and yet, it's neither its looks nor its style that would lead us to believe that. Up close and in pictures, the Z is an excellent illustration of the young devil. With its nosy eyes, street-fighter spirit and brawler's engine, the Z 750 is no slouch. Face to face, she and I, the tone is set; but will all her promises be kept in the winding gorges of the Balme?
to find out, let's get away from the city in all its suppleness and take on the Col du Chat. Flexibility is a word that the Z's 4-cylinder engine conjugates well. This soft-touch powertrain takes the guesswork out of getting to know the machine. Easy to handle, the bike quickly puts its rider at ease. The riding position is relaxed, with very little pressure on the handlebars. Only the firm saddle leaves us in doubt as to the state of the rider's buttocks after a long ride. But it doesn't matter, because the suspension is comfortable enough not to lash out after every bump along the way. In front of your eyes, the road beckons, just waiting to be tamed; closer up, the attractive speedometer block, providing all the info you need, with a fuel gauge judiciously highlighted in the rev counter. Behind its rebellious exterior, the Kawa's got savoir vivre.
Well, almost. Because even if this 748 cm3 engine has something to smile about, the injection system is not without its faults, and spoils the engine's character somewhat. When revving up at low and mid-range, the engine doesn't respond instantly and picks up with a somewhat annoying jerk. This can be a bit annoying if you want to ease off the throttle in a bend, as the engine will hiccup in response when you're waiting for a slight pick-up in power... So remember to stall the throttle before entering the bend, if you want to get back on the gas as you exit the bend... without an unwelcome jerk.
The standard suspension settings didn't disappoint us in terms of comfort, but proved a little inadequate for sporty driving. The front suspension is more neutral than you'd expect, but efficient and precise, controlling the trajectory without a hitch; the rear, too soft, jerks a little under acceleration on corner exits. Not dangerous, but annoying, and much more sensitive over bumps. We'll have to think about stiffening it up a bit if we're thinking more about attack than rolling.
But it's the rider who will provoke the attack rather than the machine. Even if it doesn't look like it, the new Z 750 seems less playful than its predecessor. Although agile, the bike lacks the liveliness to be truly playful. It swings from bend to bend with ease, but we'd appreciate more spontaneity, a livelier, more impulsive chassis.
It's no slouch, far from it; it just seems wiser than the Z 750 before it, like a teenager coming of age. The engine's more polished character also plays a part. Even vibrations have disappeared, apart from a few tingles between 6,000 and 9,000 rpm. Admittedly, the early presence of torque smoothes the power curve, and a tooth less on the gearbox output sprocket wouldn't be superfluous. Nonetheless, underneath its bubbly exterior, the Z seems intent on becoming less marginal.
A less rebellious girl may be less exciting, but it's much more bearable in everyday life. The weight gain is barely noticeable (except when cornering, and even then...), and the Z is easy to drive. It's easy to maneuver, doesn't flinch at the thought of a tight U-turn, and looks at the city as a playground.
And you can count on the brakes to save you from any untimely scares. Powerful, controllable and with a very good feel, the petal discs and non-radial calipers don't disappoint. The rear is a decent retarder, but don't count on it for urgency.
The front is starting to wobble a bit. Need a steering damper? No, absolutely not. It's just that the total absence of protection has a certain influence on the arms at the speed I'm going. Let's just say that the steering starts to move when the speed has already cost you your license... a long time ago.
Your relations with the neighborhood will be more conciliatory. Little Z knows how to keep her voice down. Too well, in fact, for such an aggressively designed machine. Let's console ourselves: if you have to decelerate for a long time while still in gear (selector laziness), enjoy the sound of a turbine losing speed - Wwwhhiiiuuiuuuuuuoouuuuuuuu.... - Fun.
i was expecting to discover a junkie with wild manners - I've discovered a girlfriend who wants to have fun without getting in over her head. She's wild on the outside, but much nicer on the inside. The Z has lost some of its frivolity, but for the rest, it has what it takes to thrill more than one mid-size roadster enthusiast. The availability of its engine is an asset that cannot leave anyone indifferent. And when it comes to looks, it's hard to beat it.
