Kawasaki ZXR400

Owner - Stephen Wilkinson
Bike - WHEEEEEEHHEHEEHEHEHEH!!!!
Details - 399cc, 4 cyl, 4 stroke, 4 carbs, 16 valve, DOHC, restricted to 33bhp 'cos of me license, quick as you like, 140mph top speed.

A gorgeous like scratcher. And he wants a chopper...

I walked into Whites one fine day to buy a bungee net. I walked out carrying all the required figures for the deal on 4995 of prime Kawasaki ZXR400. An 'R' reg machine, in immaculate condition and only 1800 miles on the clock she was a fine machine.

My first real bike. She...

A) Went very quickly. Even at 33bhp she could easily outrun my dad's 'R' reg, 2.0 litre, 16 valve, Turboed Escort. The certificate for the restrictor kit said that the top speed was limited to 93.7mph, however I know this to be bollocks after a kamikaze run down the A689 and A1 late one evening when I had the speedo wavering over an indicated 155mph. I reckoned that was close on an actual 140mph, anyway the other few cars on the road were going backwards and I never realised quite how short the A1 really was. She even wheelied straight off the throttle once, a complete accident. I hadn't quite got used to the six speed box and thought I was in 3rd gear when I was 2nd. I whacked on the throttle and Angela was only then staying on the bike by means of digging her feet into my armpits.

B) stopped even quicker and was able to lock the back wheel in most circumstances. The most notable one being the first time she went out in the wet and I was riding like a twat as usual. I came round a corner and came across a stationary queue of traffic, SHIT!. Anchors on, back wheel locked up and I went careering sideways in the direction of a brand spanking new Mercedes (the look on the guy's face as he watched from out of his back windscreen was a picture)... anyway I managed to straighten the bike up and then release the brake before coming to a calm controlled halt. I waved and smiled at the Mercedes man.

C) She cornered like she was on rails, which my 250 didn't.

It all ended three months down the line when some silly old cow in a silly old car came the wrong way up a one way system and caused me to down her in the process of getting out of the way. Along came a bill for 1700 worth of exhausts and plastics, some pain killers and a neck brace. The insurance has since been sorted and I'm getting my fair share but the ZXR went up for sale and she's no longer wanted by me. I've finally come out of the closet and admitted that I prefer one off customs, chops, trikes and the like. The ZXR will soon be part-exed for around 1500 and an Aprilia Europa 125cc for Angela.