ZZR 1200 comfort

[f6rider]

First off, I've always rode cruisers and have been riding a Valkyrie for over three yrs now, great bike, but now I've got the urge for a quick "sport tourer" and have been interested in the ZZR 1200 since I first saw one. I like the look, performance, and prices I've seen vs the FJR and ST1300. I found a nice, low mileage "05" at a great price. I rode it today and actually like the leg/ft position, the Valk doesn't have a stretched out position like many cruisers b/c of the big flat6, so the leg pos wasn't a problem at all. My concern though...I didn't care for the pressure on the wrists. It looks like they don't make helibars for the bike now only GenMars, and they only raise you up about 1.25", maybe that's enough...I don't know. You can't get helibars for the bike now, can you? My question to you zzr riders with GM risers, do they make a big difference in comfort vs stock? And how comfortable is the bike on long rides? There's a group of us that like to go up to the NC Mnts to ride the twisties as often as we can. We usually put anywhere from 300-500 in a day.

Any input would be very much appreciated. Thanks...greg

[1KPerDay]

First off, I've always rode cruisers and have been riding a Valkyrie for over three yrs now, great bike, but now I've got the urge for a quick "sport tourer" and have been interested in the ZZR 1200 since I first saw one. I like the look, performance, and prices I've seen vs the FJR and ST1300. I found a nice, low mileage "05" at a great price. I rode it today and actually like the leg/ft position, the Valk doesn't have a stretched out position like many cruisers b/c of the big flat6, so the leg pos wasn't a problem at all. My concern though...I didn't care for the pressure on the wrists. It looks like they don't make helibars for the bike now only GenMars, and they only raise you up about 1.25", maybe that's enough...I don't know. You can't get helibars for the bike now, can you? My question to you zzr riders with GM risers, do they make a big difference in comfort vs stock? And how comfortable is the bike on long rides? There's a group of us that like to go up to the NC Mnts to ride the twisties as often as we can. We usually put anywhere from 300-500 in a day.

Any input would be very much appreciated. Thanks...greg

gen mars made a difference for me. and you can still get helis pretty frequently on sites like zzrbikes.com. if you're over 6 feet tall the wind takes a lot of weight off your wrists if you run the stock shield and cruise at 80 or above. Very comfortable on long rides if you go fast enough.

[f6rider]

Sorry guys...don't know how my post ended up in the Suzuki section. And btw...thanks for the input 1K.

[1KPerDay]

Looks like the boss thinks Suzuki makes the Kawasaki ZZR.  

[BlueRidgeKat]

Put about 25k on a 03 and was really happy with it. No problems at all ever. I did have the Gen Mars and they do help some also a Zero Gravity double bubble made it perfect for me, of course everyone is different and what works for one rider is pure hell for another. The bike is no where as comfy as a FJR or ST but I never had any issues with long trips or 500 miles days and that was with the stock seat. By the way I was 45 years old at the time I had the ZZR and I'm 5'9". Wish I had kept the big boy.

[Ack535]

You can't go wrong with a ZR1200! Great bike, tons of giddyup, and all day comfort as long as you set the bike up correctly for you. Probably the best kept secret in motorcycles.

Pete

[birdrunner]

If you didn't get a chance to ride highway speed, you don't really know how much wrist pressure you'll get.  The wind blast  takes most of the pressure off your wrist.

That said,  my Blackbird has raised bars, and 1/2 inch does make a difference.


(BTW, you can't go wrong with a ZZR, it would be my 2nd choice of a used bike,  after the almighty CBR1100xx Super Blackbird.)

[Spectreman]

Greg-
I had an 04 ZZR1200 for 2 years. It was a love/like relationship that never blossomed into a full grown affair.

I was/am an avowed fan of standard UJM's/nakeds & lightweight ST's but fell for the ZZR when 1st released. Instead of purchasing one, I bought a leftover 01 ZRX1200 for lots less $$. Loved the ZRX but lusted after the ZZR for 5 years when my wife finally said "go buy one." I found a beauty- low mileage, nicely modded, decent price. The bike's engine is unbelievable & scared me a bit @ first. Brakes were more than adequate & for a 600+ lb. bike, it handled pretty well too. I had risers, a taller double bubble screen and a modded seat, mostly cuz I expected to use it for light duty touring. The fairing worked very well & blocked wind/rain effectively.

