Menus
- Cure of youth
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- First turns of the wheel
- City
- Departmental
- National
- Highways
- Comfort
- Brakes
- Tires
- Convenient
- Maintenance
- Consumption
- Conclusion
Cure of youth
After a big success and more than 62,000 models
sold, the Kawasaki Z750 evolves only 3 years later
its output: engine, chassis and design. Motor side,
the big job was to strengthen the couple to
low and mid-range. This was achieved thanks to
a new distribution diagram, to a new system
exhaust and new spray injectors
ultra-fine as well as the addition of oval secondary butterflies. One
new radiator also promotes better cooling.
The chassis has been revised to reduce vibrations
thanks to new engine mounts located behind
the cylinder block, closer to the engine’s center of gravity.
Discovery
The Z 750 vintage 2007 incorporates a mixture of curves
and lines stretched diagonally. The whole thing gives a more compact impression
and more aggressive than the old model. But it is not
not just an impression! The wheelbase appears to have been
reduced, but it is above all the distance from the rider to the handlebars that
has been reduced by 41 mm.
We immediately notice the exhaust, sturdy maous,
black and aluminum! The front optic seems to split in two. Fire
rear diode is fine-tuned. The saddle for two
floors now have a cladding
non-slip. The engine is blocked by a reinforcement bar
lateral and new fixing points: objective: to remove
vibrations. Optional star-shaped crankcase guards.
The meter has been completely revised. He won
in aesthetics and above all in readability. Forget him
plastic block made economically
! Instead, a superb analog tachometer on a bronze background
with a red zone at 12,000 rpm, directly including the gauge
gasoline. On the right, a digital skylight divided into four
parts for the counter, the partial trip, the clock and the temperature
water (a digital oil burette completes the indicator
oil). The indicators are well placed and visible. Daily,
we can see especially the tachometer and we can hear the engine. The counter of
speed is almost forgotten. The warning is on the left hand switch.
In the saddle
Despite a 40mm narrower saddle, the ground is still
a little far for the 1.70 pilot, only the tips of the feet touching
Earth. The handlebars are closer to the body than the old model
and gives a more compact driving position. Mirrors
diamond-shaped, aesthetic, could offer better vision.
On the other hand, they are easily adjusted and allow you to find your
best position.
The new split silencer is shorter and shorter
incorporates a tri-ovular section. This new collector makes it possible to control
back pressure in the exhaust to improve the
mid-range engine response.
Contact
The counter resets, the oil indicator
flashes, the ABS comes on. The pot distills a deep sound, almost
hoarse to the ears. The Z captivates from the first moments.
First turns of the wheel
First, the motorcycle leaves on a trickle of gas and reacts to
the slightest solicitation. Second, third, none at
stroke or difficulty, even at 1,000 rpm. The box is
reveals particularly soft and easy, pointless
dead; the result of work on the selector lever
mounted on ball bearings and touch-ups made
to the barrel. Without violence, the motorcycle slides on the concrete. What
strikes from the first turns of the wheel, it’s lightness
front axle, further reinforced by a slightly
steephead Valley. The legs immediately find their place. Big
luxury, it is possible to have several different positions,
to grip the motorcycle, always with the same comfort. In fact, with
the Z, you immediately feel confident on your handlebars, linked
to a bicycle riding position, a low sound, a motor
which rolls up: great softness at first contact.
City
The Z starts with a bang at the fire and sneaks around without effort or surprise,
all over. Here she offers the possibility of playing with both temperaments
: stay in first, even second for departures
in easy wheelies or roll up in sixth at 30 km / h without
snort! Conversely, she has more difficulty staying
in first and second under the two thousand turns, showing
some injection jerks on idle on these two
reports. Moreover, in normal use, you never stay
in slow motion. And, the vibrations of the old model have here
missing.
Departmental
The Z finds its element on small twisty roads. Each
turn follows the next one with disconcerting ease
and perfect neutrality. Focusing on the angle is natural.
Does the turn close a little faster than expected? Just
to press a little more and the motorcycle instantly obeys.
