After picking the bike up for On Yer Bike in Bicester (many thanks Mark for the great service) I was back a week later… for the first 600 mile service. Job done!
The next day I was off to Telford for an accident reconstruction and then back to my home town of Norwich for the weekend. Approximately another 400 miles done. The overwhelming feeling I got from the bike was this was a great all round machine and a definite improvement on my old ZX12R.
My Dad rides a ZZR1100 so once he laid his eyes on it the keys had gone as soon as he had the chance and off he went on the new version. After he nearly dropped the new bike getting out of a pub car park (cringe) he gingerly totted off up the road not to be seen for an hour or so. When he returned his face had the worlds biggest smile on it. He approved, loved it and suggested at least 3 times before I left that we do a swap.
So after a fun filled, action packed weekend in Norwich I made the 130 odd mile trip back to my home in Bedfordshire. The big Zwak was now run in… over the 1000 mile mark. Not bad in 10 or so days.
Now that I did not have to keep an eye on the tacho it made the whole process a great deal more enjoyable and I could open the throttle… a little and within the speed limit of course!!!
Power wise the big Kwaks have always had a reputation for having this by the bucket load. My ZX12R was super fast off the mark and pulled and pulled to the point where your head would nearly be taken off your shoulders. The ZZR is a different beast. That night on the way home from Norwich I was still grinning even though my head had actually been pulled off. Why was this? Because at this time I was still seated comfortably, in a good riding position, with no pain in the wrists and still getting 40mpg. Only one word describes this bike and that is awesome. Or maybe two words: awesome & smooth
Not only will this thing do what all big Kwaks are renowned for doing i.e go rapidly from one point to another in a straight line but it also handles well. This isn’t a track bike I grant you; but in the real world where I can ride up to 1000 miles in a week it needs to go well along sweeping A road mixed up with some B road scratching and country lane rides. And it needs to do that comfortably with a fat man like me aboard. This bike does it brilliantly.
Oh – and did I mention it stops on the head of pin to allow you to go back and retrieve your head up after it has fallen off? I have never had ABS on a bike before and I was a little dubious of what it would be like. But the Kwaks system has been faultless so far. A couple of times I have had the rear “chatter” as the ABS has cut in to help me avoid spoon car drivers “who didn’t see” me despite having FOUR headlights.
So I think I can safely say this is a love affair between me and my new rocket on 2 wheels! Bring on the summer.
Andrew Prendergast a.k.a Chef
