AUTOMOTIVE

Kawasaki with the new season : " Z1000SX "

2011-08-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

History

Kawasaki introduced the Z1 motorcycle in 1972. Four years later they introduced the Kz900. The original Kawasaki Z1 was the first series of Japanese motorcycles with the combination of four cylinders, dual overhead cams and 903 cc (55.1 cu in). It was one of the most powerful motorcycles produced up until that time, and set multiple world records.[citation needed] And even though its quarter mile times and top speeds were grossly overestimated,[by whom?] actual numbers were impressive enough to earn the bike the nickname “The King”.[citation needed] In 1977 a z1000 ridden by Reg Pridmore became the first Japanese bike to win an AMA Superbike national when it took the victory at Pocono Raceway. In 2003 Kawasaki introduced a completely revamped 30 year anniversary edition of the Z1000. It used a modified engine from the Kawasaki ZX-9R, and was bored out by 2.2 mm resulting in bigger displacement, more low-RPM torque, and only a slight power loss of 4 bhp from the original ZX9. In 2004, Kawasaki released the Z1000's smaller brother, the Z750. In 2007, Kawasaki released a new Z1000. The Z-series since the 1970s until today are also known as the “Z”, “Zed”, and “Z1k”.

In October 2009, Kawasaki unveiled the 2010 Z1000. It received an all new Aluminum frame, Digital Instrument Panel, Bodywork, and a completely new engine. It sports 77 x 56mm bore and stroke figures, 1mm over the ZX-10R’s 76 x 55mm displacing 1,043cc. That is up from the previous model's 953cc. Compression ratio is 11.8:1, and fuel injection is handled by a bank of 38mm Keihin throttle bodies.

First Ride: Kawasaki Z1000SX

Whatever the reason, sales of high performance sports bikes are in freefall so Kawasaki have fought back by building an all rounder that they believe ticks boxes in two sectors. The marketing people tell me the ‘S’ stands for for special and the ‘X’ stands for extra and after two days with the bike I wouldn’t disagree .

One thing‘s for sure; unlike some of the competition the SX doesn’t look like some naked bike pulled from the range then covered up with some unsuitable bodywork. We also know the Z1000 is a well loved motorcycle in its own right so this combination could well be a hint of the future.

Although very capable in both areas, after my first glimpse of this bike in the flesh, I was soon thinking more ‘sports’ than tourer’. The design department have got this one bang on as the SX is pleasing on the eye from every angle, and I reckon, although it has to be in lime green, probably the best looking sports tourer to date. The torquey 1000cc motor makes all the familiar, raspy Kwacker noises, pulls smoothly from nothing before taking off at 7000rpm to the 10500rpm red line.

That said, it’s equally as happy being ridden at a brisk pace all day long between 4000 and 5000 rpm in top gear, the choice is yours. The overall gearing is now a tooth longer (41t rear sprocket) to give a smoother engine response, however this also helps with the now more aerodynamic, high speed touring. The 2010 Z1000 also suffered from vibration through the foot pegs so both the rider and pillion pegs have been rubber mounted to eliminate this problem. On our test routes through southern Spain I found the general handling was both nimble and positive with my only complaint being an aching bum after roughly a hundred miles.

I’m told the seat is now 10mm thicker for extra comfort so it can only be my bony arse to blame. Only spring pre load and rebound is adjustable on the horizontally mounted rear shock (the front forks are fully adjustable) but there is enough to fine tune the handling so I don’t think this bike would disgrace itself on track days. It certainly has plenty straight line speed for the likes of Donington and Silverstone.

The brakes are also more than adequate for any type of riding as I found while practising the odd stoppie. Other nice touches are the ZX6R dash, the satin black silencers and the contoured grab handles. There is absolutely nothing on this bike that looks like an afterthought.

And when it comes to touring, the SX appears to also have most areas covered. The fuel tank capacity has now been increased by 4l to 19l, so this combined with much better aerodynamics means a much better range when heading down to Mugello. Also, Kawasaki has a comprehensive array of options and accessories in the pipeline to include tank bags and colour coded panniers so it you’ll have a one stop shop for all your needs.

