good bike. Show less

This is my first bike and I've been riding since March 2001. This is a good beginner bike, good power down low and likes to throw you around, but throttle is twitchy. I've been having starter problems, but whadda expect from a bike older than me :) Anyhow, really bad on gas mileage. I can only get 110km on a full tank these days, though the dirty air filter could contribute to that. You are in sixth gear by around 60kph, and the bike has no pickup power after 80kph. Anyhow, if you are looking for a bike for a first time rider (like myself), can't go wrong with one of these. Show less