Twist the Throttle: Kawasaki on Discovery HD

Did anyone else watch Twist the Throttle on Discovery HD?

It seems that there may be a new Kawaski in the works. Maybe I just have not heard about it yet. Anyhow it lookslike a KZ1000 but only new. Check out the attached video at about 2:45 to 2:55 and it is also on there a few other times.

What is this model and is it coming to the U.S.?????

It kind of looked like a zepher or whatever they are called.

That IS a Zephyr. It has been around since 1990. It was in the US for only a few years, but is still available in most of the rest of the world. In the US there was very little interest, so they stopped selling it here about 2002. The ZR750 is based on the old KZ650 and has quite a few interchangeable parts. Basically it is a KZ750 motor in a modern frame with modern suspension and semi-vintage stiling. The ZR1100 is a Voyager 12 crank case and transmission with a new air cooled top end supporting the old 8 valve stile head. with the same stiling as the ZR750. There is also a smaller ZR550. The ZR1100 later turned into the zrx11/12 with the liquid cooled engine, and loosing the vintage stiling. The Zephyrs just did not have the sails in the US so they stopped selling them here.

Yep...the infamous 1100 Zephyr...didn't sell worth a hoot in the US during the early 90's but sold well for the rest of the planet (Kawasaki only recently dropped them from the lineup in Japan (through 2007, I seem to recall)). Same issue with the ZRX1200...dropped here several years ago but still in production in Japan. Kawasaki's idea for a standard for North America is to reissue the Z1000...they may perform well, but I find them to be really unattractive...which is why I never bought one.

The new Cycle World had a review of the new Z1000. The Kawasaki rep wanted the journalist to undertand it's not a standard. It's a sport bike without the full faring.
Even though it's been updated. I don't think it's going to sell not at that price.

Unfortunately, our new bike choices are limited by the myopic imagination of the American motorcycle buying population. Until the majority isn't afraid to not be an individual like everyone else, this situation won't change.

kinda disn't it?? You would think there would be some interest in standards in the U.S. and there probably is but the big manufacturers only listen to the younger audience and the younger riders think they have to have a crotch rocket.