So what makes this bike good?

Superb looks, great engine character, tracks days mid week, touring the Trossachs with the missus at the weekend?

Anything bad?
The three way adjustable screen looks pants in the highest position. (Easy to fix, move it down)

Price
Standard Z1000 SX Over £9,000.
Tourer (comes with ABS & panniers) Over £10,000.

Gladius is the " Right Choice "

2011-08-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

Suzuki chose that moniker for its more modern and somewhat funky take on their long running and hugely successful SV650 middleweight.

Dynamically, the Gladius is not quite sharp enough to deserve being referred to as a sword, but it is a sweet ride.

Suzuki's long running 645cc 90° V-Twin has proved successful beyond even their most optimistic bean-counter's wildest dreams. In production now for well over a decade it has already earned a place in modern motorcycling folklore.
Big enough to offer a reasonable amount of grunt yet small enough to not suffer from the poor manners that a larger capacity would bring, it has proven a winning recipe.

The tweaked version in the SFV650 Gladius is by far the best yet. I am no stranger to this sweet little mill in all its previous incarnations but happily admit to being quite surprised at the pull of this latest example.

Only after feeling that difference for myself did I seek the technical documentation from Suzuki on the model, as I was eager to find out what had been changed to give the Gladius engine the significant shot in the arm I had clearly felt from the saddle.

Suzuki's changes include a heavier crank to smooth low speed running and accentuate the engine's v-twin character.

A switch to lighter valve springs, higher lift cams, dual-butterfly throttle bodies, different length intakes and exhausts for each cylinder, along with a new Idle Speed Control system that Suzuki is using for the first time, all add up to a significantly improved powerplant.

And I say significantly improved not from the press kit, but from my time in the saddle. Suzuki have made a real step forward with this latest engine and the quicker it filters down to the rest of the 650 range the better.

Shifting cogs on the Gladius is a sublime experience. A smooth clutch, perfect shift throw and engagement make shuffling up and down the box an absolute pleasure.

The exhaust system may follow the same lines as Suzuki's other recent muffler styling disasters but what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in acoustics.

While being quiet enough to slip past the ADR noise meter it still manages to provide some aural pleasure, particularly on deceleration.

Clearly evident from my first stint on the Gladius was that it wore different brakes from its SV cousins. The front requires more effort at the lever than the SV bikes while the rear is much stronger.

A smaller master cylinder and caliper pistons on the front in comparison to the SV are a somewhat puzzling change.

Likewise the 20mm larger rear brake easily overwhelms the available grip and my first major stop when a road worker emerged with a stop sign from behind a car saw the back end slithering and sliding from side to side. Unfortunately Australia does not receive an ABS equipped Gladius.

The chassis includes a trellis frame suspended by preload adjustable 41mm forks and shock absorber. With three steps of the provided seven levels of available preload on the rear shock the rear suspension struggled to handle mid corner bumps while in the mountains.

Adding more preload largely cured it but if taking a Gladius home for good I would also experiment with lowering the forks through the triple clamps to give a sharper feel.

The instruments are clear and concise with a large conventional tachometer flanked by a bank of idiot lights on one side and LCD speedo on the other. A gear position indicator is also present.

In this day and age of Stalinist speed enforcement it would be nice if the speedometer was a little larger and more centrally located to the field of vision.

Ergonomically the Gladius proves quite amenable. I found the saddle reasonable enough for a largely painless 400km afternoon.

The small instrument binnacle seems to actually deflect some of the windblast and my Shoei ensconced bonce suffered no buffeting.

A 785mm seat height poses no problems for those of average height but shorties might prefer something a little lower.

The narrow girth will help the vertically challenged however. The mirrors work well and are largely devoid of vibration induced blurring.

Good grab bars are provided for the pillion and also double as secure anchor points for luggage. An optional top case mount adds to the luggage capabilities.

