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Trusty War Horse
By PeteG
KAWASAKI ZZR 1100
The big four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are now so
much a part of British Biking culture that it is difficult to imagine life
without them. They are responsible for the standard of all bikes on our
roads today with the exception of the old classics. The Italians and the
one remaining viable English bike producer have to look to the land of the
rising sun before they decide what and how to build, well at least that
was true until quite recently. With the dawn of the Chinese bike industry
and progress made by Hinckley Triumph, Japanese eyes are squinting towards
other countries for the first time in many years. Even Buell look towards
Japan if they want to sell in Europe, the other American producers don't
count as they are still sat in a dark room with cardboard boxes on their
heads hoping that there are still people being born with loads of money
they want to throw at odd, poorly built bikes.
Inside Japan, there is a cut-throat approach to business as
is the case in every field of commerce but with the big four that rivalry
has been particularly unfriendly. They have slashed at each others throats
for some time, vying for what was once a small market but what has now
grown out of all proportions, this has meant that as one company has
brought out a new machine, the others have looked on with envy and then
produced a similar bike. A case in point was at the 1968 Tokyo show when
Honda unveiled their new CB 750, it was a revelation at the time and
caused all the biking world to raise it's eyebrows and say 'Ooo, that's
different.' All that is except the British bike industry who refused to
accept the Japs could build bikes and also Kawasaki because they were
almost ready to announce their new 750, which unfortunately was almost
identical to the Honda. Oops. Too late and I would imagine several top
executives lost their jobs but the motorcycle branch of Kawasaki Heavy
Engineering didn't panic, they just redesigned the thing slightly and
bored it out to 900 cc and lo and behold, the Z1 was born, the first ever
superbike. One of those turning points in the history of motorbikes. This
has always been the case with the Japanese bike industry, clone and copy,
assimilate and develop.
Kawasaki has always been the poor sister of the big four.
Honda have probably always lead the way with sales, with a reputation for
the best build quality but bland bikes. Then Suzuki known for fabulous
engines and handling but poor paint and chrome. Yamaha have made good
sales due to great engines and reliability but suffered with abysmal build
quality. Kawasaki have mostly brought up the rear with glittering
performance but a no-comprimise quirkiness and some dodgy cycle parts. I
have heard so many times in the bike press that 'They all get their parts
from just two companies in Japan so they should all have the same build
quality.' but my eyes don't lie, all things aren't equal.
This is the later 'D' version ZZ-R
Kwak have had their 'cult' following which has kept their
sales up and with the bike press making statements like "real men still
ride Kawasaki's" a legend has grown up along side various models. The
truth is that Kawasaki have made some dire bikes but they have also made
some fantastic machines and speed seems to feature heavily in their range.
So when in 1990 they introduced the ZZ-R 1100 as the fastest bike money
could buy everyone sat up and took notice including the other
manufacturers. The big sports tourer was born and with a new epithet
'hyperbike' a new sales war was begun.
Over the years the ZZ was updated and the rivals brought
out their own contenders, wrapped up in hype and tall stories of how quick
they were. Honda claimed the Blackbird would do 180 mph and then Suzuki
advertised the Hyabusa as a 200 mph bike having to change that when none
of the press could get it to do more than 180. The members of the '200 MPH
Club' own Blackbirds and 'Busa's but few of them have actually done 200
mph, not because they are yellow-bellied girlies but because the bikes
will not go that fast. But the hyperbike legend continues and now Kawasaki
have taken back the crown of fastest production bike with the Lightning
fast ZZ-R 1400.
My first ride on a ZZ-R 1100 was memorable if just for the
fact that it is so worryingly fast. In these days of horsepower and top
speed figures being grossly exaggerated by manufacturers I was shocked to
find that the bike would actually do 175 mph. The problem comes when
writing a review on such a cult bike it's almost impossible to add
anything that hasn't already been said. This is a clip from a 1997
Haynes manual for the Big Kawasaki Fours
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The bike is much more than the sum of all it's parts.
It's fast, it's comfortable, it's easy to ride, it simply has no
faults.
No faults. To a certain degree I concur, except for just a
few things. My major moan is with the rear shocker. The ZZ-R 1100 was a
big bike even for it's day yet it handles quite well but if that rear end
goes off even slightly, it becomes an evil monster with a will of it's own
and that horrible Kawasaki part can't be serviced. It has to be replaced.
True, It's not a major job and most DIY mechanics can replace it in two or
three hours but it's a savage reminder that it has faults and many owners
would rather take it down to the local 'spanners' and shell out a few
hundred quid rather than see their bike scattered across the garage floor
like some weird puzzle.
One thing the ZZ-R does have to it's favour, it has enjoyed
more years in production than most bikes of it's class having several
upgrades through the years and it still has it's devotees. I have one
myself, a '91 and to be honest I have no plans to be rid of it for
sometime yet. It is still incredibly fast, okay I have upgraded a few
things like carbs (for the unrestricted type), forks, brakes and that rear
shock but apart from valve shims and setting up the carbs I have done
little to the bike and it has done 51000 trouble free miles. The handling
on a stock bike can be a little 'soft' but it still keeps up with
Blackbirds and Hyabusa's with a fraction of the insurance premiums.
All in all, everything that has been said of the bike is
true. Now days they can be had for very little money, parts are plentiful
as most things can be swapped with ZX 10's and 900's and they don't cost
the earth to run.
Here's another quote from the 1997 Haynes manual.
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Seven years into it's model life the ZZ-R 1100 is
still going strong, still being updated annually and still winning
comparison tests with it's rivals - remarkably you can still detect the
heritage of the original Kawasaki Superbike, the Z1, in the
thing.
I kind of like that. It says a great deal about how it came
about. It's starting to look a bit dated now but in the same week Suzuki
launch their new 'Busa for 2008 I have to say it looks no more dated than
the bus. I also prefer the way it looks compared to that spider eyed
monstrosity they call the ZZ-R 1400, with it's retro fin styling and it's
mid range engine problems it seems I own the better bike. Well I'm bound
to say that - I can't afford the 1400.
Crusades anyone?
In conclusion, it's not a racehorse of a bike because it's
big and heavy but neither is it a Shire. I like to think of it as a
Warhorse, trusty, dependable but quick and stable when you are charging
the French lines. Always there and ready for a campaign with enough
strength and stamina to carry you and your accoutrements for a long trek
to the Holy Land.
Copyright of the author. © 2007 Tricky Imp
Productions
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