ZG 1300 Voyager

[Me Again]

Ran across some specs on the KAWASAKI ZG 1300 Voyager 1984 - 1989.
These were only sold in Europe .Rather interesting differences if these specs are accurate .
http://www.autoevolution.com/moto/kawas ... -1984-1286

[trikebldr]

One of the specs is most definitely WAY off; the weight! 652lbs? NO WAY! Add at least another 300lbs to that! Fuel mileage is a lot lower than we actually get, too! What they list is about what I get pulling a sidecar at 70-80mph. Also, they say it has a top end of 145km/h? Change that to mph! I had my '83 to 141mph a couple of times, with a bit more throttle left. They list the rear brake rotor as smaller than the fronts. My rear disc is almost exactly one inch larger than the fronts. All of my Voyagers only had five speed gearboxes. Wish mine had a six speed.
I just don't believe a lot of their stats listed. The bike in the pic looks too much like the U.S. version to be so different as these specs say. The weight is the big issue I have with these figures. Both of my Voyagers weighed in over 950lbs when I brought them home. My '84 weighed 988lbs due to all of the Markland accessories on it. My '85 weighs 956lbs. The supplement manual for the ZN lists the weight at 908lbs, wet. My old '83 weighed in at 961lbs brand new when I brought it home before I added anything to it. It had all of the options like the CB radio module and intercom.

Just reviewed the Kawasaki KZ1300 manual and seems they used a lot of the KZ's specs here. Weight and rotor sizes are straight out of the KZ manual.
The fuel injected engines of the ZN's have a bit more power than the KZ's carbs, so that might account for the discrepancy in the top end figures, along with the aerodynamic advantage of the fairing.
A larger rear rotor than the KZ does make sense since the Voyager has more rear wheel weight so it would make the rear wheel more effective at stopping the bike. Both of my stock Voyagers have 300mm front rotors and a 330mm rear rotor.
I just can't accept that they had a six speed tranny, though! That would mean a whole new bottom end design for the engine and that just doesn't make sense that Kawasaki would spend that much for a special version. Even the KZ's had the same 5 speed tranny that the ZN has.

[Lucasind]

Those were my thoughts last week when I read this initial post...."6 speed gearbox" no way !
The number of bikes sent to Europe would never warrant the expense of design and production of a different bottom end.

[Me Again]

The weight and 6 speed were the main questions in my mind.
BUT, it is European , heck these people drive on the wrong side of the road.