What is the FOAK's view on these, good, bad or ugly? -- Dan L (Oldbloke) My Bike 2000 Honda CB500 M'boy's Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Heavily fortified) BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26
Awesome looks, early models have fucked up rear suspension which, ISTR, was partially sorted on later models. Of course, I could well be wrong, having never ridden one.
Look gorgeous, sound even better, go well, very tough engines, and they never really sorted them. Early models have crap suspension and nice engines - later models got better suspension and worse engines. Go for an early one and spend some money on the back end.
The Older Gentleman says... Transforms the bike, makes the rear suspension a lot more compliant. The front end on the J model is one of the nicest road set ups I've ever ridden on, shame about the gutless engine.
Which model? I preferred the H1/2 over the later models. My comments apply to the H2. Induction howl was lovely. It had an incredible front end that took a lot of pushing. Footpegs could be ground out on tight downhill bends. Check the carb tops - ruthless ZZR-11 owners would swap them so their bike could be de-restricted. The carb tops should be flat across the top, and not have a raised inner circle. Easy to change over though.
I've had a couple of ZXR750H1s, and loved them to bits. Fit an NWS rocker linkage to give your bottom an easier time. You'll probably need to replace the disks on any still out there, as they tended to fracture quite quickly. Mine did everything from touring Europe, to trackdays, to commuting the M25 every day. A surprisingly practical bike, but a bit heavy on the wrists in heavy town traffic. The engine seems to be built for about 120bhp in race trim, so the 90odd you get in road trim won't stress it at all. The exhausts rot through pretty quicky. I had endless problems with fork seals blowing on both of mine, but I think I was just unlucky as nobody else I've spoken to about them has had the same problem.
Bit different from a Zephyr 110. Are you sure you mean the sports bike (ZXR750/ZX-7R), or the ZR750 Zephyr naked retro type thing?
Trike. Land Rover back-end, Kwack front. Secretly under development by LRSP in Solihull, should never have mentioned it.
Yeah, I do mean the sprotsbike ZXR, although not to my traditional taste, one has to keep an open mind. The ZR750 is that new(ish) version of the old Zephyr, that all the magazines slate as crap, so, whilst I have seen them, they seem to offer not a lot more than my trusty CB500. The old style 750 Zephyr is prolly at no.2 on my wish list (behind the 1100), but it'd have to be an absolute minter. -- Dan L (Oldbloke) My Bike 2000 Honda CB500 M'boy's Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Heavily fortified) BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26
TOG said that the early ones have crap suspension and better engines; the later ones have better suspension and worse engines. So, kids, it up to you who you think might be right: TOG, who knows a lot about bikes, or Gower, who " "
Wish I hadn't sold mine. Tempted to buy another, but it'll just be more material clutter that I don't really need; satisfying a short term need to distract myself by buying something and causing long term anxieties by just sitting there and not being used. But still.. buy it, you'll feel better afterwards for a few hours.
Cheer up -- Dan L (Oldbloke) My Bike 2000 Honda CB500 M'boy's Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Heavily fortified) BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26
