Honda CBR1100XX vs. Kawasaki ZZ-R1200

Source:http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/honda-cbr1100xx-vs-kawasaki-zzr1200-15400.html
Break out the Good Silverware

Torrance, California, September 29, 2002 --

These two lovelies were both cutting-edge big bikes built for the top-speed battles of the mid-1990s, until a bike named after a falcon called the Hayabusa came along and changed motorcycle history like only a small percentage of models ever do. It effectively relegated bikes like the venerable Blackbird and the ZX-11 (aka ZZ-R1100 in Europe) to second-tier status and opened up the market for other wacky shenanigans from Nippon, like the ZX-12R and the GSX-R1000.

One of the side effects of all this activity was an unofficial high-speed moratorium put into effect in 2000 with a lid of 300kph/186mph rumored to be the "gentlemen's agreement" among the major bike manufacturers (much like the 155mph top speed limit agreed upon by most European car makers).

But I digress: For what purpose do dinosaurs like the Dos Equis and the Zee-Zee-R exist, with monsters like the Hayabusa and ZX-12R stomping around?

"These bikes have become de facto sport-touring bikes, or Grand Touring (GT) bikes."

Honda's continuing refinement of the venerable CBR1100XX and Kawasaki's further shift towards the sport-touring sector with the redesign of the ZX-11 into the ZZ-R1200 reflects this. The Honda is a smooth, sophisticated bike that screams refinement. Its styling is still sharp, and combined with its smart silver paint scheme, it gathers many compliments and admiring glances.

The dash is a myriad of digital readouts and the engine is as smooth as "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter."

Compared to the Honda, the new ZZ-R seems unrefined and a bit industrial at first glance--not surprising, as it's built by a corporation that also builds bridges and commercial gas turbines. Analog gauges stare at you as if from an old fighter plane's cockpit, the engine is guttural and buzzy, and the styling is still open to debate. But things start to make sense after you spend some time on the bike and you notice details that Honda failed to address even in their years of refinement. Things like a handy little U-lock storage space, an easy-to-reach rear preload adjuster and front preload that is adjustable in the first place, start making me wonder why the XX is 500 clams more?

Well, probably for things like a counterbalanced engine, fuel injection, the entertaining digital dash and the linked braking system--all of which I am content to live without. Not that I'm a technology-hating Luddite--far from it, and in fact, I consider myself much more of a technophile. Sure the big Kawasaki is a little buzzy, but as long as you keep the revs above 5000 rpm on the freeway and don't lug it down, you'll avoid the onset of hand-tingling numbness. (To accomplish this means either cruising above 90mph or dropping down a gear; I'll leave the choice up to you.)

The Honda's engine, on the other hand, is smooth everywhere, with lots-o-power at your fingertips. The fuel injection of the XX also carries certain advantages, such as quick startup and rapid warm-up time, but we prefer the carbureted power delivery characteristics of the ZZ-R. It's not as snatchy as the Honda, and overall a little more natural and fluid feeling. When news of this bike's release came out, the dreaded phrase "tuned for midrange performance" was part of the propaganda, but as it turns out this engine still feels fairly peaky for a 1200--with a whole lotta mojo everywhere on the tachometer's diabolically orange glowing face.

The only downside is that it can trick you into how potent it really is and how fast you really are going on the open road. It really doesn't want to cruise below 90-- nice for covering ground, but potentially not so great for the 'ol driving record.

Much like the Honda's FI compared to the Kawasaki's rack of carbs, the digital vs. analog theme continues between these two bikes. The dash of the Honda is well-designed and informative, but also a bit cluttered and distracting.

The Kawasaki's old school analog pieces provide every bit of pertinent information you need instantly and easily, even if the numbers on the speedo are a bit crowded. As much as "digital" has become the magical buzzword of our era, analog is still not a bad word as long as it's in the right context.

"When it gets to bikes this fast, it's splitting hairs to try and compare which one's faster."

