Can you turn me GREEN again ??!!

[z900/zx9]

Ha Ha LOL !!

I love this forum, thanks geezas, course I knew the results would be "Biased" .....

Interesting, I never really considered the ZX9, I think because it doesn't have the sharp looks of the ZXR750 ZX7R, but so many people here own and run the ZX9 daily for all purposes - Commuting, Scratching, Touring ..... Is this true, is the 9 really that good of an all rounder ?

So I have as far as I can see, 2 votes for the ZX7R, more for the ZX9, and a mention / nod towards the Gixxxxxer

I must admit I thought a SRAD model GSXR750 would be pretty good, it's a injected bike, which other bikes the same year for the price does not posses, but every Buggers got one.....

Looks wise, I love the ZX7R, but the comment about it being a barge worries me, I want a flickable bike, I am only 5 foot 8, my old ZXR250 was sweet for ergos, (Funnily enough), so if the ZX9 is lighter than the ZX7, that's a plus point. READ HERE If your a commuter forget the 7 it riding possition will kill ya,Im 5,5 and i cramped up after a 30 minute test ride on a 7 and my wrists were cramping.Later model 9s are definitly lighter and i have no probs in the twisties getting it around corners The late model 01/02 look better than the earlier stuff and generally are the finished product.Ride one and see for ya self

I like sharp / racy styled bikes, and the ZX9 front looks a bit bland to me, the ZX7 has the cool old school Superbike look to it.

Gotta live with the bike daily though, as I commute Mon-Fri in all weathers, I could get really Shi**y with the ZX7 as a commuter I reckon ??

[BrisZX9R]

I agree with Brockssracer... Realistically you have to buy a bike that fits you, suits your needs and is comfortable for you. If you buy just on brand alone there is a good chance you could be disappointed. Of course 99% of people in here will be biased towards kwakas, otherwise we wouldn’t be on a kwaka site.

HOWEVER, there also are a lot of benefits to owning a kwaka, like the fact they are not the most popular brand on the road, so not everyone has one, unlike a R1 or R6 or GSXR, it seems every weekend stoner wanna be has one and when I commute there are a lot of them stopped at the lights next to me, usually with the rider complaining about or rubbing his/her wrists . Also in the city, those bikes aren’t any quicker than my 9, even with me being 6’2 and 135kgs. Traffic, big balls plus a more traffic suitable power curve on my bike are a great leveller. I think.

Every time I go to buy a new bike (2nd hand or new) I ride everything I can get a leg over. Before I bought my current ZX9R, I rode a ZX14, ZX12, ZX10, GSXR1000, Fireblade, Blackbird, ZX9, R1, FZ1 and a ZRX, all different models of each one.

As for the ZX9R looking a bit bland… Mate, if you get a 2000 model on, they look racer-ish, put new shocks in if you want, (I always did, but that’s more due to being a fat bastard ) will help with racer looks. But you’ve got to remember the raceier a bike looks, the more police could be interested in you. Also the more race like the bike is, the more stress you put on your wrists for commuting. I think the ZX9 is the ultimate all rounder bike, but yes I am biased. I would have bought a ZX12 (more for two up, than any other reason) had I been able to find a newer one for a good price, but they all seemed to be older than I wanted.

My best suggestion… just go to bike shop, after bike shop after bike shop… and ride, ride, ride anything and everything even bike’s you’ve never even considering buying, you’ll be surprised how riding a variety of bikes can open your mind to various things you’ve just suddenly realised you want on a bike. I rode a couple of bikini and naked bikes just to make sure I wanted a full-faired bike. Also you might want to look at rego, insurance and maintenance costs of each model, plus fuel usage, these costs could also be a consideration for you.

Just my thoughts.

[Lone Wolf]

I'll give you another vote for the 7R

I went from a ZXR250 to the 7, and I'm now on my 2nd one. Would love a 9 as well but just can't bring myself to part with a 7. Don't agree with a TLR pissing all over a 7 either I love them too and have ridden them, but no way do they stop & turn better than a 7

[brockssracer]

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/index.htm


visit that site, look up the bikes u like, generally they have nearly every model and make and have most specs on them. they will usually have a write up about the bike and what they thought. i think u will find this usefull in helping you narrow down your search

[mick_dundee]

Just back from canberra, I can tell ya the 9 rocks on all counts, way comfier than my ZZR600 for touring, handles better for scratching, the commuting is a prob though, too many cameras around, that's no fault of the bike though...