In a very untraditional move, Kawasaki is readying to assail New York’s Times Square on September 13, with 2013 model Ninjas. A day-long, two-block party on Broadway, from West 45th to West 47th Streets, will celebrate the global debut of the new Ninjas with music, giveaways and celebrity guests. For those who cannot make it to the Big Apple, Kawasaki will be live streaming the “Ninja Times Square Takeover” on the Kawasaki.com website from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Kawasaki is issuing a recall on its 2011 and 2012 Ninja ZX-10R due to a potential oil leak in the crankcase.
According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, engine oil may leak from the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R‘s crankcase from a machined area where the starter is mounted. Leaked oil may pool on top of the crank case and, under continued use, spill onto the rear tire, reducing traction and increasing the risk of a crash.
The issue was first reported in November 2011 by Kawasaki‘s Malaysian distributor. Kawasaki conducted an investigation using parts from both the Malaysian and European markets, determining the oil was coming from a blow hole in the crankcase casting. Continue Reading »
It already sucks when you’re involved in a motorcycle crash. I found that out myself first-hand recently. It’s even worse however when someone steals your bike while you’re lying on the ground with severe injuries.
That’s what happened last week to 35-year-old Glenn Hawkins in Bristol, England. According to a report in Britain’s Daily Mail, Hawkins crashed his Kawasaki ZX-6R trying to avoid a bicyclist who had suddenly stepped out into his path. The crash sent Hawkins tumbling to the ground, breaking his collar bone, cracking two ribs and puncturing a lung.
According to a police spokesperson, a passer-by then allegedly offered to help move the crashed Ninja out of the way of traffic, but instead took off with the sportbike. Continue Reading »
Emerson Fittipaldi is probably best known for his four-wheel racing career which include two Formula One World Championships, a CART racing title and two Indy 500 victories. What might be less known, at least outside of his native Brazil perhaps, is Fittipaldi owns a pair of Kawasaki motorcycle dealerships.
The 65-year-old former racer and his team has produced a limited edition run of 50 Kawasaki ZX-10R sportbikes in the black and gold colors of his 1972 F1 Championship-winning John Player Lotus 72 car. Beside the paint job, the Fittipaldi ZX-10R features a number of accessories.
Fittipaldi will produce just 50 autographed and numbered models. He will keep one for himself and auction a second. The rest will be available for sale. Continue Reading »
Kawasaki is issuing a recall on 2008-2011 Ninja ZX-10R and the 2009-2012 Ninja ZX-6R sportbikes due to a defect affecting the batteries.
According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the regulator/rectifier on affected units may not sufficiently charge the battery. As a result, the battery may unexpectedly be fully discharged, causing the engine to stall.
The BMW K1600GT has been voted International Bike of the Year 2011 by a panel of motorcycle magazine journalists representing 25 publications from around the world.
The six-cylinder BMW K1600GT received a score of 41 points from the jury to top all contenders. Second place went to the Ducati Diavel at 32 points. The Aprilia Tuono V4 APRC came in third at 22 points followed by the BMW K1600GTL at 18 points. Tying for fifth place with 16 points each was the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and the BMW S1000RR. That gives BMW three models in the top five in the International Bike of the Year selections for 2011.
Loyal fans of Suzuki’s iconic Hayabusa have something to be seriously worried about. Kawasaki has overhauled its fast and smooth ZX-14, adding a bigger and more powerful engine that promises to outgun the venerable ’Busa.
I just spent a day hammering the new ZX-14R In Las Vegas, beginning with a blast through the desert and ending with several runs down the quarter-mile dragstrip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Even though atmospheric conditions were unfavorable, calculating to a 3000-foot altitude, the 14R posted a blazing 9.77-second run!
Think about this: Here’s a completely stock and EPA-legal production streetbike that can from a dead stop accelerate to nearly 150 mph in just 1320 feet!
It appears as if Kawasaki is gearing up to launch a revised version of its ZX-14 Ninja. We already showed you a video teaser featuring a crop-circle-like number 14 in a farmer’s field.
Now we’ve unearthed a new video that includes the sound of a large-displacement inline-Four motorcycle engine revving out, which you can see after the jump. A green flash across a twisty backroad broadly hints at a Kawasaki origin, followed by a “10-10-2011” date and ending with “Witness the phenomenon.”
We think the October 10 date coincides with Kawasaki’s annual dealer meeting, so we’re reasonably confident we’ll see a thoroughly revised ZX-14 for the 2012 model year. Or maybe you think it’s something else? Let’s talk about it in the Comments section below.
Bikeland.org has unearthed a video teaser for what it suggests is an updated Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14.
The video (see it after the jump) appears to be part of what’s likely to be a series of teasers leading up to a big reveal on Oct. 10. Though the video itself doesn’t mention either Kawasaki or even motorcycles, for that matter, but Bikeland.org seems confident the video is for a new ZX-14.
Kawasaki has released information about its 2012 Ninja 250. Yes, you read that right, Kawasaki has dropped the “R” from its littlest Ninjette. And no, it’s still not fuel injected.
As shown on Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A.’s website, the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250 has the same specs as the 2011 Ninja 250R, only it’s missing the “R”. The 2012 Ninja 250 is powered by a249cc liquid-cooled parallel Twin engine with a six-speed transmission. And despite Honda upping the ante with the fuel-injected CBR250R, Kawasaki is keeping its Keihin CVK30 carbs instead of importing the fuel-injected version available in other markets.
Like the 2011 250R, the 2012 Ninja 250 has a 4.8 gallon fuel tank, 37mm hydraulic telescopic fork, preload-adjustable rear suspension and a the same claimed weight of 374.9 pounds.
