How fast is a 2000 zx9r

Thanks to the carbs the ZX-9R is still using and the fact that this is one engine that simply loves to be revved, winding the throttle on holds no sudden surprises - just a building head of drive that hauls you from one turn to the next. And in the manic fast stuff we were caning through across the Mountain, the top end was the place to be - the ZX-9R has a nice plateau of killer drive from 9,rpm all the way to the redline. Ah, there really is nothing to beat properly screwing a bhp motorcycle on the open road.

Gearbox is pretty good, so dancing through the ratios to keep the motor singing like a canary isn't a problem. The only time the ZX-9R's gearbox can be a drag is at the track, where you can't grab gears as quickly as you'd always like thanks to the amount of travel at the lever - you need a positive foot for fast changes.

On the road where - even at high speed - changes are less frantic, the ZX-9R box was one of the nicest to use here. Then of course there's the handling. The Kawasaki's suspension has been historically panned by all and sundry for being too soft and unsophisticated for hard track use, and rightly so - because it is. But on the road it's another story. The added softness makes the bike more comfortable, and at the same time it's more stable at road-going speeds.

Where the GSX-R has a damper to keep it in check, none of the other bikes do. Of these three, the big Kawasaki is the only bike that manages very fast road work without ever threatening to kick off into a big-time tankslapper. It's got user-friendly written all over it - one of the reasons why you see so many of them on the road. And helpfully enough for the situation I found myself in trying to follow a bunch of lunatics across the fastest road I'd never seen before in my life , the ZX-9R turns well.

Not super-quick or super-responsive, but it's planted and leans as far as you dare, simple as that. It doesn't dive into corners with the speed of the others here, just responds exactly to what you ask of it.

No more, no less, and is surprisingly accurate in the way it tracks a line once committed into a turn. And should you totally mess up and find yourself heading into a corner 20mph too hot, the brakes are as reassuringly unfazed as the handling, pumping back an ever-increasing wall of stopping power the harder you haul on the lever. All this makes for a fast, and unflustered road package. Some might say the ZX-9R is past it. Too heavy, too big, too slow, nah, forget it mate, and buy a nice new GSX-R, they'll say.

But to be honest, while that might ring true for trackdays and racing, for a bike to live with every day, that'll take in a spot of fast touring down to the South of France, hack the Sunday blast with your mates, scratch with the best of them and still show mph on the speedo when you need it to, the ZX-9R suddenly makes a lot of sense.

Add to all this the fact it's easier to insure than the rest of this pack, and cheaper to buy too if you shop around, and the supposed old has-been of the hypersports class suddenly becomes very attractive. I didn't think it was possible to stop a roadbike that quickly on public roads, and then fire it out of corners with the rear tyre sliding out sideways. But it is. Still handled alright though - you could hold it flat-out over the bumps and it'd plough on through where some of the others would slap about.

It still turned in sweetly though - good balance to the chassis. Biggest problem up-front was it felt like there was no compression damping, so braking hard into corners the front dived right down then came back real slow.

But the motor's dead strong for a , especially the top end. The six-pots were never popular, with a heavy feel at the lever even when new, and prone to problems with corrosion and difficulty in keeping them properly bled.

The four-pots are a LOT better, but still suffer with corrosion and decreasing efficiency. You can make a huge improvement by fitting Nissin four-pots as used on the Suzuki RF and Bandit — more power and feel, and easier to keep sweet. A Brembo master cylinder as fitted to early s Aprilia Mille and Falco models is a worthwhile upgrade too.

Yes, it's a sportsbike, so it's no armchair ride, but it's a sportsbike from the days before racetrack readiness trumped road useability, and it had by far the least extreme riding position of its class when new.

So, it's built on a generous enough scale to provide ample room for most people, and a relatively relaxed riding position by modern standards. It's even relatively comfortable for pillions, and has a proper grab rail the only one of its class to have such luxury at the time so they have some chance of holding on at least.

They'll have to hold on tight though, especially over bumps, because of the stiff suspension see above. Better to leave the pillion at home though or suggest they buy their own bike at which point the ZX-9R makes a great solo tourer, with plenty of room to strap a big bag on the seat.

