Tested ZX10 you can stick it up your pipe and smoke it!

[chewie]

My first impression was how close my hands were to my knees and how short it felt. The front fairing was so low I couldnt see how it would do jack against the wind. I started it up and jeez I dont know but I felt very nervous, not from the sound so much but just the position of "us" at that time.

As I rode along I had this bad feeling and wanted to get off it, but I was with all the other test riders so I carefully made my way back home with the group. It felt horrible to me, it felt nervous and twitchy and I was scared to go around corners on it. I babied it along the 20km test ride and just kept saying to myself "look at where you want to go Jonny, look at where you want to go and for S*IT sake keep that throttle smooth!" oh it was horrible, I honestly couldnt wait to get off the thing! It tracked well, that's about it! And I have test ridden loads of bikes, so it wasnt a first timer issue.

How anybody can enjoy this type of bike via it's "Intended design" on a public rd is completely beyond me and would seem to be a contradiction in terms. Why had I owned and always been devoted to such bikes like this before? Was it because I had lived in the city and really all I could do was go to a coffee shop, hit the freeway, ride around the city and river or over to the coast and down to Fremantle and basically pose? Maybe I am blessed to live in mountain and lake country now.

Maybe I am getting older but I cant see how I could ever be conned into getting something like this for the street, ever again. Oh no, what about the HP2s! I guess it doesnt matter as it is a dream bike anyway

PS
I never got to get on the Kwaka GTR Tour Sport thing as it was booked out, but the older dudes all loved it, yes the older dudes the only interesting comment was "The front end feels light and wants to turn in" (possibly an air pressure thing was noted).

PPS
Took the Z1000 out in the arvo when it had turned out sunnier and dry. It was my second ride on one, it's fun like a barrel of monkies but the seat doesn't fit my posterior and was uncomfortable.

[rob_wijhenke]

Yep, these types of bikes are really useful on a track. Imagine going away for a long weekend, folded up like a fetus, nothing you can take with you, the constant pressure on your hands and arms. Nope!

[throttlemeister]

There's plenty people that do. It is just a matter of getting used to it.

[rob_wijhenke]

Fair enough but uncomfortable nonetheless...

[Guest24]

Well, on the positive side, you won't fall off the back.

[PFFOG]

Originally Posted by throttlemeister

There's plenty people that do. It is just a matter of getting used to it.

Not sure if they get used to it, or just think that is the normal, and if they want to travel on a sporty bike, they have to put up with it.


I can't count the times a sport bike rider has said things similar to "man you ride that BMW well", because I pushed or passed them down some twisty pavement. I am sure they would not say that if I was on a crotch rocket. I think the general belief is that Ergonomics have to be compromised for performance, when there are a lot of comfortable and capable bikes out there.

Look at the SV 650 Suzuki, and many similar bikes, good ergos, good handling, cheap, economical, etc. Yet the 600 rockets fly out the door, while the SV's collect dust. Then you hear new riders saying I had to get a 600 rocket to keep up with my buddies when they ride!! Which may be true as they never develop skill because they rely on the throttle as a crutch, until they get burned by their lack of skill and hang up their helmets, and move on.

[Chris Canning]

Originally Posted by Nail24

Well, on the positive side, you won't fall off the back.

The latest ZX10 is nothing like that i can assure you.

[Fenring]

My prevous bike was zx-6r. It was fun to ride, fast and furious, nimble as a bicycle, but the suspension was a horror on the regular road. When i switched to R1200S i felt reborn. Though both bikes are of a sport category and similar power output, the R1200S is simply better suited for the road. Is it the suspension thing or something else, i don't know. All I know is I wouldn't want to ride Ninja on the road again. I'd like to try it on a racetrack though.

[markjenn]

I've probably bought my last aggressive sportbike too, but I'm always wondering if there is one more left in me, perhaps a new 750 Gixxer which has always struck me as just an almost perfect pure sportibke. And wow, the new 848 looks like an incredible package

I think it all depends on what you're going to do with the bike as to whether a pure sportbike like the ZX-10R is a good bike for you. If you ride relatively smooth roads or the track, are a very aggressive/skilled rider, are physically fit so you can maintain the aggressive riding position comfortably, and are willing to accept the risks that very fast riding entails, then these bikes are absolutely fantastic. They're optimized for that 3% of the envelope in one corner. In that corner, wow, they're just great. And they're reliable, fast in a straight line, look great, etc. etc. etc. The Japanese have got the formula of delivering incredible performance in this corner of the envelope for a great price down cold. Nothing touches them.

