Kawasaki are claiming 184hp (with ram-air), and 170kg for the new ZX-10R.

**Hitcher** · 9th December 2003, 16:59

I was presuming the orange was the same as on the Z1000.

At 170kg dryweight the new Ninja can't be that big -- the weight has to be missing from somewhere?

**Coldkiwi** · 10th December 2003, 11:31

don't have to leave stuff out... but to make it lighter it will get more expensive. ie. thats why it costs $170 top replace a gsxr 600 brake pedal!! its a small piece of metal but by cripes, its lightwieght!

mmmmm.. big kick ass kwaka again

**Motoracer** · 10th December 2003, 11:50

Hopefully the new Kawasaki will still maintain its "bulletproof" reputation. Most of the old kawasakis were heavier than the rest of the bunch but they were built much stronger than the others.

Have you noticed on the new bikes, how each bolt is made smaller, each bracket is made slimmer? This takes away that much weight away from the bike but they get weaker at the same time. This is my opinion thats not based on any research done about it.

**gpercivl** · 10th December 2003, 11:59

I sat on an '04 R1 yesterday...wasn't allowed to start it up, but it sure was light weight ... felt smaller/lighter than the '99 R6 we race so it must have a low c of g

**wkid_one** · 10th December 2003, 17:10

CK - send me pics of it and I can get it made from one of my clients. He was going to CNC me some levers and pedals! Top grade machining aluminium.....wicked job and lots cheaper

**130wide** · 10th December 2003, 19:27

Notice the front indicators one bike fairing mounted the other one stalks, wonder what thats about.
Fairing mounted indicators and I'll have the black one, thanx.

**SPman** · 10th December 2003, 20:32

Stalky indicators for the Yanks!

**Coldkiwi** · 11th December 2003, 07:04

motoracer... I think you're right, but the lightweighting fad is driven by our apparent desire for race rep machinery which comes incumbent with an emphasis on minimalist design. Superbike/sport teams naturally don't give a toss if their fairings snap and handlebars break in a crash because they have new ones on hand but we pay the price by using much the same bits.

For the Zx-10 to be as bullet proof as the ZX-9R's but not be seen as a portly fat bugger thats still not in the league of R1's and GSXR1000's, I think the price is simply going to have to go up to pay for the better materials/design. But just where Kawasaki draw the line between commercial reality of a cost war against the other Jap manufacturers vs limiting performance/quality is anyones guess (and thankfully not my decision!).

**750Y** · 12th December 2003, 08:52

bit of a test write-up

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/09december03_kawasaki2004zx10r_day1.htm

**GPz** · 16th December 2003, 15:11

just read the write up. Kawasakis have a reputation for clunky gearboxes.
It must be a feature of the brand.

favorite,Any colour as long as its green!

**wkid_one** · 16th December 2003, 17:03

When is it due out here?? Obviously with the R1 out and the CBR1000 due soon one would expect them shortly

**SPman** · 16th December 2003, 21:26

Motorcycle Online have track tested it and reckon it feels lighter than the ZX6R, turns in and stops better, "The last GSX-R 1000 that MO tested made 157Hp at the rear tire and this new Kawasaki feels at least as fast at lower speeds and noticeably faster at higher speeds where the ram-air is most effective"

**Coldkiwi** · 17th December 2003, 07:54

Originally Posted by SPman

this new Kawasaki feels at least as fast at lower speeds and noticeably faster at higher speeds where the ram-air is most effective"

OOO ARRR!!!!

(yeah, like any of us can already use all of the 157HP on tap on a gsxr now)
I think traction control is going to have to be introduced in the next few years if the factories (ok, the motorcycling public, ie. us) are going to insist on making more horsepower to sell bikes

**marty** · 17th December 2003, 08:39

they profiled this bike on NHRA Style on espn yesterday - it was their 'car of the show' the presenter got on it and it looked SMALL - 600-750cc size at least.

as for making stuff slimmer and smaller, that comes from racing - they drill holes in it, machine it, cut it, and generally make it lighter and lighter til it breaks/bends/fails, then go back up one size. the stuff that you get on your road bike is a couple of sizes up from that again. if they can't do it like that they just use carbon fibre (as in the carbon swing arms on the motogp bikes - i want one of those for the RS!!!)

one big problem with using exotic material such as titanium for road bikes (apart from the cost) is that it has a fail life, and when it fails it just goes bang/snap without warning. cromolly wil bend or crack first, aluminium may crack and hold out for a while (it's softer than titanium), but will fail eventually, even carbon fibre will break down and fail dramatically (remember the black boat's mast?).

the production stuff is pretty well shaken down, but we live in a throw away society, clearly shown by the way that japanese throw their cars (and now their bikes) away to whichever 3rd world country wants them. it's almost worth buying brand new now, thrashing it for the duration of the warranty then upgrading (oh that's what they do now in Japan....) wonder if the missus will let me do that with an SV1000?