Opinion on 2011 Z10R /w ABS

gobu

Well-known member
Hi All!

I am in the market for a new bike, after someone rear ended my 250R over the weekend (thankfully there is only fairing damages, and rear brake/pedal mount bracket damage) ... the bike still runs! :)

Anyways, for a while, I was checking out Z10R ABS 2011 from Kawaski at SnowCity, it seems to be an awesome bike, and read online video reviews and comments, all seem to be positive.

Does anyone here have that bike, and care to share any different views from riding perspective, since I can't demo the bike at Snow City ! :(
 
Quite the jump from the 250r!!!

Maybe ninja 1000 or 650?

Think about insurance!
 
I did check out the insurance with State Farm: approx. $220 a month with full-coverage (since I will be financing this bike, I can't drop $15K grand, lol), Ninja 1000 is about $195.00

I have now 1 year experience with M2 (insured with Riders since last year, but I have to change company since they won't cover this 1000cc bike) ....

I looked at the Ninja 1000, it's awesome too, they both look aggressively nice! :)
 
wow dude, that is my dream bike.
I cant paint everyone with the same brush, but if you only have 1 year experience the zx10 is probably a bit much for you.

It is a fierce bike this year (so they say). Probably not the best for someone with so little experience.

but if you feel your ready, give'er.

Did they iron out all the bugs? didnt kawi have a worldwide recall?
 
I did check out the insurance with State Farm: approx. $220 a month with full-coverage (since I will be financing this bike, I can't drop $15K grand, lol), Ninja 1000 is about $195.00

I have now 1 year experience with M2 (insured with Riders since last year, but I have to change company since they won't cover this 1000cc bike) ....

I looked at the Ninja 1000, it's awesome too, they both look aggressively nice! :)

Anytime someone on a 250 wants to jump to a litre bike, I get nervous.

I'm 26, and this is my 2nd year on my 250. I've tacked on about 22,000 km on it. That's been a fair amount of highway riding/commuting in traffic. Haven't had anyone run into me. The fact you got rear ended within a year of riding is a bit concerning. It obviously wasn't your fault in the eyes of insurance, but any collision is avoidable in some manner.

My time on my 250 has also been spent doing a lot of twisties, handling many stupid situations. I've crashed a bunch of times in gravel, and taking a corner with the wrong body position. After learning from my mistakes, taking a race school, and taking my 250 down to Deal's Gap and back, I still don't feel like I'm 100% ready for a litre bike. I've ridden a few, and I know I could handle them in traffic. But I wouldn't do the bike justice.

Anyway, my point is, that 1 year of experience on the 250R that you have? What kind of riding was it? What kind of roads have you ridden? What type of experience do you really have?

Nothing wrong with upgrading, no one's saying you should stick with a 250. Just that a litre bike is a big jump, and you may want to look at something a bit smaller.
 
My experience is daily commute within GTA to downtown core, (Kingston Rd in the afternoon, in the morning, Don Valley Parkway) in addition to HWY 401 / HWY 407 experiences, went far as Ottawa during last summer riding (took turns between myself and my buddy), 5 hours that trip was.

Last year, I put about 5,600 km in total for the season.

Plus, in Lindsay Ontario, I have driven dirt bikes as well.

I have ridden 600cc bike, its cool!

The reason I was considering the Z10R, I was able to sit comfortablely, and handle the light weight of that bike, I mean, I know I didnt ride it, but yeah ...

I did also try the Yamaha Frazer 8 and F8, 800cc bike, with and without the fenders, fairings

djbordie: they had a recall? I didn't know ... wasn't the ABS new ...?
 
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not to mention the litre bikes are almost useless to have.

They sound great and do fantastic things in straight lines, but man a good rider will stuff the litre bike on the twisties with a 250...and its sooo bloody funny.

a 600 will do all of what the 1000 will do and be alot more tame to begin with. They can still do over 250kph and 0-60 times about the same as the litre bikes...so why bother.

Just my 2c, not that i know alot or anything.

Im entertaining the idea of downgrading to a 250...mainly cause im a broke *** and cant afford insurance...but also the gas mileage and twisty fun...

