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www.motorcycleworld.co.uk/preview/news/latest_news/latest_news.htm
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KAWASAKI'S ZX-12R will be launched this autumn and it's ready to tackle Suzuki's Hayabusa.
The ZX-12R has been undergoing final road testing near Frankfurt, in Germany, before it is officially revealed at next month's Milan bike show.
It was due out earlier this year but Kawasaki delayed it and went back to the drawing board when it saw what the Hayabusa could do.
ZX-12R is in sharp contrast to its more bulbous Suzuki rival. While the Suzuki is shrouded in curves and bulges to boost aerodynamics - a crucial factor in reaching the highest speeds - the Kawasaki has a much more conventional and cleaner sports bike look. If anything, it looks a bit bland.
There's no sign of a Suzuki-style seat hump or the prominent nose which helps the Hayabusa to 194mph. Yet insiders are claiming the ZX-12R will reach 210mph. If it does, it will be the first production bike to beat the magic 200mph in standard trim.
The ZX-12R has clean, uncluttered lines and large, twin sports-style headlights.
There is a distinct family resemblance to the ZX-9R, too. The only obvious attempt at streamlining is the front fairing's narrow, wheel-hugging shape which extends the nose well over the wheel.
Kawasaki is working on the theory that building the bike as low and as compact as possible reduces the bike's frontal area and that is the most important factor in cutting speed-sapping drag.
High footrests and a cover over the pillion seat emphasise the 1200's sports character. Cornering clearance appears to be massive.
Like the Hayabusa, this is no sports tourer. It joins a new generation of hypersports bikes so far removed from the sports-tourer nature of the ZZ-R1100, that the older Kawasaki is certain to remain in the firm's line-up for 2000.
The ZX-12R's big four-cylinder engine is predicted to churn out close to 200bhp at high speed when the ram-air system is cramming maximum air pressure into the intakes, or about 180bhp at the crankshaft on the dyno.
That compares to the Hayabusa's claimed 172bhp at the crank. Ram-air boosts the Hayabusa to around 190bhp at high speeds.
The ram-air intake duct on the Kawasaki is clear to see, jutting into the airstream below the twin headlights.
It appears, from our photograph, to go the traditional Kawasaki route of having upside-down forks and four-pot front brakes.
The same sources which claim the bike will top 210mph also say it will cover a quarter-mile from a standing start in 9.52 seconds, beating the standard-setting Hayabusa's 9.88 seconds. Kawasaki refuses to discuss whether the bike even exists, let alone whether the speculation about its performance is accurate.
The ZX-12R is likely to cost under £8000 to compete with the £7899 Hayabusa. The ZX-12R is expected to go on sale here early next year.
Here's the full text:
KAWASAKI'S ZX-12R will be launched this autumn and it's ready to tackle Suzuki's Hayabusa.
The ZX-12R has been undergoing final road testing near Frankfurt, in Germany, before it is officially revealed at next month's Milan bike show.
It was due out earlier this year but Kawasaki delayed it and went back to the drawing board when it saw what the Hayabusa could do.
ZX-12R is in sharp contrast to its more bulbous Suzuki rival. While the Suzuki is shrouded in curves and bulges to boost aerodynamics - a crucial factor in reaching the highest speeds - the Kawasaki has a much more conventional and cleaner sports bike look. If anything, it looks a bit bland.
There's no sign of a Suzuki-style seat hump or the prominent nose which helps the Hayabusa to 194mph. Yet insiders are claiming the ZX-12R will reach 210mph. If it does, it will be the first production bike to beat the magic 200mph in standard trim.
The ZX-12R has clean, uncluttered lines and large, twin sports-style headlights.
There is a distinct family resemblance to the ZX-9R, too. The only obvious attempt at streamlining is the front fairing's narrow, wheel-hugging shape which extends the nose well over the wheel.
Kawasaki is working on the theory that building the bike as low and as compact as possible reduces the bike's frontal area and that is the most important factor in cutting speed-sapping drag.
High footrests and a cover over the pillion seat emphasise the 1200's sports character. Cornering clearance appears to be massive.
Like the Hayabusa, this is no sports tourer. It joins a new generation of hypersports bikes so far removed from the sports-tourer nature of the ZZ-R1100, that the older Kawasaki is certain to remain in the firm's line-up for 2000.
The ZX-12R's big four-cylinder engine is predicted to churn out close to 200bhp at high speed when the ram-air system is cramming maximum air pressure into the intakes, or about 180bhp at the crankshaft on the dyno.
That compares to the Hayabusa's claimed 172bhp at the crank. Ram-air boosts the Hayabusa to around 190bhp at high speeds.
The ram-air intake duct on the Kawasaki is clear to see, jutting into the airstream below the twin headlights.
It appears, from our photograph, to go the traditional Kawasaki route of having upside-down forks and four-pot front brakes.
The same sources which claim the bike will top 210mph also say it will cover a quarter-mile from a standing start in 9.52 seconds, beating the standard-setting Hayabusa's 9.88 seconds. Kawasaki refuses to discuss whether the bike even exists, let alone whether the speculation about its performance is accurate.
The ZX-12R is likely to cost under £8000 to compete with the £7899 Hayabusa. The ZX-12R is expected to go on sale here early next year.
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