2003 Kawasaki ZX-9R
Motorsports Network - Road Test
Some sportbikes are only good at going fast. Others, like Kawasaki's ZX-9R, are good for just about any type of use
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It’s late at night and I just got off Kawasaki’s 2003 ZX-9R. I’m in the mountains, sitting in my favorite coffee shop. As I sip my coffee one thing is unmistakably clear to me – the ZX9 is certainly a truly enjoyable sportbike. Sure we’d already been on an awesome four-day trip up the California coast, but sometimes the proof of how good, or bad, a bike is comes from riding your favorite local roads. In the case of the ZX, it’s already proven to be an excellent traveling companion. But the ZX is a really good back-road burner as well, and as I'm learning, a good everyday bike as well.
Most riders can only afford one bike to handle all of their riding desires, the ZX-9 is the kind of bike you can enjoy day-after-day, year-after-year. It doesn’t posses any traits that take you by surprise and it is actually confidence inspiring as long as your riding experience is evolved enough that you can competently handle a large-bore streetbike. Large displacement streetbikes are definitely not for novices or intermediate level street riders.
At the heart of the ZX-9 is the 899cc, DOHC, 16-valve power plant. The carbureted 6-speed engine is always smooth, except for a buzz at higher RPM. It pumps out gobs of HP (it’s really fast), and most notably produces excellent low-end and mid-range torque making the bike far more enjoyable and easier to ride. The ZX-9, in our opinion, actually has more useful and enjoyable low-end torque than the company’s barnburner ZX-12R.
Power comes on low and hits a sweet spot at about 4,500 RPM. Additional ponies kick in around 6,500 RPM and then from there the ZX just continues to pull harder all the way to the machines 12,000 PRM redline - it's a rush. The ZX isn’t going to be intimidated, power wise, by too many bikes. Kawasaki, as always, has found a perfect exhaust note for a quiet streetbike and made it music to the riders ear.
The second most noteworthy feature of the ZX-9 is the chassis, which provides good ergonomics. The ZX admittedly feels a bit heavy and big in size compared to many competing sport bikes, though it only weighs 410 pounds dry. In addition, the seating position feels as if you're seated on top of the bike rather than blended into it. This takes a little getting used, as does the bikes power delivery when riding aggressively. When you start covering blacktop in rapid fashion none of this matters much, as the ZX works very well indeed. We were actually surprised at how well the bike worked in the twisties, holding its own against most sportbikes sold today. The big story about the ZX, however, is that it's quite comfortable to ride – not a torture chamber on two wheels. The leg position (bend) is roomy and doesn’t give you that painful locked-up feeling in your knees. The seat is well padded and comfortable. Wearing full-leathers, we rode all day with only a bit of discomfort setting in near the end of the day. When riding in jeans, the seat is good for a couple of hours. The bar position certainly says sportbike, as they are positioned forward and low. Riding around town the weight placed on your hands is substantial and uncomfortable. On highways or back roads, where there is only minimal protection from the elements, the wind blast helps to reduce the weight on your wrists making for a pleasant ride.
During our trip up the California coast the ZX proved very comfortable. The large, no huge, flat tank serves as a good platform for a large, but not tall, tankbag. We were forced to ride some our favorite mountain roads in heavy rains and thick fog on our way to the coast – not good conditions for a sportbike pumping out enough raw horsepower to easily spin the rear tire. It was survival mode, as visibility was next to nothing and the water, sometimes mixed with mud, was running across the road. The ZX proved a great companion however, with its excellent and very manageable low-end power delivery. We applied our brakes often to make sure they were up to par in the wet, but the ZX binders never faded during this deluge.
When it came to traversing coastal roads at speed, the ZX transcended into sport mode in seamless fashion. With a good rider aboard, the 9 has enough sport in it to stay with most bikes. This Kawasaki seems as though it was designed for the rider to hang off like Eric Bostrom, as the bike just feels so good and responds better in this mode. In the tightest of corners the ZX will remind you of its weight and size, but everywhere else it's a blast to ride. When the road opens up, screwing the throttle on can prove to be addictive aboard the ZX-9R.
I'm finished with my java and this coffee shop is about to close. This night is far from over, however, as I still get to enjoy the ZX-9R on some of my favorite roads on the way home.
| Kawasaki: 2003 ZX-9R | |||||||||||
| Quick Specs: | Ratings: | Poor | Fair | Good | V/Good | Excellent | |||||
| Displacement:
899cc 4-stroke, In-Line 4, LC, DOHC, 16-valve |
Acceleration | 9 | |||||||||
| Drive: 6-speed, chain | Brakes | 8 | |||||||||
| Fuel Capacity: 5.0 Gal. (1.1 reserve) | Carburetion | 9 | |||||||||
| Fuel Mileage: 34 - 42 mpg | Comfort (overall) | 8 | |||||||||
| Fuel Range: 190 miles | Comfort (touring) | 7.5 | |||||||||
| Susp.
Front: 46mm cartridge fork, Fully adjustable. |
Finish (quality) | 9 | |||||||||
| Susp.
Rear: Uni-Trak, gas charged remote reservoir shock, fully adjustable inc. ride height |
Handling (overall) | 8 | |||||||||
| Tire Front: 120/70ZR 17, Bridgestone Battlax | Stability (handling) | 9 | |||||||||
| Tire Rear: 190/50ZR 17, Bridgestone Battlax | Suspension (overall) | 7.5 | |||||||||
| Weight: Dry - 410.1 lbs. | Fun Factor |
8.5 | |||||||||
| Retail (US): $9,499 | Overall Rating |
9 | |||||||||
*** Ratings above are for this type or class of motorcycle. Ratings are not intended to compare against all motorcycles ***
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