So you purchased a ZR-7(s) and now you want to know what to do next!  Well, you're at the right place!  Listed below is a collection of tips, tricks and ideas representing the most common things that new owners should be aware of. 

First things first  Read the ZR-7 FAQ's, which will answer many of the questions that you have or will have in the near future.  Click here to open a new window for the FAQ's.  You can also access the FAQ's from the link on the home page.

Ok, now that we have that out of the way, let's get down to the nitty-gritty!

(Once you've gone through these basic items, be sure to visit the ZR-7 Forums and check out the wealth of information available from the hundreds of ZR-7 owners on the site.  Once you visit, you'll never leave!)

Index:
Basic Maintenance Questions
Handling the Bike
The Break-In Blues
Modifications

Basic Maintenance Questions

1) ALERT! You may have already seen this in the FAQ's, but it's worth repeating.  Check the torque on the exhaust collar nuts periodically for the first couple thousand miles.  These are notorious for coming loose on new ZR-7's.  Just to clarify, these are the nuts holding on the aluminum collars which keep the exhaust pipes tight against the front of the motor.  The correct torque is 20 ft-lbs.  You can also put some loctite on them if you want to be rid of the problem for good.

2) Check your tire pressure often.  36 psi is the recommend pressure for both front and rear.  New tires seem to lose pressure more than a broken-in tire, so check it every couple of days during the first few hundred miles and at least weekly after that.

3) The first service interval is at 600 miles.  It is CRITICAL that the oil and filter be changed at this time.  The filter will be full of tiny metal shavings from the internal engine parts being broken in.  Even if you choose not to take the bike back to the shop for the first service, make sure you change the oil and filter at 600 miles.

4) You may notice some vibration in the handlebars and/or footpegs and/or seat when the engine is revving in the 4800-5200 rpm range.  This is normal.  Common concensus is that this vibration is caused by the exhaust, since replacing the pipe with an aftermarket slip-on almost always eliminates the vibes.  Also, the vibes subside quite a bit after the first 1500 miles or so.  Some people have drilled holes in the baffle in the stock pipe and reports a reduction in the vibes also.

4) If you have a 2001 or later ZR-7S model (with the fairing) you may notice some annoying vibration coming from the fairing itself.  This is quite common, and has been reported by many owners.  Check the Maintenance page for tips on getting rid of the problem.

Handling the Bike

1) You'll find that the ZR-7 has excellent low speed handling characteristics.  HOWEVER - owners of new bikes, particularly if this is your first bike, will often have mishaps and drop the bike either when it's parked or while stopping or turning at slow speeds.  When parking the bike, make sure you put the kick stand down.  Sounds like a "duh!" comment, but it's very common to forget on a new bike.  When turning at slow speeds, be VERY careful with the front brake.  Grab a handful, and you'll likely drop the bike.

2) Ok, so despite that excellent advice, you've dropped the bike anyway..... now you need to get it back up on 2 wheels.  The ZR-7 is pretty heavy to lift by yourself, but it's doable for most average riders.  The key is to use leverage to your advantage.  Don't try to just grab the bike and lift with your upper body.  Grab onto the luggage rail under the tailpiece with one hand and the handlebar grip with the other.  Bend your knees and lean your hip into the side of the seat.  Start pushing up with your legs, using your hip as leverage against the bike.  Pull up on the rail with your arm at the same time.  If you try this and can't get the bike up, just stop right there and get some help.  If you do manage to get the bike upright, be VERY careful as it comes up that you don't push too far and drop the bike right over on the other side.  If it fell over on the right side, flip the kick stand out on the left side before lifting the bike and that will help you if you do accidentally flip it over.  

3) Don't ride with a passenger until you've got a few hundred miles under your belt on the bike.  It will handle WAY different with a passenger and you need to be very comfortable with the bike before you should attempt it.  Wait until you feel completely at ease riding solo.

The Break-In Blues

1) On a new bike, you should have a sticker on the tach that lists the break-in RPM limits for the engine.  The factory recommends keeping it under 4k for the first 500 miles and 6k for the next 500 miles.  It's up to you if you decide to stick to those limits to the letter, or if you occasionally "cheat" and rev it a little higher.  The two things that are the most important for break-in are 1) Do NOT lug the engine during break-in.  Lugging is when you're at a low RPM (say under 2000) and you crank the throttle open wide while under a load (like going uphill).  The engine will slowly pull itself up through the RPM range from that low point, but it will not be good for it.  Try to keep your RPM's up in the power range (say over 2500), particularly while going uphill.  Downshift to a lower gear to keep things going strong.  2) Vary your RPM as much as possible during the first 500 miles.  In other words, don't break the motor in by taking a 500 mile trip on the highway.  Do some stop-and-go riding frequently to give the engine a full range of operating conditions during break-in. 

Modifications

The ZR-7 is a great bike for tweaking to your own tastes, both mechanically and aesthetically.  The most common mechanical modifications are:

1) Idle mixture screw adjustment.  Many ZR-7's seem to exhibit an off-idle throttle hesitation due to being jetted lean from the factory.  You may notice this when riding around town, going around low-speed corners and cracking the throttle open just  a little bit in the corner.  The bike will sort of "hic-up" for a split second before the RPM's pick up.  This can be very disconcerting while in a corner, since it sort of makes the bike a little "jerky".  The "standard" fix for this is to turn out the idle mixture screws on the carburetors farther than the factory settings.  Most people have settled in the 2 to 2 1/2 turn range.  This can be done as part of a full re-jet with the carbs removed (see the Maintenance page for a pictoral guide) or with the carbs still on.  A complete rejetting kit is offered through our affiliated MotoSpecialties site here.

2) Slip-on exhaust pipe (This is often an aesthetic improvement also).  There are many manufacturers who produce slip-ons for the ZR-7.  Check out the Accessories page for a listing.  All of them will be louder than the stock pipe, some really loud and others more mellow.