And I quote:
"By Jeffc (Jeffc) on Tuesday, May 9, 2000 - 01:08 pm:
Here are my emails to MC and Mitch Boehm's (the Editor) responses:
"I have been a subscriber for probably 10 years. Never, not once, have I written or even felt compelled to write. That's probably because I have found your editorial content generally accurate and honest. But after reading your review of the ZX-12R, I no longer believe that. Your declaration that the ZX-12R doesn't "measure up to Suzuki's GSX1300R Hayabusa in terms of all-out engine performance, backroad handling and top flight fit-and-finish," p. 54, Cheers & Jeers, just doesn't add up. It doesn't ring true given that every other review I've read in print and on the Internet declares the exact opposite! (Save for the fit-and-finish part.) How could you guys have gotten it so wrong? How many miles and under what circumstances did you ride it anyway? Maybe you're just resentful because Kawasaki reps. promised you a Top End King and didn't deliver. Based on your review I almost traded in my ZX-12R for a Hayabusa, after only 3000 miles.
Had it not been for my dealer's insistence on $1400 plus the trade in, I would be the unhappy owner of a Hayabusa right now. Unhappy because the other reviewers have set the record straight since your review. Whatever the reason for your conclusions, this reader, and many others (if the ZX-12R websites are any indication) think Motorcyclist just plain screwed up the
ZX-12R review. While I weigh canceling my subscription, maybe you should consider an encore review; only this time, be a lot more thorough and
objective!"
Subj: Re: ZX-12R Test "Power Play" - June 2000
Date: 00-05-09 10:50:28 EDT
From:
MCMAIL@emapUSA.com (MCMAIL MCMAIL)
To:
JCharlow@aol.com
Jeff
We're right about the 12R. If you rode all three bikes for days and days on all sort of roads like we did, you'd know it, too. Feel free to drop by and see how exhaustive our testing is before you go shooting off your mouth about a supposed lack of credibility.
Thanks for thinking of us, though.
Mitch @ MC
>>> 5/9/00 8:26:28 AM >>>
Mitch, thanks for the reply. I would love to know how "exhaustive" your testing was on the ZX-12R. But before I spend the time and money for a trip
from Baltimore, MD, can you email some details about (1) how exhaustive your review was and (2) why you think that the majority of other sources
contradict the bulk of your review? Maybe MC's review was MORE exhaustive than those other reviews. Do you think that's true? Maybe we should ask Burns, since he wrote the piece.
Jeff
>>> 5/7/00 11:08:07 AM >>>
Subj: Re: ZX-12R Test "Power Play" - June 2000
Date: 00-05-09 11:51:07 EDT
From:
MCMAIL@emapUSA.com (MCMAIL MCMAIL)
To:
JCharlow@aol.com
CC:
MCMAIL@emapUSA.com (MCMAIL MCMAIL)
Jeff
Thanks for the reply.
Here's a question for ya. How many of these ezines and newer magazines rode all three bikes back to back (like we did), on the freeway, to and from work, and on a selection of fast and slow (and smooth and rough) backroads? As far as I know, none did. Brian Catterson's new Sportbike magazine (which just hit the shelves) did, and they came to the same conclusion we did regarding the three bikes and how they stacked up in terms of all-around competency. Maybe he's wrong, too? I doubt it; he's a helluva good motorcycle tester, as are others at CW.
The problem here isn't that we're wrong about the 12R and 'Busa, but that so many of the other media sources are (especially ezines; do you really believe all the stuff you read there? Jeez, some of it's nightmarish!). I'll gladly put up our level of road testing (15 years for me, 18 for Cook, 14 for Burns, 20 for Smith, 30 for Friedman, 40 for Jennings, etc.) against anyone else's. Also, riding these bikes back-to-back is simply a MUST. Bikes are so good these days that the small differences (and the are small) aren't noticeable unless you jump off one and onto another.
Look, the 12R is a fine open-classer. It's just that, in terms of overall handling, feedback, steering feel and general chassis crispness, the Busa is a better piece. Not by much, but by a noticable amount.
Hope that helps.
Best,
Mitch @ MC"