Also your financing a 15 000$ bike?
thats kinda rough. Unless your rate is really good, financing bikes is a biatch.

Get yourself an 03-4 zx6 and you will love it. its a monster of a bike but cheap and beautiful.
 
you'll shoot your eye out Ralphie
 
Z10r you mean zx10r? Well I would say away from it til you can handle the 600's well. The zx10r is a serious bike and won't be forgiving at all.


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Reason for the new bike is, my friend is going to bike the EX250R from me, after the repairs, waiting on this "Leslie" guy's reference for body work, then I'll take to Rosey for a tune-up, and sell the 250R to my friend,

That EX250 been really good to me, always starts, no problem, great feelings, but the 250R is what my friend can afford now.

I think Hans @ Snowcity said it'll be 15K & change, I'll be dropping 5K for downpayment, the monthly payment is something around 150-180 after taxes.
 
If there is a re-call, I'll wait,

Z-10R is what the model and sticker on the bike says, unless I am wrong or the Snowcity representative is wrong,

I am sure it's on the official website,


How is the Ninja 1000R , Snowcity has the black and red one, looks awesome!
 
can anyone chime in on the development and what happened with the worldwide recall?

all jokes aside, if the bike still has issues stay away till its sorted out.

There was a recall, something about the valves bouncing at high RPM? They swapped the valve springs in all bikes, and shipped them back out. It was all dealt with within a 2 month timespan at the beginning of the year. It shouldn't be anything to worry about at this point.
 
I have a dropped EX250R , 2005 , with approx. 24000 km on the meter.

The damage is: front entire fairings, including the front wheel cover fairings, left/right upper and bottom fairings (couplings), centre (headlight) fairing, there is damage, including cracked-sections, that needs re-moulding.

Right leg, foot pedal / rear brake mount (not the actual pedal or brake pedal), just the mounting bracket for it. It costs $125.00 to replace that, waiting on backorder from snowcity

So, right now, it is a running bike, that requires a engine tune up, after the fall, I felt the engine wasn't performancing compared to before falling. I would presume a mechanical tune is what is required. Other than that, bike runs fine, I was able to drive it back to my place, got off the HWY 401, and took the local only on working front brakes.

Estimated body damage by Impera Body shop in Scarborough is 600.00 for the refinish, repaint, re-mould
 
Nothing wrong with upgrading, no one's saying you should stick with a 250. Just that a litre bike is a big jump, and you may want to look at something a bit smaller.
Yes, or at least something like a new FZ800 or Ninja1000...
The new ZX10 is a hard-core track bike. You would dishonour it by trolling around in 50/60 km/h zones in traffic.
I took out a new Ninja1000, green one, over the last long weekend.
Though not crazy-torquey (like ZX14) at 3 grand, there's big power starting around 4-5 grand.
Pulls very hard in top gear with two big guys (~425 pounds, that's total heheh) on board.
Much better choice than ZX10 if not racing amateur superbike...
I like the half-fairing on the Ninja or Fazer800, but there are naked versions (FZ8 or Z1000) for more urban warriors who don't go away on weekends ie. up north or Montreal etc.
Oh yeah almost forgot - young rookie riders should probably develop riding skills on something inexpensive and without ABS, traction control etc.
Could you imagine your first bike like that? (I know, it's not your first, Gobu.) But how will you learn front braking for example? Or covering wheelies with the rear brake? Or delicate throttle control powering out of corners?
These are all important 'milestone' skills that have traditionally been developed the hard way... as it should be.
Just my $0.02,
Regards
 
If there is a re-call, I'll wait,

Z-10R is what the model and sticker on the bike says, unless I am wrong or the Snowcity representative is wrong,

I am sure it's on the official website,


How is the Ninja 1000R , Snowcity has the black and red one, looks awesome!

It's a ZX-10R. Quite frankly its a little disconcerting that you don't even know the model name of a bike you're about to drop $15k on, let alone your complete lack of experience to be able to handle that bike. It doesn't sound like you have any clue what you're getting into.
 
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