I have to be honest: when they told me this was the model of the motorcycle they wanted to loan me I immediately looked it up on Kawasaki.com. My initial reaction to this bike was kinda eh. I didn’t like how the bike seemed to be mash-up of a sport bike and a cruiser with the rear fender so high off of the wheel. I also didn’t really like shape of the seat or the front wheel.
But I will say that I was pleasantly surprised when I laid my own eyes on it. It is much better looking in person. Perhaps I was dazzled by the gorgeous red paint…(just kidding!) Sometimes just looking at photos of a bike (especially online) don’t do it justice.
Right now I’m going to take the time to post some of the specs here (pulled from Kawasaki’s website) and highlight, in my opinion, what I believe to be some of the nicer features of this motorcycle.
Engine:
- 903cc V-twin SOHC
- Gear-driven balancer allows use of single pin crankshaft without heavy vibration
-This is very true. There is minimal vibration and that contributes to a nice, smooth ride. It’s smooth like “buttah!”
Electronic Fuel Injection:
- Dual throttle bodies with sub throttles provide optimum performance and rideability
-what this means to me is: no choke! It’s great to be able to start the bike up cold and not have to worry about warming it up to go.
Dual Slash-Cut Mufflers:
- The mufflers are angled so that they look good when the bike is on it’s side stand
- Include honeycomb catalyzers to help reduce emissions
-They do look good, but they are very quiet. Almost too quiet. But if you’re a “green” person and care about things like emissions, then this is definitely a benefit!
Belt Drive:
- Lower unsprung weight than shaft drive to improve ride quality and suspension action
- More efficient so more power reaches the rear wheel
- Low maintenance and low noise
-All three of these features appeal to me. The less maintenance and the more power, the better.
Custom Cast 21 in. Front Wheel:
- Arranged in pairs, the wheel’s 18 “spokes” were designed by hand
- Tapered and flanged in two directions, every line and surface of each 3-D spoke is exquisitely curved
-Basically, it looks nice. It’s also easier to clean than spoked wheels, which some people would appreciate. I know from experience that it’s a bitch to clean spoked wheels.
Cooling: Liquid
Rear Tire Size: 180/70-15
Wheelbase: 64.8 in.
Front Brake/Rear Brake: 300mm hydraulic disc/270mm hydraulic disc
Fuel Tank Capacity: 5.3 gal.
Low Stepped Seat:
- Ultra-low 27 in. seat height allows riders to easily plant both feet on the ground at stops
-Seat height is a huge deal for some women riders. I’m 5′7″ tall and I am lucky to say that I have no problem putting my feet flat on the ground when I’m on this motorcycle. I don’t know if I could say the same for a woman who is 5′5″ or under. I’m also not so sure how easily (if at all) this bike could be lowered-if so desired. I’ll have to do a little research.
Dry Weight: 549 lbs.- I was surprised to learn that this motorcycle is this heavy. It feels, and handles like it’s much lighter.