In the rest of the envelope, something like a R1200S for that matter is probably a better (and faster) choice. A little more weight to smooth the bumps and provide stability, a little less aggressive riding position that allows one to have a lighter touch on the bars and use them for steering, not desperately hanging on, a front end that doesn't point skyward on corner exits, and a less brutal engine with more flywheel and softer power.

But the thing is, while you can decide that the R1200S is the right spot on the sliding scale between Gold Wings and a 1098R, there's a guy on a R1200GS that thinks the S is too aggressive and racetrack-oriented, and there's a guy on a ST1300 that thinks the GS is too aggressive, and there's a guy on a Road King who thinks the ST1300 is too aggressive, ..... There's no moral high ground that any spot on the scale is the right one. So when I see someone on a new ZX-10R, I hope for the best and hope that they know what they're doing and they have the skills, fitness, etc. to ride it well. I sure know I don't.

- Mark

[MaineRoads]

I found just sitting on the 848 an exercise in pain. Nice look though.

[shreddr]

i felt the same way about the 848, lust at first sight, and then when i sat on it, it felt like i was holding onto the front axle instead of the handlebars

[chewie]

Originally Posted by markjenn

I've probably bought my last aggressive sportbike too, but I'm always wondering if there is one more left in me, perhaps a new 750 Gixxer which has always struck me as just an almost perfect pure sportibke. And wow, the new 848 looks like an incredible package

I think it all depends on what you're going to do with the bike as to whether a pure sportbike like the ZX-10R is a good bike for you. If you ride relatively smooth roads or the track, are a very aggressive/skilled rider, are physically fit so you can maintain the aggressive riding position comfortably, and are willing to accept the risks that very fast riding entails, then these bikes are absolutely fantastic. They're optimized for that 3% of the envelope in one corner. In that corner, wow, they're just great. And they're reliable, fast in a straight line, look great, etc. etc. etc. The Japanese have got the formula of delivering incredible performance in this corner of the envelope for a great price down cold. Nothing touches them.

In the rest of the envelope, something like a R1200S for that matter is probably a better (and faster) choice. A little more weight to smooth the bumps and provide stability, a little less aggressive riding position that allows one to have a lighter touch on the bars and use them for steering, not desperately hanging on, a front end that doesn't point skyward on corner exits, and a less brutal engine with more flywheel and softer power.

But the thing is, while you can decide that the R1200S is the right spot on the sliding scale between Gold Wings and a 1098R, there's a guy on a R1200GS that thinks the S is too aggressive and racetrack-oriented, and there's a guy on a ST1300 that thinks the GS is too aggressive, and there's a guy on a Road King who thinks the ST1300 is too aggressive, ..... There's no moral high ground that any spot on the scale is the right one. So when I see someone on a new ZX-10R, I hope for the best and hope that they know what they're doing and they have the skills, fitness, etc. to ride it well. I sure know I don't.

- Mark

Good point and when I got home I did think to myself, what happens if I go to something like the R1200R next? Will that mean I wont want to get back on something like the S?? I think your spot on there.

Hats off to those who can hit the street and ride the hills on these hardcore jap bikes and ride hard, it must require alot of concentration, fitness, skill and maybe a couple of large ones too! (they'd be flat by the time you arrived though)

Having said that I have been on a few group runs where, as I have backed off coming into a town a couple of Jap Sports bike riders in the group will fly past me, almost as if to say "I cant be seen following no BMW into town".

Maybe they just wanted to keep going fast and so I could be wrong, but that sort of mentality for me has thankfully left the helmet

[emccarty]

I have 2 R1100S's (one with several performance upgrades), a 2006 K1200R, and I just resently sold my 2005 ZX-10. The ZX-10 with Heli-bars saw several 400 plus miles days while I owned it with me riding it. Marjenn summed it up pretty well in his above post. The ZX-10 is more of a true performance bike which demands experience and fisical fitness to properly ride. In the right hands it is a blast to ride and not unconfortable. It is not the bike for the armchair racer or want to be. I'm sure the new Beemer will be fast for a Beemer but it will never hold a light against the ZX-10 in the hands of a qualified rider. The really sad thing is it will do it for under under 1/2 the price tag of the BMW. I am not bashing the BMW I would like to have one if it was offered at a more realistic price ($15,000 ish). But I just can't see paying the inflated price for sales hip.

[volo]

I have an 06 Zx-10 and the R1200s. Of course, it's not as comfortable as the beemer, but still did 3000 miles in one week with my son last year, with no problem. When I go the 12 i thought i would sell the 10, but I can't bring myself to it. I like the feeling of flying an F-16.

[on2wheels52]

It's all realative; for me the S is the F-16 among the Cessnas as the others are either singles or 25 year old twins.
Jim

[volo]

Then the 10 would be your X-15!

