1984 Kawasaki reviews

So about April this year I bought a 1984 KZ550-F2 LTD. The owner said that the engine would die if you put it into gear and showed me such. The bike sat outside behind a house for 2 years and had mice living in it, but it at the very least ran, and I was happy to buy it for $900. Then I cleaned it, tuned it, and fixed all the electrical issues. Looks great now. But I digress: 5/5 for reliability. This thing is easy to work on as long as it isn't the air-box. Almost maintenance free. 4/5 for quality. This thing has many features such as two helmet locks, a center stand, air adjustable forks, dual adjustable shocks, hazard lights, most standard features for an old bike. Just nothing that stands out. 4/5 for performance. Can do it all. It has power, it has steering, brakes are rather weak despite being a disk in front and a drum in back. Top speed is around 110 mph, but has a 1/4 mile time of around 13-14 seconds. It is loads of fun on twisting roads. 3/5 for comfort. The biggest the issue I have with this bike is the seat. I hate the seat. I hate having no aftermarket options to change this (I don't want cafe racer seats). It will probably hurt your back after an hour, especially if you are taller. I do recommend this as a second bike, as it can do any type of commute or trip. Very tame power without being boring, very solid steering, 45 mpg, a good $900 spent. Would I get it again? Probably. I'd prefer a GPZ 550 to this, but I can't deny that it's a fun bike. Show less

Having owned well over 3 dozen street bikes in my riding life, I can honestly say that this is the BEST street machine I've ever owned. Smooooooth, fast and nimble, you can gobble up freeway or back-road miles and still feel refreshed after 8 hours. Wish there weren't so many electronics on it, but I guess that this was the wave of the future back in 1984. I installed a lower fairing on it and it changed the whole complexion of the bike and streamlined the looks. If you can find a clean used one, I recommend it over any of the newer "sport tourers." Show less