Kawasaki Turns Up the Heat
KAWASAKI TURNS UP THE HEAT
ROUNDUP
HOLY KAW! IF THE FRENCH have their way, Kawasaki will blast into the new millennium with five knockout new models. Topping the list of "hopefuls" is a V-Max-esque Eliminator 1500. This is followed by a 200-mph Open-class sportbike, an ultra-light ZX-7R replace ment and a VXR750 dirt-track lookalike. Last, but certainly not least, is a Zephyr 750-based ER750 neo-standard.
Forecasting the future is always tricky, but according to inside sources, no fewer than three of these models will eventually come to fruition, at least in Europe. What we have here, then, is part reality, part wish-list.
Powered by a liquid-cooled, eight-valve V-Twin, the stun ning Eliminator 1500 is the brainchild of streetfighter cru saders at Kawasaki France. Ap parently, though, it's merely an attempt by the distributor to goad the manufacturer into pro ducing a model supported by nothing other than enthusiasmno focus groups, market re search, etc. That's not to say the next generation of Kawi cruis ers won't be performance-ori ented. In fact, the aftermarket is spinning at redline over the company's top-seller, the Vul can 1500. Free-flowing exhaust pipes, hot cams, carb kits, even nitrous bottles are becoming commonplace.
If Kawasaki does build a hot rod cruiser, it will be powered by an inline-Four, which has atways been the company's per formance calling card. "We're drag-race people," says a company spokesman. "If you take a V-Twin and go head to-head in a drag race with some guy on a Ninja, you're screwed. That only has to happen a couple of times before you're either going to put a turbo on the thing or buy something with an inline-Four."
There will most certainly be a re placement for the aging ZX 11, but the bike will not debut until the year 2000. Moreover, it will have a familiar facade, without the alterna tive front end and rim front brakes prominent on the ac companying illustration. (Those innovations may, how ever, materialize on another, even more sport oriented model.). As is status quo with Kawasaki sportbikes, the all-new ZX will be pow ered by a liquid-cooled, dohc inline-Four. Not surprisingly, the bike reputedly will be the quickest and the fastest mass production motorcycle ever. Despite the competition-topping performance, price will be reasonable. Kawasaki is in the business to sell bikes, after all.
Farther down the road (at least another model year) is a noholds-barred replacement for the ZX-7R. Developed specifically for AMA and World Superbike competition, the new-generation, aluminum-framed, four-cylinder powerhouse will be significantly lighter than the present model, greatly improving the bike's al ready impressive power-to weight ratio. Both solo and passenger-friendly versions will be offered.
No question, Kawasaki is seri ous about performance. Indeed, the 600 Supersport-winning ZX 6R and 173-mph ZX-9R are the first of the company's new breed of high-tech, lightweight sportbikes. The upcoming ZX 12 and ZX-7RR will be cut from the same cloth. With re spect to the other hopefuls, let's hope the French prevail.
Matthew Miles
