Touring on a ninja?

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Last year i toured on a GPZ500, which is a ninja of sorts, well to the americans anyway (Ninja500).

Anyway, i don't know where i'm going yet, but will be doing up to 3000 miles over 16 days.

I have my crash damaged ZXR750 which i really like. I manage to get about 187 miles per tank riding to work and back each day.

Any reason why I shouldn't tour on this? I will have £600 to add or modify the bike if needed.
____________________
Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

No problem at all I did even more miles in a shorter time on a CBR600f which is comparable , I believe Yellow Ninja took out a ZX7R to France and Spain too...

The only bad thing about it is heavy city filtering though you can get round this by not going into cities or taking a GPS unit, I've had severe wrist achy sessions usually at the end of 12 hours riding get into a city and its heavy on the wrists.

Actually you do have to strap things carefully to the back of the bike , the zorsts are higher than the low GPZ and thus you may burn holes in your luggage, and maybe budget for some harder touring tyres,

Dodger wasted a pair of tyres mid way through his trip , I dunno how he managed to waste a tyre in 3000 miles when everybody gets 15000miles out of them.
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

dodger · Traffic Copper Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Karma :

superstacker · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Karma :

I've been to Luxembourg and Cochem (Germany) on my ZX6R with no significant problems.

Besides a numb ass really, FROM THE BIKE SEAT, i swear

Phoenix · Twisted Firestarter Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Karma :

A ZX6R or 9R are a whole different world to a ZXR750 or 7R. The 750s have rock hard suspension and you're sprawled out over the tank, back ache starts over distance and a big strain on your wrists, if there's one bike that I wouldn't want to tour on it's one of them.

theopj · Scooby Slapper Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Karma :

Went touring with someone last year on a ZXR7 I think it was - was an R reg. He was inbetween 40-50 so no spring chicken. Did about 2500 miles in a week I think - Austria and back with some riding around over there as well.

He seemed to do alright, didn't get 187 to a tank but about 150 I think. It struggled a bit with the mixture when we went up into the alpine passes but it was still rideable, and the steering lock was a bit tricky on some of the hairpins (think he had a nasty hand injury at the time). Luggage wise I think he just had a huge tailpack cargo netted onto the seat.
____________________
Suzuki Bandit SA 1250 & Honda CB750F2T

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

sounds like it will be a fun challenge then.

I find this bike more comfortable than the GPZ500 (seat too narrow) and the VFR800i (seems to hurt my wrists)

The suspension has been changed/uprated but is still pretty stiff - French roads are billiard table smooth though Wink

____________________
Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

Faldo · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Karma :

Touring on a Ninja? Hell yeah Drooling

.

I wouldn't have it any other way. People always bang on about Kawasakis having hard suspension, but it's one of the reasons why I buy Kwaks. I hate bikes that are all mushy.

The ZX7R I used has a reputation for being uncomfortable. When I bought my first 7R, the first 50 miles were what I imagine a medieval rack would feel like. I could barely walk after dismounting, but as with anything I just had to man up and get used to the bike. After a few months 400 miles in the saddle were easy, nay effortless. I might be an idea to do a 300+ mile trip in the UK one Sunday to see if the bike is comfy enough.

You can read about my trip here.
____________________
Current: ZZR1400
Previous: ZXR 400 L9, ZX-7R P5, ZZR 400, ZX-7R P6, Bandit 600, GSXR 750 Slingshot, DRZ400, DR650, ZX10R C1H, ZXR 750 L1, ZXR 750 L3, '99 ZX7R P4, KTM 300 EXC, ZX-9R E1, TDM850

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Faldo · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Karma :

If it came across that I wasn't happy, then that's just 'cause I'm a miserable old git. I'm a true Brit, therefore I love a good whinge. Believe me, I loved every second of it (perhaps apart from an hour or so in the centre of Barcelona in stifling heat at rush hour).

I was planning to do a much larger tour of Europe this year on the ZX10R, but due to a number of factors I'm unable to do so, which I am truly gutted about. There's always next year, /big sigh/.

As for the age of bike, a good service and shakedown test you should be set, really depends on the condition of your machine. If you've done a similar amount of miles in the UK as you plan to do abroad with no issues you should be OK?
____________________
Current: ZZR1400
Previous: ZXR 400 L9, ZX-7R P5, ZZR 400, ZX-7R P6, Bandit 600, GSXR 750 Slingshot, DRZ400, DR650, ZX10R C1H, ZXR 750 L1, ZXR 750 L3, '99 ZX7R P4, KTM 300 EXC, ZX-9R E1, TDM850