Update after 12 months with the ZX9R

[HowardQ]

I suppose now would be a good time for an update on the ZX9R, after almost exactly a year.
Over the last 12 months I have put just under 3000 miles on the 9R and just over 3000 miles on the Falco, with the Falco having been ridden more in the summer and the 9R ridden when the weather was colder and not as good, (I did replace my old CBR1000F winter bike with the Kwack).
The Falco does not yet have heated grips, the 9R does, so that helps the decision process.
First thing to say is that it has been 100% reliable, not even an issue with the Datatool system 3 alarm and now has nearly 22k on the clock.
I alternate my battery conditioner between the two bikes and have never had a problem starting the 9R, although it never starts as instantly as the Falco, but petrol taps and carbs never do allow instant starting.
Nothing has been changed other than the Puig double bubble screen, but it will need new tyres in the near future. (probably go for RoadSmarts or SportSmarts, and not yet decided which).
It is very comfortable for a sportsbike, even for an old bugger like me, and I always enjoy riding it.
I do not get the same thrill at normal road speeds as I do with the Falco, as it does not have the same kick low down, but it will pull smoothly from not much above 2k and just winds up like a big turbine, with nothing nasty low down. Dead easy to ride like this, and very smooth on dodgy winter roads, (more so than the Falco).
To have the same fun levels on the Kwack as the Falco you have to twist the RH bar end a bit more. When you do this from the 6k to 8k area onwards, it goes absolutely cooking ballistic.
I have never ridden one of the latest crop of litre sportsbikes, but the 150 bhp of the 9R with 7 or 8 kilos less weight than the Falco and more torque, (all be it, higher up the range), gives as much grunt as I could ever want, (more than enough).
A top whack of around 175 is something I will never get near.
Having real fun on this thing, means going very quickly, and once into 3 figures it will blitz the Falco.
The handling is very good for what I need, very similar to the Falco, but different and possibly a bit better, but very close.
Having no fuel gauge, no warning light and just a reserve switch still seriously pisses me off, for a bike made in 2002.
It does slightly more to the gallon than the Falco, as I tend to ride it, easy to get 45 mpg or so whilst riding steadyish, and on a careful winter ride, mid 50s are possible, (good old flatside carbs!).
I also seriously miss the clear speedo read out of the Falco digital display, tiny little crowded together numbers on an old style speedo are absolutely impossible to read when the needle moves as quickly as it does on this thing.
Having ridden it on dry days through last winter and now most of this one, it is holding up really well, so build quality looks much better than some older Kwacks I have owned, (the chain smoking 3 cylinder types!), actually pretty good compared with anything so far.
So overall, a ZX9R is an excellent bike that seems to be dropping in value recently, so like the Falco a brilliant bargain if you can pick up a nice one.
The Falco will always be the special bike for me, but if I had never owned one, I would be very happy to own just the 9R and rate it in front of any other (non Falco) bikes I have owned, including the three most recent Hondas.
It really is a very nice bike, Oh and did I tell you it’s bloody QUICK.