One item we could live without on the Honda's parts list (and something that we'd gladly trade for front preload adjustability and easy rear suspension adjustment) is the Linked Brake System. It's a normal journo gripe which we tried to avoid but can't. Around town the system is fairly transparent and not very noticeable, but get it in a backroad environment and it can be unsettling for riders who like to settle the front or rear independently going into corners, which would be nearly all of us. The Kawasaki's brakes aren't really fantastic or anything, but they do their job predictably and reliably, and in general make you wonder why Honda goes to all the trouble? Honda's ABS is fantastic on models that have it, but LBS? It's tough to figure out the motivation at the end of the day.

Speaking of things like corners and backroads, the opinions formulated after taking these bikes through a variety of conditions were surprising. The Double X is quite nice around town; calm, composed, and with a smaller feel than the Kawasaki it's easier to ride, but that's not what these bikes are built for.

Sure, they go hellaciously fast: Unsanctioned blasts on overhead carpool lanes and across the desert confirmed something that we all know to be true (*cough* 175 indicated, cough cough!).

When it gets to bikes this fast, it's splitting hairs to try and compare which one's faster (170mph vs. 175, how fast do you need to get to that dentist appointment?). That said, the Kawasaki's monstrously powerful and torquey engine easily pulls away from the Honda at supra-triple-digit speeds. In the midrange, too, the ZZ-R lunges ahead from 5000 rpm while the Honda sort of eases into its harness.

So what happens when it comes time for the straightline fun to end and make that inevitable bend in the road?

On the first such backroad outing I was on the Zed, behind Speedy McSpeed Calvin on the EcksEcks and thought, Oh just you wait, I'll catch up with you when I get on the Honda! Hah hah hah hahhhh... but to my shock and dismay, after we switched bikes I found myself dropping even further behind than normal and pining away for the rough and tumble Kawasaki.

This was the complete opposite of what we'd expected; after riding the bikes on short trips around LA I thought for sure the Blackbird (Silverbird?) would spank the ZZ-R in the backroads and twisty bits. It sure feels smaller and more sportbike-ish: lighter, narrower, a forward seating position, more weight on the wrists, and narrow handlebars. But the Kawasaki is a big surprise once you get it on what you would expect to be the Honda's turf. Its girth and weight seem to disappear and it's actually a lot of fun to ride at a sporting pace. Its growling intake makes you want to open the throttle for more visceral reasons than just an onrush of stupid amounts of power and torque. Think of a late model V8 Camaro or Trans Am. The Honda's more like an Acura Integra.

ZZ-R handling is predictable and instills complete trust in its abilities, but it's still surprisingly quick and light. Some of us found ourselves getting into far more "oh-shit" situations on the Honda; things like rippled pavement illustrate the differences. Mr. Honda bounces and complains, but Mr. Kawasaki just seems to jump over it all and laugh in the process. It takes a lot to faze this big machine. Another plus is that its hugeness is a definite advantage on long trips.

"The Kawasaki's bulbous fairing provides great wind protection for gangly frames, and was incredibly comfortable during a nonstop run across the desert to Las Vegas for an overnight jaunt to see the "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit."

The wide seat spreads out your weight evenly, and makes even butts with not much padding feel perfectly comfy.

Compared to the CBR, it's a rolling La-Z-Boy. Overall, the ZZ-R's like that well-worn Barcalounger in front of your grandpa's TV, and the CBR's more like a firm executive chair. It's relatively plush as far as sportbikes go, but after an extended exploration voyage up the coast on a Sunday afternoon, I was ready to be done.

My butt, wrists and neck had enough by the time I'd put in over six hours on the Honda. The compactness that makes it feel better in the city doesn't provide as much wind protection at elevated intercity speeds, the forward and compact ergoes weren't so kind on my freakishly long extremities, and the narrower and firmer seat wasn't as nice either.

One drawback of all the horsepower these bikes develop is the production of a lot of waste heat that has to be dumped, and the Honda in particular seems to put off a lot. Riding it around in 90-degree-plus weather with full gear is not a pleasant experience if traffic gums up at all, and in L.A. it always does. As for traffic, lane splitting on either of these bikes is a snap, as they do have a certain presence on the asphalt.

