2006 Kawasaki ZX-10R thoughts

TraumaOne · 12-06-2005, 10:41 AM

Got my new Road Racing Worls (http://www.roadracingworld.com/) issue last night. One test ride on the ZX-10 and one on the R6. From my brief flip through of the R6 article, sounds like that may be quite a tempermental bike for novice track day riders.

The Zx-10 sounds good. Nothing particularly bad to point out from my read. The weight increase was brought up but again that can be fixed with an aftermarket pipe. The author did not care for the rear end look as is the general consensus here as well.

Should be interesting when they get around to the comparos...

anyone seen a test ride of the new CBR1000 yet?

luvtolean · 12-06-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraumaOne

Got my new Road Racing Worls (http://www.roadracingworld.com/) issue last night. One test ride on the ZX-10 and one on the R6. From my brief flip through of the R6 article, sounds like that may be quite a tempermental bike for novice track day riders.

They gave that ugly ass thing the cover? Ugh.

What'd they say about the R6? Tempermental how? Too much like a racebike?

TraumaOne · 12-06-2005, 1:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

They gave that ugly ass thing the cover? Ugh.

What'd they say about the R6? Tempermental how? Too much like a racebike?

From my brief read it was very stiff and did not give as much feel, especially at the rear tire. Made it difficult to ride off exit and was quite skittish. It was written by Chris Uhlrich so I figure he knows what he is talking about. It was not as user friendly and easy to ride as some other 600's. Likely will be faster when ridden by someone who knows what they are doing but may throw a lot of novice/intermediate riders.

luvtolean · 12-06-2005, 1:33 PM

Not much of a CU fan, but I definately believe it will be the hardest 600 to ride.

BDA116 · 12-06-2005, 1:48 PM

If it were a Suzuki on Michelins CU would have said the ride made him cream his pants.

RRWANTR · 12-06-2005, 2:01 PM

I thought CU was a Pirelli guy...or is it now Mich?

TraumaOne · 12-06-2005, 2:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDA116

If it were a Suzuki on Michelins CU would have said the ride made him cream his pants.

Well the article starts off with him talking about very nearly high-siding off the thing halfway through his first session on the bike...

RRWANTR · 12-06-2005, 2:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraumaOne

Well the article starts off with him talking about very nearly high-siding off the thing halfway through his first session on the bike...

He just wasn't prepared for the power of the all mighty R6

BDA116 · 12-06-2005, 2:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRWANTR

I thought CU was a Pirelli guy...or is it now Mich?

I don't know anymore. It could be Pirelli now, but it used to be Michelin. I got so sick of their biased crap I stopped reading quite a while back. I really don't like the Ulrich group at all.

TraumaOne · 12-06-2005, 3:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDA116

I don't know anymore. It could be Pirelli now, but it used to be Michelin. I got so sick of their biased crap I stopped reading quite a while back. I really don't like the Ulrich group at all.

Huh, I thought Roadracing world was less biased than any of the other mags... That was my impression anyway.

luvtolean · 12-06-2005, 5:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraumaOne

Huh, I thought Roadracing world was less biased than any of the other mags... That was my impression anyway.

Sure, they're far less biased if you work for Suzuki.

They actually famously hate Honda and Dunlop over advertising/sponsor dollars.

I don't want to see people get hurt on track, but I have to admit I did smile when CU wadded the 954 during the test.

TraumaOne · 12-06-2005, 6:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Sure, they're far less biased if you work for Suzuki.

They actually famously hate Honda and Dunlop over advertising/sponsor dollars.

I don't want to see people get hurt on track, but I have to admit I did smile when CU wadded the 954 during the test.

huh. I'll have to reread some of the older issues to see if I can pick it up.

Hah! I had not heard about Uhlrich crashing the 954... Do you remember if it had to do with headshake/steering damper issues by chance?

luvtolean · 12-06-2005, 6:05 PM

Head shake which led to the pistons getting knocked way back in the calipers. Ulrich should've known that after a hard headshake he needed to pump his brakes, but he didn't.

