Kawasaki Zx-10r

KAWASAKI ZX-10R

CW RIDING IMPRESSION

Get a grip-or not...

DON CANET

LIKE YOU, I TOO READ CYCLE WORLD magazine, and right there on the cover of our December, 2007, issue, we proclaimed the all-new Kawasaki ZX-10R possessed “Brute Force with Brains... now with Traction Control!” I had no hand in the research or writing of the 10R technical preview featured within, but what I read filled me with interest and anticipation to experience this latest in racing-derived tech to trickle down to the street.

I've ridden several factory racebikes over the years, the most recent being the works Honda RC211V that Valentino Rossi rode to his first MotoGP championship back in 2002, but I’ve slipped behind the curve of late, having yet to experience a machine equipped with traction control. The very thought of screwing on the throttle with reckless abandon during corner exits while putting faith in onboard electronics to keep the bike pointed in the intended direction goes against my hardwired survival instinct. I’m very intrigued by the idea, however, as decades spent honing a feel for rear tire grip under acceleration has not been without hard knocks. Besides, the reflexes slow with age; having just turned 46, I’m not opposed to accepting some artificial assistance.

Neither did I mind in early December traveling halfway around the globe to Qatar to get an early ride aboard the 2008 10R at the model’s world press launch. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Kawasaki booked me and several others from the American press in business class on the national airline of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates. My enthusiasm for the digital age wasn’t deterred when my assigned seat’s elaborate in-flight entertainment system went down early en route. Without missing a beat, I was content with an interesting mix of progressive rock and melodic Scandinavian metal on my MP3 player.

So, disillusioned best describes my emotional shift when it was announced at the bike’s trackside technical briefing that, sorry, the ZX-10R does not have traction control, or at least not in the full sense of the term (see “The T-Word,” page 86). It was explained, not entirely convincingly, that KIMS (Kawasaki Ignition Management System) was most certainly not a traction-control feature; it only intervenes with power-reducing ignition retard when a spike in engine rpm is detected at a constant throttle setting. We were informed that any application of throttle overrides the system to allow unattenuated wheelspin to enable steering with the rear-or the classic high-side get-off if care is not exercised! Another point of great emphasis was that the system still allows smokey burnouts (woo-hoo), although we were kindly asked not to perform any. No problem. I hadn’t come to the worldclass Losail Circuit to monkey around.

So much for reveling in carefree controlled drifts out of corners, or the misguided hope KIMS would prove a magical equalizer allowing less-daring riders in the group to perform heroics on the gas. At least for now, old-school analog rightwrist management-/, e. early, smooth and steady throttle application-would remain key to maximizing drive off corners around the 3.375-mile, 16-turn circuit.

Comparing the chassis dimensions of the new machine with that of last year would indicate a slower-handling platform. Wheelbase has stretched a full inch, now measuring 55.7. The bike’s 25.5-degree rake is also 1-degree more relaxed than its predecessor, along with .3-inch more trail. Claimed dry weight of 395 pounds is 9 more than before.

The wheels remain unchanged, and while the diameter of the front-brake rotors has grown from 300mm to 310mm, the discs are now .5mm thinner and utilize lighter aluminum carriers, all adding up to roughly the same rotational inertia as before.

It became apparent during my first 20-minute riding session that turn-in and direction changes feel lighter than last year. That stands to reason, as the thoroughly revised exhaust system contributes to lowering the bike’s center of gravity.

Its predecessor’s twin-can underseat mufflers have been replaced with a setup featuring under-engine catalyzers and a pre-chamber feeding a single titanium silencer. The engineers also pointed to the 2-pound reduction in crankshaft weight (although the same inertial moment was retained) as a contributing factor in the bike’s lightened handling. But most of all, changes to the frame and swingarm. said to have increased stiffness and optimized the balance of rigidity, are credited for improving feedback and sharpening steering response.

Improvement in feedback wasn't readily apparent, though, as the suspension calibration during my first on-track session was soft, allowing the rear to squat when the throttle was opened and then oscillate a fair amount exiting corners. The chassis even felt unsettled mid-corner before power was applied. Losail’s track surface is free of bumps and offered exceptional grip thanks to rubber on the race line left by a World Superbike test conducted the week prior. Increased shock preload, low-speed compression damping and rebound damping offered a notable improvement in feedback and composure. A similar treatment given the fork provided further positive results.

Braking feel was to my liking, with enough give in the lever to provide a good sense of progressive modulation. Initial bite isn't overpowering and a modest two-finger squeeze gets the job done when running in deep enough to require maximum stopping performance from the four-pot, radial-mount Tokico calipers. There was never a fluctuation in the amount of lever travel due to heat, either.

Charging hard into Losail's tightest corners also put the slipper clutch to good use. negating the need to match revs on downshifts. The only place the rear wheel protested under engine braking was the entry into the track's first-gear hairpin. but even that provided only a subtle rear-wheel slide rather than harsh chatter.

Driving off this same bend proved even more exhilarating. with the front tire lifting at 8000 rpm in a controlled power-wheelie while the bike was still leaned over. Power delivery is extremely smooth with no sudden hits anywhere in the rev range, and while I never once felt any hint of traction control, the engine's linear character goes a long way in maintaining rear grip. The track has several second-gear corners as well, so there was ample opportunity to test the limits of adhesion.

Race-compound Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa radiais were fitted for our second day of riding. With the peg feelers removed these tires invited even deeper lean angles in the heart of corners that had seen the pegs, shift lever and muffler kissing the pavement, yet still no sign of KIMS assistance. Could it be the effect is so subtle that I couldn't feel it. that the system is more of a traction enhancement than traction control? After all, Kawasaki's system doesn't chop a cylinder or two; it subtly retards ignition timing. When 1 inquired about this. Kawasaki engineers told me they wouldn't expect KIMS to have any effect in these dry. grippy conditions.

With no rain in the forecast for the rest of the year, another option would have been to run off-line onto a very dusty portion of track and pray I didn't end up in traction in an Arabian hospital. Further exploration of this traction control that isn't will have to wait until we receiv e a testbike back in the States.