Funny enough, I tried out a gixxer 600 at Crescent the other day. I was a little unsure whether to try it as I didn't want to realise that my beloved 748 is past it!
Pleased to report that I was actually quite underwhelmed. It's a beautiful bike, fast, incredibly easy to ride, but it doesn't blow mine into the weeds at all, just shows how far I've brought mine really.
The one big advantage to the Suzuki is it's lack of weight, it's like riding a pushbike, there's no sensation of weight at all once you're moving! Unfortunately I cannot afford to get my Duke feeling like that!
Then I tried a K4 thou, and promptly sh*t myself! Fast isn't the word!!! :o
Maximum respect to the guys that race those things, they are INCREDIBLE, too fast for me by miles :D

Here it is then, My test ride report.......


Firstly, I actually got out on the 999r on Saturday and went for a mental blat along my regular route of fast A roads, I have got to admit that I was a little disappointed with my bike... My old 999s was almost perfect out of the crate. The R needs some suspension set ups and some decent rubber on it as the Michelin Pilot Race H2 are not really suited to the R in my opinion..... back to topic.....

Woke up bright and breezy this morning with the sun still shining from the weekend... headed off down to Bournemouth Kawasaki to see Pete, the head honcho whom I have known for years...

The ZX10 I had was NOT my choice of colour ..:barfy: flat silver and black :barfy: and I had to chuckle at the size of the chicken strips.... but to be fair we have had cruddy weather and salty roads and the bike only had 240 miles on it.

Set off gingerly through the town, and noticed straight away how much easier the bike was to ride, smaller,lighter, and so much easier at lower revs.:)

Got out of town and started some fast stuff towards Dorchester, everything about the bike just got better and better... the bike is so blindingly fast but so composed at the same time.... and it wheelies for a past time :P

Banging down the box the slipper clutch worked perfectly. I was amazed at how much better the brakes were in comparison to my R, considering my R uses Brembo and the Kwak uses Tocicko ( sp ?? ) Yeah, I know that they are both radial, but the ZX has a better feel to the lever. Considering the bike was totally standard, it had a really nice rasp to the exhaust note.

All of the controls were easy to use, the pegs are at a good height for road riding and the bars are set at just the right height... you do need to tuck in behind the screen at speed, but a double bubble would sort that out !:)

The only criticism I had with this bike was the excessive play in the throttle cable... easily remedied.....

I cannot believe how quickly this bike turns and flicks from side to side. Kawasaki have appeared to have gone from one extreme to another.. from very hard to suspension on previous models to softer suspension on this one... ( could actually do with a little firming up ) On hard acceleration, the rear end does seem to squat a little. But at standard settings, I found it pretty impressive.

I ran pretty much the same route that I used on Saturday on the R and I have to say that I covered ground faster on the ZX . I seemed to be able to scrub off speed a lot faster, and corner harder, with more composure. I always feel like I am fighting with my Duke.

I cannot describe the feeling that the ZX gives under hard acceleration .... other than.. Its Mental !!!!!! In the wrong hands this bikes is SERIOUSLY dangerous.:o:o:o For harder road riding this bike does need a steering damper, I had a couple of slappers today ( yeah, ha-ha, no need to comment on this )we are not talking vigorous here, but more controlable twitches. The bike power wheelies in the first 3 gears and in higher gears it only takes a quick flick of the clutch or going over a small crest in the road and she still rears up...... I LOVE IT !!!!!!!:lol:


Heading back now, I did approx 100 miles and a tank of fuel and took the bike back with no chicken strips.

You are all right about Japanese bikes having no soul or character, but who really gives a monkey when a bike is THIS good and half the price of my Duke... not to mention the reliability and exorbitant servicing costs for the Duke.

I still love my Duke for its character and its soul, but at the end of the day, the ZX does it so much better and without all of the dramas .... and I got off the ZX and still felt human, whereas, after getting off the Duke on Saturday, I was ready for the knackers yard.

Not too sure what to do now.... Rattler is right.. in an ideal world I would have both, but you can only ride one at a time... Maybe it is time to sell the R, and buy the ZX.. but who knows, It 21.30 and I am still buzzing though :lol::lol::lol:


Could be time to defect from Camp Ducati ?????

Will keep you informed !:P

Great report Dave.Some food for thought there.:sniff:

I've made a few mods to mine, including the steering damper!! and its one very, very fast missile.

It's as you say - it does everything very, very well, it does it without complaint and doubt, its very clinical. I did strip mine down to fit lots of goodies and track fairings and the attention to detail in the build quality is quite amazing.

There are so many fairing parts that fit perfectly together and incorporate mounts for parts of the wiring loom and electrics etc, a real engineering feat.

I'm not sure I agree about the suspension being soft though, mine on standard "road" settings was pretty hard, I did stiffen it up for Cartagena though. Perhaps the one you rode had been softened?

I really can't fault my ZX only to say that its not a Ducati - its character is completely different, but then its not trying to be a Ducati is it.

The new GSXR1000 appears to be only a little better than the ZX - what will next years new ZX be like??

Tim

I love this......... :D
Have you tried a 04 R1 or a 04 CBR1000RR? If not,...... DO IT!!!! Ah or the new 05 GSXR, although it's butt UGLY!!!! :barfy:

I know what you mean...... that's why i always have at least 2 bikes one with "soul" and a "souless" but user friendly and trust worthy jap missile :D

Hey, want to swap with a 04 R1 like new??? :D;)

Tried the 04 CBR1000 - it was a bit dull, the R1 was better, but still a bit polite, but none of them have the stupid power and brute ignorant rush of the ZX - do you fancy swapping the R1 for the ZX? Might be a laugh?

Tim

I agree with your views on the CBR vs R1 vs ZX (although i have only ridden the R1 :D, but yeah everybody that rode them have basicly that same opinion).
But just go a tooth down on the R1's front sprocket and you'll have that feeling of stupid power you have on the ZX (again, not talking from personal experience)

As for swapping the R1 for the ZX... only if you mean for a ride, because i love the looks and overall "feeling" of the R1 much more than the ZX's ;)

[Edited on 22-3-2005 by DucSoon?]

So it looks like the serious hardcore sportsbike riders need more than Ducati can give them right now. Perhaps the rumour of a roadgoing version of the Desmosedici in 2007 (I mean the proper roadgoing version - not the limited edition 'rebuild me every 500 miles' one) can't come a moment too soon.

ZX10 or GSXR for me though? I don't think so, just reading about them scares me :lol:

The one thing that I don't like with the jap bikes is that they lack 'specialness' Y'know it's the little things like lack of adjustable clutch lever, rubber brake hoses, stickery paint jobs etc.

But I have to say, the writings on the wall for Ducati it would seem. :ninja:

The grass always looks greener the otherside of the fence.:)