posted February 24, 2004 01:26 PM
geezer... there's no sorting needed... the bike is flawless... they just have to ship 'em over here.. that's all! You wont be disappointed!
____________ What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
Why do I see a lime green Prairie 700 in this picture? Last time I checked, Kawasaki didn't offer that color to the public. Any plans on this making it to production?
posted February 24, 2004 01:39 PM
thx fer the pics fish! glad u got at least soem dry riding in. good (well, maybe not ) to put a face to some of the people i'v talked with so much.
posted February 24, 2004 01:58 PM
And just to stop any rumours, there is NOTHING wrong with the transmission. It's flawless. We rode production versions of the bikes. The journo's at Daytona rode preproduction versions.
____________ What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
posted February 24, 2004 02:26 PM
hey XL, I will be in gainsville next weekend..... so if you would like some real world drag testing..... LOL.......
and MD dude look again....
____________
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posted February 24, 2004 02:50 PM
Hey everyone, first time I've had a chance to poke my head up out of the sand. The ride was awesome. I'm baffled how Kawasaki can make a bike this light be this utterly stable in some of the worst monsoon weather I've ever ridden in. It was utterly predictable, windproof and comfortable enough to put 300 miles on. When we were up in the twisties, it was ready to give everything I wanted, with corners behind the blue plate special. Absolute millimeter precision...All the power you want, when you want it and in the exact quantity you want. No surges, hiccuphs, belches, farts or wheezes to be had. PERFECT fueling in all kinds of weather and altitudes. I can't sing enough praises about the motor or the handling. My plan is to keep my ZZR1200 for the highway miles, and trade the 12R in for a 10R for trackdays. I have to echo RedElk it saying that this bike will make you feel like a superhero, and has all the right stuff to back up your moves.
____________
82 Gpz750, 84 Ninja 900, 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy Big Bore Kit), *another* 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy custom stroke crank 1341cc motor), 2004 ZZR1200, 2005 ZX10R, 2007 ZX14, 2008 Concours 14, 2014 Versys 650, 2014 Yamaha WR450F, 2015 Ninja H2
posted February 24, 2004 03:05 PM
I rode the 636 cause I knew that I could catch them at any given time in the tight stuff.
Kawidan...thats just some plastic that we purchased from a company (dont remember who,maybe Mike Penland) just to do an ATV event...we have a couple of em like that.....You wont be seeing it on any production Prairie's.
If it was a SECRET...we wouldnt have let it just sit around for anyone to see...ya know what I mean Vern.
Beans......all those machines have temporary registrations in them.
mdzx.....for some reason we just didnt receive any Orange ones, not sure if the paint is a little more difficult or what exactly it is, Orange ones ARE coming though,unless something has changed that I am not aware of.
Mike I thought about ya....but....umm.........NO!!....lol
I wish we could accomidate everybody in the world, unfortunately...its not possible.
posted February 24, 2004 03:44 PM
LOL.... Hey it is the thought that counts!!!!! I am glad you guys all had a good time!!
____________
200-MPH CLUB MEMBER!
posted February 24, 2004 03:55 PM
You know I only had 20 miles or so on the bike when we hit Ortega. Did I mention I was riding at 50% when you and I left the others in our vapor trail???? There is not a "tiddler" bike on the planet (636 included) that can stay with me on Ortega, when I'm in full rip zone. Not even in the tight stuff. You talkin to me? You talkin to ME?!!! Especially when I get my own 10. So, I show some respect to my host, and I get street talk. I see.....
I'll give you a call when I take delivery of "my" 10. I do my talkin on the streets pal.... (ok, don't show this to you know who. He'll berate me again...).
Yeah Mike does make the lime green plastic for the 700. I figured that it wouldn't have been around if it was going to make it to market. I was just hoping that Kawasaki had finally came to there sence and finally decided to give us the Prairie in the color that we all bleed LOL!!!
Oh well a man can always wish I guess LOL!!!
At least they are giving us the ZX-10r in that color
posted February 24, 2004 03:57 PM
Oh, by the way.... That picture of the guy with his crotch soaked? That's what happens when you try and follow someone on the most superior sportbike ever made, with a tiddler bike..... That ain't from the rain.....
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posted February 24, 2004 04:07 PM
Trying to get the details of where all we went in the 300 mile ride, so I can put it all togther. Naming the roads and comparing it to the bike's performance will make more sense, IMHO. All I know was that we were at some overlook where you see Lake Elsinore (I think), San Bernardino National Forest, Ortega Highway, a place called Idllywild and I remember going through 29 Palms (the windmills freaked this redneck OUT!).
I was already "committed" in buying one. No because of "brand" loyality, but "dealer" loyality. If he carried all brands, I would have had the new R1 on the top of my list, followed by the 10R, CBR (a tie) and then the GSXR. He doesn't carry all brands though, just Kwacks and Katooms.
After this trip, the "order" has changed. Having been on a '03 R1 (yet knowing the '04 will be different) and a Gixxer, neither one was ANYTHING like this 10R.
You must also remember, I'm a average (or maybe even a less than average) skill level rider. Basically I'm a slow, wuss poser. I've done a few track days, no schools (getting my CMRA license doesn't count). Hardly a knee draggin' hooligan. I'm the guy everyone has to stop and wait on. I still don't know why they asked someone like me to come out there.
It will be fun compairing the 10R to my 182 RWHP, 1' shorter 7R swingarmed 12R. There's really no comparison. It's track agressive yet comfortable, intense yet forgiving, nimble yet stable... it's Jeckle yet Hyde.
