[ShanMan14]

The editors of Cycle World magazine recently brought together the motorcycle world’s top Japanese one-liter sportbikes for a knock-down, drag-out comparison test. After wringing them out on the race track, drag strip and twisty back roads, they chose the all-new 2004 Kawasaki NINJA® ZX-10R as their winner.

Here’s a sample of what they had to say in their June 2004 issue about the NINJA ZX-10R—the new king of superbikes:


“From our first ride aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10R earlier that morning, it became clear that this bike is best! It’s totally dominated by its motor, with an incredible midrange hit that makes you leery of turning the throttle when you’re leaned over near the tire’s edge. Once you do pull the trigger, you’d best hang on because the ZX floats its front wheel out of corners like no other.”

“Putting the spurs to the wild-n-wooly 10R at Infineon took all the courage I could muster.”

“Just for kicks, I hold the Kawi’s throttle wide-open in first gear until the engine hits the rev-limiter, and the speedo indicates 104 mph. Few gauges are totally accurate, I know, but even accounting for a little electronic optimism, that’s smokin’ fast!”

“The big, blue NINJA has the mother of all midrange hits, accompanied by a telltale Kawasaki growl. It epitomizes everything we’ve come to expect from an Open-class sportbike engine, so forceful that you’d better be pointed in the right direction when you twist the throttle. You can pull out and pass a car on the R1, no problem, but you can pull out and pass a dozen on the ZX-10R!”

“In the end, we could have made a strong case for picking any of these bikes as the winner, but chose the strongest of them all. In his own inimitable way, Cernicky summed it up best: ‘If there were four keys sitting on this table, I’d takes the Kawasa-key.’”

 

[WarpedRotor]

Yeah, but is it as comfortable as my ZX12R?
Smaller and lighter, I hope it gets some factory support and makes a proper mark in the AMA Superbike races.

 

[Gixxer1]

it sounded like there were some shifting issues, here's an article from 2WT:

It ain’t a 9. It’s revolution number 10.
With the 2004 Ninja ZX-10R, Kawasaki has left the 9 behind and made its “liter” bike an actual full liter. And although the displacement is bigger the bike is smaller and lighter than the any of Kawasaki’s 9’s. And yeah, it’s faster too.

The press was given its first ride on the 10 at the Homestead, Florida Speedway. Under hard acceleration it took effort to keep the front tire on the ground. Even in third gear, the bike would wheelie out of turns while still leaned over and on the short front straight the speedo indicated 154 mph. The track was too short to use sixth gear - many riders never even saw fifth. A few riders commented on trouble with downshifts but on the various bikes we tested we never had a problem shifting in either direction.Taken by itself, the all-new Kawasaki ZX-10R is leagues beyond the last version of the ZX-9R. It isn’t just lighter and faster by spec, it also feels lighter and faster to ride. It has brakes with improved feel and it handles much, much better. If you liked the 9, you’ll love the 10. If you never considered the 9, you’d be foolish not to consider the 10. It’s as much of an animal as you dare let it be.

 

[jessejames]

I just had to read this. I heard about the 10....damn, Shan, just when I thought I could live without another murdercycle.

 

[Pigface1]

They're hitting low 9s w/ very little done. :crazy:

 

[Gas Man]

I hear they are having some fork issues. The spread from fork support to support is like 14" where other manufactures use 12" and use a name brand fork. They're getting flex between the 2 forks.....not a good thing at 100 in a tight corner....

 

[Need4Speed]

Could be part of the recall they are doing on the ZX 10's

http://www.twowheelforum.com/showthread.php?t=293

 

[Gas Man]

Could be part of the recall they are doing on the ZX 10's

http://www.twowheelforum.com/showthread.php?t=293

Nope no recall on the forks. That recall is a defect in the front wheel casting. What ever company manufactures the front wheel did a piss poor job of x-raying and then found a large defect in the casting....no biggie, it's only after they put out 1500+ bikes on the road.... :lol:

These are the typical problems anybody is going to have with a complete re-design on any vechicle. If it wasn't for these "growing pains" I would be :drool: all over the 10R!

 

[Need4Speed]

Nope no recall on the forks. That recall is a defect in the front wheel casting. What ever company manufactures the front wheel did a piss poor job of x-raying and then found a large defect in the casting....no biggie, it's only after they put out 1500+ bikes on the road.... :lol:

These are the typical problems anybody is going to have with a complete re-design on any vechicle. If it wasn't for these "growing pains" I would be :drool: all over the 10R!

Cool, thanks for info..yeah that's why I'd never purchase a bike like this right off the bat, till the bugs get worked out

 

[Gas Man]

Cool, thanks for info..yeah that's why I'd never purchase a bike like this right off the bat, till the bugs get worked out

Hey, anything to help out a fellow rider. Of coarse, that's just my opinion. I'm a die hard Kaw fan, thru the slow days and even during these days when Kaw is coming back hard. However, if I was looking for a bike today, I'm un-sure what I would get... :ack:

 

[ScottSellersUNR]

first off the boat

There is a major advantage to gettign the bike as fast as possible, Companys need a bike to design on.. theres a lot of guys that got free complete systems with pc3 and filter for free for l;edning thwe bike to Muzzy, Akro, Yosh and all those companies... give me a free Ti system for the Zx10R and u got a 14500$ bike for 12K$...plus noone else has it for a while. If you go all out on whoring your bike out u could get some Carbon fiber and billet stuff free too.

Scott
2003 Black Z1000

 

[Need4Speed]

so where u gettin all this free stuff..?

 

[twisty]

Cycle world is joke mag. Who cares what they have to say.

 

[Gas Man]

Scott, and that was Twisty! You'll understand more if you stick around!!!

 

[Need4Speed]

I dont care for cycle world either... that was my lame attempt at a Twisty post..

 

[twisty]

I dont care for cycle world either... that was my lame attempt at a Twisty post..

I hate cycle world. They are a joke. They, like most american trash mags take kick backs. BLAH BLAH. uke: CycleWorld

By the way these test crusiers and sport tour bikes. How can they test a bloody sportbike when they just hopped of a Harley?

 

[ScottSellersUNR]

Z1000

so where u gettin all this free stuff..?

I know the first guy that brought a Z1000 up to the Shop in OR for muzzys got the K&N, 4-1 Exhaust and PC3 free......plus they advertise on their site for the bike they are looking for, so the first one with that bike that brings it too em gets thefree stuff, id assume Akro and every other big company would do the same thing. If they redeisgn the 07 10R for more power ill take it to em.... take a dya off work.. buy the bike as soon as it arrives and then head straight for OR. for a 8 hour ride to get 900$ or more worth of stuff for your bike is worth it, hell id ride to TX for that much in free stuff...even though the D&D id get in TC wouyld give me a headache cuz they r so loud. :lol:

 

[2Fast4U]

I'm definately all about the ZX10. Ive been a long time kawasaki fan, and this redesign just is simply unreal ! I wouldnt want any other bike !!

 

[ScottSellersUNR]

2fast

hows it do for wheelies? Will it power em up in upper end of third with no preloading suspension? whixch upper end of third on the 10 has gotta be what 130 or so?

Its the biek i woulda bought if i coulda got financing for it and insurance for less then it woulda cost to sell my right nut.

 

[Need4Speed]

Thats definately going to be my next bike....I dont think I'll ever get rid of my Kat..its just too good of an all around bike..but someday, yes a zx10 !! :thumbs: