ZX-12R only clocks 190.8mph for now

[OB_slam]

KAWASAKI'S ZX-12R has disappointed in initial speed tests around the world. Even the firm's own official test in the UK failed to top the speed MCN has clocked on a Suzuki Hayabusa.But Kawasaki is still claiming the bike is faster than a Hayabusa and says that will be proved when they are tested side-by-side in exactly the same conditions.When MCN first tested the Hayabusa last year, we clocked 193mph on the two-mile test straight at a breezy and damp Bruntingthorpe.

Read the rest of the test at MCN! Poor Kawi..all the hype...all the delays...and they still fall short. Yes all you 12R guys claim there's no way Kawi would release the 12R without it being faster than the Busa. Well sorry but it looks like if you want the fastest bike on 2 wheels you better get a Busa!

 

[OB_GOGETA]

Preach to 'em SLAM! They aint listening. Look it's this simple; Why pay $12,000 for the cow when you can get the best milk for $10,799? It's just like when these guys roll up on there F4's and say "Yeah, but I'll get you in the turns!" Well I would've blown your doors off by the time you get to the turn. The guys on the 12r's will be sayin the same thing. But there's one difference, I paid less for better milk and you bought a flea bitten cow!!!

 

[OB_GOGETA]

ELVIS has left the building!

 

[Guest]

This bogus BS 12 campaign makes the Honda XX shortcoming look like a slight error in judgement. We've had to listen to 208 mph 12 BS shoved down our thoats on our own web site since last spring. All the bogus claims, flame wars and Busa (and owner) trashing was a total waste of time. You 12 guys made your bed and now Kaw took a big stinking dump in it - time to go sleep in it. The 12 doesn't cut it - plain and simple. If you guys hadn't built it up to be some special built "Busa destroyer" and shoved it in our faces every chance you had I wouldn't care - but now it's time to return the favor you bestowed on us.
Now take that ugly miricle POS kirby air ram snout and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. Next time try and bring a bike with at least as much torque and hp as your intended victim before you run your mouths.


[This message has been edited by Todd (edited 13 March 2000).]

 

[Guest]

You all have buried the 12 and are putting the tombstone on its grave now.
Me I'm not ready to get out my shovel just yet.

 

[Guest]

That's right - maybe tomorrow we'll wake up and find out it really does go 208 mph just like we were told. Hell - even Kaw couldn't produce the numbers themselves on their own hand picked bike. It's over dude. I imagine Kaw is looking for a mountain with a steep slope and a tailwind about now.

 

[Guest]

No problem, I'm all set then.
Looks like its up to big red to do the job now. They're a little different.

 

[OB_falcon fool]

Omega, maybe you need to loan Kawasaki your shovel...they have a lot of dung to shovel up!

[This message has been edited by falcon fool (edited 13 March 2000).]

 

[OB_Wronglane]

Todd,
If you read my post again,I said "when they are tested in the United States on the same day".
The Busa is the "King" now and may be in the near future,I just think it will be dethrowned with a bike with 100cc's less,that's all.

 

[Guest]

4 mph at 190 is EVERYTHING when claims were made that it would exceed the Busa's 194. ONE mph is the difference between SUCCESS and FAILURE/ FIRST place and SECOND place when promises are made. Kawasaki dictated its own terms for success and proceeded to release bold announcements of complete domination. The truth is even if the non independent run made by the factory is accepted the 12 still falls about 5 mph short of its stated objective and 18 mph short of the bogus claims they leaked. In this game of extreme top speed 4 mph is a LOT - especially at these speeds. This is the title of the top speed production bike at stake - not a 186,000 mile trip to the moon. With the new top speed limitations set to go into effect NEXT year [2001 models] the stakes may be higher than we even thought. Ask people like Turbo Rick how difficult the last few mph are to come by at these velocities. Hell - ask Kawasaki! They spent all day trying to go faster than 190.8 mph and struck out.



[This message has been edited by Todd (edited 14 March 2000).]

 

[OB_slam]

Wronglane, are you really THAT caught up in the hype that you still cannot see the facts?? I mean damn Kawi couldn't get the 12R to beat the Busa themself and you still think somehow the 12R will be faster. Months ago there was nothing but hype to go on - now we have a few top speed runs by several UK and US mags and test by Kawi themself and all of them are dissapointing. Believe this...if the 12R was truely faster than the Busa none of us would have to wonder about it. We would all know the 12R was faster by now because Kawi and everyone else would have produced dyno results and top speed runs etc...bragging about how the Busa has been dethroned. Like someone said before the only one left who has a chance of truely knocking the Busa off the podium is Honda(or maybe Suzuki themself with a lighter & more race orientated gsxr1300???) and with the speed limit thing that may be enforced next year that might not happen. Even so, NOONE will be able to make a bike that will make an impact on the motorcycle community as big as the 1300R made when it was released in '99. All anyone else can hope to do is make a bike that has a 5-8mph faster top end..woohoo big deal.

