blueford
Needs a job
Posts: 2984
|
posted September 04, 2005 08:36 AM
Well fuck that's a cop out by Kawa if true. Just up the displacement, that's easy to do, doesn't take much engineering, so what do you get?
A big fat Busa type turd that eats tires like a welfare queen eating cheese puffs.
What they should do keep the 1200 cc engine, redesign it to current literbike standards, say 190 RWHP, get the weight down as much as possible, say at least 80lbs, shorten the wheelbase a little and a state of the art suspension.
Think of it this way, if you eliminated Superbike rules from the equation would a 1000 cc bike be the fastest on the track? Who knows maybe a big bore could be engineered to be faster or as fast.
And for us larger fucks a better fit!
  
|
Connman
Zone Head
Posts: 506
|
posted September 04, 2005 09:30 AM
If they do that, then they've got direct competition with their 10. I think they're aiming at the busa crowd with this new bike.
If they do it this way, they sell more 10's and enter the busa market.
|
MAXIMUS
Needs a job
Posts: 4156
|
posted September 04, 2005 10:34 AM
ZX, ZZR 1400, 1300, 1200 it sucks but i guess we will all just have to wait and see.
|
blueford
Needs a job
Posts: 2984
|
posted September 04, 2005 10:50 AM
quote:
If they do that, then they've got direct competition with their 10. I think they're aiming at the busa crowd with this new bike.
If they do it this way, they sell more 10's and enter the busa market.
OK, go over here to http://www.ferrariworld.com and be amazed at thier selection, of which, many models are in direct competition with each other.
Does Ferrari have more capital than Kawasaki? Don't know.
|
trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
|
posted September 04, 2005 11:05 AM
 Edited By: trenace on 4 Sep 2005 12:08
Some Kawasaki bikes are pretty good sellers and likely account for significant (meaning an actual percentage point or something at least remotely near to it) of KHI's business, for example the ZX-6R and most likely the ZX-10R as well.
The ZX-12R is a bike that I do not think sells more than a couple thousand bikes per year, using the word "couple" imprecisely.
Unlike Ferrari, Kawasaki sells product at pretty much commodity prices, e.g. you get out the door for $10K or $11K.
In that situation, efficiency of scale is much more important than when selling vehicles admittedly having twice the wheels and three times the cylinders, but 10-20 times the price or even more.
It doesn't make sense that Kawasaki would want the 12's replacement to sell as few as the 12 sold, if it's predictable that a somewhat differing approach that will win more magazine awards and comparos will sell much more bikes.
I don't know why you call it a cop out to make a more powerful, longer wheelbase bike. It sucks from your standpoint, but to a lot of riders it's what they're looking for. It's precisely the shorter wheelbase, compared to the Busa, that causes more skill to be required to launch the 12 than the Busa, and therefore also to lose to the Busa in most magazine comparisons of 1/4 mile times.
|
blueford
Needs a job
Posts: 2984
|
posted September 04, 2005 02:10 PM
OK you're right, priorities are plainly different if you live in Florida vs. California, however the 12 was (is) a great compromise design-wise between all the sportbike fortes.
My point is, if Brad Pitt wanted to buy Angelina a sports car in the $100,000 + range, he would have a relatively huge selection of Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, etc., so, should not sportbike aficionados have as great a selection of unique designs? Say a $10-to $50,000 range of something comparable to the Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis dream cars.
Even if they sell less than 1,000 units, so, how many F430s could Ferrari sell in a year? 100.
All this, of course is in a perfect world to come.
|
NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
|
posted September 04, 2005 02:21 PM
quote:
A big fat Busa type turd that eats tires like a welfare queen eating cheese puffs.
HAHAHA
|
trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
|
posted September 04, 2005 02:25 PM
quote:
OK you're right, priorities are plainly different if you live in Florida vs. California, however the 12 was (is) a great compromise design-wise between all the sportbike fortes.
What you say about Florida vs California is true on average, but myself, I agree with you on the priorities. Even though the roads here are not like yours, still I prize good handling for those here-and-there occasions where it can be put to use.
Looks like I did NOT make a mistake in "investing" (more accurately known as "spending") to improve the 12R, as the replacement apparently may well not be as suitable a base for a both-handling-and-power oriented sportbike.
|
herk
Expert Class
Posts: 177
|
posted September 06, 2005 09:23 PM
ZZX-1400R
____________
Revenge is the oldest motivation known to man
|
lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
|
posted September 07, 2005 01:44 PM
So what time frame are we looking at when there will be some news or maybe a pic of the monster if it exists? Curious on which month I need to have the extra funs set aside for just in case. Actually, I'm not planning on being the first guy on the block to have one....I will wait and see what Suzi does to curb all the Busa 'ship-jumpers'.
