Tweet
I recently horse-traded my XS1100SG for a 1990 ZX-10. I'll post some pics up later as I don't have access to my home network at this moment. It's got custom silver painted fiberglass bodywork and a red powder coated aluminum frame.
Specs:
570lbs wet
1000cc liquid-cooled, carbureted inline four
137hp@10k with 11k redline
6-speed
165+mph top speed (not sure if it's drag or gear limited)
41-45 mpg so far
5.8 gallon fuel capacity
The ZX-10 could probably be thought of as one of Kawasaki's first 'supersport' bikes. It was the Hayabusa before the Hayabusa, or the Blackbird before the Blackbird. It's pretty much the great grand-daddy to the current ZX-14R offering.
As a comparison to the XS I've enjoyed the far greater range offered by the increased fuel capacity and mileage (about 250miles between fill-ups). The brakes are massively more effective, though outdated by modern standards. I really enjoy the seating position. It's a 3/4 tilt, kind of between a sport-touring and a supersport riding position. With some 1 inch risers the bike will be perfect.
I'm not a super experienced rider when it comes to riding many brands and types of bikes, so coming off of an old standard to a crotch-rocket is interesting. The '10 is as smooth and quiet at 85mph as the XS was at about 55mph. The ability to lean the bike is far greater and as such it will corner on average 15+mph faster (with me, and I'm no moto-gp guy) than my XS would with the same effort. I find it to be less fatiguing to ride. In 3rd gear at freeway speed a slight counter-steer drops the bike right into a lean like nothing I've ever experienced.
The XS is a pretty low-strung motor, which is it's greatest strength in my opinion. I loved the XS motor. The '10 will absolutely destroy the XS in performance (yes, it's 10 years newer and a supersport bike, not a tourer) on paper and practically, except at low-rpm hard accel. If I had both bikes in 5th gear at 60mph and full-throttled them I have little doubt that the XS would leap in front of the '10 initially. The '10 has to hit at least 6k rpm in order to achieve any kind of appreciable power where the XS has solid power on tap even as low as 3k in my riding style. To pass on the interstate at 70mph the XS required no downshift. The '10 can pass well in 4th at that speed, but 3rd is advisable.
The '10 will hit 70+ mph in first gear and from a dead stop there is no comparison, the '10 would utterly demolish the XS with anything but a horribly botched launch. On the roll at cruising speed in a cruising gear, the XS just plain has more grunt. Very different animals indeed.
From a cruising perspective it's entirely rider preference. From a 'sport' or 'performance' perspective the two bikes are worlds apart. That being said, I never came close to utilizing the XS's full potential on the street and I suspect I'll remain further from that point on the '10. Something to consider though, is that the XS was a great bike to chill out on, leisurely cruise. The '10 BEGS for speed. It's like speeding is mandatory. It takes a lot of conscious effort on my part to not be going 20 over. On the XS I was a slow rider, a 55 in a 60 kind of guy. I was content with that as I ride my bikes to relax, not to piss-off other drivers or be a dill-weed. The vast difference in performance and feel between the two makes all the difference in the world. I now have a new found respect for polite sport-bike riders as I understand more and more how hard it is not to fly by everything all the time.
The '10 needed a lot of work to get up to snuff. I do all my own work as I am a trade-school edjumacated auto-mechanic. It needed a new temp sensor, the t-stat housing re-grounded, three coolant flushes (two with dish-washing-machine detergent, one plain water, I had to find and fit a new upper radiator hose (made from a Goldwing hose as zx10 hoses are now unobtanium), fork seals and oil, installed a K&N air filter, sync'd the carbs (with the home-made vacuum-gauge/aquarium valve sync tool courtesy of the XS11's totally awesome tech section), replaced the front brake-light switch, swapped out all DOT4 fluids, full brake and suspension inspection, added a NEP cruise control, iridium spark plugs (good for life), and probably a bunch of other stuff I forgot. I still need to re-do the plug wires (I band-aided one, works for now) and remove the exhaust system to repair a potential crack at the crossover. Could just be a burned-out seal as well. Either way, it's coming off after the summer as the leak is small.
I have never done fork seals before and was a bit surprised at how easy it was. The first one took me about 35 minutes as I try to be very careful whilst figuring things out. I tend to break stuff if I'm not extra careful. The second one was probably done in ten minutes or less. No special tools required if you have an impact wrench.
Anyway, that's a brief comparison. the XS was and is a great bike, I was just ready to try something new. So far, I am very happy with that choice as I'm finding the ZX10 to be a lot more my style. Someday I WILL track down an XS1100E, but til then the '10 will be my standard mount.
