Kawasaki Zl600
KAWASAKI ZL600
CYCLE WORLD TEST
BREAKING OUT OF THE CRUISER MOLD
FINALLY, THE TRANSFORMAtion of Kawasaki's streetbikes is complete. The air-cooled, inline Fours that have been the backbone of the Kawasaki line since the first 903cc Z1 in 1973 have been phased out. In their place are liquid-cooled Fours and a solitary V-Twin. The Ninjas have completely superseded the illustrious GPzs; and now, the last of the air-cooled, inline-Four LTDs has been replaced by the ZL600, a new cruiser powered by a liquid-cooled, 600cc inline-Four engine.
But the ZL600 is more than just another cruiser. Sure, with its low slung seat, baloney-slice mufflers, shaft drive and cruiser-cum-dragbike styling, the 600 seems custom-made for the boulevard set. But the bike has
tractable power, a rational seating position and easy handling that make any simplistic categorization of the ZL difficult at best.
IIIII~U1L aL LJL.~L. It helps to keep in mind that the engine in the ZL600 is basically the same liquid-cooled, 592cc, 16-valve inline-Four found in the 600 Ninja sportbike hot-rod. The engine has, however, been detuned and slightly modified for better low-end and mid range power so that the ZL will have better manners around town. The most significant changes have been a reduction in carburetor size from 32mm to 30mm for higher intake ye locity, and the switch to an exhaust system tuned for lower~rpm running.
These changes give the ZL a more tractable and user-friendly engine, one that has a generous amount of low-end power for a 600. Whereas the Ninja engine is rather sluggish at slow speeds and sometimes requires a lot of gearchanging in stop-and-go traffic, the ZL copes with those sorts of situations with no problems.
The ZL600's engine is basically the same liquid cooled, 16valve inline F~ur found in the 600 Ninja sportbike hotrod.
Like the Ninja. however, the ZL produces most of its power toward the upper end of the rev range. pull ing strongest from about 7000 rpm. But overall, the engine doesn't hit as hard on top as the Ninja's. and is stronger at the bottom. If you keep the tach needle working between 7500 and 10,500 rpm. the rewards are the sensations of quick accelera tion and a great sound from the ex hausts; but not 1/ia! much more per formance is gained from riding the bike in this fashion.
In addition to its broader powerband, the ZL has a clutch that utilizes a one-way sprag system like that used on the 900 Eliminator. This device helps prevent rear-wheel chatter dur ing downshifting by allowing the clutch to slip just a tad if engine rpm is not quite high enough when the clutch is re-engaged. Kawasaki calls this sprag a torque limiter, and it al lows clutch-slippage only during a botched or severe downshift.
While the six-speed transmission
has been lifted directly from the Ninja. gear ratios and all, the ZL has a shaft final drive rather than a chain. The shaft itself comes from the dis continued55OLTD.but itnow rides in ball bearings rather than in tapered rollers as it did ontheLTD.The shift ing mechanism in particular is espe cially smooth, for the ZL is one of the easiest bikes on which to find neutral when the bike is stopped with the en gine running. It also is nearly impos sible to detect any of the up-anddown chassis movement that's preva lent with many shaft drives. So withits silky smooth transmission and almost reaction-free shaft drive, the ZL has an excellent drivetrain.
Getting a bike moving is one thing, but stopping it is another. And here, the ZL once again does quite well. The disc brake up front provides strong stopping power with sensitive feedback through the controls. The front wheel can be locked up with an injudicious grab of the lever, but do ing so takes a lot of pressure. The rear drum brake, on the other hand, is ad equate hut no more. It has a positive feel, letting the rider know when it is about to lock up, even though it is a bit weak on stopping potential. The use of both brakes, though, always brings the ZL600 to a halt quickly and controllably.
Similarly. the~'ZL's handling also is thoroughly competent if not outright brilliant. The chassis is based on a new wide-cradle frame that routes all four of the exhaust header pipes in side the downtubes. Kawasaki claims this design results in increased frame rigidity, thereby making the handling more precise. The ZL steers nicely, requiring only a light touch on the grips: but this probably has just as much to do with steering geometry as it does with frame strength. The geometry was configured to allow the ZL to have good all-around handling characteristics rather than focusing on pure sportbike agility.
