Anyone thinks Kawasaki's quality is slightly lower compared to other bikes?

umairhashmi · 06-15-2009, 06:46 PM

I never really noticed this before until i started working at a dealership myself and saw the entire lineup up close and had a chance to compare them head to head with Honda and Suzuki. For some reason a lot of people i asked and even what i could tell myself by touching the plastics and other materials it feels like Kawasaki uses somewhat inferior material in their bikes compared to the other guys (primarily honda and then suzuki). And their prices seem to reflect this too because right now Kawasaki's models are the cheapest in the entire literbike and 600ss class. I suppose its a you get what you pay for story but you do get a lot of bang for your buck if you thinking about performance only and not about long term reliability.
What do you guys think?
BTW im not a Kawi hater. I sold a Zx14 today lol

tached1000rr · 06-15-2009, 07:13 PM

Not sure but I seem to hear more about Suzuki's or GSXRs being cheaply made in terms of plastics etc. I wanted to ask since it appears you owned both, but since you sold the ZX14 and kept the busa that you prefer the busa. Could you give a comparison of the two from your viewpoint? I'm trying to decide between the two, in terms of looks I like the front end of the busa but don't like the back end, and with the 14 I love the bike but not crazy about the front end.

umairhashmi · 06-15-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tached1000rr

Not sure but I seem to hear more about Suzuki's or GSXRs being cheaply made in terms of plastics etc. I wanted to ask since it appears you owned both, but since you sold the ZX14 and kept the busa that you prefer the busa. Could you give a comparison of the two from your viewpoint? I'm trying to decide between the two, in terms of looks I like the front end of the busa but don't like the back end, and with the 14 I love the bike but not crazy about the front end.

Im a salesman. I own a busa but because i work at a dealership i get to play with all of them so i just feel personally that the materials in the kawi tend to be a bit cheaper while honda's tend to be the best. Although keep in consideration that kawi is the cheapest in terms of price while honda is the most expensive.

BobTheBiker · 06-15-2009, 07:19 PM

quality wise, kawi is the bottom of the barrel. suzuki is 2nd lowest, with the top two being Yamaha at #2, and Honda with the honor of #1.

I see a lot of kawi's designs that are just straight up shit, as are several ideas they have, unlike Honda's bikes where I've REGULARLY observed innovative and very well thought out designs. This starts WAY back with the CB750's up to the modern CBR 600's with the antilock brake setup.

tached1000rr · 06-15-2009, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobTheBiker

quality wise, kawi is the bottom of the barrel. suzuki is 2nd lowest, with the top two being Yamaha at #2, and Honda with the honor of #1.

I see a lot of kawi's designs that are just straight up shit, as are several ideas they have, unlike Honda's bikes where I've REGULARLY observed innovative and very well thought out designs. This starts WAY back with the CB750's up to the modern CBR 600's with the antilock brake setup.

I've always been a Honda guy, if we could only talk the bean counters into making a modern "hypersport" machine to compete in the same class with the Busa and ZX14

umairhashmi · 06-15-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobTheBiker

quality wise, kawi is the bottom of the barrel. suzuki is 2nd lowest, with the top two being Yamaha at #2, and Honda with the honor of #1.

I see a lot of kawi's designs that are just straight up shit, as are several ideas they have, unlike Honda's bikes where I've REGULARLY observed innovative and very well thought out designs. This starts WAY back with the CB750's up to the modern CBR 600's with the antilock brake setup.

Well performance wise kawis arent that bad. Most of the stunters i know prefer the kawis over any other brand. I just feel overall the material of the plastics and other small stuff like instrument cluster doesnt have the feeling of being high quality. Remember im just a salesman but even the mechanics who have worked on these things for decades tend to agree with that. But i respect the fact that opinions are like a$$holes and everyone has one.

zed · 06-15-2009, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by umairhashmi

But i respect the fact that opinions are like a$$holes and everyone has one.

all the mechanics I have worked with (only one shop I worked in included Honda) thought Kawasaki was higher as far as build quality. I say dependability wise, get a Honda but there are only two Honda's I'd own and they don't make one of them any more.

popularity wise I think Suzuki has that hands down, odd that you say stunters like the Kawi's in your area, seems most ride Suzuki's around the places I have lived.

Homeslice · 06-15-2009, 08:14 PM

IMO, Kawasaki engines are durable, but their valvetrain is kinda noisy. Also, their overall fit & finish is nowhere near Yamaha's. Take the old 636's for example.......Thin paint and ugly cockpit w/cheap trim compared to the R6.

