I bought this bike primarily to ride to and from work. So far, the bike has performed well, and has never gotten less than 50 MPG. The single cylinder does want a little in the power department, but has a very wide torque curve and performs as well as you could expect a single to perform. Throttle response is crisp, and the transmission shifts nicely. The bike handles traffic well and cruises nicely around 70 MPH, and tops out at about 98. The bike will not break 100 MPH with factory gearing and sprockets. Its torque curve suggests that a sprocket change could increase top speed considerably, and possibly gas mileage, but keep in mind that this bike is a dual sport, and isn't designed for that kind of speed. With noted effort, you can bring the front wheel off the ground in 1st gear and 1st gear only. Throttle wheelies have proven impossible, at least for me.
Seat height is a little tall and takes some getting used to, but with just a little practice I got used to just letting the bike lean a little to the left at stops, allowing me to plant my left foot firmly on the ground. The bike has proved very comfortable on my 25 mile commute to work. The windscreen is actually quite functional and keeps the majority of wind off of upper torso and neck.
As far as quality, well, the bike is made in Thailand, and it's about what you would expect. But for the price, it seems to be overall acceptable. I haven't found any real flaws in workmanship; it's just that some parts of the bike have a "cheap" feel to them. The fairing wasn't mounted squarely, and some nuts and bolts needed tightening off the show room floor.
I haven't ridden the bike off road much; a couple of open fields, creek beds, and gravel roads are about it. At slow maneuvering speeds, it's necessary to really ride the clutch, as even 1st gear is too high for crawling speeds. It has a relatively high center of gravity and the suspension seems to be too soft for much serious off road use, especially the front springs, which seem a little soft for street use at times, as well. There are some progressive springs available on the aftermarket, but I haven't purchased them yet. I don't think anyone will be catching any major air with this bike, but it is a capable off road machine.
If you dump this bike, expect to break something, especially on the left side. The bike is liquid cooled, and the radiator is mounted on the left side of the frame in front of the gas tank. Kawasaki didn't figure in much protection for this little radiator so it's very, very vulnerable. Again, there are protectors for this available on the aftermarket, but I haven't bought those yet, either.
The gas tank holds over 6 gallons, and although adding considerably to the high center of gravity of this bike when full, it affords considerable cruising range. I've been averaging about 250 miles before having to switch to reserve.
The stock tires, especially the rear, seem to be wearing very quickly. From the looks of it I'll be lucky to get 3000 miles out of the rear. These tires, although dual sport, seem to be more off road oriented than street, so they are probably made from a very soft rubber, attributing to the rapid tire wear. I'll use a more street oriented tire for my type of riding when I change it and will probably benefit from much longer tire life.
Over all, my opinion is this bike is the most bike you can get in its price range. It's attractive, economical, and although no power house, has enough power to battle highway traffic. There is a huge aftermarket for this bike allowing easy customizing, and insurance is really cheap as well. Buy it, you'll like it.
Upgrades/Accessories: Bone stock.
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