Whyyouwantone
Althoughthe
ZZR1 400 isa bike
dominated by its headline
200bhp peak power, what
makes the Kawasaki so
enjoyable to ride is the
117lb·ft of torque its inline
four delivers. Pushing you
along on a creamy wave of
thrust, this enormous
amount of grunt makes the
ZZR an incredibly easy
bike to ride and ideally
suited to covering miles.
As wellaskeepinggear
changestoa minimum(the
ZZR will happilypulltop
from 40mph),thedriveon
offer meansovertakes
simply requireanextra
sniff of throttle while the
motor is as smooth as silk
andseldomstressed.And
backingthismotorupisa
chassis that takes on the
bends in a composed
fashion while remaining
super-stable at all times.
Although there have
been a few generationsof
ZZR1400, the one you
want to go for is the
post-2012 model with its
larger-capacity engine and
refined electronics that
add three-stage traction
controlandtwo power
modesalongside ABS.
Whilethepreviousmodel
ischeaper,it isn’tas
refinedandwhenyouare
packingclose to200bhp,
traction control isa
worthy safety net.
Whyyoudon’t
TheZZR’shandlingis assured but it isn’t that
sportyduetothebike’s size. Tipping the scales
at265kg,it tendstorollintobends rather than flick and
whileit isunshakableonceleant over, it takes some
efforttogetthere.Andthenthere are the servicing
costs;£600fora 16,000-mile valve-clearance check due
tothemonocoquechassisobstructingaccess.Finally,
withsomuchpowerandspeed,you’dhopeforbetter
brakes— theZZR’sarebestdescribedas‘adequate.’
Besttweakfortouring
Kawasakisellsanaccessorycentrestand
(£255.95)asthis,alongsidea tallerscreen,are
worthyaccessoriesforthededicatedtourer.Some
ridersfitthe£452.95comfortseatbutthestandardseat
isn’t thatbad.Upratedbrakepadsarerecommended.
SPEC
PriceFrom£5300Engine1441ccinlinefour,4vper cyl,
l/c Power 200bhp @ 10,000rpm Torque 117lb·ft @
7500rpm Transmission 6-speed, chain Chassis aluminium
monocoque Front suspension 43mm forks, 117mm travel,
fully-adjustable Rear suspension monoshock, 124mm travel,
fully-adjustable Front brakes 310mm discs, 4-piston calipers
Rear brake 250mm disc, 1-piston caliper Front tyre 120/70 ZR17
Rear tyre 190/50 ZR17 Wheelbase 1480mm Rake/trail
23°/93mmSeatheight 800mm Kerb weight 269kg Fuel
capacity 22 litres
Target price
Dealer Private
> 2012 £6500 £5300
> 2013 £7400 £5800
> 2014 £8000 £6500
> 2015 £8900 £7000
> 2016 £9800 £8000
> 2017 £10,700 £8750
> 2018 £11,800 £9600
> 2019 £12,200£10,000
Ourpick
If yourbudget can
stretch to just under
£10,000, then the
2016 Performance
Sport edition is the
ZZR to have, as the
Öhlins shock and
Brembo braking
system are genuine
enhancements.
Sports Touring
BIASBAR
K asaki ZZR1400
(2012-current)
>200bhp>269kg>From£5300
So much more than just a top-speed demon
58 | JULY 2019
FROM £5K - £10K