On a mixed highway and mountain run the Gladius returned 5.8 litres per 100km. Quite an admirable result as the engine and gearbox copped quite a workout on the tight cut and thrust that epitomises the well-worn run from Mansfield to Whitfield and back again.

The fuel light illuminated after 190km and I squeezed 11 litres into the tank at Mansfield. With 3.5 litres still in reserve it would have made for 250km to empty.

On the highway or in the city I am sure economy would fare much better extending the range further.

The Gladius comes in two versions. A full power unit, as tested, and a model eligible for learner riders through the LAMS scheme applicable in some states.

The LAMS version has top end power restricted by the ECU in order to meet the learner specified power-to-weight ratio, but still offers the ripper bottom end torque of the full power engine.

Both models are priced at $10,490 plus on road costs.

Specs - Suzuki SFV650 Gladius

Engine - 645cc, liquid-cooled 4-stroke 90° V-Twin

Bore x Stroke - 81x62.6mm

Transmission - Six speed, chain drive

Seat Height - 785mm

Wet Weight - 202kg

Fuel Capacity - 14.5 Litres

Average Consumption on test - 5.8 litres per 100km

Range - 250km+

Warranty - Two years

Price - Expect to pay $10,490 plus on road costs

Verdict - ****

Positives

+ Ripper engine

+ Great gearbox

+ Good value

Negatives

- ABS would be nice

- Suspension tune could be a little more sporting

2011 VMAX : " powerful and strong "

2011-08-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

The ultimate power cruiser delivers unmatched performance and style.The awesome acceleration and muscular beauty combines with sporty handling and Yamaha’s latest electronic engine management technologies to offer an incredibly exhilarating riding experience.Yamaha Motor Corp. resume the motor that had become legend Yamaha motor. V-Max 1st gen was launched in 1985 and this motor is a motor which shocked the world at that time. V-Max has its own characteristics, which distinguished his unique voice and has been a legend, a machine which has an acceleration . This motor is not like other motors which are now circulating, the V-Max is really a class of its own. Acceleration , a distinguished body design macho but still has an element of its own beauty. Motor which has a 1647 cc DOHC engine with V-4 engine it also has become an icon “sport-bike” Yamaha for now. V-Max also has .

Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that uses three microprocessors to control fuel injection, ignition, YCC-T, YCC-I, meters and other electrical components.The 2011 VMAX is the ultimate muscle bike and is the awesome result of its evolutionary journey. The unique features of this iconic beast are richly blended with advanced sportbike tehcnology and forward-thinking style. It all adds up to a machine with immense performance and visual power.

Powering the new VMAX is all-new 1,679cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 65 degree V4 engine* whose imposing in-your-face design offers you an unforgettable acceleration experience created by awesome levels of power.Running with bore x stroke dimensions of 90 x 66mm and featuring a compression ratio of 11.3:1, this visually intimidating new power plant develops 200 PS at 9,000 rpm, together with a huge torque output of 166.8 Nm at 6,500 rpm.The completely new VMAX engine benefits from the application of some of the most advanced Yamaha engine management technology ever seen in the category.

Specifications

Engine
Engine type4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, V-type 4-cylinder
Engine coolingLiquid cooled
Displacement1,679cc
Bore x stroke90.0 x 66.0 mm
Compression ratio11.3:1
Maximum power147.2 kW (200 PS) @ 9,000 rpm
Maximum torque166.8 Nm (17.0 kg-m) @ 6,500 rpm
Lubrication systemWet sump
Fuel SystemFuel injection
Clutch typeWet, multiple-disc diaphragm spring
Ignition systemTCI
Starter systemElectric
Transmission systemConstant mesh, 5-speed
Final transmissionShaft drive
Primary ratio1.509
Secundary ratio3.082
Gear ratio-1st gear2.375
Gear ratio-2nd gear1.810
Gear ratio-3rd gear1.400
Gear ratio-4th gear1.115
Gear ratio-5th gear0.935
Fuel tank capacity15 litres
Oil tank capacity5.9 litres

