Typical "kitty" thread.... Hornet vs Kawasaki

[choc-ice]

Originally Posted by Kitty

that looks sexy

Keep your dark visor closed

*runs and hides*

[BlaZe]

Originally Posted by Kitty

he said he bought it from abroad for 600 euros, and preferred it. I like it but never thought it might be because it's covering dsomething up! Good thinking batman.

It's a pearlescant orange apparantly, but I really liked it.

600 euros??
"Pearlescant" orange... What I don't understand is why he says it's custom paint - the standard paint is poetically called Blazing Pearl Orange by Kawa (at least by Kawa France!) - why would he respray it to another orange? (It also looks rather yellow in the photos but you can't rely on photos, anyway.)
I didn't like his assurance that the bike is totally standard, apart from a few tasteful accessories...
On the whole I'd keep away from this bike. Apart from that, wanting an orange Z750 is the most natural and sensible things in the world

[Kitty]

As it goes, I am sure he meant 60 euros. I hope he did, and by the sounds of it, I am glad I put that link up. I spoke to him asking if his "reasonable offers" were 2-3K and he said most definitly. So, I probably won't bother. I have a limit, but will up for the right bike. But, as it is my first bike for a couple of years, it is probably sensible to go for something not tatty but if I drop it (which I probably will ffs) I won't be really upset because I have scratched my pearlescant orange :P

Seriously, it's too much bike for me if it is all genuine, it should be appreciated by a more advanced perfectionist rider I guess.

But hey, I have found a few worth looking. Would it be safe to ask opinions on a bike when I have found one. I have found a couple but am unable to view. If this is the case, would you suggest looking elsewhere? I keep finding that especially in bike trader, the ZR750's are snapped up indefinitly

As are the hornets that are floating around my price range...

I am such a div when it comes to buying a bike....

What about a purplepink ducati monster?

[Quickshift]

Originally Posted by Kitty

As for the 2005/2005 hornet, is it really that bad?

It's the worse handling bike I've ridden. The front end flaps about like a dying fish and the merest hint of a bump, the back end pogos about like a demented space hopper after too many Red Bulls. The suspension damping isn't adjustable so you can't tune that behavior out. The brakes do feel like the pads are made of mahogany but aren't the worst I've used in terms of stopping power.

It's fairly comfortable, the steering lock is good and it feels light and flickable.

The engine is best used in the midrange as the top end and WOT low down the rev range make it feel like the engine is shaking itself to bits.

The finish really is dreadful. The one I had was 1200 miles old and the chrome was flaking off in quite a few places, fasteners were rusty or furred up and it looked generally pretty untidy. Not impressed at all. The exhaust looked like it was 5 years old too.

If you are only ever going to use the bike for pootling about slowly on totally flat roads or are prepared to invest in brake work, suspension work and anti corrosion / refinishing, you could probably do worse. I really wouldn't recommend one though. IMHO. I'm not being a sportsbike snob or trying to pretend I can tie bikes in knots by riding fast or anything like that, I'm just being straightforward