And interestingly enough, I had the opportunity to both be a passenger on the CBR1100XX with JohnnyB at the helm and to carry one for a little while myself. It's actually pretty nice back there, and my relatively inexperienced passenger felt quite secure. However, from the pilot's perspective, I didn't like how the passenger upset the balance of the machine. (Unlike every other Honda designed to carry a passenger, for some inexplicable reason this one makes rear preload adjustment a knuckle-busting affair.)

They're both excellent bikes and fantastic all-around machines, particularly if you have a long commute or live in Montana, where they can take a deep breath, stretch their legs and gallop up to an easy one-thirty for a while. If we've got to pick one, though, it's the ZZ-R1200. It's big, fast and fun to ride. Cool noises waft upward from its mechanical guts, it goes like greased stink, and the engineers really paid attention to all the little details that matter. Nice bike.

Unsolicited Input

John Burns

Just goes to show you. When I first rode the new ZZ-R several months ago, not for long, I was less than impressed. It reminded me of one of my all-time favorite bikes though--the CBR-XX. Comparing the two seemed like an excellent pretext for borrowing one from Honda for awhile. Calvin and the Stickman both loved the Kawasaki immediately. Here's a chance to teach the lads a lesson, I thought. Boys, when the XX gets here, you'll discover what a pile of junk that rehashed Kawasaki is. The XX, lads, is a polished gem, a smooth, swift chariot fit for the moto-sophisticate, and by then they would've wandered off. Um, when I actually put miles on them back to back, I realized the kids are right. It's the Honda's suspension that actually feels a bit overdamped and choppy. And while the ZZ-R engine is a bit coarser, it makes so much more power than the supersmooth Honda, you don't mind a bit. Pardon us for taking such a long time to test the ZZ-R, but I did not expect it would be such a nice `sickle.

Calvin Kim

I came into this test with somewhat of an open mind. I had ridden the XX before, but didn't really remember all the details. The ZZ-R, course is all new. Anyway, when it came time to take one home for the night, I first hoped on the ZZ-R. The growling intake sentiment is right. This thing has cajones and isn't afraid to tell you. I appreciated the remote preload adjuster, and found the dash and ergonomics to be utilitarian and just right for me.

Then came the XX. Talk about smooth, when I was riding the XX, the only thing that I could think of was when turbine-powered aircraft was first introduced to the public. However, the smoothness comes from its counter-balancer equipped engine, not from its suspension, and thats where bikes like these need the smoothness the most.

The ZZR, on the other hand, was just a fun bike. It's a big machine that can be used for just about any sort of task. I like to think of it as a BMW 5-series but on two wheels. That is, I'd think of it that way if you could ignore the buzzing. What wasn't fun, however, was its dyno graph. If you look at it, the Honda makes more power above 7,000 rpm. But during our own straightline testing, the Kawi was superior. I'm thinking the ram air system on the Kawi might be the cause of that. Regardless, I had the most fun on the ZZR through hill, dale and all points in between.

	Honda CBR1100XX	Kawasaki ZZ-R1200
Engine	1137cc liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC inline four	1164cc liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC inline four
Bore x Stroke (mm)	79.0x58.0	79.0x59.4
Compression Ratio	11.0:1	10.5:1
Ignition	Digital
Fuel Delivery	EFI	4x Keihin CVKD40, TPS
Transmission	6-spd, wet, multiplate clutch
Suspension, Front	43mm, 4.7"	43mm, 4.8" (P)
Suspension, Rear	Mono-shock, 4.7" (P-threaded,R)	Mono-shock, 4.8" (P-threaded)
Brakes, Front	310mm, 3 piston	320mm, 4 piston
Brakes, Rear	256mm, 3 piston	250mm, 1 piston
Tires, Front	120/70ZR-17	120/70ZR-17
Tires, Rear	180/55ZR-17	180/55ZR-17
Wheelbase	58.5"/1486mm	59.3"/1506mm
Rake-Trail	25.0°-3.9"/99mm	25.0°-4.16"/106mm
Seat Height	31.75"/806mm	31.50"/800mm
Thumb Height	37.25"/946mm	37.25"/946mm
Thumb-to-Thumb	19.0"/483mm	20.0"/508mm
Fuel Capacity	6.3gal/29L	6.1gal/28L
Fuel Mileage	43mpg	36mpg
Measured Weight (wet)	552lbs/250kg	595lbs/270kg
Available Colors	Metallic Silver	Galaxy Silver
Suggested Price	$10,999	$10,499
(P,C,R) denotes adjustable Preload, Compression damping and Rebound dampening. threaded and ramp denotes method of rear shock preload adjustment. Threaded collar, or ramped collar. Front brakes come in pairs. We assume this to be common knowledge so we didn't mention anything about it. If you didn't know this information, don't worry, you're informed as of now.

