KZR's Bikes of the Month for 2024

I need serious help!

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14 Oct 2023 12:47 #890481 by blipco
Replied by blipco on topic I need serious help!
Yeah, keep the KZ. You can always sell it later. The HD is completely different (and heavy). You may hate it.

"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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14 Oct 2023 14:15 #890483 by Nebr_Rex
Replied by Nebr_Rex on topic I need serious help!

For long distance riding I have a 94' Kawasaki ZG 1000 Concours. The best ones are 94' to 05', they were built to run. It will run circles around the Harley's and with the 7.5 gallon gas tank you'll be waiting on them to fuel up. I bought mine for $1800 with 24k miles on it. You can get a nice one for less than $5000. In 2019 I rode mine to Deadwood SD in two days from western Washington. The best part is that you can keep your KZ! 



 
When I bought my ZRX I also took a serious look at the Concours. Isn't one of their mods is to flip the top gear gears to give it an overdrive?


.

2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected

www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0


.

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  • Kelly E
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  • Never Give Up. Never Surrender
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14 Oct 2023 15:29 #890487 by Kelly E
Replied by Kelly E on topic I need serious help!

For long distance riding I have a 94' Kawasaki ZG 1000 Concours. The best ones are 94' to 05', they were built to run. It will run circles around the Harley's and with the 7.5 gallon gas tank you'll be waiting on them to fuel up. I bought mine for $1800 with 24k miles on it. You can get a nice one for less than $5000. In 2019 I rode mine to Deadwood SD in two days from western Washington. The best part is that you can keep your KZ! 




 
When I bought my ZRX I also took a serious look at the Concours. Isn't one of their mods is to flip the top gear gears to give it an overdrive?


.As far as I know it is a gear change at the angle drive. It bumps all the gears up about 500rpm. I never understood the need for it. My bike is turning within 200rpm of my buddy's FJR in top gear.
One thing that I know for sure is it costs about half as much to buy and maintain a first gen Concours as it does for an FJR. It does everything the FJR does except go 147mph. With the torque cams I can beat my buddy to 85mph and that's good enough for me.
 

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1982 Honda CB 900F Super Sport
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda Sabre 700
1984 Honda Interceptor 1000
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000
1994 Kawasaki ZG 1000 Concours

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  • hardrockminer
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14 Oct 2023 18:42 #890488 by hardrockminer
Replied by hardrockminer on topic I need serious help!
You might also look for a good used Goldwing.  

I have several restored bikes along with a 2006 Goldwing with a sidecar. My wife has a 2019 Suzuki DR 650 for on and off road.

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14 Oct 2023 19:39 #890489 by TexasKZ
Replied by TexasKZ on topic I need serious help!
As long as we are continuing down this trail, I will put in another vote for the 1994 and newer Concours 1000. Comfy, quick, dang near bullet proof. Super easy valve adjustments, no chain to lube every day while on the road. I could go for ten days with nothing more than the hard bags. Kawasaki made removable bag liners that made stopping at motels super easy.
The only downside is that the newest ones are twenty years old. You will need to plan on replacing all of the rubber hoses, flushing the cooling system, et cetera. I have taken some road trips on my ZRX, and as much as I love the thing, the Concours is a better tourer. The bigger wind screen, the hard bags, and the shaft drive make any long trip a more enjoyable one. 

1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough

www.kzrider.com/11-projects/620336-anoth...uild-thread?start=24

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  • Kelly E
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14 Oct 2023 21:08 - 14 Oct 2023 21:09 #890491 by Kelly E
Replied by Kelly E on topic I need serious help!

As long as we are continuing down this trail, I will put in another vote for the 1994 and newer Concours 1000. Comfy, quick, dang near bullet proof. Super easy valve adjustments, no chain to lube every day while on the road. I could go for ten days with nothing more than the hard bags. Kawasaki made removable bag liners that made stopping at motels super easy.
The only downside is that the newest ones are twenty years old. You will need to plan on replacing all of the rubber hoses, flushing the cooling system, et cetera. I have taken some road trips on my ZRX, and as much as I love the thing, the Concours is a better tourer. The bigger wind screen, the hard bags, and the shaft drive make any long trip a more enjoyable one. 




I use a couple of reusable shopping bags, one on each side. They fit great and are cheap. If you get a first gen Concours look up murphskits.com, the best Concours specific parts site there is. I got my fork brace and big brake kit from him along with a bunch of other stuff.

 

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1982 Honda CB 900F Super Sport
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda Sabre 700
1984 Honda Interceptor 1000
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000
1994 Kawasaki ZG 1000 Concours

And more
Last edit: 14 Oct 2023 21:09 by Kelly E.