Angry, the engine of the Z agrees to climb briskly in the
turns, with an additional boost above 7000 rpm. This is
a little above around 8,000 that vibrations reappear.
What appeared to be the lightness of the front end
becomes less true on rapid sequences, or on the contrary the
Z seems to have gained stability at the front axle level.
Someone changed my motorbike to me ?
In the rhythm of the ride, we will surprise ourselves winding at 4.000
rpm in 6th gear with enough pickup to exceed any
who in seconds.
National
As soon as the departmental join a national, the
Z rushes forward to make a point and
without having to go up in towers, or down a gear. TO
contrario, and even on departmental roads, the Z could remain
on the first two gears, the first bringing without problem
at 100 km / h, the second at 130 km / h, with still some margin
before the red zone !
Highways
The Z is a roadster, naked … and if the speedometer is indeed
windscreen, its protection remains partial beyond
130 km / h. At 100 km / h, the Z is only 4,500 rpm,
and offers very straightforward covers at the slightest request
gas … to go up to the same illicit speeds as the old one
model, final gear ratio and gearbox ratios
not having changed.
Comfort
The 2004 model was really not a model
of comfort. If the new saddle is narrower, it is still
also hard. It is not helped by suspensions which
absorb well in compression but rise too quickly to the expansion level,
almost promoting the interest of the duo with a bit of
additional ballast. You can move more in the saddle but
we also appreciate the stops.
Brakes
The rear brake of an honest retarder has become
a real retarder, thanks to a disc past 220
at 250 mm. It does not risk blocking, but offers real
assistance in the bends attacked with a little too much optimism.
As for the front brake, it offers a real bite, superior to the model
preceding, while retaining great ease
of use. However, its overall power remains identical to
previous model despite the double disc in
petal; she will only show her limits to the virtuosos of stoppies
repeat. The motorcycle does not dive when braking
applied, the brakes accompany driving well, requiring no
only two fingers in the majority of uses.
Tires
The fit is the same as the old model: Dunlops
Qualify, inflated to 2.5 at the front, 2.9 at
the back! In cold weather, do not forget to
heat to a minimum, or lower the recommended pressure
0.2 gr at the front and rear for
promote faster heating. Some have almost scared themselves by
attacking too quickly, forgetting with the ease of handling
of the motorcycle, that the warm-up times must always be observed !
Convenient
The lock is now placed horizontally, towards the back,
and not vertically, thus being more protected
road projections than the old model.
There was not much room under the saddle on the old one
model. There are now none! Saddle
on the other hand shelters hooks, complementary to those placed
below: practical for stowing a bag.
Maintenance
First service every 1,000, then every 12,000 afterwards
for emptying. And every 24,000 the valve clearance.
Consumption
On departmental roads, and by attacking, consumption climbs to
8 liters. Otherwise, the first stick may go out at the
after 70 kilometers, with an overall range of 270 km.
Conclusion
The Z has just offered itself more than a facelift. At
contrary, beyond the aesthetic aspect which has undeniably
gained in character, the roadster offered a real
effective rejuvenation also on the engine and driving.
More lively, more torquey, more playful, the Z has managed the compromise
gnak and ease of use. She is less
than ever a beginner’s bike. On the other hand, it appears
like the ideal 2nd motorcycle, offering by its many facets
the possibility of evolving at the driving level. In fact,
it bends to your will, without ever forcing you
hand. She feels at ease with the couple, but lets herself be tickled
to attack savagely in the same way, so
just as natural. At 7199 euros, it is also a deal face
to a non-existent "competition" in this niche,
limited to 600. 500 machines are already in
concessions … but many of them are already
reserved. Kawasaki expects 6,000 sales in 2007, a
very reasonable estimate…
Strong points
- Engine
- The style
- The price
Weak points
- The saddle hard
- Practical: no central stand, no handles
passenger, no place for the lock
Available in: black, gray, green
2004 model tests: Z 750 N,
Z 750 S
Competitors: BMW F800R, Honda Hornet 600, Suzuki GSR 750, Triumph Speed Four, Yamaha
Fazer 600
Comparative technical sheet
of the Kawasaki Z 750
To see
the movie about the Z 750
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