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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.
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2002 Kawasaki ZZR1200 Motorcycle Test

Sumber:http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadtests/2002_kawasaki_zzr1200/index.html
2002 Kawasaki ZZR1200 Motorcycle Test
Just your average, mild-mannered, 145-horsepower sport-touring motorcycle

To be honest, we weren't expecting a lot of excitement from the new ZZ-R1200.For some reason, Kawasaki's people seemed to speak in hushed tones whenever its new Euro-tourer came up. They tended to describe it in terms of the ZRX1200R, its charmingly retro, KZ-replica, naked-bike cousin. They gave us the impression the new ZZ-R had a similar, midrange-biased motor, with an even more rider-friendly, gray-at-the-temples power delivery. They stressed its touring emphasis, with an all-day fairing, sit-up riding position and available color-matched hard bags. It came off as a sort of new-millennium Concours: a collection of worthy, though slightly dated sportbike pieces juggled and detuned to make a pleasant, but unspectacular long-haul GT.

Then we rode it. For sure, it had the comfy riding stance, wind protection and friendly, why-bother-to-shift powerband we were promised. And a couple things we were happy to discover for ourselves. For one, a recalibrated chassis that's at once pleasingly nimble and reassuringly stable. And, more important, an irresistible, loft-the-front-wheel lunge on top that will clear out the cobwebs faster than you can say autobahnstrasse.

Funny we should mention the autobahn, because that's exactly where this big boy was designed to play. Kawasaki's U.S. arm had nothing to do with designing and developing the ZZ-R: It was requested by Kawasaki's European distributors, to challenge established Euro players such as the Aprilia Futura, BMW K1200RS, Ducati ST4s and Triumph Sprint ST. But when the Americans saw the completed ZZ-R, they began to see the light--and made arrangements to bring a limited number to the United States.

Good thing, too. Because the ZZ-R1200 is--under its fashionable Prada suit--an updated, even more powerful incarnation of our dearly beloved ZX-11. Which, you'll no doubt recall, reigned as the world's fastest streetbike for nearly a decade, before the new sheriffs in town, the Honda CBR1100XX, the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki's own ZX-12R muscled it out of the spotlight.

The main goal in building this seminew engine, we are told, was to fatten up the powerband in the places most of us use it most of the time. But a little boost in horsepower snuck in there somewhere along the way, and, as far as we're concerned, that's not a problem. Kawasaki won't talk about peak numbers, but did admit to the ZZ-R making approximately 5 percent more horsepower and about 9 percent more torque than the ZX-11. And our dyno figures back that up--with a bullet.
0206Mc Zzr1200 Dyno Zoom

Our last, best ZX-11 pumped out 134.4 horses. This, safe, sane, soul-of-maturity ZZ-R churned out an entirely adequate 145.2 horsepower at 9750 rpm, an 8 percent gain. And 87.1 foot-pounds of torque, exactly the 9 percent gain we were led to expect.

Which means, dear reader, this ZZ-R, which weighs less than 10 pounds more, can rip a ZX-11 a new one, all the while exuding its new-found aura of taste, innocence and restraint. It also means the ZZ-R conceives more ponies than anything short of a ZX-12R or Hayabusa. It out-studs the Honda XX or any of the liter-class sportbikes, including the mighty GSX-R1000. And don't forget that those 145 horses were not energized by the ZZ-R's ram-air system, lifted straight from the ZX-11.

