I bought a 1997 Kawasaki ZZR-1100

Рет қаралды 7,766

Күн бұрын

Recently bought a Kawasaki ZZR-1100 and this is me chatting about it. I probably get a few things wrong so please let me know in the comments. Huge credit to ‪@headrace4863‬ for all of his hard work recommissioning this particular bike, please do check out his channel; and thanks to Ross at Rotate Motorcycles for the great buying experience.

Пікірлер: 77

@MichaelZZRrider 7 ай бұрын

Welcome to the ZZR 1100 mate. Once you ride it for a time you will never want to get rid of it. In answer to your question, yes they do still reach 175-180. (From some who lives in a country without speed cameras (I know of 3). Some of your descriptions of items on the bike were a little off but you will find out what the items are for over time. The built in indicators, the front mudguard that covers the front forks and even the shape of the mirrors are to minimize wind resistance. The Ram Air ports at the front is designed to increase power output at higher speeds due to air pressure. The ZZR was the first production bike to have this. I am lucky to have several bikes apart from the ZZR including a ZX14R but none of them make me smile like the the ZZR does. Enjoy your ride mate.

@thomascharnock 7 ай бұрын

Hi mate, thanks for your comment - yes I was a little off upon reflection! Good to hear from you though as I've been watching all your videos on the ZZR, it's a nice looking bike you have there!

@ghostbike1 6 ай бұрын

your comments are spot on ,i think the extended panels for the indicators are actually wings to force the bike down at high speed?

@MichaelZZRrider 6 ай бұрын

@@thomascharnock Thanks mate. If they are serviced and given a little TLC they are brilliant everyday transport or cross country missiles. They are easy to work on for anyone with, like me, limited mechanical expertise. People complain about carbs but once they are set up properly they do not go out of sync. Have fun mate and post some more videos of your beast. 🙂

@MichaelZZRrider 6 ай бұрын

@@ghostbike1 I also believe that the extended panels are indeed an early attempt at wings. If it was for aero they would be flush to the fairing.

@jamesrobertson3853 5 ай бұрын

The zx14 whaaaaat Man I should marry my zzr1100 I love it more than my EX

@paulrowe8131 8 ай бұрын

Lovely clean, well sorted bike mate. I'm 67 and I have a 95 zzr1100D3. It's my second one, sold the first thirty years ago and regretted it. They are a lovely bike. Just as enjoyable to ride steady. I love the styling, handling, and the great reputation and following they have. They are getting older now, so bits will get a little harder to find. Just enjoy it, embrace the fact that it's an older bike, and ride safe.

@thomascharnock 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment - I've managed to find a few sites that still carry a lot of bots and peices for the ZZR so hopefully won't encounter any problems in the near future. Hopefully I'm still riding this thing when I reach 67 :)

@headrace4863 9 ай бұрын

Many thanks for the hat-tip… glad you’re pleased with it. Enjoy! 👍👍

@mattgillette9546 Ай бұрын

I am on my 3rd ZZR1100, a 97 model which is needing alot of work, my previous ones were a 98 and a 95, my previous 2 had a Corban custom seat, this 97 has a Rider custom seat but am putting a Corban onto it. These machines are an icon

@thomascharnock Ай бұрын

Yeah you're right - absolutely iconic bikes. I haven't got mine anymore as it was just a pain to keep running but I think there's a good chance I'll get another one in time if the right one pops up for sale! Ride safe 👍

@kushsakhu 5 ай бұрын

What a nice bike. A friend of mine trashed his a few months ago. I own a 1990 ZZR 600 that has been customised and I love. I have Z1000 and a Versys 1000. Kawasaki all the way. 👍🏾

@thomascharnock 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, sorry to hear about your friend. all of the ZZRs are lovely looking bikes in my opinion, even the ZZR250 which I didn't even know existed until this week!

@ralphcole1604 6 ай бұрын

I bought a 93 well maintained zx11d. I love this bike more than any bike I've ever ridden or owned. The power is mind blowing but it's also a very comfortable ride. Enjoy I'm sure you'll love it!!

@thomascharnock 6 ай бұрын

Awesome! Yes I totally agree. I love this bike, even with the minor issues I've had with it. It taught me how to service a carburettor anyway so that's worth the entry price alone...and then there's the speed, the sound, the comfort...epic bikes! Ride safe :)

@ralphcole1604 6 ай бұрын

@@thomascharnock absolutely when you Crack that throttle better have a good grip. You be safe also

@myresponsesarelimited7895 3 ай бұрын

I have the exact same d5, great bike, still love the look every time I walk up to it.

@YoutubeDeletedmyF.B.Iaccount 3 ай бұрын

it looks really nice tbh

@thomascharnock 3 ай бұрын

I no longer have it sadly as it was becoming a bit of a pain with not starting, but the new owner is now working on it and has it running sweet. Great bike, but I needed something more reliable. That said, absolutley brilliant bike to ride and fast as hell!

