[prabhul]

Originally Posted by anshumandun

That said, Kawasaki makes amazing bikes so finally it's worth all the trouble. I love the Z800 so I am sure that Z900 will be even more amazing. Let me know when you get the bike, you can join our Z riding group in Bangalore. As a group, we find a lot of ways to escape the pathetic servicing from Kawasaki through DIYs and external technicians.

What do you think about the touring abilities of the Z900. May be around 500kms in a day?
I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.
Experts can the Z900 be a decent tourer?

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by prabhul

What do you think about the touring abilities of the Z900. May be around 500kms in a day?

Question should be how many can you/want to do in a day. The bike can do 5000kms in a day if the rider is capable.

I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.
Experts can the Z900 be a decent tourer?

If touring is your requirement, the Versys is better suited than the Z900 as it offers better wind protection, upright seating position and stress free parallel twin engine.

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by prabhul

I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.
Experts can the Z900 be a decent tourer?

Perhaps you can take a cue from this travelogue of Z800 & Versys650 riders.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...rabad-goa.html

Post #12 for z800 owner's feedback & post #11 for Versys650 owner's take on same.

[Amey Kulkarni]

Originally Posted by prabhul

What do you think about the touring abilities of the Z900. May be around 500kms in a day?
I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.
Experts can the Z900 be a decent tourer?

I have a friend who does Pune - Bangalore - Pune every month at least once which is 850 odd Kms one way on his Z800 pretty comfortably and joins us for weekend rides too without any major stress or fatigue.

The bikes are very much capable of outperforming your desires; you just have to introspect yourself on how fit you are and can do how many Kms in a day.

Cheers,
Amey

[anshumandun]

Originally Posted by prabhul

What do you think about the touring abilities of the Z900. May be around 500kms in a day?
I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.
Experts can the Z900 be a decent tourer?

Versys is designed for touring, Z series is designed for fun!

If you are into hardcore touring and like to do off-roading, Versys is the way to go. Versys is a-go anywhere bike.

Z800 is more of a road rocket. Brutal acceleration and inline 4 symphony is something to die for. If the roads are good and rider is capable, 500 kms in a day is an easy task for the Z. Z900 will be similar or better than Z800 as long as touring capability is concerned.

[rb2399]

Originally Posted by prabhul

What do you think about the touring abilities of the Z900. May be around 500kms in a day?
I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.
Experts can the Z900 be a decent tourer?

One important aspect here is the RON requirement as far as the petrol that goes into both the Z and the Versys.
The Z mandates minimum RON 95 whereas Versys can safely run on RON 87/91.

Finding RON 95 on highways is impossible because there are very few pumps that sell RON 95 in big cities, forget the highways !

But RON 91 is available in abundance across the country

So if it's country wide touring is in your mind,please be aware of this.

P.S. This comes from my own experience of riding my Z800 to sikkim and ER-6n (it shares the same engine with Versys as you know) before that to other parts of the country !

[anshumandun]

Originally Posted by rb2399

One important aspect here is the RON requirement as far as the petrol that goes into both the Z and the Versys.
The Z mandates minimum RON 95 whereas Versys can safely run on RON 87/91. !

I don't quite agree. The manual of Z800 clearly mentions that RON91 or above fuel is okay for Z800. The sticker on the fuel tank for Z800 says RON95 though. So RON95 is recommended for Z but its not mandatory. I and fellow riders fill RON91 during touring and it has never been a problem.

That said, I've tried RON99 once and the Z was a different beast with that fuel

[rb2399]

Originally Posted by anshumandun

I don't quite agree. The manual of Z800 clearly mentions that RON91 or above fuel is okay for Z800. The sticker on the fuel tank for Z800 says RON95 though. So RON95 is recommended for Z but its not mandatory. I and fellow riders fill RON91 during touring and it has never been a problem.

That said, I've tried RON99 once and the Z was a different beast with that fuel

I think we are going OT here but I don't know which manual you're referring to :-)

Here's a link to the owner's manual (Z800,2016 model) that states the AKI of 90 which is equivalent to RON 95 !

https://ownersmanuals2.com/kawasaki/...-65115/page-66

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

[rashreddy]

Originally Posted by anshumandun

Kawasaki sales and service experience, both are pathetic in Bangalore. Be aware of this before you take the plunge.

When we buy a SBK, we have high expectations from the dealer but don't be surprised if the dealer gives you your bike keys and tell you to take your bike from the basement on the day of delivery! Yes, this has happened with my friends who ride Z800.

The service is equally pathetic and I say that from my personal experience. They won't take the call, not inform you when the bike is ready and touch your bike with oily dirty hands. They are not very skillful either.

That said, Kawasaki makes amazing bikes so finally it's worth all the trouble. I love the Z800 so I am sure that Z900 will be even more amazing. Let me know when you get the bike, you can join our Z riding group in Bangalore. As a group, we find a lot of ways to escape the pathetic servicing from Kawasaki through DIYs and external technicians.

You nailed it sir. It's only because of the amazing bikes that Kawasaki makes that we need to tolerate this lethargic atittude.experienced it today as well. Last week update was they will give me some positive news by end of May. Called today he doesn't pick and now Casually tells me the bikes are on the way in some ship from Thailand. God knows when I will actually receive it

[prabhul]

Originally Posted by Amey Kulkarni

I have a friend who does Pune - Bangalore - Pune every month at least once which is 850 odd Kms one way on his Z800 pretty comfortably and joins us for weekend rides too without any major stress or fatigue.

The bikes are very much capable of outperforming your desires; you just have to introspect yourself on how fit you are and can do how many Kms in a day.

Cheers,
Amey

Good to know this from Z800 owner. As far as my fitness is concerned, last week did a 450km in my Classic500 and back to office straight after the ride.
Took around 7 hours, wanted to go fast but C500 with its vibrations post 100 was a big pain. Main reason want to sell it and move to higher capacity.
I haven't ridden any Kawa, so cant comment my fitness on those.
Main reason for Z900 is inline 4 sound. If versys can sound as good as Z900 then that would be my choice.

[ashroy_6]

Well had a chat with the sales guy from Kawasaki and he says for anyone (hyderabad) to see z900 and other models they can see it at there showroom in jubliee hills next to audi showroom. The showroom is not ready according to him but the bikes are parked in the basement. This after atleast 30 unanswered calls from my side.

Secondly, i was under the impression that now Kawasaki have there own company showroom but i was informed that the hyderabad showroom is owned by orange auto?

[idpsharma]

Originally Posted by prabhul

Good to know this from Z800 owner. As far as my fitness is concerned, last week did a 450km in my Classic500 and back to office straight after the ride.
Took around 7 hours, wanted to go fast but C500 with its vibrations post 100 was a big pain. Main reason want to sell it and move to higher capacity.
I haven't ridden any Kawa, so cant comment my fitness on those.
Main reason for Z900 is inline 4 sound. If versys can sound as good as Z900 then that would be my choice.

I was under the same dilemma, wanted a touring bike which sounds and pulls like Z800 and finally ended up taking Z800. Did a Hyd-Goa ride in March which was 700+ kms one way and took almost 14hrs due to many breaks, bad/single roads. For me it was not too tiring, the only concern was hard seat due to which my back became sore, secondly the windblast (can be sorted with a windshield) and more over my fitness is not that great either.

So Z900 should have better dynamics and seating ergonomics due to the improvements made over Z800. The seat I guess is going to remain hard as its a street fighter, but we do have after market options like gel seat and memory foam additions to make it feel better. But one thing is for sure a street fighter/naked bike can never match the comfort levels of a touring bike. So the call is yours.....id suggest ride all the bikes you short listed back to back and then decide.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by prabhul

I like the Versys650(love touring) but the Inline 4(read sound), keeps me tilted towards Z900.

Had the same dilemma with the Versys 650 and Z800. Booked the Z800 and finally bought the Versys 650.

Realized that I may be able to live with the lack of sound (though that desire will still be there), but the lack of comfort will keep nagging me on every single ride. Thankfully, only the Versys 1000 has made me repent giving up on the sound, and that's way beyond my budget.

Will buy the Versys 1000 some day. Till then, I'll just enjoy the silence of the 650 twin.

PS - Hope you have considered the CBR650F. A compromise (which you may like, or not as in my case) between inline4 sound and touring comfort.

[idpsharma]

Yes as Crazy Driver mentioned try out sports tourers, ofcourse they are not as comfortable but it may meet your expectations. You may also want to have a look at Ninja 1000 which is a sports tourer and much comfortable than Z800 but you might have to increase your budget, more over i heard that some showrooms are giving big discounts on older 2016 models.

[Amey Kulkarni]

Originally Posted by prabhul

Good to know this from Z800 owner. As far as my fitness is concerned, last week did a 450km in my Classic500 and back to office straight after the ride.
Took around 7 hours, wanted to go fast but C500 with its vibrations post 100 was a big pain. Main reason want to sell it and move to higher capacity.
I haven't ridden any Kawa, so cant comment my fitness on those.
Main reason for Z900 is inline 4 sound. If versys can sound as good as Z900 then that would be my choice.

Enfields are a different league of bikes when it comes to touring. The rider is pretty relaxed and cruising at comfortable speeds.

When it comes to higher capacity motorcycles, you would be cruising at higher speeds than REs and requires a lot of focus when you ride. The speeds especially are very deceptive and tall sitting, riding posture, the adrenaline can get you weary.

The Versys possesses a twin cylinder and does not sound anywhere near the I4 of Z900. If your requirement is just touring; weekend rides and no off-roading; Z900 is the bike to own else you can also look at Triumph Tiger as an all-rounder with great exhaust note of the magic Inline 3.

Cheers,
Amey