Specs:
570lbs wet
1000cc liquid-cooled, carbureted inline four
137hp@10k with 11k redline
6-speed
165+mph top speed (not sure if it's drag or gear limited)
41-45 mpg so far
5.8 gallon fuel capacity
The ZX-10 could probably be thought of as one of Kawasaki's first 'supersport' bikes. It was the Hayabusa before the Hayabusa, or the Blackbird before the Blackbird. It's pretty much the great grand-daddy to the current ZX-14R offering.
As a comparison to the XS I've enjoyed the far greater range offered by the increased fuel capacity and mileage (about 250miles between fill-ups). The brakes are massively more effective, though outdated by modern standards. I really enjoy the seating position. It's a 3/4 tilt, kind of between a sport-touring and a supersport riding position. With some 1 inch risers the bike will be perfect.
I'm not a super experienced rider when it comes to riding many brands and types of bikes, so coming off of an old standard to a crotch-rocket is interesting. The '10 is as smooth and quiet at 85mph as the XS was at about 55mph. The ability to lean the bike is far greater and as such it will corner on average 15+mph faster (with me, and I'm no moto-gp guy) than my XS would with the same effort. I find it to be less fatiguing to ride. In 3rd gear at freeway speed a slight counter-steer drops the bike right into a lean like nothing I've ever experienced.
The XS is a pretty low-strung motor, which is it's greatest strength in my opinion. I loved the XS motor. The '10 will absolutely destroy the XS in performance (yes, it's 10 years newer and a supersport bike, not a tourer) on paper and practically, except at low-rpm hard accel. If I had both bikes in 5th gear at 60mph and full-throttled them I have little doubt that the XS would leap in front of the '10 initially. The '10 has to hit at least 6k rpm in order to achieve any kind of appreciable power where the XS has solid power on tap even as low as 3k in my riding style. To pass on the interstate at 70mph the XS required no downshift. The '10 can pass well in 4th at that speed, but 3rd is advisable.
The '10 will hit 70+ mph in first gear and from a dead stop there is no comparison, the '10 would utterly demolish the XS with anything but a horribly botched launch. On the roll at cruising speed in a cruising gear, the XS just plain has more grunt. Very different animals indeed.
From a cruising perspective it's entirely rider preference. From a 'sport' or 'performance' perspective the two bikes are worlds apart. That being said, I never came close to utilizing the XS's full potential on the street and I suspect I'll remain further from that point on the '10. Something to consider though, is that the XS was a great bike to chill out on, leisurely cruise. The '10 BEGS for speed. It's like speeding is mandatory. It takes a lot of conscious effort on my part to not be going 20 over. On the XS I was a slow rider, a 55 in a 60 kind of guy. I was content with that as I ride my bikes to relax, not to piss-off other drivers or be a dill-weed. The vast difference in performance and feel between the two makes all the difference in the world. I now have a new found respect for polite sport-bike riders as I understand more and more how hard it is not to fly by everything all the time.
The '10 needed a lot of work to get up to snuff. I do all my own work as I am a trade-school edjumacated auto-mechanic. It needed a new temp sensor, the t-stat housing re-grounded, three coolant flushes (two with dish-washing-machine detergent, one plain water, I had to find and fit a new upper radiator hose (made from a Goldwing hose as zx10 hoses are now unobtanium), fork seals and oil, installed a K&N air filter, sync'd the carbs (with the home-made vacuum-gauge/aquarium valve sync tool courtesy of the XS11's totally awesome tech section), replaced the front brake-light switch, swapped out all DOT4 fluids, full brake and suspension inspection, added a NEP cruise control, iridium spark plugs (good for life), and probably a bunch of other stuff I forgot. I still need to re-do the plug wires (I band-aided one, works for now) and remove the exhaust system to repair a potential crack at the crossover. Could just be a burned-out seal as well. Either way, it's coming off after the summer as the leak is small.
I have never done fork seals before and was a bit surprised at how easy it was. The first one took me about 35 minutes as I try to be very careful whilst figuring things out. I tend to break stuff if I'm not extra careful. The second one was probably done in ten minutes or less. No special tools required if you have an impact wrench.
Anyway, that's a brief comparison. the XS was and is a great bike, I was just ready to try something new. So far, I am very happy with that choice as I'm finding the ZX10 to be a lot more my style. Someday I WILL track down an XS1100E, but til then the '10 will be my standard mount.
(Sold back to Maximan)
Comment