Scoop: Genuine 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R official image

This thread is for discussion of the article Scoop: Genuine 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R official images

Posted: 11/09/2007 at 23:00

You couldn't handle one.
Kwack make real man's bikes, none of yer Suzuki fairies bikes.

Posted: 11/09/2007 at 23:38

Interesting posessive apostrophe conundrum above.

Still, I like the colour scheme; shame it'll be an overpriced waste of time on the road apart from its effectiveness at macho posturing and penile compensation. Does it come with two steering dampers fitted?

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 08:08

ok well I think from those pics its looks awful

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 09:23

Me likey , me wanty . In black /silver tho' .

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 10:46

Not exactly a first scoop is it, Saw similar pictures 3 weeks ago in a dutch magazine

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 12:05

It's not as bad as the wheelbarrow model,yet not as sweet as the first generation.

Maybe it's a grower....that can will have to go fo sho.

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 12:26

oh for goodness sake what is about Kawasaki and Flugelhorn exhausts????

Ugly ugly ugly.

I'll stick with me 07 thanks Mr Kwak. And then move to a manufacturer which doesn't change its design every two minutes

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 13:28

why do we all get hung up on exhausts when the first thing we do is go out and change the things anyway!

looks like a big improvement visually over the current model!

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 15:40

start at the front and looking good then move backwards and oh dear! Whats going on with the rear end!!!!!!

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 16:54

Bladerideressex wrote

why do we all get hung up on exhausts when the first thing we do is go out and change the things anyway!

You might do. We don't.

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 17:28

I prefer the side mounted exhaust, but that wart on the side looks fucking hideous

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 17:55

Good, the blade and the zx10 are ugly. I'm fucking skint and I still haven't reached the potential of my zx9r. When I do, I'll get thesuspension sorted and start all over again. I can't see me ever getting a new bike.

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 19:20

One of the better of the new thou's. Looks aggressive, and a little Moto GP with seat unit. Not sure what her in doors will think perched up there though!
Euro 3 have messed up another exhaust but with a nice Akra that'll probably be offered to shift em, and tail tidy it'll be a tasty bit of kit

Posted: 12/09/2007 at 21:08

What an Ugly looking piece of sh*t! I'm soo pissed off, was hoping for a beauty! Still got my Black 2004 ZX-10R, which I honestly believe is the best looking to date.

Looks like I will have to wait to part-ex for the 09 model.... or even betray Kwak and get a 1098?...


Sort it out you crazy Japs!!

Posted: 13/09/2007 at 11:59

Doesn't look too bad with a decent pipe, and minus the tail unit....

Posted: 13/09/2007 at 12:45

looks like a gixer!

Posted: 13/09/2007 at 19:14

topski100 wrote

looks like a gixer!

It's a sportsbike. They are meant to do that aren't they?

Posted: 13/09/2007 at 19:21

topski100 wrote

looks like a gixer!

Could have something to do with Kawasaki and Suzuki sharing R&D.

Posted: 14/09/2007 at 18:00

I had this problem,im in the market for a zx10r next year i loved the 2005 kwak but hated the 06/07 model..then at the bmf show last may i saw a black 2006 zx10 with the underseat pipes removed and black lens covers over the lights it looked loads better but my heart didnt like it like the 05 bike. problem solved mr kawasaki has only gone and redeemed himself,love the look of the 08 bike.i will have to see it in the flesh at the nec but i think im in love.Mr kawasaki will you marry me?.:burnout:

Posted: 23/09/2007 at 20:57

I can't believe anyone would say that side can is a nice addition to an otherwise nice looking bike. I think it's just cheaper to manufacture that way. It does abolutely nothing for the look. And I bet the produciton model will not even have the shark fins. I'm a big fan, I have an 06 and I generally buy a new one every two years. I had an 02 R1, and 04 R1, and then I bought the 06 ZX10. But based on these pictures, I won't be buying the '08. I think i'll go back to yamaha this year.

Posted: 26/09/2007 at 04:10

Stunning, best looking thou by miles! I want one now.

Posted: 27/09/2007 at 21:53

from the front looks like someone has kicked it in the knackers and sent it cross-eyed

Posted: 28/09/2007 at 08:33

Left over exhaust from the Z1000 anyone !

Posted: 29/09/2007 at 06:45

Well having spent the last week ragging one around Scotland, I can honestly say if you buy one it will be money well spent!

Posted: 02/06/2008 at 22:06

And I've heard they go real well if you lube the chain from time to time. Of course it also goes unsaid that it pays not to rip the throttle grip and not to scratch the tank during the time of the loan, and to give the borrowed machine a bloody good clean before you return it to its keeper. And to return it on time so said keeper can go on his own long-planned ride instead of him having to borrow another (far inferior) machine...
But, yes, agreed, the new ZX-10R is indeed a most excellent machine that is proving both awesome to ride and a matter of pride to own. Not being 'another' R1, 'another' GSX-R nor 'another' Fireblade makes it even more likeable. So glad to have it back. Fair play to the bike too, it's shrugged off Able's 'ragging' (thanks bro') like nothing's happened. And credit to the Bridgestone BT016s which now have nearly 3500 miles under them and still look incredibly fresh. Are you sure you were 'ragging' and not bimbling, Able?!