Why is this thing so much badder? Because it's so much bigger, of course. Displacement went up 10 percent, from 1052cc to 1164cc. Bore is up 3mm, making good use of the space liberated when Kawasaki tossed the ZX-11's iron liners and electroplated the aluminum bores instead. The pistons are reconfigured, much like the ZX-12R's, with scandalously short skirts and new reinforcing ribs, for your pleasure. Stroke was stretched 1.6mm, using the same crank you'd find in a ZRX1200R. The head layout was redone to suit a new bank of 40mm, downdraft Keihin CVKs, complete with Kawasaki's spiffy K-TRIC throttle-position/ignition interfacers. And the rocker-arm tips are now sintered, not chromed, to reduce friction and wear.

...the ZZ-R1200 is an updated, even more powerful incarnation of our dearly beloved ZX-11. Which, you'll no doubt recall, reigned as the world's fastest streetbike for nearly a decade...

The ZZ-R has two of a lot of things, among them two fuel pumps, two radiator fans and two headlights. And a new, higher-output alternator to run 'em all, along with any electric lingerie you might care to hook up.

The pumped-up mill is held captive in a ZX-11-esque frame. A new cast-aluminum steering-head section is internally ribbed for added flexlessness, and ball bearings replace the ZX's tapered rollers. Rake is pulled in from the ZX-11's 26.5 degrees to an even 25.0 degrees, and trail snuggles in from 107mm to just less than 106mm, all to lend the steering additional lightness. The aluminum side rails are thicker walled, to help keep the front and rear wheels pointed in the same direction. Wheelbase grows an inch and changes from 58.9 to 60.2 inches, due to a longer, lighter and more-rigid hex-section swingarm. The swingarm pivot has moved lower in the frame, to improve rear-wheel traction--a good move, we'd say, with 145 horses in the house. And the rear subframe is now steel, rather than the ZX's aluminum, mostly to hold the weight of the optional Givi-built, color-matched hard bags.

The accommodations have been redone to suit the ZZ-R's new long-range emphasis; the handlebars have been moved back, and the footpegs slid up and forward to afford a more upright, politically conservative pose. The cockpit almost feels more like a car's than a motorcycle's: The tach and speedo are big, round and analog, set along with the temp and fuel gauges in a four-ring-circus instrument panel.

Kawasaki allowed the stylists get their way with the ZZ-R, let there be no doubt. The overall shape is pleasant enough, but the front and rear views have a certain Roswell-esque feel to them. Coming at you, the ZZ-R looks a bit like a surprised alien, and going away, with the red taillights lit, like an angry one. That said, the design fairs the front and rear turn signals in nicely, leaving only the mirrors to break the visual flow. In front, two-piston calipers grasp big 320mm discs, much like the ZX-11's. The rear brake is an artful mix of pieces we've seen before: The 250mm disc would look right at home on a ZRX1200R, and the caliper came from the ZX-12R.

If the motor and frame have been upgraded, the suspension pieces have not, at least in terms of their adjustability. Where the ZX had a right-side-up, 43mm, noncartridge Kayaba, said fork was at least adjustable for compression and rebound damping. The ZZ-R cartridge fork still has 43mm tubes, but its only adjustment is preload. The ZX shock was two-way-tweakable, dampingwise--but the ZZ-R shock adjusts for preload and rebound only. As you will see, this disappoints us more than a little, because with its amazingly wide performance portfolio, the ZZ-R deserves the adjustability to tune it for widely different mission profiles, from long-distance bombing runs to back-road close-support.

But what, as you might ask Tommy Lee, is it like? It takes full choke to get it fired on a cold morning, and a few blocks before it wants to run without. After that, this motor gives us one big, goofy happy face for the rest of the day. It's obviously hell-for-strong, from idle all the way to the ignition cutoff, and yet, for all its urge, it manages to feel friendly, eager, almost puppylike in its willingness to please. There's a slight buzz in the bars and the mirrors between 4500 and 5500 rpm, which migrates to an equally slight sizzle in the seat as the revs rise. But overall, vibration is admirably controlled. The powerband is as wide as Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico lined up end-to-end. You could stay under 6000 rpm forever--and still leave anything with four wheels way behind you. And when you want to simply disappear, just drop the six-speed down a couple, let 'er spin up past 8000 or so, and hangeth thou on. You get a great moan out of the intake system and a determined launch into the middle distance. There's no dramatic burst of power as the revs rise--like an F-18 on afterburner, it just keeps pulling. And pulling. And pulling.