Chassis
Chassis:Aluminium, Diamond-shaped
Front suspension systemTelescopic forks, Ø 52 mm
Front travel120 mm
Rear suspension systemSwingarm (Link-type suspension)
Rear travel110 mm
Caster angle31°
Trail148 mm
Front brakeDual discs, Ø 320 mm
Rear brakeSingle disc, Ø 298 mm
Front tyre120/70 R18M/C (59V)
Rear tyre200/50 R18M/C (76V)

Dimensions
Length2,395 mm
Width820 mm
Height1,190 mm
Seat height775 mm
Wheel base1,700 mm
Minimum ground clearance140 mm
Service weight310 kg

Ducati Diavel : " fast from the fast "

2011-08-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

Ducati motorcycles have always had an athletic feel on the road, and the new Diavel Carbon is no exception. But if the traditional Ducati sport bike is a lithe Olympic middle-distance runner, the $20,000 Diavel is an NFL running back — fast, heavily muscled and ready to break tackles.

And while most Ducatis are elegant, seemingly effortless expressions of form following function, the Diavel is clearly trying hard to look good. For the most part the effort is worthwhile, especially for people who ride motorcycles in large part to attract attention.

The Diavel is Ducati’s first venture into what many people call the power cruiser or musclebike segment of the motorcycle market. It targets rivals like the Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle, Yamaha VMax, and other high-powered bikes that are fast but set up more for drag racing or noisily, stylishly cruising from one cafe to the next.

My test bike was the upgraded Carbon version, which costs $19,995, or $3,000 more than the standard Diavel, and its dramatic design turned heads wherever I rode it. It’s a fine boost for one’s image, and insures that arriving on this bike almost always feels good.

Getting there, however, may not be the most comfortable experience, especially for taller riders. At six feet and one inch tall I felt oversize on the Diavel, always wishing I could slide my rear end an inch or two back in the saddle. But the bike’s seat has a scooped-out shape that precludes such movement.

On the road there were times when I was happy to have a seat that held me in place, because the Diavel can be a wild ride –pleasingly so. Its testastretta, or “narrow head” twin-cylinder engine is electronically adjustable for three riding modes: urban, touring and sport. In the urban mode horsepower is limited to 100, the throttle response is softened and traction control is especially active. In touring you get the the engine’s full 162 horses but the response is still soft, as if the steeds are sleepy.

For a serious motorcycle enthusiast life begins with the sport mode, in which the horses are high-strung and possibly under the influence of a cattle prod. The most fun thing to do on the Diavel is to switch from urban to sport mode on the fly. You have to push a menu button to select the new mode, then you have to close the throttle briefly to confirm the change. When you open the throttle again it feels like someone switched bikes on you. And while the Diavel may have seemed fast enough with 100 horsepower, switching to 162 will convince you it was way too slow before.

The Diavel handles well and is reasonably comfortable on the highway for a bike that offers the rider minimal wind protection. On twisty back roads you mayu get tired of giving the extra effort required to make the bike turn. I attribute this reluctance to change direction to its extremely wide rear tire. Whatever the road, you’ll be ready for a rest after an hour or so in the saddle . So find a restaurant with outdoor seating and enjoy watching other people gawk at your bike.

Its low-slung shape is striking and gives it the look of a predatory animal. But unlike a feline hunter, there is nothing stealthy about the Diavel. It announces its presence with an exhaust note that seems almost too loud.

Most Ducatis, have two-cylinder ”L-twin” engines that have a pleasing, distinct boom-boom-boom rhythm. A well-tuned ear can identify it easily without looking. But the Diavel’s L-twin sounds like it is doing a Harley-Davidson impression — or worse, an impression of a Japanese cruiser that is trying to sound like a Harley.

That lack of a strong identity sums up the Diavel. While it is a neat, fun-to-ride bike, it is also a bit too aggressive in its attempts to make an impression. So instead of exuding confidence it appears somewhat insecure, like the loudest guest at the party.