My review on the 60 ZX10.

**Fishy** · 28th February 2006, 08:13

Had a few hours to kill yesterday so I went in to Mt Edens to have a good look at the 06 ZX10, man what a sexy bike (apart from the ugly heat shields).

Took it for a spin to compare it to the 05 which I rode not so long ago.

The bikes general finish and apperance is just awesome!!. Top marks to Kawasaki on the design, look and overall finish on this bike!. Black with chrome decals looks wickedly evil too!. Instruments are very well placed and easy to read. Mirrors work well, far more visibility than my blades mirrors.

Starting the bike revealed a deep drone from the twin exhaust which would drown out any other factory exhaust system on the thou's.

Starting off down the road the bike has a really nice riding position and felt so smooth and nimble (but coming off my bike with a rear tyre that is so farked its near shreaded would make a GSXR1100M feel nimble).

Opening it up down the motorway onramp was interesting, first gear launched the front skyward almost instantly, clicked second and kept it up for about 3 seconds then dropped it down as I clicked 3rd to early. The interesting thing was is that when the front touched down again I had a huge handful of throttle which had the front just hovering off the ground.

Any gear has mountains of pull right through the rev range which will get you smiling from ear to ear everytime you twist your wrist!.

Out of all the 1000cc sports bikes, this bike gets a 10/10 for comfort!. They have put a nice new gel seat on it and man what a huge difference it makes from the normal closed cell foam type seats. I will be investigating if there are any aftermarket gel seats available for my bike!. If anyone knows if they are available please let me know.

Overall in factory condition I would rate it at 9/10.

The things that I didn't like were...

a) The ugly heat shields around the twin exhasts.
b) The postion of the rear brake lever is too low when it engages in its "factory setting" (but hey, I hardly use the rear anyway - and its easy to adjust)
c) I couldn't take it home with me.

If you are in the market for a new 1000cc superbike, don't buy anything till you have riden one of these. You will not regret it!.

**bugjuice** · 28th February 2006, 08:24

yeah, I sat on one at Mt Eden a wee while ago, and plan on taking one out myself.. very nice bikes
The heat shield and exhaust is easy to deal with when you buy it, Kawa probably had to do it for regulations, and the rear brake pedal is an easy adjustment

**Dazza** · 28th February 2006, 08:24

Apparently Gel is no better than the high density foam now available,so I found out after dishing out hard earned dosh for a gel seat,being informed 2mths later by the same dude that sold me the seat

But your right,look forward to riding an 06.

**Fishy** · 28th February 2006, 08:32

Man after riding my blade, the 05 R1, 05 ZX10 and the K5 gixxer Im pretty sure they all have foam seats and all feel as hard as rock after about 30 minutes of riding.

this new seat on the ZX10 is just awesome!!, maybe its slightly different to the seat you purchased for your KTM?.

**Fishy** · 28th February 2006, 08:33

Originally Posted by bugjuice

yeah, I sat on one at Mt Eden a wee while ago, and plan on taking one out myself.. very nice bikes
The heat shield and exhaust is easy to deal with when you buy it, Kawa probably had to do it for regulations, and the rear brake pedal is an easy adjustment

Do it Buggy, you'll be blown away!. They are just awesome machines.

**Sniper** · 28th February 2006, 08:36

NIce write up FS. Almost be tempted to got out and try take one for a ride.

**bugjuice** · 28th February 2006, 08:39

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

Do it Buggy, you'll be blown away!. They are just awesome machines.

hell, you don't need to tell me that.. I'll be out there soon enough

**k14** · 28th February 2006, 08:44

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

b) The postion of the rear brake lever is too low when it engages (but hey, I hardly use the rear anyway)

you know they they are adjustable (well should be anyway), a few mins and it should be fixed.

Yeah agree that they are alot nicer in the flesh than in photos. Wouldn't mind a quick blat on one.

**Fishy** · 28th February 2006, 09:11

Originally Posted by k14

you know they they are adjustable (well should be anyway), a few mins and it should be fixed.

Yeah agree that they are alot nicer in the flesh than in photos. Wouldn't mind a quick blat on one.

Yeah I know they are adjustable, was just commenting on the "Factory" settings on everything.

**sugilite:Me** · 28th February 2006, 09:19

Great write up man, I enjoyed reading that.
I must get down to the local Kawasaki shop in Dannevirke for a test ride!

**sAsLEX** · 28th February 2006, 09:22

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

Starting the bike revealed a deep drone from the twin exhaust which would drown out any other factory exhaust system on the thou's.

One purchaser is putting a single pipe on his, similar to Loose Bruces and just takig the other pipe off and blocking it. Will be interesting to see how it sounds.

**Fishy** · 28th February 2006, 09:28

Does LB have an 06 ZX10? I wonder how it would look with one bazooka out the back instead of 2? Be keen to see pics of one if someone has seen one done.

**sAsLEX** · 28th February 2006, 09:34

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

Does LB have an 06 ZX10? I wonder how it would look with one bazooka out the back instead of 2? Be keen to see pics of one if someone has seen one done.

Nah using the same sort of pipe as what pizza boy has on his broken gixxer.