The ZX-9R is mercifully free of unnecessary complication. The only thing that could be remotely described as a rider aid is the reserve tap You won't usually see ZX-9Rs adorned with aftermarket tat either exhaust systems excepted but a rear hugger and front mudguard extender are both pretty much indispensable for all-weather use, and high mileage owners often fit chain oilers to ease maintenance chores.

The world may not have loved the ZX-9R back in the day, but it's learned to love it since. A combination of outstanding reliability, ease of maintenance and affordability make it a far more sensible choice now than it ever was when it was new.

Sure, the suspension was never much good, but a few hundred quid will sort that out no problem, and then you've got something with great ride quality as well as more than adequate handling, power and brakes to have fun on todays crowded, patchily-surfaced roads as well as being able to ace the odd track day AND whisk you off for a couple of weeks of Alpine pass-storming in the summer.

Great bikes, and there are usually plenty to choose from unlike the earlier B models, which are getting rare now. Find a good one, keep it nice and you''re sorted for ease and whizz. Looking for motorbike insurance? Get a quote for this bike with Bennetts motorcycle insurance. By Kev Raymond. Power and torque If you've ridden any old-school Kawasaki sportsbike of the s, you'll be right at home here — it has that trademark big K feel of solid, unburstable aggression, reinforced by a deep intake growl from the airbox that turns to a spine-tingling howl at higher revs.

Engine, gearbox and exhaust The ZX-9R motor has always had a reputation for reliability. Handling, suspension, chassis and weight The suspension is the ZX-9R's weak point. Comfort over distance and touring Yes, it's a sportsbike, so it's no armchair ride, but it's a sportsbike from the days before racetrack readiness trumped road useability, and it had by far the least extreme riding position of its class when new.

Recommended Articles. Ducati - Modern Classic Buying Guide. Latest News from Bike Social. Original price. Current price range. Bore x Stroke. Engine layout. Four cylinder four stroke. Engine details. DOHC, 16v, liquid cooled, carburettors. Power tested. Torque tested. Top speed. Beautiful off idle and smooth right through to redline. No numb throttle hand and no peg vibrations. Seriously, you could put this motor into any modern sport machine and it would still be a gem.

Robust and proven. Beautiful motor that never feels wheezy, under powered or overwhelmed. Smooth at all revs and especially highway speeds. Terrible frame and wheel paint but not a deal breaker its only paint. Fairing is tight and secure with good fit and finish though not perfect.

Switch gear is solid and dependable if not spartan whilst headlight is excellent. Gearbox is slick and solid feeling and sidestand good. Servicing is straight forward though valve shimming can be time consuming ie-costly. Service intervals are acceptable and oil changes do not require fairing removal and can be completed in minutes at home.

Tyre wear is good as the engine develops linear power without the tire shredding torque of a V twin. Electronics are minimal as are electrical diagnostics and problems. Scores a 5 star rating from me here due to its lack of equipment! Read on. Brakes, clutch, throttle and gears. Learn how they work and enjoy. Grab a fistful of front brake and the front tire will chirp, ditto back. Grab a handful of throttle and the front will stand up though not alarmingly.

If anything could be said to be lacking, in my point of view, its a slipper clutch. Enough said. Buying experience: Privately bought. Getting hard to find as not many F models were sold in Australia.

Was competing directly with the R1, Gsx-R and Fireblade which sold much better but ultimately were less rideable on the road for any length of time. Lots of Zx9's were bought by P platers moving to their first large bike because they were less desirable hence cheaper and consequently many were crashed and or poorly maintained by inexperienced buyers. A real sleeper now though still not particularly desirable. I purchased one new back in and its a monster. Its more upright than most fast bikes and on real roads this makes it better.

At the time a motorbike magazine quoted as saying mph knee down in the wet and this is the best bike for it. Everyone I knew went for a blade but on the roads they could never keep up as the extra weight and better seating position made it easy to go faster than them over the bumps. I kept it for about 10 years before moving to a zx12 and wish I had kept it. One of the things i loved about it was the low down pull changing up about rpm made the thing shift and a nice induction noise.

