Gixx1300R
Registered
By MCN Reporter
OWNERS of Kawasaki's new ZX-12R will have to wait a bit longer to find out how fast their bike will go - 1000 miles longer to be precise.
Kawasaki has doubled the running-in period for the ZX-12R
Kawasaki has doubled the running-in period for the ZX-12R to 2000 miles.
It means average riders, who only cover 3000 miles a year, won't be able to see what their bikes are capable of until summer is long gone.
But it's not a total disaster. Owners will still be able to do 155mph - easily enough to leave their licences in tatters.
Owners are being told to run the bike at under 4000rpm for the first 500 miles, under 6000rpm for the next 500 and under 9000rpm for the following 1000.
Failure to obey the instructions will invalidate the warranty. The red line is at 11,500rpm.
The original period covered only 1000 miles - restricting riders to 4000rpm for the first 500 miles and 6000rpm for the next 500.
Kawasaki's official letter to dealers claims the new running-in procedure will "enable the advanced technology utilised in the high-tech engine to achieve its maximum performance capability and realise its full potential".
But there could be a more significant reason.
The re-think comes after a ZX-12R suffered an engine failure during speed tests in Germany. It appears that a conrod broke, punching two holes in the crankcase. The bike was being run flat-out at the time, but the rider managed to stay on board.
Kawasaki claims the failure is a one-off, but it has altered the running-in procedure to prevent further problems.
Kawasaki UK's Geoff Selvidge said: "We're aware of the problem in Germany and Kawasaki is looking at the running-in procedure, which could be the cause for the failure.
"There has been such demand for press bikes that the factory decided to run-in the test bikes' engines on the bench before putting the bikes together. We have never tried this before.
"It's an isolated incident and this engine may have slipped through without the correct running-in. There have been no problems with any bikes in the UK, either with the press bikes or those which have been delivered to customers."
Selvidge explained that the ZX-12R engine is so highly tuned that the way it is treated to begin with is more crucial than on lower-powered machines.
"It's well known that with very highly tuned engines, like those used in Formula One, the running-in period is directly related to the engine's life," he said. "With the ZX-12R we're getting ever closer to that scenario."
The new period will give engineers breathing space to examine the failed engine and try to find out if there is a more serious problem. With riders limited to low revs for most of the year, there shouldn't be any risk of another failure before the exact cause for the German problem has been found and any alterations completed.
OWNERS of Kawasaki's new ZX-12R will have to wait a bit longer to find out how fast their bike will go - 1000 miles longer to be precise.
Kawasaki has doubled the running-in period for the ZX-12R
Kawasaki has doubled the running-in period for the ZX-12R to 2000 miles.
It means average riders, who only cover 3000 miles a year, won't be able to see what their bikes are capable of until summer is long gone.
But it's not a total disaster. Owners will still be able to do 155mph - easily enough to leave their licences in tatters.
Owners are being told to run the bike at under 4000rpm for the first 500 miles, under 6000rpm for the next 500 and under 9000rpm for the following 1000.
Failure to obey the instructions will invalidate the warranty. The red line is at 11,500rpm.
The original period covered only 1000 miles - restricting riders to 4000rpm for the first 500 miles and 6000rpm for the next 500.
Kawasaki's official letter to dealers claims the new running-in procedure will "enable the advanced technology utilised in the high-tech engine to achieve its maximum performance capability and realise its full potential".
But there could be a more significant reason.
The re-think comes after a ZX-12R suffered an engine failure during speed tests in Germany. It appears that a conrod broke, punching two holes in the crankcase. The bike was being run flat-out at the time, but the rider managed to stay on board.
Kawasaki claims the failure is a one-off, but it has altered the running-in procedure to prevent further problems.
Kawasaki UK's Geoff Selvidge said: "We're aware of the problem in Germany and Kawasaki is looking at the running-in procedure, which could be the cause for the failure.
"There has been such demand for press bikes that the factory decided to run-in the test bikes' engines on the bench before putting the bikes together. We have never tried this before.
"It's an isolated incident and this engine may have slipped through without the correct running-in. There have been no problems with any bikes in the UK, either with the press bikes or those which have been delivered to customers."
Selvidge explained that the ZX-12R engine is so highly tuned that the way it is treated to begin with is more crucial than on lower-powered machines.
"It's well known that with very highly tuned engines, like those used in Formula One, the running-in period is directly related to the engine's life," he said. "With the ZX-12R we're getting ever closer to that scenario."
The new period will give engineers breathing space to examine the failed engine and try to find out if there is a more serious problem. With riders limited to low revs for most of the year, there shouldn't be any risk of another failure before the exact cause for the German problem has been found and any alterations completed.
