Uh-oh..... New Kawa Super Sport-tourer!

[gr8eyes]

What would be your best guess on price?

Notice the wave rotors and radial brakes. Good bits.

 

[Geezer]

That bike is kick ass in Red........... can't wait to read some reviews.
.... and there's no way that motor won't find it's way into a Connie replacement I'd guess.

Life is good for the GT and ST crowd.

Scooter

Mmmmmmmm.... the red looks very nice. I haven't had a bike with automatic chain oiling and I got sick of chain maintenance long agoso I have owned shafties exclusively for the last 15 years. Restricting myself to shafties has left out some very nice bikes. Maybe I'll reconsider when it's time for another...

Since I can't complain any more about the color or the chain drive, guess I'll just wonder about how heavy it is until I see some spec's....

I hope it's not good enough to make me break open the checkbook. My wife still hasn't gotten past me buying the FJR instead of some new stuff for the kitchen.

 

[ionbeam]

More info at this web site raptorsandrockets The news page is really slow to load.

The news -- 72 foot/lbs of torque at 2,000 rpm and a peak of 192 HP. Interestingly the speedo only goes to 190 mph. Prolly a speed shutdown sensor to keep it below 200 mph. Oh darn. ABS will be available.

Alan

 

[Bounce]

I have to agree about my reaction to the side view being less than exuberant.

But this additional view of the front made me drool.

 

[yanktar]

Horsecock!

Horsecock indeed, WC! You can TOUR on friggin' moped or a Vespa. That doesn't make it a touring bike. I knew a guy who rode all over the country on a one-lung 125. I thought he was out of his mind, but not my business. I saw people riding all over Europe on mopeds that maxed out at 35mph. They were touring but I wouldn't compare their Puchs to an FJR--or a 'Wing.

You can get someone to let you sit in the cargo hold of a DC-3. That doesn't make it an air-liner.

People drive all over the country on FZ1s. Does that make them tour bikes? I guess so!

Should I have prefaced it by saying "IMHO"?

I still think you're using the wrong tool for the job if you use a chain-driven bike for touring, but hell, that's nothing by my own opinion. Anyone and everyone is free to disagree (even you, Warchild )

 

[Warchild]

Should I have prefaced it by saying "IMHO"?

There ya go....

A few more color options:

red.....

And blue......

And black:

 

[FJRZON]

Warchild, any advice on 1st year Kwaks considering this is an all-new-ground-up ZZR1400/ZX-14R? Maybe those of us who are seriously interested in this “Hyper Sport Tourer” (my favorite definition) should wait for the test pilots to check it out on the debut year for any bugs and jump on it in the following year if it has a “clean bill of health“? I understand the first generation ZZR1200 had a few *isolated* problems with camshaft wear but certainly nothing to stop one from purchasing one. This is certainly a tough bike to pass on its first year production. Thoughts anyone else? Thanks. That glossy black is delicious :dribble:

 

[twowheelnut]

Black? OK, I starting to warm up to it a bit now... My biggest ewes are the under pillion tail section (shaped for factory bags?) and that plastic Testarosa ribbing below the tank...

 

[Geezer]

The black looks good but I still like the red best. Of course the colors don't show very well on the PC display.

 

[nusman68]

Uh oh, WC got Yanktarred and he didn't even talk about Bush! I'm gettin' worried now! Freedom of speech is what makes this place great, though. Now, getting back to the bike...I guess we will have to wait to see production figures/estimates. IOW, will they really be on the showroom floor? When I was comparing the ZZR1200 & FJR (in the Houston area), there was not a *single* ZZR to look at. I have seen all of *one* ZZR on the road; it does not appear to be hit in their lineup; (at least in my region; maybe you CA guys see them all the time?) and this new bike has got to cost more. Time for the wait & see game.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

um...here is what you want:

200 mph Hayabusa

 

[Warchild]

Warchild, any advice on 1st year Kwaks considering this is an all-new-ground-up ZZR1400/ZX-14R?

Well, there's the rub... given the track record of Kawasaki over the years (and even Honda the last 4-5 years), I would be less than honest if I was to say procuring this machine in its first year would be risk-free.

The prudent customer would probably be wise to wait a year to see what problems, if any, this platform might develop. Most knowledgeable folks fully recall the pitted cams and sundry other issues the first year ZX-12 bikes had.... it wouldn't be surprising if this one develops some anomalies as well.

