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Difference between revisions of "Kawasaki KZ1000C"
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→Riding the KZ-1000PC2
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== Riding the KZ-1000PC2 == | == Riding the KZ-1000PC2 == | ||
The first thing you'll notice when you swing a leg over it is that this is a very large and tall motorcycle, at 550 LBS this motorcycle is not for the small of build. Setting the manual choke and a quick stab of the clutch interlocked electric starter should wake the beast up. The floorboards are equipped with a heal and toe shifter, pressing down with your heal will cause the transmission to | The first thing you'll notice when you swing a leg over it is that this is a very large and tall motorcycle, at 550 LBS this motorcycle is not for the small of build. Setting the manual choke and a quick stab of the clutch interlocked electric starter should wake the beast up. The floorboards are equipped with a heal and toe shifter, pressing down with your heal will cause the transmission to increase one gear, pressing down with your toe will cause the transmission to drop a gear. Everything else is where it ought to be. | ||
Once underway take your time getting used to the C2, these early Kawasaki motorcycle had quirky handling, if you hit a bump in a high speed sweeper the chassis will become upset causing a certain about of waving and bobbing until things get settled out. The seat sits on two very soft progressively sprung shock absorbers with a great deal of travel. So when you bank into a turn and the G-forces go up you will sink down-also under some conditions the seat will bob up and down, the sensation is almost exactly like an old Harley (tm) Pogo Solo Seat equipped Electra-Glide (tm)This takes some getting used to but is not an entirely bad thing provided you are a city street and freeway rider. Kawasaki went to a frame mounted | Once underway take your time getting used to the C2, these early Kawasaki motorcycle had quirky handling, if you hit a bump in a high speed sweeper the chassis will become upset causing a certain about of waving and bobbing until things get settled out. The seat sits on two very soft progressively sprung shock absorbers with a great deal of travel. So when you bank into a turn and the G-forces go up you will sink down-also under some conditions the seat will bob up and down, the sensation is almost exactly like an old Harley (tm) Pogo Solo Seat equipped Electra-Glide (tm)This takes some getting used to but is not an entirely bad thing provided you are a city street and freeway rider. Kawasaki went to a frame mounted seat in '81 - this along with an updated chassis (J Model) was a major improvement. | ||
The engine doesn't feel overly powerful if you are transitioning from a more modern large displacement motorcycle, however the power increases quickly with higher RPM's- and before you know it you'll be moving at extralegal speeds. - But be careful, that fork mounted fairing can provide some wicked input to the bars causing all sorts of strange control issues-especially if you hit a bump or find a groove in the freeway at 70+ MPH. Engine vibration is noticeable at all speeds and the 630 chain is also quite noisy. | The engine doesn't feel overly powerful if you are transitioning from a more modern large displacement motorcycle, however the power increases quickly with higher RPM's- and before you know it you'll be moving at extralegal speeds. - But be careful, that fork mounted fairing can provide some wicked input to the bars causing all sorts of strange control issues-especially if you hit a bump or find a groove in the freeway at 70+ MPH. Engine vibration is noticeable at all speeds and the 630 chain is also quite noisy. | ||