IMO Yamaha has always been the best. Better paint and smoother engines than the others. People say Honda is the best but they have no clue........Honda's paint is usually thin, their engines are buzzy compared to Yamaha, and their charging systems frequently go to shit. Yamaha is the best IMO. Shit, my old R6 had a smoother engine than my 929.

jtemple · 06-15-2009, 08:18 PM

I have no complaints about my Kawi.

zed · 06-15-2009, 08:25 PM

I could care less about paint thickness or if the vavle train is a little noisy. as long as it starts every time I get on it and hit the start button and nothing falls off and it shifts into gear when I want it too.

I'm more concerned with the welds than the paint thickness too.

sorry man but I'm just not concerned with minor things. aestetics are not what gets you home after a ride (like what we tell the cruiser guys, "chrome won't get you home")

06-15-2009, 08:14 PM	#8
Homeslice Elitist Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Moto: Gix 750 Posts: 11,351	IMO, Kawasaki engines are durable, but their valvetrain is kinda noisy. Also, their overall fit & finish is nowhere near Yamaha's. Take the old 636's for example.......Thin paint and ugly cockpit w/cheap trim compared to the R6. IMO Yamaha has always been the best. Better paint and smoother engines than the others. People say Honda is the best but they have no clue........Honda's paint is usually thin, their engines are buzzy compared to Yamaha, and their charging systems frequently go to shit. Yamaha is the best IMO. Shit, my old R6 had a smoother engine than my 929. Last edited by Homeslice; 06-15-2009 at 08:18 PM..

06-15-2009, 06:46 PM	#1
umairhashmi Broward Motorsports Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach,Florida Moto: 2006 Gsx1300R Hayabusa Posts: 61	Anyone thinks Kawasaki's quality is slightly lower compared to other bikes? I never really noticed this before until i started working at a dealership myself and saw the entire lineup up close and had a chance to compare them head to head with Honda and Suzuki. For some reason a lot of people i asked and even what i could tell myself by touching the plastics and other materials it feels like Kawasaki uses somewhat inferior material in their bikes compared to the other guys (primarily honda and then suzuki). And their prices seem to reflect this too because right now Kawasaki's models are the cheapest in the entire literbike and 600ss class. I suppose its a you get what you pay for story but you do get a lot of bang for your buck if you thinking about performance only and not about long term reliability. What do you guys think? BTW im not a Kawi hater. I sold a Zx14 today lol __________________ Broward Motorsports of West Palm Beach For all New and Used Sportbikes, Cruisers, Dirtbikes, Atvs, Personal Watercrafts and Sportboats at the best prices. 954-579-9571

06-15-2009, 07:13 PM	#2
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	Not sure but I seem to hear more about Suzuki's or GSXRs being cheaply made in terms of plastics etc. I wanted to ask since it appears you owned both, but since you sold the ZX14 and kept the busa that you prefer the busa. Could you give a comparison of the two from your viewpoint? I'm trying to decide between the two, in terms of looks I like the front end of the busa but don't like the back end, and with the 14 I love the bike but not crazy about the front end.

06-15-2009, 07:19 PM	#4
BobTheBiker too much time on my hands Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: the northern district of god damn Moto: 01 ZX6R, looking for more now. Posts: 1,802	quality wise, kawi is the bottom of the barrel. suzuki is 2nd lowest, with the top two being Yamaha at #2, and Honda with the honor of #1. I see a lot of kawi's designs that are just straight up shit, as are several ideas they have, unlike Honda's bikes where I've REGULARLY observed innovative and very well thought out designs. This starts WAY back with the CB750's up to the modern CBR 600's with the antilock brake setup.

06-15-2009, 08:18 PM	#9
jtemple Geek Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Papillion, Nebraska Moto: 2011 Husqvarna TE630 Posts: 1,437	I have no complaints about my Kawi.

06-15-2009, 08:25 PM	#10
zed yellow don't corner well Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kansas City, KS Moto: 06 ZX10R Posts: 1,243	I could care less about paint thickness or if the vavle train is a little noisy. as long as it starts every time I get on it and hit the start button and nothing falls off and it shifts into gear when I want it too. I'm more concerned with the welds than the paint thickness too. sorry man but I'm just not concerned with minor things. aestetics are not what gets you home after a ride (like what we tell the cruiser guys, "chrome won't get you home")