First decent run out on the ZX9R

[HowardQ]

Managed to get my first decent run out on the ZX9R today. Got it on the 16th January, when I finally got rid of my old CBR1000F after 7 1/2 years, still have the Falco obviously!
It's a late model, 2002 "lightweight" version with twin headlights and the braced swingarm
I've had it out twice on slightly damp greasy roads, but today the roads were very dry. Then again it was only 2 degrees and every single roadside puddle I saw was ice, so I was dead careful in shaded areas.
As mentioned elsewhere it is a really nice easy bike to ride and a big pussycat at low revs. The carbs seem spot on and it is very smooth and easy from low down, and just keeps building like a big turbine with very little vibration.
It does lack the low low down/mid range V/Twin kick of the Falco, which I miss, but the Kwack has a hell of kick at the top end when it gets there.
All the tests I read, said it was roomier and more comfortable than the average R1/Blade/ Gixxer 1000 and I've been pleasantly surprised it is much more comfortable than I expected. Just as comfortable as the Falco, bars are a tad lower I think, but also seem a bit nearer. I had always planned on a Blackbird until I saw this bike, but reckon this is as comfortable, even for an old fart like me, and the performance seems similar.
The seat is probably slighly softer than the Falco.
Mirrors better than the Falco, but not quite as good as the old CBR.
The reports I read said the rear shock would be totally stuffed by 15K.
This one has done over 18K and feels very good. It feels just as good, if not slightly better, than the Mille White Spring shock on the Falco.
Similar for the front.

The bike is in great nick for 7 1/2 years old, although I don't think it's been out in the rain very much.
As it was sunny today I finally managed to get some decent pictures.

[Falco9]

Looks superb Howard, as you say I don't think that bike has seen a winter let alone much rain

Are they 207's on it? If so be more careful than ever in the cold. I had a set on the Falco that seemed to take forever to warm up. Although they were fine once there. Don't need to tell you how to ride though.. sorry...

Your a brave man going out today, my neighbour washed his car and the over spill was sheet ice within a hour!

Me, I sat on the bimmer in the garage with me heated grips turned on

F9

[Aladinsaneuk]

nice looking bike

:)

[HisNibbs]

Pretty bike but isn't it a bit too similar in focus to the Falco?. I could understand a big 'trailiey', classic or relaxed tourer.

Your a brave man going out today, my neighbour washed his car and the over spill was sheet ice within a hour!


F9

I was out yesterday and had a nasty surprise. Came over the crest on a local back road and there was a load of muck and run off from a field covering a cattle grid and the road, for ten yards or so. On closer inspection it was all ice. Went through it ok with out a wiggle but was muttering some thing to do with bricks. I decided not to go out for a long ride exploring.

[HowardQ]

Suppose they are very similar, but I have been biking since 1964 and the last retro style bike I had about 7 ½ years ago was a 1992 Honda CB Sevenfifty F2N and it gave me serious problems with my arthritic shoulders, so much that I thought I might have to pack it in.
Sad thing was I'd bought it in the hope it would keep me biking.
Put an advert for the CB in BikeTrader and took it up to show to a prospective buyer, it was about 30 miles up the A1 on a cold day and my shoulders were really bad. We got talking, he said why don’t you try my CBR1000F I’m selling it, I tried it and it was dead comfy, no pain at all, he wanted the CB750, so we did a deal and I kept it for 7 ½ years. My previous VFR750 had also been comfy as well, so it seems my knackered, old, overweight body does best on a sports tourer.
Seriously thought about a Tuono, but worried that might be the same as the retro. Always planned on eventually swapping the CBR Thou for a Blackbird, but didn’t see a nice one before I saw the 9R, which was in really great nick and felt really comfortable, still does after a 100 mile plus run in the cold yesterday.
Love the Falco and it won’t go as long as I can still ride. If I’d sold it would have probably got about £2k, plus the £3k I had to buy the Kwack would have given me £5k to spend on one replacement bike, thought what could I get for that. No contest really!
Have put 24k miles on the Falco, (now almost 30k), and needed another bike to share the load. Most of my riding is on weekend fun rides of between 100 and 200 miles, don’t do off road and very little touring, and my legs ain't long enough for a GS, so a sports tourer is ideal.
Anyway I’m now lucky enough to have two to choose from.
I will probably do about 3k or 4k a year on each one.
Like to keep trying different bikes before I eventually pack up and this gives me a bit of variation with two bikes that are great fun.
May seem a bit silly or over the top to some, but it works for an old fart like me.

[snapdragon]

Whay a looker love that colourway too. Friends with the 9R really rate it for touring comfort, and for pillion too (which is rare lol ).
I agree about the 207's (if thats what they are) I had them in extremis but hated every mile with them, never felt right and had me checking the pressures often - went back to bridgestones with a sigh of relief

[HowardQ]

Now know a bit more about the tyres, which seem fine to me even though I've spent much of my time so far riding on cold crappy roads.
Evidently the D207s were re-introduced last year as a non track day sports tyre, using compounds similar to the ones on the latest Roadsmart Sports Touring tyres.
And, as I said, they seem very good to me so far and compare very well with the BT 020s and BT 021s, (often mixed with a BT 010 ot BT 014 front), that I have been using for many years.

[AJFalco]

Thats a sweet ride! Not seen that colour scheme before but I like it

[Renevator]

Nice bike there Howard, and in beautiful nick! Isn't it funny how the latest Rocket ship sports bike soon becomes an acceptable sports tourer. Does this happen because we are getting more forgiving, or expecting less comfort from a bike as sports bikes get more & more like race bikes with technological improvements? Regardless, what's great about engineering/technology moving on, is that guys like yourself end up owning fantastic bikes like this for such little money in comparison to what's new - £14,000 for a new Multistrada !!! yeah, right. Personally I've always been a bit out of step with what is & what isn't comfy, best demonstrated when I used to commute thru London on a Le Mans MkII............seemed perfectly comfy to me, once I'd got used to it
Hope you get to give it a good blast soon, now that we're coming into spring.........



.....doh! just seen your other post.

[BIG UN]

loving that matey.
big fan of the zx9r,adored my old zx7 too.
something about kwaks,the sound looks and power.

i wanted an E1 model but was a bit dear at the time for
the cash i had spare so ended up with the blade.

gorgeous bike sir.

[HowardQ]

Thanks Big Un, nice looking Blade you've got.
Not sure how I ended up with the Kwack, (but glad I did).
Had planned on replacing my old CBR1000F with another Honda really. Sensible choice was a Blackbird, but I kept looking at Urban Tigers and other Blades.
Seriously looked at one the same colour as yours!
At my (advanced) age a Blade would not have been too comfortable, plus I wanted a bike I could use as much as the Falco, (about 3k per year each) and ideally use more in the winter, so not much point buying a really nice early Blade then using it in winter.
Anyway the 9R is much more comfy, very similar to Falco and with 150bhp will go faster than I ever want to go, (like who needs more than 175 top).
Hope you enjoy the Blade.