Kawasaki ZZR600 reviews

I bought my ZZR last November '06. I was shopping around for months. As soon as I sat on it I knew that was the bike for me. I had a Kawi 250 and grew out of it. Even having the bike lowered, the aerodymics seem good. I can put 200 miles on it at a time and still feel good. I highly recommend this bike to women. Show less

Second in 07 group, the other is in the 06. Same bike: 06-08. No problems with the bike, runs like new. Still very fast, comfy ride, and dependable. I have had no issues, except listed at bottom. Still get compliments on the looks. 44mpg in go mode. I have converted the bike into an all in one. Mount a GPS on the tank, add soft saddlebags, and keep the factory suspension? .. sport tourer. Take the bags off and strap a rear seat stick on? two up sport tourer. Pull the suspension, bolt on a Z X-10 wishbone and a set of Race Tech forks? ... track bike. Mount a camcorder? Race Video Making Track Bike. Bike is 95HP stock. Shims, advancer, and a bolt-on exhaust moves you to 100. Seen dynos @ 108. But that is $$$ ... need more power? Get a liter. Cheaper. There is no limiter that I am aware of. I think this is an excellent first bike for someone with a brain. If you don't have one, stay away from any bike. The life you save will be your own. Issues? Switch at clutch that disconnects start. Take a clipper and cut off about 1/4 inch. Hesitates at mid rpm full throttle? Shim the carburetor's ... $5 for the shims and three hours work. Factory tires suck? I grabbed two sets of Michelin Pilot Power S C s at a track sale. Show less

Awesome bike for the money and great to look at. However, if you are a beginner, I think this bike may have too much anger for you. It has about 110 horsepower and that on a bike that weighes a little over 400 lbs equals punch you in the face brawn, which I love but I've been riding a long time and have owned 6 bikes thru the years. It also has a top end of 150 mph, at that point the governor kicks in but you still have about 3 grand left on the tach at that point. This is a serious 600 that's capable of about a 120 mph or so in the quarter mile, if you've ridden before and are experienced enough to handle it, get this bike you won't be disappointed. If you're new, you may want to get more experience before stradling this nimble rocket ship. Show less

I have ridden my bike for quite some time and it has a bit more power than any other 600 I've run across. I've only lost to a Hyabusa (no surprise) and it's a great stunt bike. Show less

I have owned two other bikes before this one but by far this is the best for the price. It has plenty of power and the handlebars are set up higher than a normal street bike, making this a comfortable bike on highway trips. It is the all around sport/cruiser. Show less

My new 2007 ZZR600 is a freaking dream. Everywhere I go, people comment on how beautiful it is and how sporty it looks. In fact, I am growing a little tired of hearing the compliments and I have only had it for 3 weeks. Anyways, my previous bike was the Ninja 500R. I bought that bike for the fuel economy but quickly learned that this bike was not best suited for traffic on the interstate. While it was capable of interstate speeds, it lacked the HP to get out of hairy situations near exit and on ramps. Three weeks ago, I traded it in for the new ZZR600 and I am absolutely in love. The ZZR600 is a Cadillac compared to the Ninja 500. I haven't ridden many motorcycles but for someone who wants fuel economy, safety, low insurance rates, and good looks, I cannot imagine a better bike than the ZZR600. You will find hardcore racers out there who will critique the ZZR600 and how it can't beat a Busa but who cares? I don't want to win any races. I have the perfect bike and I didn't have to go deep into debt because of it. As for beginners, I don't believe this is a beginner's bike. A Ninja 500 is a beginner's bike. The ZZR600 has sensitive throttle response that isn't good for a beginner and considering that, there is 95 HP to boot; this may be too much bike for someone who has never ridden. That is my opinion and not everyone will agree. I can say that even after riding my old 500 for 6,500 miles, I was a bit intimidated when I started on the ZZR600. I now have 1100 miles on my new bike (out of break-in constraints) and am excited to get the bike out of traffic and see what it can really do. But so far, this bike has been very quick in close traffic situations. One last thing for anyone considering this bike - This is a sport bike. It is the exact bike as the 2002 ZX-6r. Fortunately, insurance classifies the zzr600 as a sport-touring bike and my insurance is low. This bike is a no-brainer. Get it and your neighbors will be jealous. Get it and chicks will randomly ask for a ride. Ha ha, I love turning them down! Show less

I purchased brand new the 2007 ZZR600 with the red paint. I use this bike for the daily commute. I ride about 80 miles per day. I try and stay under 80mph as it is still breaking in. I have to keep it under 6 thousand rpm for another 900 miles. I changed the oil at 600 miles per the book. Unfortunatly the factory put the oil filter on so tight I had to remove the left cowl to get an oil wrench on the filter. The bike's seat is a little wide for me and makes my hips and thighs hurt. The ZX6R had a better seat. The performance is a little sluggish, but that's okay and expected with lower compression and pump gas. Top end is good and can zip past all cars and trucks. I see no problem for this bike to exceed 140mph, although I wouldn't...maybe you would. This bike is carburated, but you really can't tell other than the cool sound it makes when you gun it. Sure, I could have gotten the ZX6R, but the low shield would have been bad. I like the taller shield of the ZZR. I didn't like it at first, but after going through some rough weather it was appreciated. The ZZR costs less than the ZX6R, so I don't feel so bad about riding the hell out if it. Its intented use is not for show, but it does look nice. Looks tough with the fat tire and cool rake of the frame and cowling. Great bike! Show less

This is my first bike and I am absolutely loving it. It's very comfortable. Looks amazing. I am very happy I didn't spend the extra $$ for an uncomfortable and peaky bike that was designed only to exist on the track. Show less

I owned a Ninja 250 before this and was sad to see it go..however the second I started the ZZR 600 up and took it home, my sadness seemed to disappear without regret. Although I have not gotten on her yet due to the break in period, I can tell that she is extremely willing and actually intimidates me a little still. But it is an easy and fun ride that makes me feel like a kid on Christmas eve everytime I think about it. Only thing is that I am short, that makes the stretch a little hard on the body, but it is defintely not anything to complain about! Show less

I bought the bike brand new at the end of '05. This is my first bike. It is a real joy to ride on winding roads or for long distance. Couldn't have picked a better bike for the price and performance. Show less