He dove into a corner, the lever came back to the bar, and I believe he broke his collar bone.

Trunorth · 12-06-2005, 8:08 PM

I understand the new 10R is 10lbs heavier with the undertail cans, so more weight at the extreme end of the bike sort of like the opposite of mass centralization. The new R1 with Ohlins, March. forged alum. wheels, swingarm tweak, small motor tweak probably the most improved but too much money, about C$26K, ridiculous. That leaves the 1000RR with again some more tweaks, an expensive 999Duck and the Gix1. I may be biased but I am still thinkin the Gix1 offers the best value for performance and it gets an update in '07.
My money is still on the R6/675/Gix750 as the most improved for '06, we'll see what the tests tell us in due time.

ND4SPD · 12-06-2005, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRWANTR

He just wasn't prepared for the power of the all mighty R6

Is the R6 the new R1?

TraumaOne · 12-06-2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Is the R6 the new R1?

What and just shoe horn the liter engine in? Maybe... Although liter bikes are hard enough to ride fast on the track, making it that stiff may not be such a good idea.

huhhuh I said make it stiff...

Trunorth · 12-07-2005, 6:47 PM

The minute you see the R6 especially the yellow/black anniversary edition it just stirs emotion, better than a stripper in a nightclub. Yamaha knows design, think the original '98 R1 first year , Red and White , naked aluminum frame - exact same appeal although different cosmetics. And the pictures dont do the Yellow/Black version justice, you need to see it live, the yellow is a lot deeper, not to bright , just right. Lets see 355 pounds, drop an aftermarket pipe on it save what 8-10 pounds, drop some march. forged mag. wheels on it, before you know it you're in the 330 range for weight, with 115-120hp at the rear wheel with PC3 and full pipe. Friggin unbelievable, makes my Gix1 look like a heavyweight. Two bikes maybe three I am considering R6/Gix750/675, the Gix1 may well be history,'06 the year of the middleweight.

TraumaOne · 12-18-2005, 8:44 PM

Here are a couple of photos with aftermarket exhausts...

TraumaOne · 12-18-2005, 9:03 PM

and a couple of videos...

Zeeman · 12-19-2005, 6:54 AM

SOrry guys - that old school yellow/black colour scheme is hideous. It looks great on a late 70's yamaha, but not on modern day machines. Of course, that's just my POV

The ZX10 sounds like it has been tweaked pretty hard - considering they reckon it is 2 sec per lap faster than the ol dmodel at the Kawasaki Autopolis race track. that's a full second faster than the Gixxer K6,2 seconds over the R1, and 3 seconds over the CBR1kRR. That is a big jump... A lot of the weight is thanks to the new Euro III emissions stuff.

On the looks front, I'm not all that attracted to it, but it is growing on me slowly. Of course, I'd get a black one as it hides the bit sI don't like - of course, after having a black/red 954, I swore never to own a black bike again... argh...

Z...

Heavy-Dee · 12-19-2005, 8:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraumaOne

Here are a couple of photos with aftermarket exhausts...

I kinda like it.

HD

Heavy-Dee · 12-19-2005, 8:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Not much of a CU fan, but I definately believe it will be the hardest 600 to ride.

What's the story w/ CU? Did he have a fairly promising career and then had a bad wreck or something? I know about his old man and all that, but what about Chris?

I'm sure you Kali boys have probably had some run ins with him, or know people that have.

FWIW, RRW is my favorite mag.

HD

CBR929RE · 12-19-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraumaOne

What and just shoe horn the liter engine in? Maybe... Although liter bikes are hard enough to ride fast on the track, making it that stiff may not be such a good idea.

huhhuh I said make it stiff...

maybe this will help you understand what I thin he meant. "The all conquering R6"

I think I like the Zx10 with those pipes. They looks like high mounts on an RC.

And the best color on the R6 is the red/white. but its a euro color, damn bastards screwing the US again.