Handling, shmandling...........Change the tire size and the suspension setup to suit your preferences, and any bike can improve.

i don't haev the shifting problem with my 04. It runs like a raped ape on crack I LOVE IT. -1 on the front sprocket and it takes off. Only complaint is the calipers little squishy, i wanna get some nissins of a newer zx14 for little more bite.

I rode an 05 before i bought mine and loved it, but this one was black : ).

The newer zx10s dont do much for me 2nd or 3rd gen

Ya know my buddy had an 04 too. It was a later build date than mine and it shifted fine. Mine was terrible and the hotter the engine/trans/clutch got the worse it got. Other than that, no complaint about that bike. I think the 04/05 are one of, if not the best looking sportbikes ever made. Kaws don't need graphics all over them to make them look good. The lines of the 04/05 gen are just about perfect.
And Homeslice, you're right that you can change tires, bike geometry and whatever to improve handling. But some bikes just don't work for some riders no matter what you try. I did a lot of tweaking on suspension settings, spring rates, tires and ride heights, etc and it just never felt good. At the moment it's the best it's ever been though, for me.

If you big boys cant handle to power beween your legs then maybe you should gize up the bikes and leave it to the real boys like me

does your gen 1 run hot in town, mine heats up whenever not doin 50+
Imma add some engine ice or water wetter

I liked my Gen 1 a lot, except for the cracked engine block (got screwed by the dealer and Kawasaki both, long story). I wasn't even going to buy another Kawasaki, but I got a good deal on my Gen 2 that cut some of the sting out of the cracked Gen 1.

To avoid the costs of cans, I went with A&R baffles. That is the cheapest way to get a good sound out of a Gen 2.

The Gen 1 was a bit more "raw" feeling. The Gen 2 feels a little more refined. As far as weight is concerned, I can't really tell the difference. Maybe it feels heavier just because the power delivery is smoother? I dunno.

In a nutshell, I'm happy with either bike. But, I'm still pissed off about the raw deal I got on my Gen 1, and wish that bike ended up being a keeper. It is better looking, IMO.

comfort is more of a personal preference than anything.. some will like the feel of the 04/05, some will like the 06/07... my last track bike was a ZX7R... you want to talk about PIG...

when I purchased my 07 Zx10 in april of 08, I was happy with it.. or else i wouldbt have bought it... I had ridden plenty of other bikes in comparison including an 05 model... for me... the 07 actually feels more comfortable.


Power is decent... smooth delivery.. but a little flat under 6k...

and handling??? well I don't see any problem with that...I've had the stock suspension set for me, running good rubber... and it handles just fine... i have no problem puttin thr screws to the 600's in the tighter sections of the tracks at trackdays...

I don't remember how hot my 04 ran, and I haven't had this 05 in town much so far, plus it's been kinda cool temp wise in Ohio.....
Jtemple, what in the hell caused the block to crack on your old bike???

To make a long story short, I bought an untitled Kawasaki demo bike from a dealer. It had 4400 miles on it and was otherwise in perfect condition. I got it home, and discovered a coolant leak. I took it to an expert, who said it was a casting flaw in the block and most likely came like that from the factory. Both the dealer and Kawasaki told me to get lost, since I bought the bike as-is. I fought with them for probably 2 months, including hand-written letters and a report to the BBB. Rather than fuck with it, I traded it back in for an new '06 and ended up eating most of the cost of replacing the block on the '05.

Lessons learned: I'll probably never buy a used bike again, and I am definitely not going back to that dealer to buy anything.

I might also hesitate to own another Kawasaki again. The only reason I got the '06 was because it was a leftover model from the same dealer, and the haggled price on it helped take the sting out of the '05's instant decline in value.

No other dealership would take the '05 in trade, once they discovered the leak. I even had a new '07 about ready to drive off the lot at a different dealership, when they found the '05's leak and told me to get lost.

I don't mind smearing their name around. The dealership is Start City Motor Sports in Lincoln, NE.

a buddy of mine got one of the first 04's. he had the same problem. the shop had it forever because like you said, it was a design flaw and they were going to have to pull a new motor off the line to get him another. he ended up getting it lemon lawed because it took too long to get it out of the shop. he did buy his new from the dealer though.

I figured the lesson was not to buy the first year model of a new production bike. I had even told him not to get it yet, let them work the bugs out of it.