Well the touring part never happened. Altho I never had a mechanical problem w/the bike, I had some ergonomic problems & could never get comfortable on it. I was use to a natural "sit up" style but the ST, leaned over position never worked for me. My hands/wrists went numb minutes after mounting up. My shoulders, dinged up after years of lifting & martial arts, screamed @ me by 40 miles. Mind you, this was w/gen-mar risers & a variety of grips (none which ever worked better than any others.) By the way, I was in my mid 40's when I purchased the bike & I'm 5'10" & about 230 lbs., built in the fashion of a gorilla.

The ZZR also suffers from a dreaded vibe zone, right in the cruising speed range. So if my hands/wrists/shoulders weren't bothering me enough, the vibes enhanced the discomfort further. I tried heavier bar end weights, gel padded gloves & the stuff already mentioned and none of it worked. Lots of folks on the zzrbikes site encouraged me to try heli-bars (I don't think they are being made anymore for the ZZR) or one of the other aftermarket bar fixes, along w/a new seat & some other stuff.

In the end after, 2 years of ownership, I threw in the towel. I decided not to put any more $$ into the bike & sold it to another ZZR owner who's happy as a clam w/it. It was/is a great bike and there was absolutely nothing wrong w/it except that it didn't fit me or my intentions. I ended up going back to another ZRX & am happy to be back on a standard.

I'm not trying to discourage you about the ZZR. It is a great bike & very under-rated. The zzrbikes folks absolutely loved theirs and many of them have had their bikes for years, dumping lots of love & miles into them. It just wasn't for me & it was an expensive, time consuming lesson I had to learn on my own.
Go talk w/some fo the other folks on zzrbikes.com to get their take. 1K is also a member over there.
Lee

[FireFishArm]

I recently rode a ZZR 1200 on a 2,000+ mile trip and really enjoyed it! It is a great reliable bike! I am 5'7" 140lbs so I definitely required required a lowering-link for it but I was able to handle it alright without one too. I also had trouble with the position making my wrists hurt but a slight shift in position every hour or so and I was fine!

The vibration at 5000 rpm is annoying but it helped to keep me in the lower rpm's which was a good thing since i was fairly inexperienced.

P.S.
(It is my father's bike, he rides it every day)

[jamesgino]

Greg-
I had an 04 ZZR1200 for 2 years. It was a love/like relationship that never blossomed into a full grown affair.

I was/am an avowed fan of standard UJM's/nakeds & lightweight ST's but fell for the ZZR when 1st released. Instead of purchasing one, I bought a leftover 01 ZRX1200 for lots less $$. Loved the ZRX but lusted after the ZZR for 5 years when my wife finally said "go buy one." I found a beauty- low mileage, nicely modded, decent price. The bike's engine is unbelievable & scared me a bit @ first. Brakes were more than adequate & for a 600+ lb. bike, it handled pretty well too. I had risers, a taller double bubble screen and a modded seat, mostly cuz I expected to use it for light duty touring. The fairing worked very well & blocked wind/rain effectively.

Well the touring part never happened. Altho I never had a mechanical problem w/the bike, I had some ergonomic problems & could never get comfortable on it. I was use to a natural "sit up" style but the ST, leaned over position never worked for me. My hands/wrists went numb minutes after mounting up. My shoulders, dinged up after years of lifting & martial arts, screamed @ me by 40 miles. Mind you, this was w/gen-mar risers & a variety of grips (none which ever worked better than any others.) By the way, I was in my mid 40's when I purchased the bike & I'm 5'10" & about 230 lbs., built in the fashion of a gorilla.

