Kawasaki ZX7R

I'm 54 and have owned dozens of street bikes over the past 35+ years. Ive owned everything from old Pan Head Hogs to new sport bikes. I've always wanted one of these since they first came out and finally got my hands on one this past year. It's a 2000 model in black/ silver and only had 8000 miles on it. It was garage kept and immaculate! Literally not a scratch! Like all who have posted before me...this thing handles like a dream! Not too much power that it makes it unusable but more than enough to have an absolute blast on! I tend to buy and sell pretty often but I'm keeping this one till I can't ride. It now has a home for life along with a KZ1000, ZRX1100, 67 Super Hawk and an R75/6.

In 1997 I bought a brand new black ZX7R Ninja. It was the best looking sports bike on the market at the time in my opinion, it looked mean and fast just standing still. The front end sat low and the rear high.

Without doubt the ZX7R is the best handling bike I have ever owned. The front end was incredible and simply steered wherever you wanted it to go - even under heavy braking in a curve this thing would not sit up. It was very quick and wasn't that far off 170 mph when held open. Most importantly, 122 BHP at the crank made the power usable. It had a good turn of speed in the mid range and from then on it would storm toward the red line with the intoxicating sound of that typical kawasaki forced air intake/exhaust induced growl which was unique to that bike. The main competitor (the GSXR 750) although a very fine bike, sounded pants in comparison.

To add to the mix I replaced the heavy standard can with a Devil number; the best sounding exhaust note to come from an inline 4 that I have ever heard (barring race bikes of course). I left the front USD suspension on the settings that it had out of the crate, but I increased the rear ride height by a good couple of turns. It went into corners nice and fast and shot out of them like it was on steroids. I want another!!

I held onto this bike for 5 years and put 30000 miles on her. Apart from the usual servicing costs, numerous tyres (mainly Michelin Pilot Sports) and a chain and sprocket set nothing went wrong on this bike. 100% reliable.

Bad points - none.

However, at the time I bought this beauty I had just turned 32 and at 6ft 1" I must say that I found the seating position very radical. The hand grips sat below the top yoke and stretched the rider over the tank into an extreme head down bottom up position(almost a proper race crouch) that took its toll on my wrists after about 30 minutes of riding; but that did not stop me riding well in excess of this and I was happy to suffer the pain - it was well worth it. Eventually though, I sold the bike because at 37 I got fed up of aching wrists and riding with my knees around my ears; I stepped away from race reps to big nakeds purchasing a GSX 1400 K1.

This is my second bike I have bought as a project, I picked it up November last year for a bargain £1000 because it had had a low speed drop and fairing damage, I spent the winter tinkering with it to get it how I wanted it to be. My maiden trip was a few days ago and I'm still smiling! This thing rocks, the brakes are superb really good feel and not spongy at all, gear changes are crisp and precise the shift pedal was set too low so that got adjusted and now things feel much better, handling wise it is faultless you have absolute confidence to cane it and to slam it through the corners and make yourself feel like Yanagawa, Russel, Gobert, back in the 90's. it goes like stink and the sound is awesome, people love the look of it and it does look special with its lime green paint. My only gripes with it are the steering turning circle is a joke and the riding position is head down arse up style which works well for a bit but its no cruiser/tourer, I suppose I want everything in one package but that's not easy to do.People say its a heavy beast and they are right it is heavy and slow speed manouvering is not easy especially with that turning circle however once its moving it doesn't show at all. I'm giving it a 4.5 out of 5 and would recommend it to anyone.

I bought a fireblade then a zx7r then an R1 and then a zx7r then another R1 and then you've guessed it- another 7r, say no more I'm keeping this one, and in all honesty I can go quicker on the 7r then all the others. A true classic.

Truely one of the best things i have done was to buy my zx7r, i have had a long absence from the biking scene ( my last bike was a Z750E - now living in the greenhouse), this bike handles better than others i have ridden (including Ducati Hailwood Replica) , it brakes on a sixpence and has the power to shame more modern bikes, it may be a little heavy, but once on the move that weight melts away- and its looks still get admiring glances from both car drivers and other bikers -I LOVE THIS BIKE

I bought my P4 as a stop gap to get me back into biking before I went newer/bigger. I can now honestly say after owning her for a while, there is no way I will be parting with her. At stand still she looks stunning with her customer paint job that has had many an admiring comment. On the go she sounds awesome with her stainless pipes. I like that she is big and heavy as this makes a stable/planted ride that begs you to go faster. My 6'4 height works well with the frame and riding position and the engine pulls from nothing to everything in no time. You can hear me from miles around as she screams up through the rev range. I would recommend this bike to anyone. Its simply brilliant. You just can't have mine

I ve had the zx7r for a couple of years now and wouldn t dream of having anything else, it comes a bit costy especially when ridden to the limit but what a beauty, it s still does 160 on the motorway chew quit a few pads especially in town but the handling is absolutly superb the repartition of the torq coming out of a turn is pure honey, i ve had bigger, newer, faster, lighter surely cheaper to run but Hey...NEVER better than the almighty ZX7 R. Just and simply a brilliant bike, preservation and restoration is a must truelly a vintage piece of history

ok ladies and gentlemen, i ve owned a zx7-r ninja now for two yrs although i havnt passed my test yet !! i still take it out now and then to keep it in running order i love everything about the bike, but you know what ? it scares the **** out of me, should of renamed these ufo ninjas mine is a p4 with high peformance exhaust, if any one wants to do my test for me write in lol,cause otherwise this will be the only uncrashed version ever and will be a very nice collectable later on.if any one interested watch on you tube ferrari vs zx7-r ninja and zx7 flyby. so back to my zx7, yes def strong, solid and very very fast would i sell it ( NO ).

this is THE BEST bike i have owned, love the looks.built for britains roads.useable power with spot on handling,who cares that it is heavy it still hoiks front wheel up under hard acceleration and it can keep up with newer bikes on the A roads.get one fit a factory pro jet kit do the airbox mod fit decent pipe and you are laughing.ZX7R BEST BIKE ON THE PLANET.

well done kawasaki for this bike

Cracking bike. As has often been said before the Kawasaki ZX7R is heavy, but for most of us that makes it feel better not worse - more stable and planted. And of course what it does have is a fabulous front end - really, I can;t think of many other bikes I have ridden that have inspired more confidence as you chuk it into a corner even on a track. And maybe that's the point with this bike - not being overpowered makes you less twitchy on exiting corners, and happier to give it plenty of throttle in the knowledge that you are less likely to spin the rear tyre, and that you know exactly what your front wheel is doing...