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15 Oct 2023 05:35 #890497 by TheTrout
Replied by TheTrout on topic I need serious help!
Wow, great info!  Thanks for all the replies.  To be clear the guys I ride with have no issue with a Kawasaki.  I won’t be selling the KZ and it helped hearing you all say not to sell it.  I have found a 2004 concours with 16k miles running for $2000, but it’s up in Maryland.  I think I am going to hold out for a good buy on a concours.  I wanted a HD for the cool factor.  Not a fan of Goldwings.  The FJR look nice might look a little more into those.  If all else fails and I can’t find something I like I will ride the KZ.  We have six guys going.  We will have a truck and trailer following, but the trailer will only hold 3-4 bikes so somebody will always be riding.  Me being me, I’d like to ride the whole damn thing just to say I did it.

1978 KZ1000B2

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15 Oct 2023 05:41 #890498 by blipco
Replied by blipco on topic I need serious help!
I personally have not ridden the old iconic Concourse. I’ve sat on them. But both friends of mine that have owned them both said they are HEAVY.
Heavy does come in handy on long highway slogs however.

"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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  • slmjim+Z1BEBE
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  • Enjoy Life! IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!
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15 Oct 2023 06:51 #890505 by slmjim+Z1BEBE
Replied by slmjim+Z1BEBE on topic I need serious help!
Keep the KZ. How many times have you heard, "Nice bike! Used to have one like it. Wish I'd never sold it. Wanna sell it...?"

While talking mile-munchers:
We've had two Honda ST1300's - a 2003 ST1300 and now have a '09 ST1300A n(ABS) we bought new. The Lovely Z1BEBE likes it's tail trunk backrest, if two-up is a consideration for you.
ST's are fairly top heavy - they're a handful at parking lot / stop & go / foot paddling speed. Once above walking speed the weight pretty much disappears. They're just hitting their stride around 70- 75 mph. Five gal. in the top tank plus two gal. in the under seat tank gives some serious range. Easily removable hard bags using the ignition key. Electrically-adjustable windshield if you wish to look over the top in good weather, raise it for rain protection. Last mfg. in 2012, virtually unchanged since 2003, so aftermarket & OEM parts support is still fairly solid. Knowledge base is very deep & wide on the ST owners forums. Relatively inexpensive to insure.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

A biker looks at your engine and chrome.
A Rider looks at your odometer and tags.

1973 ('72 builds) Z1 x2
1974 Z1-A x2
1975 Z1-B x2
1993 CB 750 Nighthawk x2
2009 ST1300A

www.kawasaki-z-classik.com
An enthusiast's forum focused exclusively
on all things Z1, Z2 and KZ900.

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  • Kelly E
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  • Never Give Up. Never Surrender
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15 Oct 2023 08:44 #890509 by Kelly E
Replied by Kelly E on topic I need serious help!

I personally have not ridden the old iconic Concourse. I’ve sat on them. But both friends of mine that have owned them both said they are HEAVY.
Heavy does come in handy on long highway slogs however.


You should have ridden one. The heavy feeling goes away as soon as you are rolling, then it thinks it's a Ninja. I'm 5' 5", 125lbs and I've been riding a Concours since 2017. All sport touring bikes are on the heavy side. The Concours doesn't weigh anymore than an FJR. The Concours is definitely the cheapest sport touring bike to keep on the road.
But the best part of all is it's a Kawasaki!
 

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1982 Honda CB 900F Super Sport
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda Sabre 700
1984 Honda Interceptor 1000
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000
1994 Kawasaki ZG 1000 Concours

And more

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15 Oct 2023 14:05 #890528 by blipco
Replied by blipco on topic I need serious help!
KellyE, I believe you. I’ve heard nothing but good things about them from owners and people who’ve ridden them. I very nearly bought one. I bought a ZZR1200 instead, which is no lightweight either. The ZZR can really boogie tho.

"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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15 Oct 2023 17:07 #890532 by rstnick
Replied by rstnick on topic I need serious help!
My ZRX in touring mode.
Did a two day 1000 KM trip this season.

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Something with a larger windscreen, more rain protection, would be nice to have too.
Not selling my Zs though.

Rob
CANADA

Need a key for your Kawasaki? PM me

1978 KZ650 C2, 130K kms, Delkevic ex, EI, CVK32, PMC easy clutch, ATK fork brace, steering damper, braced swingarm, ZRX shocks, 18" Z1R front wheel.
2000 ZRX1100
2011 Ninja 250R - Wife's
2005 z750s (aka GPz750)
1978 KZ1000 project

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