Still, it's an awfully interesting development from Kawasaki; at least they are stepping up in the super-sport-touring arena, unlike those staid coporate clowns at Honda... :angry:

 

[Warchild]

Ya think this new machine probably has a little bit of power...?

 

[yanktar]

Uh oh, WC got Yanktarred and he didn't even talk about Bush! I'm gettin' worried now!

My work here is done! :haha: :lol:

 

[Warchild]

Yeah, you think it is. We'll see.

 

[radman]

Although cad-cam and the like has advanced the state of the art in design to hitherto unheard of levels in the last 10 years, a wise man still waits a year at least for a new design to settle out. Too many ideas that looked great on a LCD have taken a dump in the real world. The competition is so great in the industry that it behooves a company to let the end user do some of the testing these days. Time was, a new vehicle took roughly 4-5 years from concept to showroom; these days, they're knocking them out in 1-2 if that. The new Sportster (not the best example, but) was out, then it wasn't, then it was, kinda. Some designs are out, but shouldn't be still-the Ford Focus has more problems than Jeb Bush at a Cindy Sheehan lib-in......

 

[Rogue]

still-the Ford Focus has more problems than Jeb Bush at a Cindy Sheehan lib-in......

Well thats FORD, Maybe if I started a "Why does ford SUCK soo bad"thread there would be more replys/arguments than all Oil threads and Left Wing/Right Wing threads combined!

:bleh: :bleh:

GM for 44 years and counting!

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

still-the Ford Focus has more problems than Jeb Bush at a Cindy Sheehan lib-in......  

Well thats FORD, Maybe if I started a "Why does ford SUCK soo bad"thread there would be more replys/arguments than all Oil threads and Left Wing/Right Wing threads combined!

:bleh: :bleh:

GM for 44 years and counting!

lol...I could chime in on that thread

 

[itsari]

Ya think this new machine probably has a little bit of power...? 

Ooh, /finally/ the ZZR1100 has a worthy successor, I think. It is true what they say, good genes skip a generation. That dreaded ZZR1200 just wasn't up to the task of living up to the old 11 reputation, IMHO. Sorry ZZR1200 owners!

You see, the ZZR1100 (what us nutty europeans call the ZX11) was my dream bike ever since I was 14 , and that was back in 1993. I guess I can go as far as argue that the Big Zed was what made me become a rider, in the first place. With that in mind, I waited years and years and finally, in 2003, I thought it was about time, I was old and experienced enough to get into the big boys arena so I indulged my sweet-tooth and bought one. It was a serious departure from the XT600 I had been riding for the previous year, that's for sure, and I was smitten. And I'm still in love with it, all 45000km later (~28000mi), despite all the quirks that come with the territory -- it has, historically, a knack for busting the 3rd rod due to oil starvation, tranny general fragility, poor front suspension that will likely colapse from popping a wheelie every now and again (well, we're all a bit of a squid every other week, aren't we? ;-) ). For me, all of that is part of its charm. I'll be hearbroken when I let her go, but I think the 14 just hits the spot, for me. I guess I'll be riding her for another year or so, since the 14 will only arrive next spring. I won't jump head on into it, best let it simmer for a few months and get the bugs (if any) ironed out.

I'm just a sucker for big Kawasakis, really. When I turned 21 I bought a poor old rusted wrecked Z1300 from a scrapyard -- it was precisely my age (crop of '79) -- and then proceeded to restore it, over the next 4 years. I sold it last year so I could buy the FJR this spring B) I miss it a bit sometimes 'cos I only got to ride her for 4 and half months before letting her go.

Well, anyhoo, 2006 will sure be fun, with the new FJR and all. Good thing I got rid of the cage earlier this year -- more room in the garage and, more importantly, in the bank account ;-)

 

[nusman68]

.... a knack for busting the 3rd rod due to oil starvation, tranny general fragility, poor front suspension

Hmmm...kinda makes the 'ole tick seem rather insignificant now, doesn't it?

Well, that's it then...we all need to trade in our Feejers for the new ZX14; then we get to read (ad nauseam) 'Hi, I'm a new member and really like the looks of the new ZX-14, but I'm really worried about what I hear about connecting rods on the previous model breaking; when is Kawasaki going to do something about it?........ :dribble: