Kawasaki telah mencapai salah satu penanda aras yang terbesar pada pusingan terkini untuk siri WorldSBK di mana mereka telah mencapai kemenangan ke-100 keseluruhannya dalam siri perlumbaan itu.
Kedua-dua penunggang untuk Kawasaki Racing Team, Jonathan Rea dan Ton Sykes menyumbang kepada kemenangan yang ke-100 itu di litar Donington Park di mana mereka telah memonopoli kedua-dua Perlumbaan 1 dan juga Perlumbaan 2.
Pencapaian ini telah dicapai menggunakan senjata litar terulung dari Kawasaki, Kawasaki ZX-10RR yang cukup cemerlang.
Kawasaki achieved one of the biggest milestones in the last round of WorldSBK where they scored a total of 100 wins in the racing series.
Both Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes from the Kawasaki Racing Team contributed to the 100th win at Donington Park where they dominated Race 1 and Race 2.
The feat was done on board Kawasaki’s ultimate track weapon, the outstanding Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR.
Image source: WorldSBK
During the last WorldSBK round at Donington Park during the sixth PATA UK Round, the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) created history by achieving their 100th win the Superbikes World Championship. The historic moment in history was achieved thanks to two of their most successful riders, Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea on board the amazing Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR. (more…)
The Z650 and the Ninja 650 are almost all-new and are the replacement models to the popular ER6N and the ER6F.
The Z650 is 17kg’s lighter than the ER6N and the Ninja 650 is 16kg’s lighter than the ER6F.
The 649cc, four-stroke, parallel twin engine is liquid cooled and produces 65hp and 65.7Nm of torque on both bikes.
Both bikes now offer ABS as standard via the latest Bosch 9.1M unit which is small and compact and tactfully placed under the seat because of its compact size.
The Z650 is priced at RM35,609 inclusive of GST, while the Ninja 650 is priced at RM37,189 with GST as well.
It was an interesting day yesterday as we got to test ride two new Kawasaki motorcycles which were first introduced to Malaysians back in January.
The Z650 and the Ninja 650 are almost all-new and are the replacement models to the popular ER6N and the ER6F, both of which were considered to be entry level models to the wonderful world of Kawasaki middleweight superbikes.
So, both the Z and the Ninja may be considered as entry level models, but there is nothing “entry-level” about them.
The test ride route organised by Kawasaki Malaysia began in Nilai and went on to Morib then to Jenjarum through some old country roads. A total distance of about 200 kilometers was good enough for an initial impression of both bikes, and though the Ninja was my personal favourite, the Z was incredibly impressive too.
The size of the Z has somewhat shrunk from the ER6N, in fact it almost feels like a slightly bigger version of the Z250, and it is a lot lighter too, than the ER6N that is.
Shorter riders will appreciate the lower seat height, which is now 15mm lower, as well as the slimmer seat which is designed to help vertically challenged riders to keep their feet flat on the road. Personally, my six foot frame would have preferred a taller seat height as I found both the Z650 and the Ninja 650 a bit cramped for my height. But then again, I am an abnormally in a market where shorter riders make up the majority.
Both bikes are a lot lighter too thanks to the usage of some advanced materials. The Z650 is 17kg’s lighter than the ER6N and the Ninja 650 is 16kg’s lighter than the ER6F. This may not seem like a lot, but you really do feel the difference as soon as you sit on the bike and pick it off its stand. The dramatic weight reduction was achieved through a number of upgrades including an all-new trellis frame which at 15kg’s, is a full 10kg’s lighter than the old frame. And because the new frame allows the engine to function as a stressed member through three rigid mounts, thus contributing to the lightweight feel of the bike, making it easier to put it into a corner and picking it back up again on the exit. Then there is the new rear swing-arm which is now of a gull-arm style and is 2.7kg’s lighters thanks to advanced construction methods.