I get the feeling some people will not rest untill they get a 12R to do atleast 1mph faster than a Busa in a same day test! Well if it's really that serious and they're that damn determined then more power to them...now what are they going to do to get it to run faster than Busa's that are no longer stock? Not only that but everyone's so caught up in the performance aspect of the 12R I'm wondering how RELIABLE it'll be!!

 

[OB_Wronglane]

Slam,
I'm just saying that I won't believe anything until both bikes(US spec)are tested in the US on the same day.Something is funny about the reports in MCN.
I can't see someone doing a top speed run with a bike that's not broken in(200 miles)and bouncing it off the rev limiter in six gears.
Lower in the article,it was stated that a Dutch magazine tested another 12 with less than 200km on the clock which made 166rwhp.If this is true,then that bike will make 170 rwhp easily when broken in.They claimed the bike hit a wall at 183/184 mph before reaching redline.It sounds to me like the European bikes are already electronically restricted and I don't think the US bikes will be.Something is funny and soon we will see.

 

[sherm]

Can anyone tell me where I can find Kawasaki's "claims" about top speed? I don't think I've ever seen anything in Kawasaki's own handwriting about specific top speed numbers. Their 12 advertisements sound just like everyone else's mumbo jumbo.

All I could find was this quote from an unnamed Kawasaki spokesman in the Nov 99 Cycle World:
"We didn't build it to be slower than the Suzuki."
Mission accomplished - depending on which magazine clippings you choose to keep in your wallet.

By the way Slam, you said you were getting bored with the H and wanted something more exciting. From my reading the MCN article I think the 12 might be just what you are looking for. Personally I'm sticking with the H.

 

[OB_busTa Kaw]

I dont think magazines break any bikes in before testing them. Do you think the busa was broken in before testing but not the Kaw. Come on. Yes it will make more power when broken in but so will the busa. Long live the King!

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

I agree with you, Omega!!
The Busa is now looking like the biggest performance breakthorugh in a decade, even causing Kawasaki to wilt under the pressure. Kaw has always been up to a performance challenge, but this time they may finally be over their head. I would be surprised if that were the case, but you have to expect the unexpected in this life.

The old adage is that speed is just a question of money. Well, there is one company with the cash and the R & D resources to really do it right...and that is Big Red. Honda has a performance lagacy to live down from 20 years ago, in the form of the CBX six. They flexed their technological muscles to build it, and it promptly got stomped by the GS1100E.

Honda is the only potential player now, after Kawasaki. It seems like Kaw shot their load on the ZX-12. Yamaha seems content to build awesome track bikes in the R-6 and R-1. Suzuki will bask in the glory of the Busa for as long as it lasts. So what about Big red? I have my vision of the bike they could and should build to dethrone the Busa. It would smoke a quarter in about 9.2 and top out around 215-220. It would weigh about the same as our Busas, with about the same wheelbase.

My only question is, WHEN??

 

[Guest]

Wronglane - look out for oncoming traffic!

Motorcyclist has tested the 12 and Busa on the same day in CALIFORNIA, USA. It was a 5 mile straight public road closed by the highway patrol. The 12 FAILED to match the Busa. They also dynoed both bikes and the 12 made LESS RWHP than the Busa. 162 vs 164. Hibernation is over now.



[This message has been edited by Todd (edited 14 March 2000).]

 

[OB_MagicBus]

IMO
I feel there's two areas in which the ZX12
a definite winner, it's bigger and it cost more. So if you like spending more money or you're too big to fit on a Busa, the 12 is the machine for you.

 

[DaveO]

Time will tell all.....

1/4 miles will be up to the riders. Ricky on his 12 will beat me on my Busa. It just makes racing more fun!!!!

Dave

 

[Guest]

Ricky G on a 600 would probably beat me on my Busa. Letting Ricky run a modded pre production 12 and publishing the numbers as indicative of production may prove to be another huge mistake. No way will any of the mags cut the same time on a production 12(or a modded 12 for that matter) as Ricky G did. Reports are aalready surfacing indicating at least one mag came up short on the zx-12 quarter mile time versus the Busa.

 

[OB_icndu2]

I believe you can read all the magazine bullshit and learn nothing. The difference is the rider! If you do not have the balls or experience to push the bike, stats mean nothing. I have a 2000 Hybu and have exceeded 190 mph on a long highway. I weigh 120 lbs and throw that stock busa around like nothing. So, you can read and argue all day but rider style will always make the difference.