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The motorcycle division of the giant Kawasaki industry, is only a drop in the sea, but that does not prevent it from being a major player in the world of motorcycles and having committed many legendary sportswomen. . Last born in the Ninja line, the 2011 ZX 10 R does not break the tradition
500 H1, 750 H2, 900 Z1, 900 Ninja, Tomcat, stinger, ZX 12R, etc., Kawasaki are racy sports cars, whatever their displacement. Restricted to supporting roles in the hypersport category for a few years, Kawasaki rebels and comes back to us with a machine with great ambitions. Let’s take a closer look.
Discovery
This high-level sportswoman has long been awaited, heralding the return of the brand to the top of the category.
The marketing departments and the design office had made us salivate with force patents filed by the manufacturer Nippon to such an extent that we imagined the first production motorcycle equipped with a pneumatic distribution, a real big-bang setting with an "alternator-starter" to regulate its irregular idling and even an engine with horizontal cylinders! But nay, none of this happened. The patents filed will remain on the books until further notice. The avant-garde will be at their expense. This Kawa is classic, respecting to the letter the dogmas of the brand: double spars frame, monumental dynamic air intake and "howler" engine, that is to say classically wedged at 180 ° that GP specialists call "Screamer" as opposed to the big bang.
No variable admission, or even hyper square dimensions to be "GP ready" in 2012. We were indeed hoping for an engine with a bore increased to 81 mm which would have predisposed it to be installed in a prototype frame in accordance with the new regulations allowing the use of 1000 cc engines derived from the… series. But here again, Kawasaki remains straight in its boots and keeps the dimensions of the 2010 model. Much noise and fantasies for nothing you will tell me. Certainly, but the brand advertised its motorcycle as a scarecrow capable of taxing the incredible S 1000 RR and one wondered how to achieve this with a relatively long stroke engine whose small diameter pistons did not accommodate large valves. On paper the facts are confirmed, with dimensions of 76 X 55, the Kawa houses valves of 31 mm at the intake and 24.5 at the exhaust when the S 1000 RR takes advantage of its large pistons (80 X 49 , 7) to breathe via 33.5 and 27.2 mm valves. It was therefore necessary to pull everywhere else to find horses on the Kawa (200 to 13,000 rpm is not nothing!), Which was not without causing some problems, since the first motorcycles delivered to the USA were been called back for valve panics ….
In the saddle
The first impression when you get on the 2011 vintage is dealing with a small machine. Here we clearly feel the generation difference with the old version. Now, the new 1000s (and particularly the Aprilia) are reminiscent of the 600s. More compact, narrower, the ZX 10 does not offer too extreme a driving position, like the Triumph 675 for example. Its narrowness allows a rider under 1.70 m to feel comfortable on the handlebars. Well installed, then, we have before our eyes a nice dashboard that brings together a multitude of information that is as fascinating as it is precious. The problem is that putting everything in is not readable. The gear indicator engaged is one of those that it is difficult to use and yet it is far from useless…. The bar graph which serves as a tachometer whose color gradually changes to red is a good idea, but its quick reading (and its interpretation) requires a little practice to know where we are, even if flashes like a mirror ball when approaching the wheel area (14,000 rpm).
The owner will have plenty of time to get used to it, which is not necessarily the case with a tester who only has a machine for a few hours or even a few days.
In the city
The city is not really his favorite terrain, but the driving position not leaning too far forward does not require you to break your neck to see the red lights.
The controls are soft but the first very long (it goes up to over 165 km / h at the switch!!) And the engine a little hollow at the bottom sometimes make it necessary to wax the clutch to take off. No mistake, it’s very soft, you are not on a GP 250, but as it is a 1000, we expected a little more ease "on take off".
The mirrors do their job pretty well, it’s nothing short of an ordeal, but no way to fit a lock under the saddle.
