There's no event in the world of motorsports quite like the annual Isle of Man TT. The course is long and treacherous, the scenery breathtaking, the motorcycles fast and the riders like gods on celestial chariots of two wheels. It's an amazing experience, and one that Kawasaki has decided to focus its efforts on, capturing the highs and lows of its time on the Isle in video form.
Consumer Reports has released its first ever study of motorcycle reliability, and students of its ratings on cars might notice a suspicious similarity - Japanese brands require fewer repairs than the leading American or German brands.
While turbocharging and supercharging may be nothing new in the automotive industry, motorcycle engines are almost always naturally aspirated. But even that's beginning to change. At the Tokyo Motor Show last week, two major Japanese companies showed off new forced-induction motorbike engines.
Kawasaki has issued a recall of its 2011 and 2012 Ninja ZX-10R supersport bikes over an oil leak. The joint where the starter mounts to the crankcase is susceptible to oil leakage, which can lead to oil pooling onto the crankcase and then spilling onto the rear tire.
Kawasaki has released a slew of images of the 2012 ZX-14R, a motorcycle that will feature new electronic enhancements, a reworked engine and slightly restyled bodywork for next year.
By now, we've all grown a little callous to watching high-strung supercars prance their way around the Nürburgring. Nearly every manufacturer has taken it upon themselves to do battle with the infamous road course, and as a result, YouTube is choked with videos of physics-bending cars doing what they do best. It's a little rarer to get to see a motorcycle take on the torturous course. B
When Formula One admitted four new teams a couple of years ago (and subsequently eliminated one before the season even started) it was a revolutionary expansion. Now its two-wheeled equivalent is looking to follow a similar path.
The bike vs car debate extends into the drifting arena – Click above to watch video after the jump
2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R – Click above for high-res image gallery
Spira – Click above for high-res image gallery
2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 - Click above to enlarge
It's not that difficult to find a motorcycle that's capable of managing fuel mileage of 75 miles per gallon or so. In fact, all you need to do is march into your local Kawasaki dealership and plunk down a few thousand bucks on a brand new Ninja 250. Right off the showroom floor, the littlest Ninja is capable of returning stellar fuel mileage while boasting a more-than-adequate top speed
To quote Mark Twain, "The rumors of Kawasaki's death in MotoGP may be greatly exaggerated." Fine, so it's not an exact quote, but the point is the same. Despite Kawasaki's assertion that it was indeed suspending its factory support from MotoGP, the threat of lawsuit may cause the team to change its mind. According to Carmelo Ezpeleta, who heads Dorna, the company that
These are not happy days for Japanese motorsport fans. Following Honda's withdrawal from Formula One and Suzuki and Subaru's dual withdrawals from the World Rally Championship come reports that Kawasaki is
Click above for more shots of the Derby City Kawasaki ZX-10R
Click above for more shots of the 2009 Kawasaki ZX-10R
Starting with the KLX 250S, which scores an excellent 70 miles per gallon, Kawasaki has 23 motorcycles that get 33 miles per gallon or better. In case you were wondering, that is every single bike that the manufacturer makes, including beasts such as the Ninja ZX-10R and the 1.4-liter ZX-14. To highlight the possible fuel savings that a two-wheeled vehicle offers over its four-wheeled and enclosed cousins, Team Green has created a new micro-site