The engine too has been upgraded and is the best part of both bikes. The 649cc, four-stroke, parallel twin engine is liquid cooled and produces 65hp and 65.7Nm of torque on both bikes. It features a number of updates like the cylinder heads which have been redesigned as have the camshaft profiles which now feature a reduced operating angle and overlap. What this gives you is improved response and more power in the lower and middle part of the rev band. An improvement that we could feel right away – there was more torque which means you do not have to spend precious time downshifting everytime you want to accelerate. In fact, the Ninja 650 feels a lot better because it has a bigger fuel injector with an opening that is 2mm bigger than that on the Z650. Same amount of power and torque, just more accessible lower down the rev band. Also handy through traffic where you can just hold the throttle without having to constantly shift gears.
Both bikes also come with a new slipper clutch with an assist function. What this means is that you get a lighter clutch feel and the rear wheel will not lock and hop during quick downshifts; improving safety and cornering stability. It’s also a lot easier to move off even from a hill start, you have to try really hard to kill the engine during roll out. Also assisting gear shifts is a new gear shift mechanism which has been changed to a link type set up (see below_. With this, you only need to gently tap the shifter for an up or downshift. Particularly useful for clutchless upshifts.
On the move, the first thing you notice about the bikes is the impressive amount of grunt and the linear acceleration with no loss of power. The powerplant is obviously the best part about both the new bikes, absolutely no complaints there. In fact, besides the smaller size of both motorcycles, there really are no complaints. But the suspension could do with a re-tuning once you have bought it. Especially the rear as I found it to be a little too soft. The rear suspension has been updated over the old bike and now uses a horizontal back-link which helps increase sportiness and comfort, but I found it to be too focused on comfort and would dip too much on uneven roads. But it is adjustable for preload, so just a few clicks of the horizontally mounted mono shock should fix that.
The tail light of the Z650 is in the shape of an Z.
Of course there are other updates as well, like the new front brake callipers, brake pads and rotor carriers. Both bikes now offer ABS as standard via the latest Bosch 9.1M unit which is small and compact and tactfully placed under the seat because of its compact size. The fuel tank too has been redesigned an placed lower down the chassis for a more sportier look and feel. Then there is the new instrument panel that now comes with a gear position and shift indicator, three-selectable display modes and also tells you the temperature of the coolant as well.
While the tail light of the Ninja 650 is in the shape of an X.
Both bikes are now more relaxed to sit on as well. The handle bars on the Z650 for example have been placed 10mm forward and 15mm lower, this reduces the bodyweight on your wrists. The handlebars on the Ninja on the other hand are all new and have been placed 25mm forward and 42mm lower. I personally love the sitting position on the Ninja 650, it perhaps has the best sitting position in its class.
This is the meter panel of the Z650, now with a digital read out. It also lights up in different colours as you get closer to the point of shift.
The difference between both bikes is limited to the overall weight, the Ninja is 6kg’s heavier than the Z. So if you have to chose one bike between these two, either way you will be making a really good decision. The slim and compact size of the Z650 will be perfect for city use, the nimbleness will definitely come alive in traffic. The Ninja 650 too will be perfect in urban areas, but can double-up as a weekend warrior for those who like to get your knee down.
The meter panel of the Ninja 650, some key updates include a digital read out, gear shift indicator, gear position indicator as well as fuel consumption and fuel range.
We will be picking up both bikes at a later date for a more thorough review and will reserve further judgement until we have spent more time with them. The Z650 is priced at RM35,609 inclusive of GST, while the Ninja 650 is priced at RM37,189 with GST as well.
The brakes of both bikes have been updated as well, besides ABS, the twin front discs are petal shaped with great initial feel and bite.The exhaust of both bikes are now conveniently tucked under the bike, and though they sound puny, Kawasaki also has an optional exhaust kit from Akrapovic.
Radiator cover set is now standard on the Ninja 650.
Kawasaki has taken the wraps off the 2016 version of the Kawasaki ZX-14 earlier this week, with a few key upgrades which includes a tweaked ECU, a new instrument cluster, as well as Brembo monobloc brake calipers. The upgrades were all in line with meeting the latest Euro4 emission regulations.
According to Kawasaki, the tweaked ECU has managed reduce emissions whilst maintaining the bike’s maximum output of 207hp, making it among the most powerful bikes to be unveiled this year.
Powering the beast is a 1,441cc liquid cooled, four-stroke, inline-four cylinder engine which produces 207hp, enabling the bike to accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in 2.6 seconds, with an electronically restricted top speed of 299km/h.
