ZX-7R in it's spiritual home setting

What on earth is a Kawasaki doing at harley-place?

Well, to be honest, my love for biking always has and continues to include all makes and styles 

Why a sports bike? - because I want one

Why a race rep ZX-7R? - because it looks the dog's bollocks, iconic some would say (whatever that means!)

It looks classic race rep, it's big and has mass (OK it's heavy) -  and a front end that defines the term "planted", which all adds up to confidence inspiring stability.  You sit in [not on] it, it's got handling to die for, brakes that are the total opposite end of the scale from Harley.  For me, it's got the whole nine yards (or the whole 8.23 meters for those who have been converted).

OK so how does one compare a Harley FXD with a Kawasaki ZXR?  Interesting challenge, so here goes from my perspective.....

 

.	Harley FXD	Kawasaki ZX-7R
What is it?	Uncompromising custom cruiser	Uncompromising race bike replica
How does it handle?	Like a drunken duck	Like a dream, fire and forget, point and shoot etc, etc
How does it go?	If you tune it and wring it by the neck - surprisingly quickly	A stock bike is wrung by the neck with some respect - it is F-ing quick right out of the box - What speed would Sir like?
And braking?	You what?	Fan-bloody-tastic. What speed would Sir like?
Top speed?	Anything above 100 mph is academic - requiring the strength of Hercules to hold-on.	An academic number around 160 mph
Power?	50 something bhp at the crank as standard but mine gives out 60 hp - see here	122 bhp at the crank, or so they claim - actually 116 bhp at the rear wheel (see below) and here
It looks...	Unique, made to measure, one of a kind, spirit of me etc etc	Basically, the same as all Crotch Rockets [still very nice though]
How comfortable is it?	Up to 60mph really laid-back, above that, it's like riding a bucking mule in a hurricane!	Up to 60mph it hurts your wrists and back, above that it's super smooth and comfortable
How much does it cost?	Don't even ask!	About as much as all the accessories that it took to make my Harley go reasonably well,  handle reasonably well, stop reasonably well and look fantastic
When you're 16 - do you have wet dreams about owning one?	YES	YES
When you're 75 - do you have happy memories of having owned one?	YES	YES

Oh oh - I've just gone and got myself another Kawasaki!  This time a 1978 Z1000 (as one dealer said, "that'll be a real Z1000 then") click here for more>>

How about customising the ZX-7R then?

There is quite a bit of scope here but basically, short of a total paint job and major engine modification, it'll pretty much look like, sound like, go like any other Japanese Crotch Rocket!

The hugger is fitted - keeps the rear shock working, see.

Now the original ZX-7R I bought from new was stolen (see the Security page) and that was red and black.  The replacement, my current bike is Kawasaki  [corporation dust-cart] GREEN.

I have chopped the MASSIVE plastic number plate carrier, added small rear indicators (makes her ass look a lot better) and fitted an MRA smoked screen plus an oh so sexy NWS exhaust hanger (just check it out) and... OH NO, I'm starting to customise it!!!

Well, actually I've done some more stuff (that Harley inspired - chuck it away and replace it with a more shiny bit philosophy stays with you)

Aaah - Ohlins!

So...

Well to start with the ZX-7R is known for a planted front end but an absolutely crap rear suspension - I'll go along with that.  The rear Ohlins is not cheap but frankly, when you're rushing around at oooh, say over 65 mph and hit some bumpy bits mid-corner, what would you want?  The Ohlins settles everything down and hey, that's before I've read how to adjust it!

And then there is that small matter of increasing bhp, while saving weight, while keeping road legal.  The funny thing is that my Harley makes enough noise through those Vance & Hines pipes to awaken the dead yet never gets pulled by the Fuzz, yet a sportsbike that makes any noise and carries a small plate gets pulled like a cheap date - not fair huh?

So I've got togged up with a Blueflame full system - stainless steel headers and titanium tri-oval plus K&N filter and set-up on a Dyno by race experts HM Racing - see the results

Now what Japanese bike manufacturer makes the best sounding four cylinder engines on the planet? The big K! So she sounds pretty f***ing good too by the way.

PS - the original Kwak pipes weigh 12Kg on my bathroom scales and Blueflame say their system is 5Kg so I've shaved a full 7Kg off the "lardy" 7R dry weight at the same time!  Gosh - if I could lose just a couple of stone myself I'd be in GSXR territory - now don't be silly.