What is wrong with Kawasaki Executives???

I know that this has been talked about on this web sight before, but while looking for some pictures for another thread I found these and just got disgusted. This is enough to change sides, and screw this brand loyalty. (with the exception of vintage of course). Take a look what is out there and tell me that Kawi couldn't get their heads out of the rice pouch and get something going.


This one is even air cooled!!!!!!

Or how about this one!!!!!


It's also air cooled!!!!!

Or this one.

OK otakar, I'll beat you to it on this one. It was introduced as a concept along with the other Honda above. I know it not a standard, but it is badass for sure !!

I'm generally not a yamaha fan but that blue one is definitley appealing. The CB is not half bad either

Maybe I'm missing why you're so pissed about these designs where very similar in design and upgrades in what some of us have done in our mod/builds, including your gorgeous red bike...

Anyhoot, I'd take that Blue one any day.... A little of both old/new concept theme & technologies...

OMR

How many of those are foreign market only bikes though? Sadly, the classic looking standard bikes don't sell here, which is why we have what we have...

Kawi is making a sweet (if little known and sold) naked "standard" (can't really consider it a standard in the same class as the pictured above) in the ER6n (naked version of the 650R Ninja). It's styled along the lines of a factory street fighter/motard look, but rides very much like a standard (more upright posture and comfortable for hours, at least if you're under 6' tall). Bought mine in the beginning of April and have found nothing about it that I don't like. Don't get me wrong, if there was anything on the show floor that looked like the bikes pictured I would have at least looked closely at them, but buying a new bike I steered clear of air cooled and carbuerated bikes, looking for long term reliability and ease of riding/tuning with FI and water cooling.

I'll be the first to admit, the headlight is a little on the odd side, and took some getting used to, but damn is it bright!!! Don't miss the dim 7" rounds at all when riding at night!!!

Until H-D and the Big Four have sold cruisers to everyone that wants one and they can't sell any more will the offerings change. Until then, you'll just have to drool.

That said, that Yamaha is one seriously fine lookin' scoot and would be worth some serious consideration if offered here. OTOH, Axton, I'd be curious to read your opinion on how the 650 twin in the Versys compares to the 650 four in the KZ650.

Looking for long term reliablity and ease of tunning.My fav is 32 years old.Hows that for long term.
I have NO interest in FI or any thought of a computer on any bike Id own sometimes the old way is the best way.(for me anyway)I do like some of the bikes shown in this post,however if I bought one the first thing Id do is get rid of all the electronic crap.And slam a set of carbs on it.For now I'll stick with what I know and love.I understand that many of you have to deal with emissions,but up here in the GREAT WHITE NORTH anything pre 84 is exempt.So the answer is..........

those bikes are like the "new" camaro ,or mustangs,or chargers,they lack a soul....you cant sit down with a pencil and a draft table and remake a jimi hendrix...the only way is to wait and once in a great while...another completely different version steps up...say nirvana or kurt cobain...no hendrix for sure...but neither a re-do either....

the H-2 was not not a copy as much as a spearpoint...nor the z-1...kz1300....cbx....these were spaghetti thrown at the wall to see if it would stick.....

what we need is a new -new bike... a new- new standard....a hit the ball outta the park left hook outta the dark for 10,000....and it would "lower" the bar to new heights....

me..i'd take a bare bones no excuses race ready naked ....like this

uuuuuummmmmm....nobody ever got on a ZRX and rode one....great bike....bought one brand new in 2000 for 7300 clams....detuned zx-11 motor...gobs of seamless power....retro looks and modern "turn the key and go" functionality.....ma kaw was ahead of the curve on that one......sure they had the bandit and the fz-1.....decent low mileage examples of all 3 can be found in the 3k range....ride on!!!!!

N0NB wrote:

Until H-D and the Big Four have sold cruisers to everyone that wants one and they can't sell any more will the offerings change. Until then, you'll just have to drool.

That said, that Yamaha is one seriously fine lookin' scoot and would be worth some serious consideration if offered here. OTOH, Axton, I'd be curious to read your opinion on how the 650 twin in the Versys compares to the 650 four in the KZ650.

The Versys is a differently tuned version of the parallel twin in the ER6n and the 650R Ninja. The ER6n is tuned to provide more torque down low and more HP on the high end. That being said, there's no area of performance that the ER6n doesn't blow the kz650 out of the water with, including mpg. I'm averaging 52.3 mpg on my first 1000 miles on the ER6n, an equal mix of spirited twisties and more tame commuting. 1/4 mile times on the ER6n are in the low 12's out of the box, compared with 13+ on the kz650 (according to any results I've been able to find on stock set ups). Handling on the ER6n is nowhere near R6 or ZX6R, but light years ahead of the kz, same goes for braking. The only thing I miss about the kz is having to spend time turning wrenches (I actually enjoy that, sometimes).