my friend loaned me his 96 zxr for the weekend to ride(since he got his yamaha r1) since it hasnt been rode inna while ...i gotta admit the power was ...wow i really enjoyed that aspect lol and it did corner very well , i never was worried about sliding out on corners. tbh the only thing i really missed about my 500 was i was able to flick it around alot easier and the gas mileage im sure is better on my 500. is all these things im enamored w/ cause mine is a 92 500, skinny 16" wheels?...any comments or words of wisdom? or is one of those things that im gonna have to upgrade to something a bit bigger?

 

ZX(?)R.
ZX6R?
ZX7R?
ZX9R?
ZX10R?
ZX11R?
ZX12R?
ZX14R?

Kawasaki has made a few different sizes.
If it's a ZX6R, depending on the model and mods, those can get mileage just as good as our 500. My ex-wife's '02 ZX6R regularly got better than 50mpg on the highway, and that model is still available (now it's called the ZZR600.) It's a stellar bike, and I would probably get one if it didn't remind me so much of her. (sniff.)

 

sorry i just called him he said 7r its a 750 2 headlights 1 air ram

 

That is a great bike for track days--very VERY stable in fast corners, but I seem to remember the riding position was a little extreme. It's also pretty heavy compared to the current ZZR600 and the ZZR has almost as much power.
It was sad to watch the 750's fade away, mostly because Honda's VFR750 and vastly overpriced RC45 were such underpowered POS's that they couldn't compete with the 7R and GSXR750. Then Yamaha's FZR750 got dropped and that was that; death of an entire class.
If you're thinking of buying your friend's 7R, try a more recent ZX6R before you do it. Those 6Rs are more comfortable, lighter and nearly as powerful as the old 750's.
Peace!
-CCinC

 

i backed out on the deal, my brother is like 6'4 250 lbs he was all over it and loved it, and more importantly didnt have a bike so it worked out well enough. the bike was very stable cornering made me feel like i was a better cornerer than i was and yea i could definitely tell the weight was there. idk if a 750 is what im looking for ..i dont think im gonna b happy w/ a 500 very much longer , the 600's might b the happy medium im looking for...im not lookin to out corner/ out run anyone...just something that will hang easy enough w/ my friends 750's and 1liter bikes. but prolly the biggest reason i was happy to get back on the 500 was the ability to throw it around ..its so lite and manueverable(and i love weaving in and out of the yellow lines in the road at 70 ) and that 750 just couldnt do it. and idk i might enjoy a newer 500 also due to the bigger tires as well and the rear disc brake....o well cross that bridge when i reach it

thanks for the advice chris

 

The '94 and later 500's handle more like the pre-93 500's than the larger I-4's with 180 rear tires.
And putting larger/wider tires won't really make the bike feel more stable or corner better, IMO.
I caved in to social pressures too (which is why I have this gas-hog 9R right now) back in '02, so I can't fault you for wanting a larger bike like your friends'.
Here's one alternative to consider: instead of spending a couple thousand bucks getting one of those larger bikes, you can spend about $1000 on a track school with a rental bike, and learn how to ride that 500 to its full potential. After that, you'll probably be able to smoke your friends on tight roads. I do it every once in a while at Palomar Mountain.
Any shlub can twist a throttle of a fast bike, but it takes a little skill to make a slower bike go fast.

True story: I watched two simultaneous races happening up at Sears Point Raceway several years ago. First the 1000cc V-twins took off (Honda RC51's, Ducatis and Suzuki TLR's), then 20 seconds later, the 500cc twins (bikes like ours) took off.

The top-three 500 guys CAUGHT and then LAPPED the entire field of 1000cc guys. [sm=yikesomg.gif]
I owned a Honda Superhawk back then, and my ex-wife had a 2001 EX500 and she loved rubbing my nose in that.
Peace!
-CCinC

 

Bigger isn't necessarily better... however, it is guarenteed to be more expensive. Go with the ZZR600... That way you can ride the hell out of it for about $4,000 less. Then when I get home and get my ZZR, we'll be able to compare notes.

 

Chris, I've noticed on my early 9, if I keep my wrist out of the throttle, the gas mileage seems to improve significantly. But you're right; if you crank into it, the gas gauge drops like a rock! (Which I notice after I get back to double-digit speed...)

 

2000 ZX7R: 447 pounds
2008 ZZR600: 377 pounds (per Kawasaki site)

I usually take it nice-n-easy on my '02 9R (which is still enough to roost away from sportscars, Harleys and hotheads on my commute), and the mileage typically hovers just below 40mpg. It's bone-stock, except for a ZX10R front sprocket which makes the gearing taller and helps the mileage a little bit. With the taller gearing, the bike will do an honest 100-mph in first gear. Also, the speedometer is more correct with the taller gearing. I've checked it many times with several different GPS and it's within 1-2 mph, (instead of 5-10 mph with the stock gearing.)
I should sell that beast, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

(I was parked for the night, not drinking & riding.)
Peace!
-CCinC

 

I'm with you on that. Yeah, the old 9 is heavy and not as quick as the new stuff, but neither am I. Besides, I kinda like having a bike they don't make anymore,plus I have too many spare parts and goodies on mine. Nah; I think I'll keep her.