The ZZR also suffers from a dreaded vibe zone, right in the cruising speed range. So if my hands/wrists/shoulders weren't bothering me enough, the vibes enhanced the discomfort further. I tried heavier bar end weights, gel padded gloves & the stuff already mentioned and none of it worked. Lots of folks on the zzrbikes site encouraged me to try heli-bars (I don't think they are being made anymore for the ZZR) or one of the other aftermarket bar fixes, along w/a new seat & some other stuff.

In the end after, 2 years of ownership, I threw in the towel. I decided not to put any more $$ into the bike & sold it to another ZZR owner who's happy as a clam w/it. It was/is a great bike and there was absolutely nothing wrong w/it except that it didn't fit me or my intentions. I ended up going back to another ZRX & am happy to be back on a standard.

I'm not trying to discourage you about the ZZR. It is a great bike & very under-rated. The zzrbikes folks absolutely loved theirs and many of them have had their bikes for years, dumping lots of love & miles into them. It just wasn't for me & it was an expensive, time consuming lesson I had to learn on my own.
Go talk w/some fo the other folks on zzrbikes.com to get their take. 1K is also a member over there.
Lee

This was the same experience I had with the bike. I bought 1kperday's ZZR in July '09 and it was a great reliable bike, but I could never get comfortable. It had the GenMar risers. I bought a Corbin seat from Ack535 and it helped a bit, but after leaning over for an hour I was ready to get off the bike. The buzziness really bothered me at highway speeds. I finally sold it and bought a V-Strom instead. It doesn't have the speed and power that the ZZR did, but I finally figured out that I didn't want a bike with all that. I want my bike to be comfortable for long distance touring. It was an awesome bike, just not the bike for me.

I would recommend it for someone who wants to be on the 'Sport' side of Sport Touring.

[jimmyc]

 

The vibration at 5000 rpm is annoying but it helped to keep me in the lower rpm's which was a good thing since i was fairly inexperienced.

Almost bought a ZZR , till a previous owner told me about the 5000 rpm VIBS, kept me away from it , waited , and a Busa came , about.
Put Genmar 1.25" and vasio 30mm drop pegs,  cortech double bubble screen , working out good for me , did a 4 day 1600 mile trip over easter ( first day 555 miles , mostly back roads  ) and must say the MODS did the trick.

[omnivore]

Looking at a more comfy replacement for my 05 GSXR1000.
Maybe this?
Don't wanna sacrifice too much sporting attitude, but I am very short (5'4" and 29" inseam).
I pull a one wheeled trailer and would neeed a bike with hollow rear axle. Also, is the ZZR too much of a heavy pig for knee dragging antics if so desired?

[CrazyTrain]

The big Zed has a solid axle, and can enable you to get your knees down plenty if you like. It's doesn't like 10-15 mph curves - at least with me on it - but 20s and up are a blast with the stock suspension.

The vibes aren't an issue if you keep it in a good state of tune. I've done 13-hr days and while that's not it's strongest suit, you can really eat miles, especially with 243 miles' range before tapping in to the 1.1 gallon reserve.

I've assaulted Mt St Helens, Deals Gap, WV, TWO and Arkansas and had a blast.

With a 29" inseam you'll be choosing which foot to put down, but lowering links are available.

[FiremanBob]

I tried some ZZRs in the process of buying my (acquired last week) Blackbird. The riding position on the Zed is more sporty with the hands a little lower than on the Honda.

If the Genmars or Helis aren't enough, you might be able to mod it to a tubular handlebar and get any hand position you want. I have seen such conversions on Blackbirds, but don't know who makes them.

I've seen guys doing nearly knee-dragging antics on Wings, so I have to believe either the Zed or the Bird will do fine in the sporting twisties department.  They both carry their weight fairly low and have stiff frames, and the weight disappears with speed anyway.

[f6rider]

Just incidently ran  upon this post again and see it was recently activated. I guess it's obvious from my member pic that I ended up on an '07 Fjr. I have no doubt the ZZR's a great bike, just got a deal on the FJR back in 12/09. It emphasises a bit more touring in the ST, which works for me. 15,000 mi later, it's been a great bike!