supra5677
Pro
Posts: 1279
|
posted May 24, 2006 11:40 AM
Old Cycle World Article on the ZX12R
Here's an old Cycle World Article I found in my collection of articles: No scanner so I'll have to type it..
Title : Speed Bleed
The convoluted case of the zx12's missing mph
That hissing sound you hear is the air being let out of Kawasaki's balloon. The mighty ZX12, pride of Akashi, intended to return Big K to its rightful place atop Vmax Moutain, is 10mph too slow. Insult to injury, even with its suspension slammed and a hired gun in the saddle ( see "Factory Flyer," page 46), the 12 is slower through the quarter mile than a stock Suzuki Hayabusa. " Its an embarrassment, " bemoans one frustrated Kawasaki official. What happened?
The ZX-12 ran into a buzzsaw of political correctness and social responsibility, is what happened. There's not a lot of speaking on the record yet, but here's what we know: Last year, a promotional video for the Hayabusa was shot on a two lane stretch of German autobahn. It featured a couple of fast cars steaming along the voluntary speed limit agreed to by most European auto makers, 250 kmh (155 mph). Suddenly, a Suzuki lane-splits the two cars, busting past with an extra 50kph in hand, easy.
Aired extensively, the footage did not sit well with certain European Community legislators, safety-crats and ecologically oversensitive "Greenies," already geared up to rid the world of frivolous personal transportation anyway, especially if the dreaded internal-combustion engine is involved. The Germans and French were particularly hacked.
Perhaps better than any bike-maker, BMW understands Europe's climate of political correctness( it was early with catalyzer exhausts and recyclable plastic bodywork). Last October, warning that continued escalation of hte speed wars might lead to legislated limits or a ban of ultra high performance bikes altogether, BMW officials traveled to Japan. They proposed not a horsepower ban as might be expected from a company that produces just one 100bhp bike, but a voluntary speed cap of 300 kph (186mph).
A subsequent December meeting in Bologna between Japanese and European manufacturers sealed the ZX12's fate. Delegates at that meeting agreed to "freeze and reduce" the top speed of their high-end sport bikes and to "cease competitive marketing strategies with respect to the maximum speed achievable" by those vehicles. By 2001, the agreement stipulates that no stock motorcycle will be capaable of speeds in excess of 299 kph (185 mph) and that " a further step ( in speed restrictions) will be seriously considered." The 250-kph figure that cars now adhere to was suggested.
About to add a 197-mph fan to these flames, Kawasaki was forced into an abrubt about-face. A planned world press introduction was scrubbed while new electronic control units were made up. When the ZX12 finally arrived ( no intro, no fanfare, just, "Here's the bike and don't ask us anything 'cause we don't know") , the altered ECU's made sure the Worlds Fastest Bike would never be. A pity. Shot down by Euro-weenies.
The one silver ray in all this? Savvy speed-tuners, already in the process of changing over from camshafts and degree wheels to keyboards and mircrochips, will soon have a remedy. What the Black Box taketh away, the Black Box can also giveth.
-David Edwards
p.s. Im going to write this guy and see where he got his information. If he is guessing then he should say so..supra
   
|
jeroen
Expert Class
Posts: 144
|
posted May 24, 2006 01:30 PM
Interesting article. At what date was it published?
____________
Jeroen - BMW R850R
|
supra5677
Pro
Posts: 1279
|
posted May 24, 2006 01:41 PM
this was from june of 2000..
|
Outsiderzx12r
Zone Head
Street Racer
Posts: 841
|
posted May 24, 2006 02:03 PM
FUCK THE EUROPEAN UNION WUSSY GOVERNMENTS.
____________
OutsiderZX12R
2000 ZX12R-A1
|
MAXIMUS
Needs a job
Posts: 4156
|
posted May 24, 2006 04:45 PM
 Edited By: MAXIMUS on 24 May 2006 17:45
Fuck cycle world! Them fucker's are riding around on scooter's,,,,,,,,,,fags!!!!
|
zx12mark
Pro
Posts: 1654
|
posted May 24, 2006 05:52 PM
that was all bullshit.....they did'nt change anything on the first year. like always if you want to go faster change the exhaust.in 6 years nobody came up with the change.it was what it was. that being said i have beat every busa with the same mods as me.on the street and at the strip.
|
Y2KZX12R
Needs a job
CompetitionCNC.com
Posts: 3762
|
posted May 24, 2006 06:54 PM
ZX12mark, I agree 100%. They are full of shit. I remember that article. I think I still got CW back then. Either that or otto65 gave me it.
What a joke.
____________
Y2KZX12R
CompetitionCNC.com
|
supra5677
Pro
Posts: 1279
|
posted May 24, 2006 08:01 PM
This guy Dave Edwards is editor in chief... his article is all conjecture with no facts from Kawasaki...
|
Y2KZX12R
Needs a job
CompetitionCNC.com
Posts: 3762
|
posted May 25, 2006 06:59 AM
quote:
his article is all conjecture with no facts from Kawasaki...
As is most everything in CW. CW is for kids. Its the HotRod of the bike world.
____________
Y2KZX12R
CompetitionCNC.com
|
supra5677
Pro
Posts: 1279
|
posted May 25, 2006 07:27 AM
sent him an email.. Just got the letter out in the mail, maybe I'll here from him
|
kawasaki_rick
Zone Head
Posts: 512
|
posted May 25, 2006 07:47 PM
zx12v vs hayabusa
A slammed zx 12 wont beat a stock hayabusa? I go to the track. Ive had both bikes. Zx12 will run right with a busa. If you can keep the front down, i think the zx12 will outrun the suzuki.
|
zx12mark
Pro
Posts: 1654
|
posted May 25, 2006 08:11 PM
rick ,don't you live in missouri.i live in st.louis .if so lets set a wed.nite for gateway .there is always lots of bikes.we got to go soon while the air is cool....mark
|
dougmeyer
Needs a job
moderated
Posts: 2713
|
posted May 26, 2006 02:46 PM
The part about the Euro meetings is largely factual. The rest was all speculation and as we all know, ultimately had no basis in fact. I have to remind you guys of something I talked about earlier- I had a pre production engine setup for my Bonneville work well before the intro. The post press intro bikes were better in several areas including power. There was no "limiter" until 2002.
See that last line where David says that "savvy tuners" will soon find the settings that will liberate the stolen power? Never happened, did it? That's because the bike was about as good as it was going to get with a muffler on it without some pretty serious changes.
|
Y2KZX12R
Needs a job
CompetitionCNC.com
Posts: 3762
|
posted May 26, 2006 04:35 PM
I couldnt agree more Doug. Some people dont understand that if the air fuel ratio is correct and the ignition timing is optimized then thats it. You need to start changing hard parts like air filters pipes cams etc. if you want more from the bike.
If the ECU was to blame then the pc-III would have taken care of that.
____________
Y2KZX12R
CompetitionCNC.com
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC