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I just picked up my new '06 ZX-10R on Tuesday and I couldn't be happier so far! I've only ever owned Hondas in the 10+ years I've been riding (all CBR600's actually) so I decided it was time to try something new. Man this thing kicks ***! The power is quite honestly startling. I haven't been over 7k rpm yet (break-in ya know) and it feels as though its about to rip my arms off! This thing definitely requires a healthy dose of maturity. Anyway, I have a few impressions of my first Kawasaki (as a former Honda rider):

*Loooooooooong first gear! 105mph in 1st is a bit ridiculous amd requires lots of clutch slippage. I swear it feels like you are taking off in second everytime!

*Build quality is better than expected. Being a longtime Honda rider I was expecting a downgrade in this area (ie messy welds, cheap plastics, exposed wiring, etc...). I'm happy to say that the Kawi is put together right nicely. Welds are clean, there are only a couple of exposed wires (behind the instrument cluster) and the material quality seems pretty good....

*Noisy! This thing is a bit nosier than my '05 600rr was. The gear whine can get a little annoying at highway speeds and the exhaust sounds like a tractor at idle (much better once under way).

*Nice on the butt, tough on the wrists. This bike places alot of weight on your wrists and elbows and can get uncomfortable after while (same as on my 600rr). The seat, however is awesome! Legs and butt definitely enjoy the 10r more than the 600rr...

*I'm tall so I noticed that the windscreen's low angle obscures the top half of the tach while I'm sitting straight up. This is a little annoying but not that bad (I'm 6'3").

*The mirrors are pathetic! I can see my elbows perfectly but not much else. The image in them is also kinda distorted which sucks.

*The bike comes with a full toolkit that absolutely shames the rinky-dink crap Honda is giving away. It even has a little leather bag with "Kawasaki" embossed on it. Nice touch.

*The brakes feel on par with the 600rr's (which is a compliment by the way). The lever comes a little close to the bar but I just need to adjust it for my hand. The rear brake pedal has a bit too much travel in my estimation (which should also be able to be adjusted).

*The instrument cluster is very nice and modern looking but I miss having a fuel gauge. Interestingly, when the sun shines on the LCD panel, a bar graph meter and a little gas icon are plainly visible next to the speedo but it does not light up on startup or any other time and no mention is made of it in the owner's manual.

*Yes, yes, the exhaust is pretty ungainly (though it is growing on me). I plan to fix that soon though with a pair of either Akrapovic, Scorpion, or Sato slip-ons.

That's all I can think of at the moment. I'll update this post when I've gotten some more riding time in.

 

Congrats on the new bike, sound like your having alot of fun already.

 

Congrats! Enjoy the ride.

 

Just one question? not being a smart *** but you stated that your nothing but pleased with the Kawi but while reading the whole post I couldnt help but to notice that you have alot more negatives than positives.

 

https://cbrforum.com/fb.asp?m=231976
[sm=yikesomg.gif]So you finally got yourself a 1K huh.Do yourself a favor and don't squid yourself off the road.

 

I absolutely love this bike. I was just trying to be honest about the bikes flaws (which are all very small) and was more or less nit-picking it. Plus, I realize this is a Honda site and I figured you guys wouldn't appreciate me coming on here and bragging about how great my new "Zixxer" is and how it is so much better than all of the POS Hondas I've ever had, lol. Every bike has flaws and I was just pointing them out. Tell you what, they all disappear about as fast as I can open up the throttle though!

 

Haha, while I still see the 600rr as a decent choice of bike to learn on, I can say for sure that the ZX-10Rmost definitely isNOT! This thing is scary fast and demands respect. Period. I grabbed a handful of throttle today (much like I used to on my 600) and the thing scared me ****less (mind you this was only at around 7000 rpm!). Definitely waaaaaay more power than necessary but it is exciting!

 

Nice Bike, Congrats.

But remember, even Vader returned from the Dark Side in the end.

 

congrats on the new bike.. those zx-10s are HOT

 

congrats on the new bike.how ever you went from a 600rr to a zixxer and have found more pleasure and speed then the 600 rr ever had.iam sure the bike is very nice and i dont think any would here would drag you through the mud for buying it because in the end it is you that has to be happy. however i had a 2003 600rr and trader for an 3006 1000rr and i have the same felling you do about the zixxer. more power then i will ever need but not saying i want ever use it. good luck and ride safe