The riding stance feels just about right, if biased a touch toward the bigger guys among us. Some shorter folk felt the reach to the bars was a bit much, but overall it's right in there with the BMW sport-tourers, the Aprilia Futura and the like. The moved-back bars and moved-up pegs take most of the load off the wrists, compared with more sporting-oriented GTs such as the Honda XX and the Hayabusa. The seat is nicely shaped, but heavier riders found themselves bottoming out on the seat base now and again. And the new fairing works as advertised, protecting well from the neck down and giving you a clean, turbulencefree blast to the helmet zone. At serious speeds, the tall, tapered bubble gives one plenty of room to hide, along with the visibility to still see where you'll soon be.

So on the highway, at any conceivable speed, almost everything is hunky-dory. Suspension compliance is the exception--for some, excessive high-speed compression damping in the fork made the action over concrete expansion joints too harsh for a long-haul sport-tourer. We raised the preload to check the pace of the bobbing front wheel and this helped some. But we couldn't help but wish for the completely adjustable fork that comes on the ZRX1200R. If you get full adjustability on an $8000 nudie, why not on a high-zoot super-sport tourer that sells for more than $10,000?

We expected the ZZ-R to get along well on the straight and slabbish. But we were pleasantly surprised at how well this long, tall, 609-pounder works when the pasta melts from straight to squiggly. Steering is light, linear and predictable, and the wide bars and upright stance give you all the leverage you need to point it where you want it, when you want it. The huge powerband and excellent carburetion let you squirt from corner to corner with little effort--on most twisty roads, shifting is purely an option. The brakes are just about perfect for street use, with great initial bite and smooth, progressive power. And the chassis stays pretty much unflappable until you get way into the crazy zone. The front end feels confidently planted, more so than the old ZX-11's, and the suspension actually shines here, soaking up most midcorner bumps without drama and keeping chassis motion well controlled.

There is one place the ZZ-R falls short--or, at the very least, falls ugly. The European sport-tourers from Aprilia, BMW, Ducati and Triumph can be ordered with their own, custom-designed hard luggage. You can get luggage for the ZZ-R through your Kawasaki dealer, but it's actually off-the-shelf Givi stuff. The function and quality is there, but the looks, we're afraid, are not. The Givi bags are a little (OK, a lot) on the bulbous side, and their big, black tubular-steel brackets would look more at home in an oil refinery than on a classy let's-ride-to-Paris Euro-tourer. We hear that Corbin is also working on a set of Beetle Bags for the ZZ-R, and we're hoping they fit in better with the ZZ-R's styling.

So where, we hear you ask, does the ZZ-R fit in the sport-touring/GT firmament? Well, its Goliath motor puts it in another league compared with its intended European competition, the Futura, K1200RS, ST4s and Sprint ST. If your idea of touring involves speeds over 160 mph, the ZZ-R is a hands-down winner. Its surprisingly competent chassis even lets it hang with lighter twins such as the Ducati and Aprilia in the corners--it just does it in a much bigger, more magnanimous style. And its price, round approximately $5000 under the Germans and Italians, makes it a real, raging deal.

Up against its steroid-addled Japanese cohorts, the Honda XX, the Suzuki Hayabusa and the Kawasaki ZX-12R, the ZZ-R claims its own small, if distinctive, niche. It's closest to the Honda XX in terms of its overall place in the riding universe, but until the Honda gets its expected boost to full 1200 status, the ZZ-R trumps it with more power, more long-haul comfort and approximately equal handling. The Hayabusa is still the king, thanks to its silky, religiously strong motor, amazingly nimble chassis and impeccable detailing. But its relatively hunched riding position, bullet-train styling, and world's-fastest-bike image make it much more of a testosterone-laced Sunday ride and much less of a balanced long-hauler. And after you've ridden the calm, self-contained ZZ-R, the ZX-12R snaps into focus as its pierced, tattooed younger brother, much rougher around the edges, and much more likely to come home late with a black eye.

Do we like this new ZZ-R? Oh, yes indeed.

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