4
i saw one at motorsports international. Its stunning. Really reminded me of my 93 zx7, my first new bike. Its a shame i dont like all the technology packed in the new bikes or else i would buy one.
Edit:
just saw they offer the color in the 500 which could replace my honda hawk. Hmmmm. I know zero about the the new 500s though. On paper it looks better than my hawk and i like its simplicity.
Last edited by boosten lebaron; 03-02-24 at 04:00 PM.
I’m all about this color scheme! Could use a bit more pink.
I've been looking at the ZX10 anniversary but will probably do what I always do and hope a used one in good condition pops up in a few years.
I had the chance to race a 4RR for an extended time in florida this winter. Once uncorked it is a VERY entertaining bike. reminded me of my 125GP bike both in how it railed the corners and in how exciting the motor was. I was shocked. If I kept it on the pipe I could spin the rear tire easily, even of fresh Pirelli slicks! and the sound! turned heads every single lap.
Embrace it! I was riding shit boxes my whole life (home built choppers, sketchy race bikes, cheap sport bikes, and basically anything that cost less than $1500), and I'm now on a 2020 Tiger 1200 with all the bells and whistles I could imagine. It's amazing. There was absolutely a period of time where the tech existed but was poorly integrated, but that's gone.
That's exactly what I don't want all the tech. I keep my stuff for decades now. I doubt a tft screen will last that long then what? Your screwed. That's my main reason for really disliking all this tech, it makes things have a definite end of life built in. And this is coming from a guy that built robots all over the world. Tech has its limits with me.
That 40th 4RR at Motorsports Intl is in my garage. I had a deposit on it since the news was leaked it was coming. I had ridden the last years bike without any ECU flash and I passed on getting the bike. Sure it wasn't long before the flash tune people had plenty to offer but I figured I would wait a year and then saw the 40th Anniversary come out and was glad I passed on the previous year.
Quick review - It never spun a wheel with me on it with the stock ECU. It was bought and immediately went into my garage with the tank off and the ECU out. Then 2day air to Vcyclenut for a tune with the Graves full exhaust. Also Graves has an option to allow the stock can added to the full exhaust. I went that route with a second map in the ECU for that setup. A simple use of low power mode on the bike triggers that mapping. So Palmer I can run the stock muffler with the Graves headers and get full power from that setup.
The bike is a lot of fun on the street as you have to work the transmission like a race bike. Lots of interaction with the quick shifter and auto blipper. It has to be the best QS I have ever tried and I have tried a bunch. The bike feels quality right down the the stock suspension. While its no full adjust system it did allow me to preload the front and rear with rear clickers for comp and rebound. I set them to the settings of a track day user and boy it feels really good although a bit stiffer for the street. I may back out a couple clicks on the comp and rebound for the street. But hey the clickers did change the character of the ride by a lot. I don't feel I have to immediately run out and replace the internals or rear shock for a trackday.
I had an RS660. While the RS was a much more potent bike with power, I think the lil Ninja gets the nod from me for overall confidence inspiring handling. It just works like an R6 or other easy to ride at full lean bikes. No vague feel creeping in yet. I never got on with the RS' front end geometry or weight bias. Even after spending a fortune on the ktech setup it still wasn't to my liking. Yet the Kawi feels amaizing. I can't wait to track it. The mid corner stability is very neutral and full of confidence. I went through a transition from right to left on a local spot to test it becoming unweighted and the thing felt rock solid in the transition. Not bad. No chicken strips on the budget tires it came with. I may run them on the track and see how they do.
The sound at full chat shifting at 13k with redline at 15,800 is insane. So much for the break in period. I know I have new bike syndrome right now. The thing is as good looking as a Farrah Fawcett poster. Never seeming to go out of style with that livery.
Send cash... I need a track day
It's great. I'm at around 15k without any issues. Ok, two issues. Once the plug for the kill switch came unplugged and I nearly had a heart attack. The other issue is that it needs to be on a battery tender if unridden for ~2 weeks.
The only thing I've considered replacing it with is a '22+ because those have a split radiator which is supposed to manage heat coming off the engine much better (it does get uncomfortable in traffic on very hot days).
WOW. I haven't like a new bike in a long time, but that is dead sexy
2003 ZX7R
1995 916
We encountered severe shifting problems on the bike we raced. In retrospect, I think the setting we chose on the woodcraft rearsets was wrong. There are 2 mounting points for the linkage, and we chose the longer throw setup, thinking it would make shifting easier. I have since learned that Kawis don't like that, and it may have contributed to our woes. I believe it was also an aftermarket QS. Not sure why, but maybe a combo of those things was not making the gearbox happy.
We also encounter severe chatter when trying to brake at 3/4 lean or more. K-Tech all around, but this seemed more inherent that settings as nothing we tried helped at all.
Perhaps the owner threw too much at it before figuring out what it truly needed.
If one of y'all absolute units would be willing to spare me a very-explicit procedure on safely extracting the ECU and packing it for shipping, I wouldn't mind uncorking the other 15hp and general throttle response that I paid for.
Also, *of course* Paul ripped the everloving heck out of one of these already.
-Jared
ZX-4RR, R1200GSW, 701 E/SM, Hyperstrada 821 (FS!)
"Also Graves has an option to allow the stock can added to the full exhaust. I went that route with a second map in the ECU for that setup. A simple use of low power mode on the bike triggers that mapping. So Palmer I can run the stock muffler with the Graves headers and get full power from that setup."
That is wikkid.
-Jared
ZX-4RR, R1200GSW, 701 E/SM, Hyperstrada 821 (FS!)