I hope Mother Kaw takes notice

testarossa wrote:

I bet that the average American would pick a different bike if it had to be the main transport for a family of four like much of Asia.

While living in Taiwan in the '80s, I once saw a family of 7 on a Vespa. I wish I had my camera with me at the time.

:ohmy: :silly: :laugh:

Here's a pic I took in Bali last year showing an Asian SUV.

:laugh:

the reason i never bought a zrx is the same reason i won't buy any of the offerings available to from the manufacters they do the same thing with every one of them. "TUNED FOR THE MID_RANGE" if i'm spending the the cash for a bike it had better have the same horsepower or more than the bike the engine is based off. the zrx motor is based off the zx-11 give it the same power. the z1000 was pretty close power wise but i don't really like the styling or riding position the b-king is right on the money power wise buit ugler than a mans ass, so it let one out, build me a freakin hot-rod and i'll buy it. that is one of the main reasons i bought my zx-11, why would i pay big money for a bike that i already have built and for cheaper and it's just as quick and handles great. my 74 900 makes 114 horsepower i have run in the ten's before with it and i have put over 30000 miles on it since i built it it does every thing i want. so until they come out with the bike i want and need i'll keep riding the old junk.

Seems to me like bike manufacturers have taken the the same route as car manufacturers. They all look pretty much the same to me and have no real character.
Triumph had a bit of a go with some nice looking & performing models but in my opinion have now sold out a bit to the USA market with their Thunderbird 1600 twin, at least it is not a V twin.
When will Kawasaki do away with the hideous lime green colour- have you ever seen a car that colour? I understand that it is a bad luck colour in Japan & Kawasaki were trying to make a point.

So that's why we have lime green? Whodda thunk it?

I'm biased and strongly so, but when I got into motorcycles in 1980, of all the bikes in the ads it was the KZ line that appealed to me the most. Why? Durned if I know! Beauty/art is in the eye of the observer. Later I learned the legacy of the Z1 and became a dyed in the wool Kawasaki fan.

Then the Tools in Milwaukee cry-babied their way into the over 700cc ban and the UJM as we knew it was gone forever. I may not hold a grudge, but I have a long memory and the Milwaukee Tools will never see any of my money nor will I buy the imitations made by the Big Four. Nay, I shall enjoy my KZs and look elsewhere for another ride should the time come.

when these "new" old bikes come out.....i get a little revved up...then the appeal fades as i learn that they are this,or that,compared to real same era performance bike.....old school unfortunatly is like real 70's super bands...not to ever be matched or for that matter ever be seen again....the same years that produced hendrix and morrison and joplin and 100 other groups of the highest atainable talent- caliber,were the same yrs that lead to my bike and bikes like the h2 or gs1000s or cbx,or even the tz750......it isn't somthing you can pay some employees to re-create....

anymore than you could get success if you paid one of todays musicians to sit down and write say,a new stairway to heaven.............
my bike has that snotty nosed bravato of an ss camaro ,that cocky sure footedness of a teenage mick jagger doing a first t.v interview with a lit ciggarette...you just know by looking at somthing like that...it does'nt give a shit what you call it...it is was it is....bad to the bone!and all it's own deal.....there will never be any re-production bikes worthy of a second glance once the glitter settles.....todays ultra race bred superbikes are where the kz's of tomorrow are cutting their paths

kawick is 100% right....i get too emotional in my likes and dislikes often.....

while i don't forsee kawasaki hitting a homerun trying to re-live the past......i would however be sad if they did not try and continue to take big swings at the ball once known as a standard muscle bike....
you never know...they may produce a sit up and beg ,tappered superbike bars,
165 horsepower,170 mph, flat and long seated bike that can carry two adults and a sleeping bag across three states in a weekend,or do track days with a furry,and not break down for 60,000 miles,
who knows maybe that bike is even on a drawing board somehwere ,or in some teenage design studetns drawing pad in tokyo.....or on a secret test track doing laps right now........
when in reality the japanese probably have a microchip hidden in paulies left eye recording how the next pile of crap they will copy looks....





Kawickrice wrote:

I love the retro stuff a little old with the new. I hope Ma Kaw does notice

The reason I liked the KZs was they were as the old saying a "UJM" capable of any use kind of like a truck. Later on they came out with ZRX stuff, even before that the ZR Zephyrs and they were ruined to me. They had the stupid modern seat, stupid 17" wheels, most if not all have no centerstand, no provision to tie on any luggage for the most part, so to me the "UJM" was gone. Sure they looked good, but all usefulness was stripped away so why buy an underpowered motorcycle by modern standards, that served no more usefulness than a Ninja to me.
The worst part is they never sell well because they have no real use and since they made 50 gazillion KZs we can all see what the parts situation is getting to be now even on them. Imagine a ZR zephyr or ZRX. How many parts available? I'd be willing to bet near zero on a Zephyr and ZRX fazing out fast----. If Kawasaki brought back a decent Z1 replica of course it would be all model specific in parts. Of course, who would want the same brake pads or wheels or air filter that's been used anytime before? Parts situation is a consideration for me and I wouldn't spend money on a motorcycle unless they made many of them each year for years and years.

craig the bike you just described is the one i want also alot of of the long term performance guy's i hang out with on a regular basis are in to and would by as well. is it to much to be able to get our cake and eat it to.

Personally the only brand I can see myself buying new right now is a Ducati. Only bikes that are unique and interesting. I really like the new Streetfigter. It's got the engine from the 1098 and its a brute.

Personally i love the bike, it's cool as fuck....it looks like it rides nice and i would love to have one.:laugh:

it does need a little customizing though i have to admit.

-Luke

i thought they were cool too....then we went to the ducati island at the lake at motogp laguna seca...really cool...you show your reg ducati card and everythings v.i.p free...all others get posters and little esspressos and you can take pistures with cali homegirls dressed in italian outfits(red)...anyways...last year was the 1098 and 1198 supermotos and streetfighters.....they look great in magazines...except side by side with other bikes they look confused...narrow focused and knida out of place...plus there is rumors that the foot pegs are not even on those models to try and keep one heel from getting broiled by the back cylinders exhuast port....having your pegs ofdfset was a fairly common complaint in the right ups too....hell my friends 2008fz1 is cool too...till you get it home and find out there is no compartment to hide a set of keys or a wallet under the seat and no room either...for that matter ...it's a 20081000cc streetfighter.....urban tool...with no helmet locks and flexing footpeg brackets that bend with use....go figure....the new urban tools are just that ...TOOLS bikesT_Dub wrote:

Personally the only brand I can see myself buying new right now is a Ducati. Only bikes that are unique and interesting. I really like the new Streetfigter. It's got the engine from the 1098 and its a brute.