Ride magazine ZZR1200 vs. ZX12R

Sumber:http://www.labusas.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19256
Did you ever fancy being James Bond? The glamour, the adrenalin, the girls. But think about it for real. What would you do if a fat Korean man attacked you with a sharp bowler hat? Are you absolutely sure you could defulse a nuclear warhead? And what if that giant bloke with wonky metal teeth took a dislike to you; could you knock him out with a single karate-chop? If you're like most of us, you're probably not up to dealing with grief like this. If you really are a near superhero with abilities outstripping the majoriity , one of the machines on test is the bike for you. If not, or if you just fancy an easy life, the other's far more suitable.

On paper both should be brilliant all-round machines. We wanted stacks of smooth, accessible power, all-day-no-twinge comfort and handling that'd slurp down miles of dual carriageway as well as skipping light-footed through tight, scnic bends. In a way, both bikes are slightly anomalous combinations of the very sensible/easy to live with and the fast enough to get you banged up or worse; an easy life and a loaded gun, all in one.

The first is Kawasaki's ZZ-R1200, a new=for-2002 machine which replaced the legendary ZZ-R1100. The 1100 was an excellent bike in it's day, providing decent comfort yet running with the top sportsbikes. But that was 1990 and there's no way a bike with any ounce of touring ability could come close to an R1 or GSXR1000. Or is there? Enter the ZX12R. It's the most powerful production bike you can buy and has a decidedly sporty slant to it's character. It's heavery than the A-grade sports machines but has a bout 30 bhp more at it's disposal. Could it be a match for them, yet also be all-day comfy and pot-to-the-shops handy too?

Trudging up the A1 in the rain, both bikes performed well but felt a bit wast3ed. The ZZ-R was comfy at all speeds, and the fairing did a decent job of keeping the rain and cold at bay. The brakes are pretty strong and were the only thing needing any concentration as an over-eager squeeze on a slippery patch could have caused a nerve-wracking lock up. Having riddend a VFR800 earlier that day, the ZZR's engine felt massively powerful with a huge, muscular midrange. When clear patches appeared it rolled effortlessly to a cruising speed near double the legal limit. Comfortable yetdistrubing at the same time (but stacks of fun and a genuine way to cut journey time).

The ZX12R's monster motor was blinding on the A1. The midrange is so strong it's hardly worth revving hard unless you're trying to waste a Ferrari. Even with just 4000 rpm on the tach it was pulling hard. It made the ZZr's midrange look a bit weak; which shows just how strong the ZX's engine is. Top end power is just crazy and best used sparingly. Unfortunately, other than the engine the ZX wasn't brilliant. You needed to keep the speed oabove 80mph or suffer wrist-ache from the low bars and other traffic meant this wasn't always possible. This took sme of the fun out of blitzing motors and showing off the 'feel the girth' 200-sectin rear tire. Weather protectin was OK and there was very little turbulence at head level but this could be due to the screen being quite low.

Fule injection on the ZX was almost too instant and rolling on and off the trhottle had a sharp, 'kangaroo' effect, unlike the smoother carburetted ZZR. Fuel consumption's another area where the carbed bike beat the injected machine, which was a surprise. Normally electronic injection meters the fule more efficiently and the ZX seemed to need even less throttle movement than the ZZR - yet during the test (which included plenty of dual carriageways) it did 34mpg while the ZZR managed 44. It ohly makes a difference of $450 a year (10,000 miles) and if you're thinking of buying a new bike, depreciation's far more significant but it's still a factor.

The ZX should have excelled more as we left the A1 and started blitzing the tight, challenging Peak Dsitrict roads, but it didn't. The ZX didn't like going slowly at all. The hard front suspension twitched and skidding over bumps and the massive, sudden power felt like it would spin the back out on wet corners. The low bars were awkward and with no chance to get the speed high enough to gain support from the wind, they were uncomfortable on the wrists too. Withink 10 miutes I'd noticed it and by half-an-hour there was a painful tension between my shoulder blades. It was a difficult bike to ride on tight roads and seemed hemmed in and awkward. At slow speeds it was tall, bulky and frustrating. In dryer conditions it would have been better but there's nowhere you can use all that power without going onto a major road.

It wasn't much better in town. Normally when visiting scenic areas, crusing through the twee towns of a rufty-tufty bike can be a bonus. Firm-thighted yound lady walkers look horrifed and impressed in equal measure which is always fun. Except on the ZX. Th slightly tall first gear means you're slipping the clutch until about 15mph. To make matters worse the clutch lever is well away from the bar, a firm pull and not adjustable - making slow speeds hard work.

The ZZR was a much more enjoyyable beast. The higher bars made it more comfortable, although they were still a touch low for all-day pottering. The suspension did a far better job of soaking up bumps and keeping the bars pointing where the rider wanted to go. It's still a heavy bike and quite long. A sporty 600 would it a right punching on sub-100 mph roads. But against the ZX, the ZZR's engine felt less of a handful on the slippy roads adn the bike was far more comfortable.

Descending frm the Cat and Fiddle we founda patch of sun and a few miles of dry Tarmac. The ZZR shifted from caution mode to playful powerhouse. It rolled confidently in and out of corners and wolfed up straights with a millimeter of throttle. The ZX was just as quck but still felt like it neede dmore space to be let off the leash. Without it there was no wasy to make us of those 160+ horsepower. On sweeping A-roads the ZX does become a serious weapon. Get it in that pumped-up midrange or above and you'll blitz everything. The chassis works best in that zone as you're not leaning or accelerating hard enought to get the front shaking. You can even hold enought speed to say comfy. When it all comes together it's very easy to love the ZX and buy into it's 'most powerful bike' concept. The glamour and preceived invincibility wash away the downsides...until the next slow bit.

These being all-rounders, you expect a good range of equipment. The ZZR ticks all the right boxes; 200-mile fuel range, centerstand, decent comfort for rider and passenger. Some owners have reported a weaving sensation from the steering head which cnagingin tires and adusting head bearings doesn't fix, but it's not a major problem. The ZX12R isnt' so well papointed. The fule light generally starts flashing before 140 miles, there's no centerstand and comfort is poor.

Ultimately, the ZX12R fails because it tries to do too much and ends up not doing anything that well. As a pure sports machine, it's flawed. It's much heavier than ultra-sports bikes (by about 35kg) so it'll never match them in the bends. That extra mass almost entirely cancles out it's power advantage too and unless you're flat out above 150mph a GSXR1000 will easily hold with it. The ZX is also missing the total steering composure of a true sportsbike. And R1 will dive into bends, whisk through and blast out as cleanly as a tornado-twister with a tiny foot-wide funnel base. The ZX's more like a sprawling, clumsy hurricane, less precise with occasionally flappy steering. As a tourer the seating position needed to score those massive top speeds is uncomfy below the UK legal limit. The tank range is maller than some sporty 600s and, while the mamoth midrange is useful, that searing top end is unused much of the time. It's a real shame the bie's so poor in 'real world' situations. It's Kawasaki's flagship and uses a high-tech monocoque design where the airbox is a stressed part of the frame. Kawasaki bosses have just announced their new ZX-6R and Z1000 are the beginning of a new generation and in previous years the firm ahd 'lost it's way'. Could that mean these 1200's from Kawasaki are 'iffy' period? We'd agree about the ZX, but not the ZZR.

Unlike it's 1100 predecessor, the ZZR1200 is more honest and makes no attempt to be a sportsbike. It just gets on with being an excellent all-rounder with easy handling, everyday comfort and a motor that's calm when you want it to be but is poised to erupt like a volcano should you give the word.
__________________