Posted: 04/06/2008 at 11:45

Helloo JB.

I did ask Ben to pass on my thanks and sincire apologies for the scratch (my Rukka - popper rubber came off) and the grip (I guess I was overzealous strapping it to the trailer not wanting to drop a bike I was doing my best to bring back in one piece).

From the bottom:

IF you take a look at the tyres you will see the BT016 fitted front and rear of "your" bike are of the standard variety and not the "G" fitment which is OE on that bike.

Also you should see that this tyre:

Does not look like the one fitted here:

which now resides on the back of your bike.

It is also a 190/50 17 rear not the 190/55 17 as it was the best I could get a short notice, and unlike your goodself paid for with £250 out of my own pocket so YOU could get straight on it when it returned. Apologies for that.

The bike was returned at the time that had been agreed previously. I even offered to get back a day early to enable you to go on the trip Ben didn't know you were going on and told me about thursday night. The bike would have been with you by 22:00 on friday had the call been made. If I had ESP I would have got it back even earlier. Apologies for that.

The chain was lubed on a daily basis. However the last day having been involving a lot of rain, a 700 mile ride, a quick wash and a 200 mile drive with it on my trailer to get it back to you on friday if you so required, I guess the chain was a tad dry when you got it back. Again I apologise.

BTW, Ben has a write up of both the trip and the bike, feel free to use any or none of it as you see fit (call it your own if it saves you some grief ) and also any of these pics:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v603/Abelrider/Scot08/

And as I know you journo types like to keep tabs on what needs replacing and when, the OE tyres were way past the markers by 3200 front and rear but still really good even then (so the new tyres have 650 miles on them IIRC).

I hope some of this is of use to you, even if quite clearly my using the ten for the week wasn't.

Once again, apologies for the grip and tank, and thanks very much for the loan. It got me out of a very sticky hole guiding a group off this site up to Scotland.

Posted: 04/06/2008 at 14:48

Ah ha. It all becomes clear. I thought it was rather exceptional that those tyres had lasted so well. More fool me for not checking their ID better. By the way the G tyres I had fitted weren't OE either, they were put on at 500 miles. They'd done a bit of work. Great tyres though, like we've both found out.
So, erm, thanks for changing the tyres fella, appreciated.
Via your PM we've both now discovered that there was some miscommunication on return dates, so no worries there too.
Oh, and I never called the beast 'my bike' by the way, termed myself its 'keeper' – I think that's a term the police understand, doesn't confer ownership, like.
And fear not Able, us journos do pay for our privileges. If you saw our sorry little pay slips and if you knew the hours spent racing computers rather than bikes then you'd know this isn't the dream job everyone thinks it is.
Oh, and what the f*** is that strapped to the back of the bike?!! My God, man...!
Anyway, none of this pillow talk takes anything away from the ZX-10R. Great machine, eh?
Now will someone show me how to stick one of these smiley faces on the end of this piece so we all know I'm happy, not mad?

Posted: 04/06/2008 at 15:42

Jubba wrote (see)

Ah ha. It all becomes clear. I thought it was rather exceptional that those tyres had lasted so well. More fool me for not checking their ID better. By the way the G tyres I had fitted weren't OE either, they were put on at 500 miles. They'd done a bit of work. Great tyres though, like we've both found out. So, erm, thanks for changing the tyres fella, appreciated.

My way of saying thanks. Least I could do.

VERY impressed with them. I will be trying a set out next on the Tuono.

I couldn't believe how good they were in the wet, despite looking like the above pic. Not one single slip on them.

Jubba wrote (see)

 Oh, and I never called the beast 'my bike' by the way, termed myself its 'keeper' – I think that's a term the police understand, doesn't confer ownership, like.

Yeah I only said "your" cos I know it's only a fleet bike but it's still "yours" and I would be a tad miffed with the tank tbh.
Rukka are getting a jacket back shortly.

Jubba wrote (see)

And fear not Able, us journos do pay for our privileges. If you saw our sorry little pay slips and if you knew the hours spent racing computers rather than bikes then you'd know this isn't the dream job everyone thinks it is.

I know mate, Ben has been my mate for a good few years now.

It's not quite as bad as some of ya make out either.

Jubba wrote (see)

Oh, and what the f*** is that strapped to the back of the bike?!! My God, man...! Anyway, none of this pillow talk takes anything away from the ZX-10R. Great machine, eh? Now will someone show me how to stick one of these smiley faces on the end of this piece so we all know I'm happy, not mad?

Its a Highland Moo Coo (assuming you don't mean the Ortlieb bag ).

I had to take something back for the wife didn't I?

Posted: 04/06/2008 at 16:31

Yeah, at the risk of this reading like a Bridgestone advert I think I've done more wet weather than dry weather riding on these 016s and like Able says they really are bloody good. But then so too were the Dunlop Streetsmart thingies fitted to the CBR600RR I had just before the ZX-10R.
And yes indeed Able, if it wasn't for the perks there'd be little reason to do this job at all.
So there we go. All friends. ZX-10R is confirmed as great bike. And Bridgestone BT016s as great tyres. Group hug!

Posted: 04/06/2008 at 16:41