Even with the sun playing hide and seek, we encountered summer temperatures and found that in traffic jams the Ninja Warrior chomping at the bit. He has his mind and engine warming up a bit, causing the fan to fire regularly, without suffocating his pilot in hot flashes. In short, if you are looking for a 1000 city car, there is better…. especially at Piaggio !
Departmental
Here the ZX 10 R shows all its talents. While a 1000 might seem clumsy, the Kawa shows great agility. The 8 kilos gained on its predecessor are not the only ones to be felt. The weight distribution, the shorter wheelbase, the contained size make this 1000 behave like a 600. It’s precise, light, lively. Even on bad surfaces, the heading is excellent and in no way disturbed by the degradation of the bitumen. The steering damper öhlins series is perfect.
Cracks and other incidents are corrected by the excellent workmanship of the chassis, tires and suspensions. This is remarkable !
Motorways and expressways
The great outdoors and the great outdoors are ours…. because at high speed, the pilot’s hair is blowing in the wind, so to speak. To stay in the metaphors 200 horsepower and almost 300 km / h chrono it takes your breath away, especially in terms of protection, the ZX 10 R has lessons to take from the good old GSXR 1000 which always refers to the protection / comfort / performance.
But engine question, the Kawasaki has breath, more than the Suzuki, but has higher revs however. On paper there is already 15 horsepower, but on the bench, the Kawa, which does well in "manufacturer" power, sticks more than 25 in the view of the GSXR! Still, you have to get your horses much higher and that pays off in the pick-ups and out of bends. As we have already said, the tier of the first reports is particularly long on the green. On the other hand, at high speed, we still appreciate the precision of the front axle and the rigidity of the chassis. It’s stable, you really feel confident riding this machine.
Track
It is on the circuit of Cartagena (Spain) that we were able to make a few laps on the handlebars of the ZX 10 R 2011. The opportunity to push the engine fully, particularly angry in high revs, but ultimately less impressive than ‘ a BMW. Although despite the design differences, the power difference between the two machines is very small, again you have to use the ZX 10 at higher revs to get the same power as the German. We do not find this feeling of incredible power that gives the BMW which “sticks” everything in a straight line. Yet the Kawa sends big, but the sensations are a little watered down by the lack of power at the bottom. A diagnosis confirmed during the first press presentation in Qatar, where the journalists present had questioned the power of the machine. Error, the horses are there and the lap times confirm the efficiency of the beast. But the engine lacks so much presence at the bottom and the first gear is so long, that in a hairpin to the left I was trying to downshift to get out faster, when I was already in first gear! A driving error that I did not make on a 1000 GSXR and even a 600 present the same day…. But precisely, since we are talking about 600, let us praise here the agility, efficiency and ease of the chassis which evokes a lower displacement in many respects. We do not yet reach the level of an Aprilia RSV4, but frankly compared to the previous generation, the progress is enormous.
Braking
Never faulted the braking is perfect! Both powerful and dosable, it responds present in all circumstances, without ever surprising. It is very reassuring, you have the impression that you are directly squeezing the discs between your fingers, as the precision of the control is so tight. ABS, on the other hand, is completely transparent, not triggering unexpectedly on bumps. What about the rear brake? R.A.S., everything is fine. Overall a real treat.
Conclusion
The 2011 ZX 10 R is a real Kawasaki, 100% pure juice. Angry at high revs, it carries on the tradition of howler engines and aficionados will not be disappointed. On degraded roads, we appreciate the quality of its suspensions and its chassis. On the track, we find the same qualities … allied to an engine that spits its venom at very high speed. A little exclusive but not too much this sports car just lacks a bit of trunk at low revs to be perfect.
Strong points
- Gross power
- Braking
- Train before
- Agility / course holding ratio
Weak points
- Hollow engine at low speed
- too long staging of the first reports
- Dashboard a little complex to read
Competitors: BMW S1000RR, Ducati 1198, Honda CBR 1000 RR, Suzuki GSXR-1000, Yamaha R1
Datasheet
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