Well, it’s 2 ½ years and 19,000 miles since I bought the beastie as a nice, gentle return to biking after 6 years off :-)=, and I haven’t regretted it for a second; it’s a testament to just how much bikes have improved over the last decade or so.

The engine is typically Kawasaki; raucous, unrefined, a bit vibey, and goes like a greased whippet … there is power *everywhere*, not just at the top end, and I’m comparing it with other litrebikes … the top gear roll-on alone is just amazing, and power builds progressively and rapidly from 8K to the 12K redline, with the limiter chiming in at around 14K, or maybe slightly earlier … to be honest at those rev levels I tend to be watching the road rather than the tacho … throttle response is excellent at higher revs, while a little fluffy at lower rpms, though a race can or system sorts that. Definitely the best bit of the bike, and one that makes it well worth a look. Engine has a tendency to backfire on the overrun when in need of a service; a decent end can or full exhaust apparently sorts that …

The handling is generally very good, though as I’ve got faster and more competent on the bike it’s become apparent that the rear shock isn’t all it could be; nothing really bad, but it tends to lend a certain vagueness to the rear end, and once or twice a slight twitch or wiggle as the power is laid down hard.

… it doesn’t suffer fools gladly; if you make mistakes on line or entry speed it will scare the bejeebers out of you, but that’s your fault for getting it wrong and it does make you pay attention. Also, the standard suspension setup is way too soft, and causes the bike to run wide under heavy mid corner throttle … upping the settings to near maximum seems to improve things a great deal. In short, it’s ahead of the old FireBlade by quite a margin, but doesn’t look or feel quite as stable under hard mid-corner acceleration as the R1s I’ve observed.

Braking is adequate, with plenty of feel and reasonable power, but I’ve noticed that it varies tremendously with pad wear and service intervals; just before it’s due a service the brakes tend to feel a bit wooden and lacking in bite, but I’m comparing with other sports bikes here; if you’re used to a sports tourer you’ll think I’m mad for stating the above. I’ve just put in a set of Carbon Lorraine race pads, and they totally rock so far, transforming the braking and lifting it up to another level. As far as other brake pads I’ve tried my experiences have been:

As a pure sports tool its days are numbered, but there’s no denying that, as a practical, everyday riding proposition it’s a wonderful bike … the seating is comfy and I can easily do the 120-130 miles to a tankful, even with my dodgy back. Pillion provision isn’t bad either, and *miles* better than, say, an R1, and the fairing makes a pretty reasonable job of things, even in heavy rain.

Bad points? The lights are, IMHO, pants, and nighttime riding at speed can be a fraught affair, a situation not helped by the monster engine and softish rear shock allowing you to end up lighting various constellations if you’re not careful. The fuel tap is crap, and not easy to reach in a hurry, and why Kawasaki didn’t fit a rear hugger as standard is beyond me … the rear shock catches every spec of road shit going … but these are minor niggles and don’t detract from what is easily the best bike I’ve ever owned, and one which I suspect will prove as popular with other bikers as it ages gracefully than it did when new.

Given that I originally chose it over the R1 (too impractical a riding position for someone with a bad back) and Blade (vague steering, not a great deal of power) I still feel that I made the right choice … I’m sure that if I had to choose between those 3 again I’d do the same …