My ZXR400 L5 vs 2010 ZX10-R

[martin]

Hi

Kawasaki Road Show was in town a couple of months ago and I tested the new 2010 ZX10-R. And here are my thoughts.

The ZX10-R was of course very firm and all. Clutch and brakes and all was superb. It was high though. But the ZXR400 is very low. But I had a friend of mine that also said it was very high.

Comfortable ride. A little bit strange because I felt it was high. It was not the best conditions as it was wet here and there.

It is supposed to have up to 200bhp. I was not that impressed. I got the front wheel up in the air three/four times. The tacho was way to hard to see and keeping it in the rev band where the power is was hard.

I have a 2003 GSX-1000R racebike and I am no stranger to power. The ZXR400 is a 65bhp bike and the Suzuki has about 165bhp on the wheel. And the ZX10-R is supposed to have about 200bhp. But the Suzuki felt "wilder" than the ZX10-R.

I was afraid that I would not feel as good as I did about the ZXR400 after riding the ZX10-R. But I still enjoy the ZXR400 a lot. I have a lot of fun at a lower speed so what I will do is to get the throttle all oiled up and it will still serve me good.

I have driven 2700km this summer on my ZXR400. And I have no need to get myself something newer and faster. I am happy I feel that way.

Regards

[RedexRobB]

hey martin, i suspect that 200hp bike that doesnt feel fast is going to be deceptively fast. I rode a mates SV650 couple of years back and although it felt like a wet flannel, it was actually alot faster than i thought once i checked the speedo!

[martin]

Hi

Yes I know. It is all about the feeling I get. Things has changed from 1996 when my ZXR400 was new and 2010 with the ZX10-R. The ZXR400 tricks me into thinking I'm going a lot faster than I am.

That was the feeling I was looking for when I bought it and I'm so happy it does exactly that. I do not have the ability riding bikes that I had pre my accident in 2007 when I fell off a snowmobile and hit my head real hard.

I know that I am still crazy and I can't blame that on hitting my head on the asphalt really hard back in 2007. So going from a ZX9-R in 2005/2006 to a ZXR400 was very smart.

I have no need to go to a ZX10-R. But that is me. A ZX10-R would mean that I had to increase the speed a lot to get the thrills I now get at a much lower speed with the ZXR400.

I miss the time when I could just blip the throttle and have the front wheel rise in the air. That can't be done with the ZXR400. But it gives me the thrills I need and that is good enough for me.

Regards

[wonderpupp]

I miss the time when I could just blip the throttle and have the front wheel rise in the air.

Yeah, but when you get the front wheel of the 400 in the air, it's so much more satisfying...