MOTORCYCLE

Hello!

I am looking at a used 91 Kawasaki Zepher 750 (ZR750). A local guy has
it. It is very clean, and only has 6,500 miles. Asking $1,800, which
seems resonable to me.

Anyways, I am just wondering if this would make a good first bike. My
only expierence riding was on a 74 Suzuki TS250 a bit last summer. I
was pretty comfortable with it. I also plan on taking an MSF course
ASAP.

I cant seem to find much info on the Zepher, hence Im asking here.
From what I can tell, it seems very similar to the Honda Nighthawk 750,
which I has seen recommended as a good starter bike. My father-in-law
swears that the 750 would be a really fast bike, but the owner says it
is pretty well mannered. I dont want something that Im gonna kill
myself on, but OTOH, Im 28, and mostly past my lead foot(hand) days.


I really like the look of the standards. I dont really want a sport
bike, otherwise I would probably just grab a Ninja 500R. I dont really
feel comfortable with the feet forward position of a cruiser either.
So there are not many models that I know of to choose.


Well, any comments would be appriciated!

Thanks!
-Brian

Brian wrote:

As far as a 750 being a really fast bike I guess everything is
relative. My thinking is a bike is only as fast as you ride it, and a
standard wont have the temptation (for most) to go screaming through
the gears like a sportbike would. The Zephyr is a nice looking scoot (I
like standards too) and is Kawis version of the Universal Japanese
Motorcycle. As long as the bike is comfortable for your size & build it
sounds like it might be a good fit, and its not a lot of dough to get
on the road. I dont have any specific info on that bike but you cant
go wrong with a low-mile UJM IMO. I suggest talking to a Kawi service
dept for model-specific info.

Brian wrote:
Nice bike - essentially a basic Jap bike from the 1970s updated with
modern tyres and reasonable suspension. The engine dates back 30 years
to the Z650.

Top speed about 125mph, although holding onto 80+ for any length of
time is hard work, as on any unfaired bike. If all youve ever ridden
is an old 250 dirt bike, though, Id recommend a lot of pro instruction
unless you want to be a thin stain across the front of somebodys 4x4.
To put it into perspective, its only a 70bhp bike but it will
out-accelerate a Lamborghini Diablo over the quarter-mile. That sort of
performance takes a lot of newbies unawares.

Reliable. Very reliable, in fact. Corrodes in winter, with all that
chrome. Oh, and its under-geared as stock - going up one tooth on the
gearbox sprocket inproves economy and makes cruising more relaxed, but
naturally you lose a bit of acceleration.

Its a more fun bike than the Honda, IMHO - its just got a naughty fun
edge that the Honda lacks.

Brian wrote:


I started off a good friend with the MSF class and a Zephyr 550 a
couple of years back. Not a natural motorcyclist, but a good student
and a motivated learner. He did very well; rode it for two years,
about 10,000 miles, and then got a Yamaha FZ-1.

As long as you can control your right wrist, the Zephyr should be fine.

Brian wrote:


Zephyr, not Zepher

HTH

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
dan.yodanet@gmail.com
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
Space in shed where NSR125 used to be
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Patio Ornament)
BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6), X-FOT#000, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow), OMF#11

Brian wrote:

Thats not a bad price if the bike is mint. Otherwise, estimate the
amount it will take to return it to mint conition and subtract that
amount from the asking price.




Definitely take the MSF course. Itll help you in ways you dont even
realize.

Regarding the Zephyr as a starter bike, I think youd probably be okay
with it. It has ample power for safe freeway/traffic use, but isnt
manic like a GSXR750, for example. The most important variable in that
equation is you and your abilities, which is something only you can
accurately guage.




The Zephyr was Kawasakis effort to ressurect the classic Z1/Z650
design in a more modern package. It was very successful in Europe and
Japan, but only moderately so in North America. You dont see many of
them around, but parts are still easy to get. Its also a damn
good-looking motorcycle that harkens back to the superbike platforms of
the late 1970s and early 1980s.




I think youre probably old enough to realize that the throttle turns
both ways. The Zephyr 750s powerplant produces about 80 HP and is good
for roughly 120 miles per hour. The engine is tuned for usable
mid-range performance and is easily managable until you hit the
7,000-RPM powerband, where things start to get much more interesting.





Here are some other otopins for you to consider in the same genre:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article Page.aspx?ArticleID38&Page=1

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/2004/146 04 kawasaki z750/

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2003-Oct/031013599.htm

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/09april03suzuki2003sv650.htm




Best of luck and best wishes,

Tim Kreitz
2003 ZX7R
2000 ZX6R
http://www.timkreitz.com
http://www.myspace.com/timkreitz
http://superbikeblog.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/dingosanctuary

Brian wrote:

Seems high by about $300 to me, but you never know. The nice thing
about a cheap starter bike is that you can dump it, crash it, and junk
it without really hurting the pocket book. Sounds like a decent ride to
start with (mine was an 82 v45 magna)

Kirb