M.B - manufacturer's photos
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Bikers' reviews Leave a review - 17 reviews
In 2021, to my great delight, we still see plenty of them, they age rather well and on the second-hand market, you can find some nice ones at around 4,000 euros with decent mileage.
Don't worry, an engine as solid and reliable as this, because it's not overly pushed and has plenty of torque, can easily withstand 40,000 km or even more if it's properly maintained
The rest had been rather well designed to produce a homogeneous machine at a contained price, certainly not very well suited to two-up riding, but at ease in town and on the road/highway, thanks to a rather long original transmission that makes it easy to reach a good 240 mph.
Suspension and braking were of rather basic design, but we were never caught out.
On the downside, the rather high gross vehicle weight makes the bike rather heavy and tiring on twisty roads and in really sporty mode
Frankly, it's better to buy a second-hand Z750 than a heavier Z800, which only offers 7hp more
As for the 950cc Z900, it's closer to a Z1000 than a mid-size roadster
Kawasaki should have modernized the Z750 by lightening it and boosting the engine a little more with 10/12 hp, rather than bringing out Z800s and 900s that simply copy the competition in their flight to the top with displacement... Rating : 4/5 Respond to Jeff2A
The only thing missing is the gear indicator, a small box available on the market, which plugs into the diag socket under the seat in 30 seconds. Rating : 5/5 Respond to Stef
We've exaggerated its handling shortcomings, but with good tires and the right suspension settings, you can have a lot of fun. Having said that, it's clear that this isn't a racing bike...
Rating : 5/5 Respond to dam
merci d\'avance
sincerely Rating : 1/5 Respond to auré
http://www.motoplanete.com/kawasaki/3639/Z-750-2012/contact.html#technique Rating : 5/5 Participate in the conversation
dynamic, energetic, nervous, pretty with a lot of character...yes yes I'm talking about my Z750 that I bought in 2011 in black and white.
Frankly, I'd recommend this KAWA to anyone who doesn't know which model to choose.
Hop on, I've just made myself want to go for a ride, I'll leave you to it and see you soon on the roads, biker friends.
:-) Michael
Rating : 5/5 Respond to michaelb1412
I've just bought mine from a dealership in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, where I was offered a substantial discount, a harbinger of the imminent arrival of a new model
So much the better and take advantage of the bargain
You can't refuse a 750 for the price of a 650... Rating : 5/5 Respond to Ptitparigo
I own an old generation Z but a friend of mine has just bought this famous 2008 edition. We're looking at it and comparing. Inevitably, everyone preaches for their parish and thinks theirs is the best ^^ But don't worry, both are very good bikes. Reliable, fuel-efficient (as long as you're not constantly teasing the red zone) and easy to handle, they're full of quality and leave the competition in the dust.
But beware!!! I was shocked to learn of a non-negligible flaw in the 2008 model. Don't look for the trunk... Niet, nada, keutchi, walou, in short, you'll have to come back! A detail that really stands out compared to the old version, which has a handy little space under the passenger seat for a toolbox, a rain suit or (and this is really important) a disc block!
Have a good ride! Rating : 5/5 Respond to Ura
i've had the 2008 abs version for 3 months now (the first 2 of which were bridled at 34hp) and frankly, as a first bike, it's nice. On the other hand, I haven't seen any real difference in acceleration once it's unbridled, it's pretty much kiff-kiff, it just pulls the arms a bit more and you have to be careful when changing gear as it takes more revs otherwise it lifts..
Rating : 5/5 Respond to Manuto
You need to think about adjusting the suspension for the attacks
A+ Rating : 5/5 Respond to Fredo
Rating : 5/5 Respond to max47