The suspension seems to adhere to the same philosophy of good allaround performance rather than ex cellence in any one area. While the front fork, for instance, offers a good ride and is competent in most situa tions, it is not quite up to par on rough roads mostly because it is too soft. It also has no anti-dive system, so it bottoms even on smooth pave ment during hard braking. The dual rear shocks, on the other hand, seem a bit stiff. Nonetheless, they work well in most situations, especially ii
the rebound damping is set on the third position and the preload on the number-two setting.
With the suspension adjusted this way. the ZL is quite enjoyable to ride on the backroads-so long as the pace is not too aggressive. There isn't an abundance of ground clearance, so the pegs drag easily and quickly: but the ZL leans with little effort, stays planted on the line the rider chooses and goes exactly where it is pointed. Some riders will even find it much less intimidating to ride quickly than they would a 600 Ninja.
In town, the ZL is rock-steady. It feels light, stops quickly and can ac celerate rapidly away from traffic. The 600 also copes with highway cruising quite well, owing to its smooth power, soft suspension and stable steering. With the addition of a small windscreen, the bike would cruise the highways almost in tour ing-class comfort.
So, too, are the ZL's ergonomics suited to a wide variety of uses. It has what Kawasaki calls a "neutral" seat ing postion, meaning that the rider is neither hunched over in sportbike fashion nor laid back a la chopper mode. The seat is low, 28.5 inches, to be exact, enabling an average-sized> rider to touch the ground flat-ftoted. And the seat/handlebar relationship feels natural after a moment or two on the bike. The handlebar looks as if it would be too tall, recalling vague images of ape hangers. hut the grips are at a nice height for just about any kind of riding. The footpegs are a touch too high ftr extended stints in the saddle, but they don't cramp the rider's legs nearly as much as do the pegs on a full-on sportbike.
It is nearly impossible to detect any of the up-and down chassis movement that's prevalent with many shaft drives.
The ZUs prime competition, Yamaha's Radian 600, lists for just $2399, a whopping $1100 less.
That footpeg location is one of the few things that might limit the time one could spend on the ZLÔOO. for the seat-despite looking like the usual, thinly padded cruiser cush jon-is quite comfortable. It has just enough padding of the proper density to go virtually unnoticed during a twoto three-hour ride. The rider's portion of the two-tiered saddle is lon2 enough to allow the luxury of moving around a little. which helps alleviate the high-footpeg problem.
Functionally, then, the ZL6O() is a truly good motorcycle, one that does a number of things quite well, with out doing anything really badly. And it holds a few pleasant surprises in several of its details. One of them is the inclusion of a helmet lock on both sides of the frame, just above the passenger footpegs. Now, nearly all hikes have helmet locks, hut many have just one: and the ZL's locks are
easy to use, and they don't hang up your helmet or allow it to rest against a hot muffler.
a ii~ii iiii~iii~._i. So what Kawasaki has wrought with the ZLÔOO is a functional, allaround motorcycle that, for those who must pigeonhole every model of every brand, is most easily squeezed into the cruiser category. But it wears the tag loosely, resisting by virtue of its versatility any attempts to box it in and wrap it up with one neat little label. Which nieans that the ZL600 is a bike that can he comfortably and enjoyably ridden just about any where, regardless of the destination or the route used to get there.
But while we don't have much trouble with the ZL's tunctional as pects. we do have serious reservations about its price. The ZL lists for $3499. which is about the same as for the 600 Ninja. That's no bargain for a bike of this ilk, especially considering that its prime competition. Yamaha's Radian 600. lists for just $2399. a whopping $1100 less.
That price tag stands an excellent chance of hein2 the hi2gest obstacle that will stand between the ZL600 and its prospective buyers. That's a shame. because the ZL600 is a nice. versatile. enjoyable. easy-to-ride mo torcycle. From just about any stand point other than price, there's nd good reason net to buy it.
KAWASAKI ZL600
$3499
SPECIFICATIONS
PERFORMANCE