[RC51DRAG]

Originally Posted by emccarty

... I'm sure the new Beemer will be fast for a Beemer but it will never hold a light against the ZX-10 in the hands of a qualified rider. The really sad thing is it will do it for under under 1/2 the price tag of the BMW. I am not bashing the BMW I would like to have one if it was offered at a more realistic price ($15,000 ish). But I just can't see paying the inflated price for sales hip.

Wow you know the price and spec of the late 2009 BMW superbike already...

[RC51DRAG]

Originally Posted by chewie

My first impression was how close my hands were to my knees and how short it felt. The front fairing was so low I couldnt see how it would do jack against the wind. I started it up and jeez I dont know but I felt very nervous, not from the sound so much but just the position of "us" at that time.

As I rode along I had this bad feeling and wanted to get off it, but I was with all the other test riders so I carefully made my way back home with the group. It felt horrible to me, it felt nervous and twitchy and I was scared to go around corners on it. I babied it along the 20km test ride and just kept saying to myself "look at where you want to go Jonny, look at where you want to go and for S*IT sake keep that throttle smooth!" oh it was horrible, I honestly couldnt wait to get off the thing! It tracked well, that's about it! And I have test ridden loads of bikes, so it wasnt a first timer issue.

How anybody can enjoy this type of bike via it's "Intended design" on a public rd is completely beyond me and would seem to be a contradiction in terms. Why had I owned and always been devoted to such bikes like this before? Was it because I had lived in the city and really all I could do was go to a coffee shop, hit the freeway, ride around the city and river or over to the coast and down to Fremantle and basically pose? Maybe I am blessed to live in mountain and lake country now.

Maybe I am getting older but I cant see how I could ever be conned into getting something like this for the street, ever again. Oh no, what about the HP2s! I guess it doesnt matter as it is a dream bike anyway

PS
I never got to get on the Kwaka GTR Tour Sport thing as it was booked out, but the older dudes all loved it, yes the older dudes the only interesting comment was "The front end feels light and wants to turn in" (possibly an air pressure thing was noted).

PPS
Took the Z1000 out in the arvo when it had turned out sunnier and dry. It was my second ride on one, it's fun like a barrel of monkies but the seat doesn't fit my posterior and was uncomfortable.

I agree; fair assessment. The ZX10R really comes into its own on the track. You've actually been riding the more sensible of the ZX10R models. The 2004 model I owned was stupid on the road and track. There wasn't a track local to me that I could ride anywhere near its limits, even on a straight piece of road. At MoSport's long straights I was amazed I couldn't top out the ZX10R, a first for me in a long line of superbikes ridden at Mosport. Usually the power tapers off at Mosport but the ZX10R kept pulling. The RC51 to the ZX10R was night and day and all of the current superbikes are a huge step forward.

[JimMoore]

Originally Posted by markjenn

I've probably bought my last aggressive sportbike too, but I'm always wondering if there is one more left in me, perhaps a new 750 Gixxer which has always struck me as just an almost perfect pure sportibke. And wow, the new 848 looks like an incredible package

- Mark

Hey Mark,

You should take a look at an '07 or '08 CBR600RR. I've put almost 10K miles on one since May. It is less comfortable than my R1100S was, but not by much. The seating position is actually pretty good. And the performance is, well, ridiculous. Not to mention that, compared to BMWs, the practically give 'em away.

[RC51DRAG]

Originally Posted by JimMoore

Hey Mark,

You should take a look at an '07 or '08 CBR600RR. I've put almost 10K miles on one since May. It is less comfortable than my R1100S was, but not by much. The seating position is actually pretty good. And the performance is, well, ridiculous. Not to mention that, compared to BMWs, the practically give 'em away.

Having owned a 1st gen CBR600RR I agree. I've toured on sportbikes for years. Did the east coast of Canada, a 8,000 km 12-14 day, round trip on a VTR1000 Firestorm and an RC51, and I've also toured on a CBR600RR. The CBR was actually quite comfortable, for me; I did a 900 mile round trip in 24 hours going to the Parry Sound Sportbike Rally and was still up for a trackday the next day.

The "problem" for these supersports and superbikes today is that there are comparable real world performance motorcycles now with more sensible ergos. The Aprilia Tuono, 950SM and Super Duke come to mind and the steals of the last few years Z1000, FZ-1 and new Bandit provide near comparable real world performance at silly prices.

I think the adventure market's mildly increased popularity and an aging motorcycling demographic with more disposable income than the kids contributes to this sensible performance model increase.

Ride a 12GS, 950ADV, Multistrada, Vstrom and esp. a Buell Uly and you'll be hard pressed to argue needing a out-and-out sportbike except for the long straights.

But for all the more sensible bikes performance a true race replica at these prices is a steal and worth it if you want it.