ZX-12 Launch / MCN TEXT

KawAbuser, this is off-topic, but your comment reminded me of it.

A few years ago, when Mike Tyson was invincible, he had a title fight against Tony Tubbs. Tubbs showed up for the fight overweight and took a dive in the first round. The headline was "Tubbs picks up paycheck".

Sugar Ray Leonard was doing color commentary on the fight, and the other announcer said, "Well, it looks like Tony Tubbs was just a bug on the windshield of Mike Tyson". Leonard's reply was, "Yeah...a fat bug."

I wonder if the ZX-12 is going to be a fat bug on the windshield of the Hayabusa.
 
If the cut out problem and bad chain & sprockets were on an Italian bike it would
be considered "part of the Italian Mystique". As much of a dangerous inconvenience as it is, the problem is really minor in terms of an all new vehicle.
Look at Honda's recall of the F-3 for bad cam caps, etc, etc.

ducmanic
Los Angeles

[This message has been edited by ducmanic (edited 28 August 1999).]
 
Mr Bear; I find your analogy to WWII interesting, but I don't understand it too well.

Are you talking about the way British and American planes like the Spitfire, Lancaster, Corsair and Flying Fortress were ever-evolving versions of a proven design, while the Nasties, make that Nazis, wasted time and resources experimenting with Buzz Bombs, jet planes, pusher-puller fighters and the like?

Ducmanic: Your point about Ducati's character vs Suzuki's manufacturing defects is very insightful.

People expect nothing less than flawless engineering and build quality from the Japanese bikes. That's what they buy, and they get righteously pissed if a screw so much as rattles.

There's a part of me that WANTS little things to go wrong with my bike and is frustrated because there's never anything to fix on these UJMs (Universal Japanese Motorcycles).

The only workout my wrenches ever get is helping friends rebuild their Harleys.



[This message has been edited by Dirty Pete (edited 28 August 1999).]
 
Bear,

Do you remember the Tyson-Douglas fight, Feb 11, 1990 ?? Tyson lost the heavyweight title to Buster Douglas because he under estimated his opponent.
 
And I remember Yoshimura GS750's kicking Kawbut in the late 70's(back when superbikes were not 750's).

Also to take the championship by decision you must really kick but, no by just a little bit . Sort of what the Hayabusa did to the Blackbird - It kicked butt.

Green bugs are bird food anyway.
 
In that case zleeper, It is a good thing for kawasaki they didn't release the ZX12 last year, like they planned on doing. Kawasaki was the reigning champ at top speed for years. So who was the Tyson and who was the Buster Douglas. Kawasaki got lazy and then were shocked that somebody else build a much faster bike than theirs.
 
Mr Bear: It IS possible to do an end run on conventional thinking AND achieve total success instantaneously.

My example also is drawn from WWII.

The Bomb on Hiroshima.

Revolutionary change of that magnitude has only been achieved a couple of times in the history of the human condition.

The first time, it was the development of walking erect.

The second time, it was the Hayabusa.

This revolutionary bike, destined to inhabit a place in motorcycle history beside the Vincent Black Shadow, simply assembled everything that we've learned about motorcycles in one machine.

But then I could be wrong.
 
Hmmm...Yeah Pete, that's it. The bomb and the Hayabusa. The Hayabusa sure has nuked the rest of the production sport motorcycle world.

But maybe not the bomb itself. How about the vehicle which delivers the huge punch? The Enola Gay was a B-29. Maybe I'll call my 'Busa Enola Gay.
 
Mr Bear, you may have just have started a new trend in motorcycleing! Some "Nose Art" ala the WW-2 Aircraft could be the rave of the future! And before you get any ideas, I have dib's on Madonna! LOL Any more ideas? :-) Brian
 
Mr Bear:

Enola Gay..perfect.

You may find yourself having to do some 'splainin' about the second part of that name to people who don't know their history too well.

I want dibs on "Glamorous Glennis," the name of the l'il rocket plane that Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in.


[This message has been edited by Dirty Pete (edited 29 August 1999).]
 
Hey Ducmanic...you did a second gear burnout launch? I believe that would be incredibly effective at the strip.

Did you dump the clutch on full power and just keep it pinned all the way to third gear or did you have to modulate throttle?

Or did you slip the clutch off the line and then induce wheelspin?

Was your road suface smooth? Would it work on a grippy drag strip?

I'm looking to you for answers here because I've been very reluctant to risk my drive train with this trick.

Maybe the serious drag racers on this site have something to say about the potential of this launch technique.
 
Pete,
Somewhere on here i mentioned second gear starts slipping the clutch gently off
the start in second, then "dipping" the clutch about 35mph and nailing it for the crowd pleaser. This may be hard on the pack, i don't know. I never come off the line under full power in second. I have blown output shaft bearings doing this in the past when there was to much traction. Not on the Bussa' though.
My favourite is to just cruse in second,preferably at night when the street is a little damp, tap the clutch and nail it. Easy 100-200' patch. You gotta love this bike!
Disclaimer: DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!!!
ducmanic
Los Angeles

[This message has been edited by ducmanic (edited 29 August 1999).]
 
Thanks Ducmanic; I'm happily getting an uninterrupted patch all the way through first and second on the usual old starting method. In first I've got to pull back on throttle to avoid melting the tire...to keep it digging hard. In a conventional shift to second the tires just goes calmly back to whatever wheelspin you had it set at in first and stays there as long as you keep it pinned.

And I'm talking about rough, high traction pavement.

I ruined a mid-mileage Me Z3 in five such passes on poor pavement.

The bike just leaves a black powder trail.
 
I'm sorry to say, but Kawi is always the underdog, they love to have a smaller type of bike to beat the higher bikes.. I don't know why it's just in there blood because they can do it. As for there up coming 12r, i doubt Suzuki has anything to worry about, it might come close but obviously.. not that close. Has anyone heard of Suzuki coming out with a 1500cc? i've heard many ppl talking about it, but I'm not sure if it's all true.
 
Todd, what's up man? Sorry I missed your comments most of the weekend! Don't worry, I have already traded in my source for another...

Ducmanic, do I need a Hayabusa to get scratch on wet pavement?

By the way, where's your local hangout? I'd like to cruise by sometime....

Kevin - fastzx9@dragbike.com
 
No i haven't Mr.Bear....and its not by choice.
I've been trying to find a beater for cheap,but then what i consider a beater is indeed $4000 or more!
And for not having alot of money...i know where its going when i do!
Down the street from my house i checked out an '82 GSXR 750 for $4300!
I'm telling you about this one because its the cheapest one i've found that could keep me NOT bored till January!
I've found many more for alot more money,most of which were personalized by the owners so in return they overprice them!
I'm so damn eager to ride....that i'm gonna take a safety course just so i can ride their piece of poop and i can finally get my fix!
It will also be good 'cause they will tell alot about safety&know how.
All i have been doing since 7/16/99 is studying basically,on everything i can get my hands on that has to do with motorcycles....my room is filled with every magazine there is just about,Fast Bikes,Performance bike,cycle world,motorcycleworld,superbike,bike,roadracing world,sport rider & motorcyclist.
Its not an interest,its an obsession!!
I've been through my twist of the wrist2 book about 4 times now.
I'm at Barnes&Noble & tower records like every other day looking for new material and more to KNOW.
Not to start anything up,but i probably KNOW more about safety stuff&rider inputs than alot of guys out ridin right now!
Not you 'Busa riders though,'cause of course your creme of the crop!
Nothing substitutes for experience though....and i know that and thats why i've been a book worm for the past 2 months,'cause its the next best thing!
Knowledge is power,and you need power to live!

No matter how much you guys can't agree with me or no matter how sick this may sound......but i really want my first ownership to go to a 'Busa.
I know you guys have said things before like,"you know what happens when you go cracking the throttle open on a bike like the 'Busa?Your feet will be flying behind you before you know it.Yeah,well...slow down.
Throttle control is all your choice,how do you want the bike to react...wildly or mildly?Don't give it too much while leaned over in a turn....but yet,don't give it too little.You should moderate your speed through the turn,then power out.Remember,that just the simple act of leaning the bike over in a turn is scrubbing of speed.

Anyway....thanks for your concerns Mr.Bear!
If i do run into a really good deal,then i will...of course.
Just to get rid of some of this pain!
But any substantial amount of money,i know where its going!
I do make it into my dealer like twice a week to admire,sit on,and even go through the gears dreaming on a beautiful copper 'Busa thats been there since june!
Can you believe that!What a tease!
Every night,i find myself going up there and staring at it through the window after hours from all different angles,thinking okay this is what it looks like from here and this from the front,and over on the side.
Its an obsession....my brother says.
Well...thanks again Mr.Bear!
And enjoy the hell out of that motorcycle....'cause it is the ONE!!
 
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