I am perfectly happy with my Green Machine.
|
238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
|
posted September 07, 2005 03:24 PM
Edited By: 238mph on 7 Sep 2005 16:27
L2M
That would be my luck... I buy the ZX14 and friggin busa does a 15... 
But I always like the look of the 12 better... I just hate being second in motor size...
SIZE DOES MATTER... 
|
NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
|
posted September 07, 2005 03:26 PM
Edited By: NinjaNick on 7 Sep 2005 16:27
JERE COMES OUT!
quote:
SIZE DOES MATTER...
Doesn't shock me at all coming from you....baaawaahahahaha
|
238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
|
posted September 07, 2005 03:29 PM
Ah don't start in with this GAY shit you homo... I friggin hate that stuff.... Like I said
before... you think I'm gay, loan me your wife for a night... she'll tell ya how gay I am!!!!
OUCH!!!
|
NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
|
posted September 07, 2005 03:35 PM
Oh ya, well I hate the friggin stuff that you hate hating that I post that you think I don't hate, but you hate the stuff that I don't hate, even though I'm kidding, so don't HATE...FOOL! 
BTW, she wouldn't want the shit thats been rotting in whitey tighties for 50 years...haha 
Well, I was about to call you, but I ended up on the phone with someone else, so expect a call from me tomorrow evening Jere. Been awhile since we've bullshitted and talked about people.
|
lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
|
posted September 07, 2005 04:59 PM
jere, I believe you when you say size matters, but for you my friend...you must be talking HP.
Who else would have a super-sized 1000hp go-kart, 500+hp, and a nasty ZedX12...your truck might need another turbo to keep up though. LOL!
|
lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
|
posted September 07, 2005 05:00 PM
So, any guesses on what month?
|
238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
|
posted September 07, 2005 05:11 PM
I don't know when, but the anticipation is killing me...
|
trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
|
posted September 07, 2005 05:14 PM
Most likely some sort of announcement at the dealer show, now only about a week away.
|
aughtsix
Expert Class
Posts: 277
|
posted September 07, 2005 06:54 PM
My guess is they won't call it a ZZR if they keep the monocoque frame -or- they won't call it a ZX if they keep the conventional twin spar frame.
If the dealer show is a week away I guess we'll see in a week!
|
trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
|
posted September 07, 2005 07:08 PM
Just tossing a thought around:
Suppose -- may or may not be the case -- that this bike is:
1) Heavier than a 10R by at leas 50 lb: quite likely given the motor being almost half again as big if it's a 1400.
2) Much longer wheelbase than a 10R, possibly for the purpose of winning King of the Dragstrip honors.
3) Very powerful.
Now, what happens if Kawasaki calls it a ZX, calls it a Ninja?
The magazines could choose to compare it to the ZX-10 and other supersport bikes, and what would they announce? That it is a pig, that the extra power in no way makes up for the impaired handling, the smart money will buy a literbike, this bike is a loser.
Versus what happens if they call it a ZZR?
Well now the mags will NOT compare it to the ZX-10, the Gixxer, and other supersports. It would compare with the old ZZR (blows it away), Hayabusa (blows it away), BMW K1200S (puh-leeze) and would be described as a giant, giant leap forward for bikes of this sort.
ZZR nomenclature could make marketing sense.
|
gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
|
posted September 07, 2005 08:24 PM
Make sence to me Tren.
____________
There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
|
herk
Expert Class
Posts: 177
|
posted September 07, 2005 08:44 PM
I still have money on a 1300.
____________
Revenge is the oldest motivation known to man
|
gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
|
posted September 07, 2005 08:55 PM
How much money are we talking here??????? I'm game for some
____________
There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
|
Connman
Zone Head
Posts: 506
|
posted September 08, 2005 03:36 PM
The guy I got my info from said it could very well be tagged with a "Hayabusa" or "Blackbird" type name.
What would be a cool name for the ZX-1400?
|
lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
|
posted September 08, 2005 03:51 PM
"Hi-yah-see-yah"
'Busafagslayer'
"Kissmyassayabusacocksuka" >>thats a mystical bird too.
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC