Battling against experienced racers, a muddy track and humorous rider-to-motorcycle ergonomics, I managed to outshine all of the racing glory at the nearby Infineon raceway by taking home the gold, shoes. Top prize for endangering my life in a battle of laughter and pocket-sized Singles was a pair of size 13 sneakers spray painted gold. Still got ‘em on the shelf! I even had Gary Nixon sign them for me.

Three years later, with suspension and power increases, Team Green throws down another event, tomorrow at the Fox Racing Design Headquarters in Irvine, CA. Introducing the 2010 Kawasaki KLX110 & KLX110L, I’ll be there once again to represent Motorcycle.com.

Review now on Motorcycle.com.

During the U.S. intro of the new Concours 14 I had a little chitchat about the ’10 Z with some of my buddies at Kawi. Although I don’t think they’ve seen the attached Euro market video, from what little they told me about the bike’s performance, the opening minutes of this video seem to corroborate what the Kawi staff here said after they rode the bike.

In case you’re not readily familiar with the history of the Z in the U.S., we have it here largely at the behest of management at Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA, as the bike is primarily for the European market. And we only have ourselves to blame. The Z, despite being a sales dominator in Europe, is a sales eliminator in the States.

Nevertheless, Kawasaki U.S. A. has once again gone out on a sales limb and asked that the Z1000 be delivered to America after having seen what the new Z is and what it’s about.

I know there’s a lot of pissing and moaning on the Net about the new style of the Zed (for ma’self, I like it!), but remember that it really isn’t made for us, but for Europe, ‘cause apparently, for some silly reason, we don’t buy naked standards in the same volumes as cruisers and repli-racers.

Stepping down of my soapbox now…

I rather enjoyed the most recent iteration of the Z, so I’m even more geeked to ride the new one. I’ll be slipping ol’ Duke man some sleepy time pills in his Diet Coke just to ensure I get the invite to the U.S. launch of the new Z, and not him.

For youz bitchin’ about the Z’s new colors, turn your head away near the end of the video when a quick glimpse of a secondary Euro color of what looks like a very sultry and subtle deep maroon with a crazy faux snakeskin seat cover. That seat can go in a minute, but the alternate color is sharp!

Hit the jump and see how the new traction control system (KTRC) works.

2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 Review

Motorcycle communities are a huge resource for any kind of project or help you might need.  It’s incredible the amount of stuff people post and the effort they put into it!

arturo3rd on Kawiforums.com posted some great tips and photos on how to shave down your motorcycle seat for a more comfortable ride.

Things you’ll need:

• flat screwdriver
• pliers
• sharp knife(steak)
• rough grit sand paper
• staple gun

I’m unsure if all motorcycle seats are made of the same material so be wary before you start if your motorcycle isn’t a Kawasaki.

Head over to the Kawiforums to see full instructions and pictures on how arturo3rd did it.  See the rest of the post for a few more pictures of the job.

How to shave your seat

Adjectives fail me.  This almost seems like one of those sci-fi movies where an evil scientist tries to cross two deadly animals together to create the ultimate killing machine.

So what are we looking at?  It seems to be the deformed love child of a Citroën Xantia and a Kawasaki 1000 RX.

This custom project, called “Snaefell“, cost its creator about 15000 Euros and 10 years of part time work. I have to wonder “why?”.

I guess if you really love the thrill of riding a motorcycle but none of your friends and family do, this concept makes sense.  Or not.  Would they want to be seen in this?  Hopefully those windows are tinted.

Check out the rest of the post for more shots of this… hybrid.

Source: [ Snaefull via Gizmodo ]

Do you absolutely love Kawasaki?  Are you constantly trying to keep up to date with their racing team?

Thanks to our recent involvement with Twitter, I’ve discovered Kawasaki’s new desktop widget to help you Kawasaki super fans stay up to date.  What is a desktop widget?  It’s just a simple program that is geared towards feeding you news and media.

If you are running a Mac or PC, you can have your Kawasaki info right on your desktop, right next to your stock quotes ticker and your stash of Megan Fox pictures.

Kawasaki also launched their online widget which you can implement into iGoogle, MySpace and Facebook.  That’s handy!

See the rest of the article to see some screenshots of the desktop widget on a Mac and learn what you can do with it.  Head over to Kawasaki.com to download it!

So what does it do?

- See the latest featured videos from Kawasaki
- Stay up to date on Kawasaki news
- Check out featured photos from Kawasaki
- See updated schedules directly from Kawasaki
- Even change the rider featured in the Kawasaki desktop widget!

Here’s a few screenshots of the installed widget on my computer (yes, it’s a Mac).

My only gripe with this, as a Mac user:  It’s not an actual widget, it’s an application.  It doesn’t appear in my dashboard at all, it sits amongest all the other millions of programs I have open at one time.  Otherwise it seems like a good news and media ticker for any Kawasaki fan.

Go download it!

This year you can get one of the 10 least expensive sportbikes for anywhere from $7000 right down to half that ($3500) for the least expensive bike. Spending as little as possible on a Sportbike doesn’t mean your ride is going to suck. The main thing you will have to sacrifice is power, but depending on your needs you could be perfectly happy on one of these bikes low priced putters.

Interestingly we see how the bikes power dissipates as the price tag shrinks. 250’s rule the top 5 of the top 10 Least Expensive Sportbikes of 2009, although there is some power on this list. Several 500’s even 650’s are very affordable and will romance you with slightly more powerful rev’s.

Asian market brands dominate this top 10; Kawasaki, Hyosung, Suzuki and QLINK all of whom presumably have much lower manufacturing costs and choose to pass the savings onto the customer.

#10 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 650R MSRP $6,799 (find a better price)

• Kawasaki Motorcycles
• 2006 Suzuki SV650S v. 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
• First Ride: 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 650R

#9 2009 United Motors V2S 650R MSRP $6,399 (find a better price)

#8 2009 Hyosung GT 650R MSRP $6,099 (find a better price)

• Hyosung Motorcycles

#7 2009 Suzuki GS 500F MSRP $5,899 (find a better price)

• Suzuki Motorcycles

#6 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500R MSRP $5,499 (find a better price)

• Kawasaki Motorcycles
• 2004 Middleweight Standards

#5 2009 United Motors V2S 250R MSRP $4,399 (find a better price)

#4 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R MSRP $3,999 (find a better price)

• Kawasaki Motorcycles
• 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Review

#3 2009 United Motors V2S 250 MSRP $3,899 (find a better price)

#2 2009 Hyosung GT 250R MSRP $3,799 (find a better price)

• Hyosung Motorcycles

#1 2009 QLINK Megelli 250r MSRP $3,499 (find a better price)

• QLINK Motorcycles

Top 10 Least Expensive Sportbikes of 2009 Summary

1. 2009 QLINK Megelli 250r MSRP $3,499.00
2. 2009 Hyosung GT 250R MSRP $3,799.00
3. 2009 United Motors V2S 250 MSRP $3,899.00
4. 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R MSRP $3,999.00
5. 2009 United Motors V2S 250R MSRP $4,399.00
6. 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500R MSRP $5,499.00
7. 2009 Suzuki GS 500F MSRP $5,899.00
8. 2009 Hyosung GT 650R MSRP $6,099.00
9. 2009 United Motors V2S 650R MSRP $6,399.00
10. 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 650R MSRP $6,799.00

Next 10 Least Expensive Sportbikes of 2009

• 2009 Yamaha FZ 6 R MSRP $6,990.00
• 2009 Suzuki SV 650SF MSRP $7,499.00
• 2009 Suzuki GSX 650F MSRP $7,899.00
• 2009 Suzuki SV 650SF ABS MSRP $7,999.00
• 2009 Yamaha YZF R6S MSRP $8,690.00
• 2009 Aprilia SMV 750 Dorsoduro MSRP $9,599.00
• 2009 Honda CBR® 600RR MSRP $9,799.00
• 2009 Triumph Daytona 675 MSRP $9,799.00
• 2009 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R MSRP $9,799.00
• 2009 Yamaha YZF R6 MSRP $9,990.00

If you liked this post you might like:
Top 10 Best Sportbikes of 2009 by Viewers Choice

Since it’s inception Motorcycle.com Specs has been the best place for bikers and enthusiasts (like you) to voice their opinions; there has been a lot to spout-off about too! Over 528 Motorcycle models have been updated for you to review in 2009 alone. It’s great to see what the Motorcycle Community has to say about the bikes they ride. We’ve taken all your reviews and ratings (good and bad) to figure out which sport bikes our viewers ultimately chose as the best SportBike of 2009.

But… Reviews are still rolling in (so go review your bike if you haven’t already!) you never know which machine may be the victor before years end. Without any further adieu and with no spoilers.. drum-roll please.. The Top 10 Sportbikes of 2009 by Viewers Choice..

(or click here for the best of 2009 list from the editors at Motorcycle.com)

#10 Suzuki GSX-R 1000

User Reviews:

• “Beast from the East!” – Mike(Owner), Jan. 8, 2009
• “Everything about the GSXR 100 is outstanding!!!” – Jacob Mata(Enthusiast), Nov. 21, 2008

Motorcycle.com Review: 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Review – Getting better with age: An all-new Gixxer Thousand

Specs:

• MSRP: $12,899.0
• Cylinders: 4
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Displacement (cc/ci): 999 / 60.9
• Compression Ratio: 12.8:1

#9 BMW F 800 ST

User Reviews:

“F800ST Absolutely Awesome!” – Chris(Owner), May. 15, 2009

Motorcycle.com Shootout: 2008 Middleweight Sport-Touring Shootout: BMW F800ST vs. Honda VFR800 Interceptor – Two 800s to the 800s

Specs:

• MSRP: $10,600.00
• Engine Type: Parallel Twin
• Cylinders: 2
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 8
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Compression Ratio: 12.0:1
• Displacement (cc/ci): 798 / 48.7

#8 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14

User Reviews:

• “by far the best bike I have ever owned” – Mike McSween(Owner), Dec. 26, 2008
• “Incredible is all I can say.” – Chase(Owner), Jun. 11, 2009

Specs:

• MSRP: $12,099.00
• Engine Type: Horizontal In-line
• Cylinders: 4
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 16
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Displacement (cc/ci): 1352 / 82.5
• Compression Ratio: 12.0:1

#7 Kawasaki Ninja 650R

User Reviews:

• “Perfect balance of performance and comfort” – Erik Tyler(Owner), May. 16, 2009
• “I love this bike!!” – Larry L.(Owner), May. 6, 2009

Specs:

• MSRP: $6,799.00
• Engine Type: Parallel Twin
• Cylinders: 2
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 8
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Valve Configuration: DOHC
• Displacement (cc/ci): 649 / 39.6
• Compression Ratio: 11.3:1

#6 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 Monster Energy

User Reviews:

• “What a bike!” – Jeff(Owner), Apr. 10, 2009
• “I recommend everyone to get the bike. Smooth RIDE. Sick looking bike!!!!!!” – Nick(Owner), May. 25, 2009

Specs:

• MSRP: $12,399.00
• Engine Type: Horizontal In-line
• Cylinders: 4
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 16
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Valve Configuration: DOHC
• Displacement (cc/ci): 1352 / 82.5
• Compression Ratio: 12.0:1

#5 Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod Muscle

User Reviews:

• “AWESOME!!! V-R0DI traded in my ‘05 vrscb for a new Muscle WOW what a change!! I love the new rod! every thing is sweet the only thing needs work is the license plate mount! Other then that Great investment!!! “- Samuel (Owner), Oct. 12, 2008
• “Totally Satisfied!I’ve owned my new Muscle now for over 6 weeks, and I must say…WOW. Everything about this bike is amazing, performance is out of this world, coupled with the ins and outs you’d hope to find on a HD. I can’t even ride any other bikes anymore, I totally recommend this ride…you won’t regret it.”- Bryan (Owner), Jan. 3, 2009
• “AWESOMEMy first Harley and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Was concerned that my 5′6, 125 (female) body could handle it but after 300 miles I am in love. Handles great, looks great, highly recommended for anyone who wants something right in between a crotch rocket and a contemporary HD. AWESOME! (License plate suggesti…on: tilt it vertically, looks way better)”- Sabrina (Owner), Jun. 3, 2009

Motorcycle.com Review: 2009 Harley-Davidson VRSCF V-Rod Muscle Review – Harley gets some Muscle

Specs:

• MSRP: $17,199.00
• Engine Type: V Twin
• Cylinders: 2
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 8
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Valve Configuration: DOHC
• Compression Ratio: 11.5:1

#4 Buell Firebolt® XB12R

User Reviews:

• “Very fun bike“- Joe (Owner), Nov. 3, 2008
• “died and went to heaven xb12r” – John Moore (Owner), Jun. 19, 2009

Specs:

• MSRP: $9,995.00
• Engine Type: V Twin
• Cylinders: 2
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 4
• Valves Per Cylinder: 2
• Valve Configuration: OHV – Pushrod
• Compression Ratio: 10.0:1

#3 Kawasaki Ninja 250R

User Reviews:

• “My First Motorcycle I would recommend th…is bike for any beginning sport bike rider. It’s not a bike you’ll want to trade in after a year. I’m ready to keep mine for quite some time.- Kristi Bluhm(Owner), Jan. 12, 2009
• “Don’t be fooled… this bike will kick @$$ I was the proud owner of a yamaha R6 for many years. The R6 was fast, responsive, nimble, and very uncomfortable on long rides. I sold it last year when it started to give me transmission issues (I bought it used with high mileage). As I was looking for a new bike to buy the ergonomically designe…d ninja 250r caught my eye. Sure it was only a 250 but the seating position along with the handle bars were very comfy..”- David Medeiros(Owner), Mar. 26, 2009
• “2009 250 Ninja – Best Bang 4 The Buck!!! Okay, I went into the dealer the day before thanksgiving to look for an entry level bike for my petite wife, who has decided she’d rather learn to ride her own scooter, than ride on the back of mine. I got the 2009 250 Ninja for less than MSRP, due to the time of year and the economy, and was total…ly surprised when I took it home! It feels like a bicycle with an engine! This bike corners, brakes, and handles like it was formed to me, and I still haven’t broke it in yet!..”- Joe Hawes(Owner), Dec. 19, 2008

Specs:

• MSRP: $3,999.00
• Engine Type: Parallel Twin
• Cylinders: 2
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 8
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Valve Configuration: DOHC
• Compression Ratio: 11.6:1

#2 Suzuki Hayabusa™ 1340

User Reviews:

• “Sweet machine Just had her first service and haven’t been able to wipe the smile off my face yet. Suzuki has great quality, and the flag ship bike definately shows that. The only down side to this bike is that evryone wants to look at it and talk about it, which doesn’t seem that bad, but it cuts into riding time…”- Jun. 11, 2009
• “Great Bike! Absolutely taken with the 2009 Hayabusa!” – G Hep(Enthusiast), Dec. 4, 2008
• “So easy to ride!! Bought my new Busa over a month ago. After having my 04 GSXR 1000 for more than two years I thought it was time to offer my wife a bike that was easier for her sit on and easier on my body to ride, but didn’t wanna give up the horsepower. Well I definately chose the right bike. Abundant power, rides… like your sitting on a lazy boy..” – Brandon (Enthusiast), May. 9, 2009

Specs:

• MSRP: $13,199.00
• Engine Type: Horizontal In-line
• Cylinders: 4
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Cooling: Liquid
• Valves: 16
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Valve Configuration: DOHC
• Compression Ratio: 12.5:1

#1 Suzuki GSX-R 600

User Reviews:

• “Highly Satisfied Have about 500 miles on it now and loved every single mile. This bike is quick. It is comfortable, sounds great, looks great and is easy to ride. It has been years since I rode a sport bike and within hours I was right back into it. Still breaking it in but so far it has handled everything I have thrown at it…”- Steve(Owner), May. 26, 2009
• “Ive had my 09 for about 600 miles and also enjoyed every mile. Took her in for the first service and wasnt to thrilled to be without her for a couple days. Easy to ride,plenty of power, turns heads “- Andrew Lewis(Owner), Jun. 1, 2009

Specs:

• MSRP: $10,399.00
• Engine Type: Horizontal In-line
• Cylinders: 4
• Engine Stroke: 4-Stroke
• Valves: 16
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Valve Configuration: DOHC
• Compression Ratio: 12.8:1

Top 10 User Rated Sportbikes of 2009

1. Suzuki GSX-R 600
2. Suzuki Hayabusa™ 1340
3. Kawasaki Ninja 250R
4. Buell Firebolt® XB12R
5. Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod Muscle
6. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 Monster Energy
7. Kawasaki Ninja 650R
8. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14
9. BMW F 800 ST
10. Suzuki GSX-R 1000

Although not currently included in the Viewers Choice Top 10 Sportbikes of 2009 these ‘Close Contenders’ are still within reach. Yamaha, Honda and Ducati who are not currently represented in the Top 10 could rally their loyal followings to boost rank and steal the victory. Kawasaki and Harley also have more top-ranking machines. Last but not least United Motors a loner within the Top 20 could be the under-dog who steals it all at the last moment. You never know..

Close Contenders

• 2009 Yamaha YZF R1
• 2009 Yamaha YZF R6
• 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500R
• 2009 Harley-Davidson VRSC Night Rod Special
• 2009 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
• 2009 Honda CBR® 600RR
• 2009 Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod
• 2009 Ducati 848 Base
• 2009 Honda CBR® 1000RR ABS
• 2009 United Motors V2S 650R

The Showdown

Who knows what the ultimate outcome may be? You, the users are the ultimate judge of the Viewers Choice Top 10 Sportbikes of 2009 on Motorcycle.com Specs.

Got something to say? Disagree with this list? Don’t see ‘The Best‘ bike ranked here? Don’t complain about it, do something! Go rank the sportbike you want to win UP or if you’ve ridden a bike you really don’t like, you can give it an honest review too. It’s all up to you! So, lets see which bike takes it all for the Viewers Choice 2009 Sportbike of the Year.

• 2009 Literbike Shootout
  • Honda CBR1000RR
  • Kawi ZX-10R
  • Suzuki GSX-R1000
  • Yamaha YZF-R1
  • Ducati 1198S
• 2009 Supersport Racetrack Shootout
  • Yamaha YZF-R6
  • Honda CBR600RR
  • Suzuki GSX-R600
  • Kawasaki ZX-6R
• 2009 Supersport Shootout
  • Honda CBR600RR
  • Kawi ZX-6R
  • Suzuki GSX-R600
  • Yamaha YZF-R6
• 2009 Streetfighters Shootout
  • Aprilia Tuono 1000 R
  • Buell 1125CR
  • Triumph Speed Triple

Roger Hayden will not compete in the 2009 Daytona 200 after being granted a leave of absence by the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team.

Mike Preston, Kawasaki Road Racing manager, says the leave is due to personal reasons.

“Roger is a valued member of the extended Kawasaki family, and the relationship is one of mutual respect and understanding. We look forward to him rejoining the team as soon as possible,” says Preston.

Former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookie Cup racer Leandro Mercado will fill in for Hayden to join Jamie Hacking in riding the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R in the historic race. The 17-year-old from Argentina finished third in the 2008 AMA U.S. Rookies Cup with two wins and six podium results.

“It’s great to see such immense talent at a young age,” says Preston. “Leandro definitely shows an understanding of the sport and I think he will fit right in with our team.”

Mercado, who is scheduled to compete in the 2009 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, will wear the number 95 in the Daytona 200.

“I’m really looking forward to riding my first Daytona 200,” says Mercado. “The ZX-6R is very powerful and I know I can do well with this team behind me.”

Kawasaki has posted two consecutive one-two podium finishes at the Daytona 200 and swapping Hayden for Mercado might make it harder to finish one-two again. Mercado only has to look to his new teammate to know that goal is within reach; Hacking finished third in his Daytona 200 debut on his way to winning the 1998 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year award.

This ZX-14 sportbike was created as a rolling testament to the success Rickey Gadson earned during his 25 years of motorcycle drag racing. Gadson, an eight-time world champion, will join Kehler for the official unveiling of the bike during the New York IMS show.