@YoutubeDeletedmyF.B.Iaccount 3 ай бұрын

@@thomascharnock what do you ride these days?

@stephenlatchford9850 8 ай бұрын

Nice to see a zzr1100 enthusiast, I bought a zzr1100 c2 non runner last November, and spent 6 months totally stripping and rebuilding everything, it seemed an endless task and believe me you have saved yourself a lot of work by buying that very nice example. But of course I have a very good one myself now with only 18,000 miles on the clock, it’s had all new bearings, seals and paint etc. everything that needed to replaced has been and it looks and feels like a new bike. One thing I did was replace all the carburettor o rings for e10 resistant ones so if I can’t find e5 fuel I don’t have to worry about filling up with e10. You are right these things are ballistic even today, and ridden all sorts of bikes big and small over the last 45 years.

@thomascharnock 7 ай бұрын

Sounds like you have a peach of a ZZR now Stephen, hope it treats you as well as you've treated it! I wonder if Headrace replaced any O rings in the carbs...I'll have to ask him. Being able to use E10 would be useful! Thanks for your comment :)

@MichaelZZRrider 6 ай бұрын

I agree whole heartedly with your comments mate. E10 destroys not just the carb seals, it also breaks down the fuel lines as well as gumming up the carbs jets if left standing for a while. I am lucky in that here they still have one type of Ethanol free petrol. Where did you get E10 resistant o-rings?

@stephenlatchford9850 6 ай бұрын

A seller on eBay called carbtec

@MichaelZZRrider 6 ай бұрын

@@stephenlatchford9850Thanks for that mate.

@niallpower109 8 ай бұрын

Stunning bike, enjoy 👍

@thomascharnock 8 ай бұрын

Cheers mate!

@OldBarnWorkshop 5 ай бұрын

I bought my 3rd ZZR in April 2023, Just cant get them out of my system. They area true and full on hyperbike of their day but can also be used as a day to day bike even through winter. At ths level of bike, you cant go wrong. A true classic in the making. Just think on this, there is only about 15 MPH between this and the best out there.

@thomascharnock 5 ай бұрын

Hi mate - totally agree. I always wanted a 'hyper bike' and this is a peach. I've had a few minor issues with this one, but it is mechanically and structurally sound. Now I've spent a few hundred quid on it I think it's about as good as it can be. Safe riding mate!

@damiandevaraj9358 4 ай бұрын

I had the first model without the cutoff C1, with 4-1 yoshimura pipes with sweet deep base sound,i rode once to a 280kmh after a top overhaul with new set of valves , sold it after that

@thomascharnock 4 ай бұрын

Sounds like an absolute monster! Doubt mine will ever see those kinds of speeds though...at least not unless I get it on a track!

@davinc3 Ай бұрын

Do replace that rear tire for something sticky. I smashed my ZX11 on the road a week ago, the rear wheel slipped away at low speed in the rain. The load balance of the ZZR1100 seems a bit much towards the front. Also my advice is to mount a kickstand pad as the original stand is quite tiny and sinks in loose ground. Be carefull with the plastic body, it's fragile and watch out for rusting on bolts and cable fittings. Good luck with your bike and best.

@thomascharnock Ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment mate. Sadly I no longer own the ZZR as it was just too unreliable for commuting on, and I really miss it as it's such an amazing machine. If I ever get another one - which could well happen - I'll take your advice. Thanks and stay safe!

@GPR111 4 ай бұрын

Fantastic machines, can remember when they first appeared. Performance Bikes tested one at Bruntingthorpe and on one v high speed run, the rider missed his braking marker and ran off the end of runway and crashed it (without injury) 😮. They are still super fast bikes, even now at a good age. I would be v tempted to go dynojet kit/ filter and a good dyno tune where they can make it breathe even deeper ..... but other than that leave as is and just enjoy..... 👍

@thomascharnock 4 ай бұрын

Went out for a ride last week with a group, it was a total blast and the ZZR was the oldest bike there but my god it was easily the quickest!

@GPR111 4 ай бұрын

I dont doubt it, even now seriously powerful and rapid bikes..... Am thinking of getting one (again) 😮

@mattfoley4128 6 ай бұрын

Love the silver, I have the black. I'll never sell it. Enjoy that machine, be safe

@thomascharnock 6 ай бұрын

Thanks Matt - you too :)

@papaligma 4 ай бұрын

Picking a 1997 up tomorrow. Haven’t ridden in 3 years. Can’t wait! Caught the star wars reference too

@thomascharnock 4 ай бұрын

Awesome! Have a blast mate :)

@gdfggggg 8 ай бұрын

That’s had a full respray. Very nice.

@thomascharnock 7 ай бұрын

Yes it's in great condition for the age. I've added a few bits to it now such as radiator protectors and a fender extender on the front mudguard.

