Moto Yamaha R1 and Kawasaki ZX10R Ninja

-How come?
-160
Weakly, my car - 180, and easily ...
-So this is my first gear 160! (Conversation at a traffic light)

And it does not sound crazy, but it's true! I'll tell you: the new sportbike from Yamaha and Kawasaki really show the strongest advance in the development of technologies for supersport motorcycles. Not so long ago (only in 1998) Yamaha showed the world his R1, which had a record of such power available, it seemed, there's nowhere more powerful. So he remained a leading extreme sports until 2001, until a Suzuki GSX-R 1000. About Kawasaki ZX-9 in those years could not remember: against R1, it was sports-tourist, not sportbike. Kawasaki candidly delayed the creation of its new flagship of the sport, but now the bike is released, which could be the answer to competitors.

    Kawasaki ZX-10 was developed from scratch, has nothing to do with any of the previous bike. When creating a model is clearly intended to create the best liter bike. Its design is modern and handsome, in common with previously appeared 600 cc, but without any risky experiments. Type the front fairing with slanted headlights transparent, which is located above the air intake system of the inertial supercharging becomes a classic for the modern family of Ninja. LED Taillight has an original shape, the bike on it will be easy to be recognized on the road. In general, fashionable now-rounded edges are present in each outer element. The shortest of 1 liter of base 1385 mm (it is even less than the ZX-6!) Creates a pursed, muscular silhouette. Impressively male appearance. Only there is concern that with such a short base of the bike can be unstable when driving at high speed bumps. Under a modern appearance and technical stuffing. In-line four-cylinder engine - a fuel injection system and dual throttle valves. The stated power - 180 hp The cylinder block is almost vertical and the maximum is shifted forward, for better load the front wheel. Powerful brakes with radial calipers Tokiko and wavy discs. It should however be noted that these waves on the brake disc in this version - just for beauty. A struggle for weight loss seen in the rest of the motorcycle and adds to this, technical beauty. Previously, only the famous tuning company could offer a titanium exhaust system with oval silencer. Now this is the standard equipment. Rims so thin and delicate that it seems nothing weigh. Swingarm type banana came from the racetrack, allows you to raise above the exhaust pipe and it does not cling to the asphalt in the limiting slopes. And for good cornering with Kawasaki has it all. It was developed in the middle of the aluminum frame is welded diagonal of cast and forged parts. The inverted front fork with adjustable tubes with a diameter of 43 mm, has a wide range of adjustments. Gas rear shock also has a full range of adjustments. In addition to all this length is also adjustable rear shock absorber that allows you to change the geometry of the chassis!

    Yamaha R1, despite the old name, and a completely new bike. If the previous model apparently looked too faceted then in 2004 the bike became more licked, but no less beautiful. Just like in a family of Ninja, the design of the Yamaha definitely traced family features. Front fairing - a successful hybrid of R1 '98 model year and R6 of 2003. In the slanting eyes of the hidden four powerful lens headlamps and two-marker lamps. Torn a form of side fairings give the bike a visual lightness. A real easy (zayavleno172 kg dry weight) of the designers squeezed every detail. This is drilled bolts and a new thin-walled aluminum frame, which is at a lower weight twice stiffer than the previous model. Saves weight and the titanium exhaust system with two mufflers, paved under the seat. Besides saving weight, the new design of the exhaust is a serious and certainly no traces on the pavement in the turns. According to official information, for the sake of ergonomics, driver's footrests are lower than last year's model. If so, then they are on the race track can theoretically deal with asphalt, but we have not been able to tilt the bike to turn in footpegs. And even more so, it is unlikely anyone will be able to do in the city. In contrast, Kawasaki, Yamaha for optimum weight distribution has used its layout scheme. The cylinder block tilted forward 40 degrees, allowing free space above the engine and do tank is narrower. Amplified inverted pendulum rear suspension, and not inferior in originality and beauty of banana from Kawasaki. Brakes with radial calipers have four pistons are already the norm for new superbike, but Yamaha has gone further and established a radial master cylinder! New super speed engine with 5 valve cylinder head for lovers of art - a work of art. Forged pistons, titanium valves, and until recently were available only to lovers of deep tuning, and are now parts of engine.

    Landing on both bikes is almost identical, the difference is small. Its main feature: it is completely athletic, without any compromises. In the Ninja's seat is located as close to the steering wheel, fuel tank into a short, tall, big-bellied enough, but for the feet in the tank is made convenient stamp. As a result, between the knees tank and frame - easy to narrow. Feelings are too short, a small motorcycle does not arise. The footpegs are high (obvious, following the trend, according to which all subsequent models have steps higher than the previous model). Only Yamaha has allowed himself to deviate from this and make the steps below. But when you sit down on the R1, then this is not felt. All concealed highest among sportbike seat. The tank also has a deep stamp for the feet and its width is only slightly more than the Kawasaki.

    Dashboard differ more significantly. On the ZX-10 is new-fangled, full LCD. And if you use a digital speedometer somehow justified, Tachometer, liquid crystal (with a running strip in a circle) - this is an obvious misunderstanding. In the light gray background see peripheral vision dark gray stripes is impossible. To find the speed, you need to translate the view of the tachometer. It's just dangerous to be distracted from the road on this bike, even for half a second. Maybe the designers relied on the indicator flash, which is triggered when a certain speed and crankshaft signals the need to change gear? But this indicator is useful in the Ring or under intense overclocking, and in some sense of it. Yamaha on his panel has the same indicator light, but the tachometer with the dial, easy to read his testimony, and the scale is always in sight. But Ninja, like a true athlete, always carries with a stopwatch. Under the thumb on the left handlebar is a button to start the stopwatch count laps. An unambiguous reference to the appointment of a motorcycle, but in real life have no place to use such a stopwatch, and athletes usually ignore it. At Yamaha, probably knew this, and so got a stopwatch for R1 in the options list.
    In describing the work of modern motorcycle engines constantly have to say almost the same thing: the engine is easy to start and run smoothly. For Kawasaki this is not so! Kawasaki engine runs really easy, but it works at idle is not steady. Revolutions do not stand, and swim near the mark of'1000 in the range of + / - 100. Such an unstable idle can often be found on the push technology race, which has broad timing.

    On R1 motor is much smoother. Tight grip on the Kawasaki, it is felt under the fingers of the spring force. At Yamaha (with the same engine power stated) clutch lever pressed significantly easier.
    The most interesting and breathtaking begins next after squeezed the clutch and first gear is included. You can let go and step on the gas? You can go, you can not step on the gas. Excess power is such that the first three gears the bike tries to drive the rear wheel. This applies to both parties test. But Kawasaki - to a greater extent. If the ZX-10 move smoothly in first gear and then open the gas, then when it gets to the growing speed of up to 5 thousand rev / min and starts to climb on the rear wheel, the gas will have to cover. If you play it safe and include second gear and then accelerate to full throttle her, it still reaches the 9 th / min bike will start to lift face. Do not forget at this point that the speed approaching 200 km / h! Actually, both treasured motorcycle overcome the bar to 200 km / h in second gear. Further, the transfer of very close together and the speedometer in sixth gear is selected close to the magic figure of 300! I do not know whether the speedometer will show on any of the two participants in this test, the magic number, since neither I nor the owners of motorcycles accelerate to maximum speed could not be true and this problem was not raised.

    Are the bikes on the road almost perfectly. With the dramatic acceleration of both shows about the same tendency to shimmy. The resulting vibrations are not as powerful and frightening, as the'' old'' R1, and even die out faster. But the Yamaha is the standard steering damper, and Kawasaki behaves decently and without the damper. But, of course, ideally, a damper on the Ninja, you must install yourself.
    Riding with a passenger even brighter displays excess capacity. The passenger sits very high up, looking at the road over the driver, who would be glad to show what a bike, but more than 50% of the gas opening is impossible. Becomes the rear wheel, and that's it!

Sport brakes, both moto as expected, earned the highest ratings. The rigidity of standard calipers and hoses on the R1 is more than enough. Brake lever is pressed to a certain level and then slow down regulated only with fingers. The lever is at the same time, as limited by something. Ninja on the effectiveness of the brakes is the same, only the lever gently falls - obviously beg reinforced hoses.
    Talking about what the bike is on the asphalt is softer and tighter which, quite correctly. In general, they are similar, it is not surprising, since they were created for the same purpose. The adjustment range of springs and dampers can make everyone as a sofa and a stool. If the suspension to dissolve, the bike will ride as a cruiser, gently rocking on the humps. If you hold down too, on a smooth road to travel, as glued to the pavement, and the bumps would bounce. That is somewhere between these extremes is the one perfect suspension tuning, without which it is impossible to fully enjoy the potential of superbikes. Allow these bikes is really a lot. In the unreal speed, flying to the rotation, they are easy to face down powerful brakes and a driver's task force myself to enter into a turn at high speed. But if the rate is still excessive, then in turn can squeeze the front brake lever while the bike, leaning over the front wheel, you still fit into the radius. If you already have in turn blended, boldly accelerated at the exit. This is our duelists like most. Just look over at the speedometer at times, painfully smartly skips past your attention to number 200 and without any further incidence rate of 210 .. 220 .. 230 ..!

    These are, as ever, close to each other, these two modern superbike. So close competitors have never been. Barely perceptible difference in the behavior of the characters and could play a role on the racetrack, but in real life it is absolutely equal to motorcycles. This facilitates the selection of potential buyers. You need to choose only the secondary criteria. What is more like it will play the role of price, or you are sitting in the old sympathy for the brand, and maybe the seller offers the best service. It is safe to say that to date there is no one who could realize at least 90% in these bikes mortgaged building. About driving with full throttle in a straight line, I'm not saying it's primitive. I would like to warn against such a ride, because it usually starts with a sample motorcycle, but often at the same ends. Especially if this is your first bike. Ask the Motobike Salon statistics, and you know that 50% of these motorcycle smash on the first day after the purchase.