People say they are to heavy but I never had a problem as a run from Northern Ireland down past scotland and down to the south coast of England in a day and a lot of beer the same night would of been a nightmare on anything else at the time. Lights indicators a thingy for going fast and two things for slowing down.

Buying experience: Deal got mine for the price of a at the time. What a bargain. Great engine, torque and power, if you're feeling lazy it can just roll along but if you want to give it the berries it's your best friend too.

Handling is great and no electrical gimmicks, just you, the bike and the roads. Put a decent set of tyres on it and enjoy. I forgot to mention that it is so comfortable too, I'm 6ft3 and over kgs and can ride for about kms per day before aches and pains take over. Kawasaki quality. Yearly oil and filter changes. Keep on top of the brakes and you'll be quids in. Very easy to ride for the most part, but can feel prone to under-steer, especially if suspension is set to soft.

On standard settings the bike will steer very accurately, even on technical sections - but it has to be ridden well, or you may find yourself running wide. It's probably happiest on sweeping A-roads and the smoother, less tricky B-roads.

But it will do almost anything, any time - and with very little complaint. Indeed, the bike always feels eager to be ridden - and wants to please. The 6-pot Tokicos are miniature money-pits - and adequate at best. Braided lines and good pads are required - and even then you'll probably be considering switching to 4-pot Nissins off the big Bandit. Problem is, you've already put new seals and may be even pistons in the Tokicos, not to mention sprung for some Hel lines.

So now you're committed to the 6 pots. As for the engine, well, yes. It's lusty, sweet and very strong. It seems to have endless reserves of power - but you do sometimes find yourself working for it. Even though it's a litre, it's not perhaps as accessible as it could be. That can make it more rewarding, however. In general it's a really flexible motor - best on open roads, but able to accommodate trickling town work, walking speed filtering, country lane bimbling and guided missile ton-plus hours-long motorway journeys.

It's the bike's strongest card - well, that and it's ergos. Pegs are a little higher than necessary, but the "bars" are well positioned, and the seat is a proper man's saddle - not a thin piece of foam on a narrow subframe. Consequently comfort levels are very high. Really comfy but likes going a lot more than stopping. Arguably the best of its era, or up there with them at the very least.

Power everywhere - and relatively linear, but with strong bursts of energy at 7k and beyond. Reliability is very high. Quality is Finish poor in places wheels - don't clean that fling of too often or the paint will disappear. The engine will run for several hundred thousand road miles with good oil every 4k. It just works, and it carries on just working.

Surprisingly not bad on fuel, even when ridden in anger. Best value old school superbike available, I think so! Buy one, before 90s prices go the same way as 80s ones when the rose tinted memories start to kick in. Fantastic bike with a mental engine and to be honest, crap brakes Lovely plush ride but the brakes and this appears perfectly normal could certainly do with a LOT of improvement.

And I was told by an engineer that my brakes are really good for a ZX9R! Reliability appears fine, quality of paint on wheels is rubbish and swing arm finish questionable.

Otherwise, great. You get a dash and a seat which is really comfy. Buying experience: Bought from a dealer, price perfectly reasonable.

Buying experience: Bought private on a whim powder coated frame and swinging arm. First bike and I love it. Excellent ergonomics and superb fairing make long distances no problems. Seat is excellent, minimal buzzing through bars and pegs. Fuel consumption is good with km's per tank on the highway.

Brakes are excellent and predictable as is the handling. This bike is not suitable for pillions. Somewhat rough below rpm, beautiful above. Enough power to keep more modern sports bikes honest making about bhp at the rear wheel. Can get hot quickly if not moving. Frame and wheel paint is easily scratched. Mechanically it is simply ride hard , park and repeat. Service intervals can be pricey due to valve shims but rarely do any problems arise.

There simply is nothing other than a rear rack that this bike requires. The stock seat is superbly comfortable even after 6 or more hours. This bike does not require a double bubble screen as the OEM screen directs clean turbulence free air at your shoulders, neck and helmet while race crouching deflects all air.

Bike is easy on tyres as the cc engine does not seem to develop monster tyre shredding torque. Buying experience: An excellent second hand buy as there are plenty of parts and the entire bike is old tech and relatively simple to service. The big Ninja is a great comfortable sportbike to learn from.

