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No this is not a thread reviewing a cheesy Japanese horror film.
Now that I've got Kong ('80 Special) running good I've had a chance to do some direct comparisons between it and Zilla ('82 Maxim). Both of these bikes are bone stock...I think...I know Zilla is and it appears Kong is too unless the guy before me did mods I'm not aware of. Nothing obvious though.
POWER
Kong has significant (read noticable) kick over Zilla...especially in the upper mid range. They both come out of the hole about same but once they hit 4-5000 rpm, Kong pulls much harder out to redline. Zilla feels flat and a little sluggish. Also the Maxim starts missing very slightly as it approaches redline. ???
Starving for fuel maybe?
I hear that Yammy designed the Maxim to get better mpg than it's predecessors...but the XS was a bit more powerful. I think Zilla runs a little lean. Probably a re-jetting and a CDI that advances the timing back to where the XS is would make a big difference. But as it stands Kong will thump Zilla on acceleration and pulling.
HANDLING
Again...AFAIK...these are both stock bikes, except that Kong has a Mustang seat. Still handling is where Zilla rules. He is much more stable than Kong. Kong feels "shaky" at times. Zilla feels like its on rails in the curves. Kong makes me skiddish in the twisties. I'm sure this has to do with the fact that the Maxim had a factory fork brace built into the front fender. Also the position of the rider on the XJ is quite a bit lower than on the XS and the handle bars are much improved on the big Maxim as well. Bob Jones also indicated Yamaha stiffened the frame on the Maxim.
RIDE QUALITY/COMFORT
Again...from my experience...Zilla has it hands down. Kong rides rougher. Even though I have the same air in the front forks. I'm sure new tires on Kong will improve the ride immensely. Also the Maxim has rear air shocks. They seem to ride smoother. But regardless the cause...the Maxim simply rides better.
There is more leg room on the Maxim. It's very obvious when you're riding the twain. When I looked closely the Maxim seat gives the driver 3-4 extra inches! Since both bikes have the same frame (dimensionally) I measured the distance from the triple tree bolt to the the back of the driver seat. On Zilla it is 39 inches but only 36 on Kong. Along the same lines...the horizontal distance from the foot pegs to the back of the driver seat is 17 on Zilla...14 on Kong. And boy does that 3 inches make a huge difference in leg room and resulting comfort.
The seat on the Maxim is longer but only by a couple inches. The big difference is where they positioned the seat on the XJ versus the XS. On the XJ it's back farther on the rear fender. Add to that the extra seat length and wah-lah...you have 3 extra inches.
SUMMARY
Kong is more powerful....Zilla is more comfortable. I think with suspension mod Kong will be much improved but It will never have that low seat like Zilla. On the other hand with a little tweaking (jetting/timing advance via performance CDI) I think Zilla would stay right with Kong. Either way they are both wonderful machines. I only wish I could figure a way ride both simultaneously (Russian style
) so I could take both to TeXSive next month.
Cody
Now that I've got Kong ('80 Special) running good I've had a chance to do some direct comparisons between it and Zilla ('82 Maxim). Both of these bikes are bone stock...I think...I know Zilla is and it appears Kong is too unless the guy before me did mods I'm not aware of. Nothing obvious though.
POWER
Kong has significant (read noticable) kick over Zilla...especially in the upper mid range. They both come out of the hole about same but once they hit 4-5000 rpm, Kong pulls much harder out to redline. Zilla feels flat and a little sluggish. Also the Maxim starts missing very slightly as it approaches redline. ???
Starving for fuel maybe?I hear that Yammy designed the Maxim to get better mpg than it's predecessors...but the XS was a bit more powerful. I think Zilla runs a little lean. Probably a re-jetting and a CDI that advances the timing back to where the XS is would make a big difference. But as it stands Kong will thump Zilla on acceleration and pulling.
HANDLING
Again...AFAIK...these are both stock bikes, except that Kong has a Mustang seat. Still handling is where Zilla rules. He is much more stable than Kong. Kong feels "shaky" at times. Zilla feels like its on rails in the curves. Kong makes me skiddish in the twisties. I'm sure this has to do with the fact that the Maxim had a factory fork brace built into the front fender. Also the position of the rider on the XJ is quite a bit lower than on the XS and the handle bars are much improved on the big Maxim as well. Bob Jones also indicated Yamaha stiffened the frame on the Maxim.
RIDE QUALITY/COMFORT
Again...from my experience...Zilla has it hands down. Kong rides rougher. Even though I have the same air in the front forks. I'm sure new tires on Kong will improve the ride immensely. Also the Maxim has rear air shocks. They seem to ride smoother. But regardless the cause...the Maxim simply rides better.
There is more leg room on the Maxim. It's very obvious when you're riding the twain. When I looked closely the Maxim seat gives the driver 3-4 extra inches! Since both bikes have the same frame (dimensionally) I measured the distance from the triple tree bolt to the the back of the driver seat. On Zilla it is 39 inches but only 36 on Kong. Along the same lines...the horizontal distance from the foot pegs to the back of the driver seat is 17 on Zilla...14 on Kong. And boy does that 3 inches make a huge difference in leg room and resulting comfort.
The seat on the Maxim is longer but only by a couple inches. The big difference is where they positioned the seat on the XJ versus the XS. On the XJ it's back farther on the rear fender. Add to that the extra seat length and wah-lah...you have 3 extra inches.
SUMMARY
Kong is more powerful....Zilla is more comfortable. I think with suspension mod Kong will be much improved but It will never have that low seat like Zilla. On the other hand with a little tweaking (jetting/timing advance via performance CDI) I think Zilla would stay right with Kong. Either way they are both wonderful machines. I only wish I could figure a way ride both simultaneously (Russian style
) so I could take both to TeXSive next month.Cody
WOW....WOW WOW WOW...After about 30 miles on the highway I repented of my sin. I swore to the bike gods I would NOT remove the fairing from Zilla...but instead I would use Zilla as my "road bike". The JEHU is now my street fighter...and fight he DO...
, not that hardy down under stock.....but we still consider ourselves bikers, just not necessarily Mad Max!! 
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