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
posted February 24, 2004 04:49 PM
red........here's the road trip in a nutshell......... I-5 south to Ortega Highway...stopped just beyond the waterfalls..turned around came back...stopped at the candy store..turned around went back(weeee funn).."kbryant was slow"......went up to the Lookout Roadhouse, stopped,looked out at Lake Elsinore, went down the back side to Elsinore....out to I-15 north to 91 east to 60 east...gassed up in Moreno Valley.....back on the 60 east to Gilman Hotsprings road to the 79 east to 74 east....stopped at the Idylwyld splitt (Kerry got cold,"and slow)LMAO.....continued east on the 74 toward Palm desert....got really cold and rainy....stopped at the SugarLoaf Cafe so Kerry could warm up and we could eat and dry off a little bit.......the rain never stopped like I'd hoped...we continued on down the 74 into Palm desert where it warmed up for a little bit (Kerry got warmer)...gassed up, got on I-10 west...headed for KMC...still pissin down rain......I think red and everyone else can remember everything from here.
posted February 24, 2004 04:59 PM
Edited By: k bryant on 26 Feb 2004 13:42
Alright. Here's my take on this motorcycle. It's the most perfect Sportbike I've ever ridden. And I've ridden just about everything over the last 30 years. It's better than most of the racebikes I've ridden. There is no shifting issue. It shifts better than any Kawasaki I've previously ridden or owned. Take this evaluation from a pure sportrider/racer. That's all I am interested in. On to some details:
First thing at KMC. I picked my color (black). I adjusted the levers, and shift lever to my personal spec positions. I lowered the air pressure to 30 front, 32 rear. Tires were fresh Dunlops, 218 model. I did not adjust the suspension. But it was soft in front, reasonably good in the rear. The bikes are set up for much lighter riders as they come out-of-the-box. Around town getting to the mountains, you have no idea or feel of the weapon between your legs. She is light, manuverable, docile.
My best comparision to this bike "feel wise", actually has to be relating to the 6/636. It simply feels like a more refined version, with much more power. I'm 6' 1", 190 lbs. It fits perfect. I like to ride with my unit right up on the tank. I simply fall right into position. I ride the front wheel heavily into corners. This bike allows that and feels perfectly stable. Everything about it reminds me of the 636 feel, again, with more power. The times XL & I took off and shredded, it felt more like a proper racebike. It flicks extremely easy. I did notice that it was typically sensitive to bar pressure when changing transisions quickly. Too much pressure, and she click the bars a little. But again, very, very minor compared to every other sportbike I've ridden. I would not run out and get a steering dampner. It's not needed. You simply adjust your feel/input as required to gain stability, as well as adjust air-pressure. This is the first sportbike I've ridden, that I would not run out and install the "mandetory" steering dampner (I would not ride my 12 without one).
She does not have the torque of the 12. I normally do not row the gearbox when riding Ortega. I short shift and/or torque out of the corners (remember, we're riding a street legal racebike on the street...). It still comes on strong, but if you drop below 6k, she won't respond like a 12. After 6 or 7, she's coming on strong. I did not take it to the rev-limiter. No reason to. But Fish & I did a roll-on and she is very, very fast. I don't know what we got up to, but we were moving (and I was moving away from Fish, hee, hee...).
Soo....... If you're a sport rider, you cannot buy a better bike currently. I have not ridden the R1, but I did own a '02 model. The 10 is superior in every area. The R1 was easy to service, and went 26k between valve adjustments (which was nice). I don't know what the service intervals are on the 10. I don't care. I am buying one, with my own money, regardless of if I get the "industry" good guy deal or not. This is a track day and/or sportbike riders dream bike. It will make good riders better. Get in line for yours now.
posted February 24, 2004 05:01 PM
Looks like Kawasaki has finally filled a void... A competitive liter bike. Not sure it will or was ever meant to take the place of the 12r, but from what we've all heard and now seen, it sounds like it is a " TRUE" twisties bike to rekon with...'ain't selling my 12, but I'm gonna get myself a black 10r.
posted February 24, 2004 05:17 PM
Edited By: k bryant on 24 Feb 2004 17:23
XL is a very talented rider. Much better and faster than I imagined a desk jockey would be. Learning more about him, he obviously rides a tremendous amount, and it shows. But he's not the fastest. Although we were both holding back quite a bit (well, I was holding back quite a bit...). He is a very gracious host and concerned about his guests. When those pussies, oops, I mean other guests did not follow us on our 80 mph lane splitting in pitch black, monsoon type, spray everywhere couldn't see a thing trek home, he was a wreck. Since I'm a homeboy and knew where I was going, Fish followed me to KMC while XL waited for those pussies, oops, I mean other guys. All kidding aside, even by our lane splitting standards and/or conditions, it was a hairy ride home. You non-SoCal boys did very well. And it was my pleasure to meet you face to face. You're good people (slow, but good people...).
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posted February 24, 2004 05:48 PM
Don't be putting swft in the same group as me, Mr. "I'm so cold, but too manly to wear rain gear" Papa Smurf (feel the luv?). I'm the only pussy in this group.
Swft just had the misfortune of being briefly behind me while I was ball-lessly refusing to lane split & lane change (a "hanging offense" in redneckville) while totally blind. It was at that moment the LED tail lights of ya'll faded into another two lanes and was gone. The only reason Fish kept you in sight is because he rides JUST LIKE BART! Others here will know exactly what I'm talking about. All I can say is your just lucky Fish didn't "rear end" you (in more ways than one).
Well, XL... KB's post answered one of my questions... how about my other question, eh?
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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posted February 24, 2004 01:06 PM
posted February 24, 2004 01:34 PM
) to put a face to some of the people i'v talked with so much.
posted February 24, 2004 03:56 PM
Edited By: 