The California emissions model sold selectively throughout the U. This bike doesn't excel however, at lower speed corners or in drag racing scenarios with newer lighter, more powerful bikes. But use the bikes long range, handling, and comfort capabilities and you'll find it rises like dairy cream over its rivals.

The stock Tokico 6-pot calipers become a problem after about 20K miles, but are easily replaced by Nissin's from Triumph. Nissin's aren't Brembo's, but for street use and the occasional track day, they get the job done. Mine's at , Great power whenever you need it and super efficient at producing HP too.

Solid and reliable. The engine is virtually bulletproof end-to-end. Change the oil and adjust the valve shims and you can keep riding the bike endlessly. The main ding this bike gets is from repeated cleaning or from prolonged moisture damage to the painted rims. Fairly standard. This bike is really inexpensive to operate. I'm talking if you rode it like a cc bike, this would be near-on as inexpensive to operate: 4.

Favorite features of this sportbike are three: 1 its handling 2 long range comfort 3 tank range that puts it above everything else on the road less the huge fuel capacity touring bikes. A cracking and reliable bike which I have proudly owned for over 7 years now. Will never sell it as it all for me, it ticks all the boxes. One of the last big framed superbikes, at 6'3 I avoid looking like a demented Spider-man on a tricycle - you get the picture right! Lastly - it has carbs, and the mechanics on it are fairly simple overall - a tinkerers dream!

Buy one and you'll not regret it! Brakes are good. Braided lines help. I have replaced these and levers with 2 finger style ones. Much better brake feel IMO. Change brake fluid regularly as a rule. Bleeding is easy. Pick and choose pads carefully - I use EBC. Ride quality is fine. Track settings - incorporate using the C' Spanner to tighten up the Rear shock preload. I have also dropped the yoke through the forks by 15mm.

Perfect for sharpening up the front. Smaller tie rods raise the rear nicely too - along with spacers under the mounting point. A rocket! Nothing loses it down Nurburgring, Mallory or Anglesey straights! Lowers top speed to a mere mph ahem! Wheel paint is rubbish and best replaced in time with a quality plastic coating dipped. Other than that - my bike has been reliable and corrosion free.

She's now 14 years old - blimey! I do all the servicing myself. Source parts at trade prices. Analogue looking clock actually digital but dials. Numbers so small you struggle to read them above 40mph!!

No fuel gauge has fuel tap - really! Remedies - Use soft luggage e. Oxford , Use mobile phone as GPS Speedo, learn to guestimate fuel level via miles run between fills owners get good at this!

Hugger and fender extender - recommended as is a double bubble screen wind protection. Buying experience: Brought from ebay private after promising myself one ten years earlier.

Good price can't remember exactly what though as was smitten! I have loved owning this bike, practical for my every day riding, however riding in rain is twitchy and i kinda find that intimidating. But don't expect to get that money back when selling it. The ride itself is amazing!! Buying experience: Bought privately, was completely standard when i bought the bike. Some quality issues with paint on the rims being to thin and bad corrosion on the inside and outside of the rims, the swing arm paint is also to thin and leads to bad corrosion but front brake callipers demand too much attention this is made worse when you ride the bike every day in all weathers.

Amazing bikes one of the best bikes I have ever had the pleasure in riding, would strongly disagree with it not cutting it as a sports bike! Lovely low end torque and bags of power throughout the rev range and will keep pulling to mph, and that ram air growl is so addictive when hard on the power!

Over all the build is much better then well any bike on the market, I have had a few ninjas now and have had a lot of Hondas and other high quality bikes and Kawasaki are by far the most reliable and well built bikes out there but not faultless. Never have a ninja brake down on me or give me much trouble, corrosion is the biggest headache I have had. Keep them serviced regularly and they will run forever but front callipers are an issues requiring regular maintenance and this is not cheap!

Given on a bike you don't get a lot of or any equipment this is hard to rate front suspension could be better and Michelin power 2CT's tyre go well with this bike. Six pot tokico calipers need new seals and rebuild quite often. New oil and filter every year and runs sweet. Outside of any offroad potential, this is the ultimate all rounder. Fast enough for trackdays, comfy enough for touring, good enough in traffic for commuting. Made at a time when sportsbikes were made for the road than overly track focused it is faster than you'll ever need, sounds fantastic especially with a Yoshi exhaust , and can be had at what can only be described as a bargain price.

Sporty handling once suspension is sorted but all day comfort. I've taken it up to Denmark and down to Spain with no problems and felt fine. Bike gives a very plush ride but can understeer a little as standard.

I had a KTech fork piston kit put in and now much sharper but ride a little less plush. Rear shock needs ride height jacking up to improve handling loads on the net about this but after 21k miles the rear shock was tired so I put in a Nitron Sport which is good. Paint on wheels is thin and chips easily.

Bike is unbelievably cheap to buy so spend a few bob on sorting the suspension and enjoy the distance possibilities over and above its rivals. Sports tourer label is unfair. It is a sports bike of the era that feels stable as opposed to flighty and will happily tour. As the MCN review states its pretty good for a sports bike.

Used an Oxford 50l waterproof rollbag for the tent, sleeping bag etc and a tankbag for clothes when touring. Bike has got double bubble screen on which is good no experience of standard screen. Gonna have much more fun going somewhere on this than a beemer with hard luggage. Strong and reliable. Nice sound - other than the characteristic rattling sounds of that engine.

I have about 60, kms with not significant problem. Canadian Kawasaki dealers basically double the U. Fortunately, this bike hardly ever needs anything. No fuel gauge! At least it has a trip meter I can use and a true fuel 'reserve' with a valve. Positive- power, handling, brakes, confidence inspiring all what u want from a bike so long as shes been looked after Negative- seat can be a litle sore after a long ride, not much storage but it's a sports bike.

Surprisingly comfortable even with pillion, brakes are great so long as they are looked after. There is a lot of travel on the front brake lever but doesn't bother me too much, although i will be servicing my brakes this week. Comfort wise it's great but a gel seat upgrade is a must for rides over miles.

Did miles other week and it destroyed my cheeks. One word for this bikes performance You won't will be wanting more power on the road. As mentioned by MCN, some of the paint isn't great, brake calipers and rear footpeg hangers tend to go off somewhat. Haven't had any real problems and starts every time with no trouble.

Not bad for what the bike is. Just The normal full service twice a year, and any consumables. It's a sportsbike so equipment is never going to be great. Enough space for waterproofs though.

Shame is doesn't have a fuel gauge. At its best in the twisties, loves to be thrown around bends and growls out of the other side. Excellent handling and a comfortable sports touring type seat means you need fuel before you need a rest. Pulls like a train, i had problems with mine in the low revs skipping and missing. Changed jets balanced the carbs and no difference, turned out to be the aftermarket stainless exhaust. Put a stock exhaust on and ironed out most of the issue.

Generally very well built, some of the fairing bits look second rate compared to my Honda. They dont like aftermarket exhaust systems, stick to original.

Service it myself, tis a bit on the thirsty side though. Buying experience: Bought privately, beware of modified to race bikes, bigger jets and different exhausts upset the kwak and make for a horrible round town ride. This is the first big bike I had and Oh my was the engine a power house. It's weak points are the brakes but in the end I upgraded the callipers and they were fine.

For a bike under 2k you can't beat it much better than buying a beaten up Reliability issues were purely due to age but a main dealer found the fault in seconds were as a back street garage had it in for a weak and couldn't find the fault. Well worth using a main dealer in relation to your make bike and well worth chosing a bike that you have a local main dealer for An absolute do it all bike that is just as suitable to ripping up your local twisty road as it is taking a long haul cross country.

I rode mine for 70k miles before slamming it into a Jersey barrier. I replaced it with a ZX12, and am having second thoughts. A solid bike. Love it Love it Love it. First big bike after passing my test. After countless hours, reading reviews and researching this that and the other, I decided that the ZX9R sounded perfect.

I knew I would have to take it steady for starters with such a powerful tool. I have to say, it's been an absolute delight. So easy to ride quick or steady. Great for comfort with that broad seat and sensible bar height.