So with a bit of spare time today (but not for the rest of the week), sunshine, 7 degC and dry roads I quickly organised a test ride of the latest ZX10R ahead of this weeks MCN litre bike test for some real world feedback. I blagged an hour and a half ride on a 180 mile example around the PB test route located in Pboro and South Lincs so while the bike was still a little tight there were no rev restrictions imposed.
The bike itself looks very smart, see pics below, and comes with the latest wizz bang traction control, Euro 4 compliant emissions motor, Showa BFF forks, a quickshifter and is shod with RS10 tyres but it doesn't have active suspension, auto blipper, cruise or heated grips. First off the riding position is very compact for my 6ft 14st frame, footpeg position is similar to the '15RR, bars are low with my hands resting close to my knees and my head is over the front wheel so I have to crick my neck up to see where I'm going, spacious it is not.
Once rolling out of town, I find the gearshift very light and positive, better than the RR in fact but no autoblipper, which for me is a major omission versus the latest BM not just in terms of using the clutch but also there's no popping or banging on downshifts either - once you've had it there's no going back! Getting onto some open road I give the beautifully smooth engine a good handful in 2nd and hmm whats this, its quick but there's not much torque and then I see the shift light blinking at me (its set just below the red line) so I grab 3rd and do it again. Now don't get me wrong we are going at a fair old lick at this stage but in no way shape or form does the motor in this bike have the grunt OR top end of an SThou of any vintage, I never have the need to rev my BM as hard as this on the road and as the miles pass by I find myself riding the bike more like a 600 than a 1000.
Onto the B road twisties, the ZX10 has that fantastic planted front end that the ancient among us will remember from the ZXR / ZX7 days - in fact the riding position is rather like them too! The faster you go the better it feels with super front end feel and I find it really easy to flick from side to side - better than the RR in this respect I would say. It may have the latest super fandango Showa forks and shock but I'm feeling every bump and get chucked out of the seat at one point, this set up may work brilliantly on track but out here on a Lincolnshire B road its very much inferior to the DDC set up in the '15RR.
I stop to take a couple of pics before turning round and heading back, its a good bike, in some ways its brilliant but on the road you have to ride it like a middleweight and it's about as comfortable as one too. The sales guy told me it made 207bhp, this one doesn't, or if it does I never found it, its unintimidating and I think would make a fantastic track bike but as a road bike I found it inferior to the '13RR I used to own never mind the '15RR I currently have.
It'll be interesting to see what the press make of it but for me it already feels like its behind the times, quite why Kawasaki didn't fit the autoblipper that comes with the race kit is a mystery, in terms of performance maybe this is a sign of things to come with the Euro 4 regs so hang onto those S1K's, litre bike performance may have already peaked!! Some pics:
The bike itself looks very smart, see pics below, and comes with the latest wizz bang traction control, Euro 4 compliant emissions motor, Showa BFF forks, a quickshifter and is shod with RS10 tyres but it doesn't have active suspension, auto blipper, cruise or heated grips. First off the riding position is very compact for my 6ft 14st frame, footpeg position is similar to the '15RR, bars are low with my hands resting close to my knees and my head is over the front wheel so I have to crick my neck up to see where I'm going, spacious it is not.
Once rolling out of town, I find the gearshift very light and positive, better than the RR in fact but no autoblipper, which for me is a major omission versus the latest BM not just in terms of using the clutch but also there's no popping or banging on downshifts either - once you've had it there's no going back! Getting onto some open road I give the beautifully smooth engine a good handful in 2nd and hmm whats this, its quick but there's not much torque and then I see the shift light blinking at me (its set just below the red line) so I grab 3rd and do it again. Now don't get me wrong we are going at a fair old lick at this stage but in no way shape or form does the motor in this bike have the grunt OR top end of an SThou of any vintage, I never have the need to rev my BM as hard as this on the road and as the miles pass by I find myself riding the bike more like a 600 than a 1000.
Onto the B road twisties, the ZX10 has that fantastic planted front end that the ancient among us will remember from the ZXR / ZX7 days - in fact the riding position is rather like them too! The faster you go the better it feels with super front end feel and I find it really easy to flick from side to side - better than the RR in this respect I would say. It may have the latest super fandango Showa forks and shock but I'm feeling every bump and get chucked out of the seat at one point, this set up may work brilliantly on track but out here on a Lincolnshire B road its very much inferior to the DDC set up in the '15RR.
I stop to take a couple of pics before turning round and heading back, its a good bike, in some ways its brilliant but on the road you have to ride it like a middleweight and it's about as comfortable as one too. The sales guy told me it made 207bhp, this one doesn't, or if it does I never found it, its unintimidating and I think would make a fantastic track bike but as a road bike I found it inferior to the '13RR I used to own never mind the '15RR I currently have.
It'll be interesting to see what the press make of it but for me it already feels like its behind the times, quite why Kawasaki didn't fit the autoblipper that comes with the race kit is a mystery, in terms of performance maybe this is a sign of things to come with the Euro 4 regs so hang onto those S1K's, litre bike performance may have already peaked!! Some pics:
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