Set to be available in two variants (ZX-14R and the ZX-14R Performance Sports) for 2016, notable changes include the new instrument cluster with LCD displays with dot-pattern background, black and white interchangeable displays, Brembo M50 monobloc brake calipers with Brembo radial-pump master cylinder, stainless steel brake lines, Ohlins TTX39 rear shock absorber, as well as Akrapovic exhausts.
Being made exclusively for the track, the Ninja H2R and it’s 320hp madness is after all the most outrageously powerful motorcycle ever produced. This has forced me to think really hard how not to overstate all the marvels and the resulting supercharged hybrid of the Kawasaki Ninja H2R. (more…)
A friend recently told me the wife or the Ministry of Finance as he fondly calls her said he can finally trade up his 250cc bike, thats the good news.
However since he has been riding for at least two years he is in a conundrum as he cant decide on what bike to go for since the bike have to cater to three types of riding that he plans to do.
It has to be practical enough to replace a car to go to work (once in a while if not everyday) like his Ninja and at the same time comfortable enough for some long distance riding. Many can easily fill those points however the last bit is the hardest to fit which is the bike has to be fast enough and fun for track days.
After looking at a long list of bikes available now in Malaysia, it seems that Kawasaki holds the answer to his salvation, it’s the big brother to his Ninja 250, in the form of the Ninja Z1000 SX.
This bike have been in the market for slightly over one year but still not many on the road as most riders go for the more touring centric GTR, another good bike and easily fill his first two criteria but a bit too bulky for trackdays.
Starting with the heart of the machine, the Ninja 1000 comes with a tweaked 1043cc liquid cooled in-line four, the same one in the Z1000 even down to the nice and easy 6-speed multi wet clutch transmission.
It makes the same 138hp and usable power comes as low as 3500rpm and spreads out all the way to redline. Silky smooth, very linear power delivery and quite rev happy, the perfect storm some would say.
While the whole bike weights about 230kg, it does not feel so as the almost straight up sitting position and low centre of gravity makes the Ninja 1000 feels nimble and easy to manoeuvre instead. Without the panniers you can easily navigate the busy city streets and commute to work on it if you want to.
But even with the panniers on, its still very manageable as the pannier system was designed along with the bike and it sits very close between the bike centre line and handle bar. And with some bikes thats designed with panniers, they look a bit silly and naked without the cargo boxes off, the Ninja 1000 look good with or without its panniers, not the best looking but smart enough to get a second glance from others.
And the upright sitting position not only helps while riding in traffic but also perfect for those long-distance travel. The moderately low seat is plush and supportive, which is the opposite of the Z1000. The passenger seat though looks more like an ornament, ok for short stints but not more than 20 minutes before she starts complaining.
The large fuel tank takes 19litres and on touring mode this bike was frugal enough that I didn’t even worry so much about where to find fuel and just enjoy the ride. Wind coverage is good for a sports tourer thanks to the adjustable windscreen and body cowling.
Get to the track and all you need to do is go to the sports mode on the engine and lower down the windscreen to the lowest setting and off you go, even at that setting there is still enough room for you to tuck in behind the screen.
The grippy brakes makes slowing down and stopping quick, easy and drama free while the adjustable suspension, monoshock on the rear and usd fork upfront makes the bike adaptable to different riding style and weight though with a bit of tweaking around.
All in all if you are hoping to get something that could do the same like my friend wanted here then the Ninja 1000 is probably your best bet.
Engine: Liquid-cooled, in-line 4cyl, DOHC, 16v, 1,043cc
Transmission: 6-speed return
Power: 138hp @ 7,000rpm
Bore/Stroke: 77.0 x 56.0
Price: RM82,900 – RM87,900 ( with or without the panniers respectively)
For the past few days the internet have been abuzz with the rumours that the next Ninja will come with a forced induction engine.
That rumour is now confirmed with Kawasaki releasing a sound clip on youtube of a bike accelerating hard and a chirp similar to a forced induction vehicle would have in between upshifts.
All the rumours are based on Kawasaki’s showcase at the last Tokyo Motor Show where they revealed a concept supercharged inline-four engine.
Unfortunately except for the designation Ninja H2, just like a ninja, things are still clouded in mystery.