@richardlong3615 8 ай бұрын

I had a derestricted one (D4 I think 135 bhp) between 97 and 2003, 0 - 60 in 2.5 seconds they are ridiculously fast but they are a great bike if you put throw over panniers you need to protect the bodywork (where the chrome 1100 is) from scratching dont ask how I know. "Interesting" fact the forward pointing air intakes give a slight ram air increase in power as your speed increases if you look into the air intakes behind the grills you'll see what look like gun barrels these are tubes which take that increased pressure into the carbs to balance it against the increased pressure of the airflow going through the carbs. I sold mine because I thought I was going to loose my license or my life or both. Enjoy.

@thomascharnock 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment and the info. There's a lot to learn about these bikes - I've already had the front off to change a headlight bulb! I also know what you mean about the speed...scary!

@mattgillette9546 Ай бұрын

Sorry to inform you but you had the restricted model, the unrestricted models are 145hp for the 93/94 model at the crank, I had a 95 model D3 back in 1996 which was 145hp, 128hp at the rear wheel, the 98 model I purchased in 2017 was 147hp, the 97 model I have just purchased is 147hp at the crank, we were lucky here in New Zealand to get the unrestricted models

@richardlong3615 Ай бұрын

@@mattgillette9546 Mine was a new D4 in 97 so it was unrestricted.

@mattgillette9546 Ай бұрын

@@richardlong3615 it depends on the country, for the australasion market we got the unrestricted models, North America restricted, I think Europe also got the restricted model, check on your registration if it is 100kw then it is restricted as the unrestricted are 108kw which is 145hp but I dyno mine at 147. Another easy way to tell is the height of the carb caps, if they are 25mm in height it is unrestricted

@richardlong3615 Ай бұрын

@@mattgillette9546 Sadly the bike is long gone but my understanding was that it was restricted when it first came out the but after around 95 they derestricted it - still whichever it was a great bike.

@Sutton822 6 ай бұрын

I bought a P reg D4 model a few years ago. The carbs had to be stripped and cleaned out but runs great now. Lovely all round bike, bloody heavy though.

@thomascharnock 6 ай бұрын

I've had to do a few minor jobs to this one too, after I'd had issues with it not starting/running well. A few more little things to do and I'll do another update video on it. Cheers!

@charliemclarnon7406 8 ай бұрын

That's a really nice clean bike. I wish mine was that good 👍

@thomascharnock 7 ай бұрын

What year and model do you have? Always interested in hearing about other riders' bikes!

@charliemclarnon7406 7 ай бұрын

@@thomascharnock it's a 1993 d1 model. 👍

@gemaskerdebeuker8511 8 ай бұрын

8:18 thats actually a lock for something you wanna strap to the bike. The lock for the seat is on the other side.

@thomascharnock 8 ай бұрын

Haha I was waiting for someone to pick me up on that - my mistake XD

@techo61 6 күн бұрын

3:10 this is not a stock screen. This is a double bubble where stock screens have a single contour. 7:06 Water temperature gauge. 9:10 Coolant system cap. 9:30 This has to be one of the worst headlights fitted to a Kawasaki. Wait til you do ride it at night. I see why you like this bike as much as I do mine. Those that have never ridden one will not understand. I was the second owner of mine when the original owner bought a new Hayabusa, then six months later he bought a pre 2000 unrestricted Hayabusa. Two months later he came back to me asking for his ZZR back (with a good margin on top), of course I said no.

@jamesrobertson3853 5 ай бұрын

Interwebs SAYS it'll do 180 mph or 290kph In that model C1 c2 was 285kph But different countries different pollution retardation

@thomascharnock 5 ай бұрын

Yeah there's conflicting info out there...I'll never find out the true speed of my ZZR sadly because I never go above the speed limit haha :)

@javierc2726 6 ай бұрын

That windscreen is not stock. I had the 600 from 1994 🙂 Great bike

@thomascharnock 6 ай бұрын

Good to know!

@user-lv5oq1ul9n 2 ай бұрын

Have the same bike but blew the motor and replaced it with the 1999 zx11 zzr motor and put a header and can on and it is unreal to ride 😮

@thomascharnock 2 ай бұрын

That sounds awesome man, good job keeping another Zed on the road!

@ggj666 4 ай бұрын

I have a Black 2000 ZZR1100 sitting in my garage alongside my Fazer 600, neither one I will ever sell.

@thomascharnock 4 ай бұрын

I loved the Fazer and I love the ZZR - you have excellent taste!

@ggj666 4 ай бұрын

If only my taste was as good with everything else i'd have been ok 🙂@@thomascharnock

@woodpeckerdrums6254 2 ай бұрын

Box thing on the right is your water coolant filler

@thomascharnock 2 ай бұрын

Cheers for your comment and the pointer :)

@askxtream8472 7 ай бұрын

I want this beast too but unable to find it😢

@thomascharnock 7 ай бұрын

For me it I was actually looking for a Blackbird but likewise I couldn't find a decent one near to me so I went for this lovely example. Good luck on your search, I'm sure one will come up sooner or later!