All Test Drives – 2010 Kawasaki ZX-10R Test: Zero compromise! – Minor changes in the face of the competition

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2010 Kawasaki ZX-10R Review: Zero Compromise !

All Test Drives - 2010 Kawasaki ZX-10R Test: Zero compromise! - Minor changes in the face of the competition

Lagging behind in the World Superbike but victorious at the 24H Moto du Mans and currently 4th in the French Superbike Championship, the Kawasaki ZX-10R is struggling to impose itself on the sales charts. Why ? Answers with our test of the 2010 model !

Small changes in the face of the competition

Tom Sykes and Chris Vermeulen, official riders of the Kawasaki Racing team in World Superbike, only emerge 15th and 19th positions in this championship opposing the hypersportive gratin of world motorcycle production (read our)…

Last in the manufacturer standings, Kawasaki suffers from the comparison with its compatriots Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki, but also against Ducati, Aprilia and BMW … However, on paper, the production ZX-10R has nothing to envy to the GSX-R, R1, CBR1000RR and other RSV4s: with 188 hp (200 hp with forced air intake) and 113 Nm of torque, its engine is among the most powerful while its double-beam backbone chassis and its quality peripherals give it excellent potential on the circuit.

However, as promising as it is, this sharp package has lacked success for several seasons already, both in terms of world speed and commercially: despite its overwhelming victory at the 24H Moto du Mans 2010 (read our) and its fourth place in the provisional classification of the 2010 French Superbike Championship behind the two official BMWs and Vincent Philippe’s Suzuki (read our), the ZX-10R only won over 621 French bikers in 2009, while 1441 fell for the Yamaha R1 and 1321 for the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 (read our).

Launched in 2004 (read our), thoroughly overhauled in 2006 and 2008 and then slightly refined this year (read our), the Kawasaki ZX-10R is entering its third year without a major revolution, while its rivals show off unpublished engines (V4 for the ” Aprilia RSV4 or 4-in-line at the rig Cross-Plane for the Yamaha YZF-R1), advanced electronic aids (BMW S1000RR) or sophisticated ABS (Honda CBR1000RR and BMW S1000RR)…

This lack of visible developments partly explains this tormented trajectory, but this apparent conservatism is misleading since the ZX-10R is actually based on a substantial technological content: anti-dribble clutch, titanium valves, double injection, cones of oval admission, without forgetting an electronic management KIMS (Kawasaki Ignition Management System) which manages the ignition according to the engine speed, throttle opening, speed, gear engaged, air and engine temperature and intake air pressure !

If this system does not correspond to real "traction control", in the event of a sudden variation in engine speed ("beyond the pilot’s wishes"specifies Kawasaki), the electronic central unit will nevertheless intervene directly on the ignition to regulate the flights of the four-cylinder. And therefore, by extension, the possible evasions of the rear wheel !

And it is clear that it is not superfluous to deal with the ardor of the Kawasaki inline four-cylinder: tested this winter in a free version (read), the ZX-10R then appeared to us as the most demonstrative Japanese in the world. – above 8000 rpm !

Digs under 4000 rpm for a 1000 cc, it turns into a real fury from mid-revs to the ignition cutoff, placed at 13,500 rpm. Undoubtedly, the Kawasaki moulbif distills its share of thrills to those who dare to put the handle in the corner at the exit of curves !

Good news for 2010: Akashi engineers haven’t made any changes to this monument of power and character. Under these conditions, the Journal Moto du Net set out to measure the effects of the changes made on the rest of the machine: reworked selection, appearance of a new Ohlins steering damper, modification of the rigidity of the chassis at the level of the arm. oscillating and aesthetic redesign of its front part. In the saddle !

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