2011 ZX10R On-Hold
The motto "let the good times roll" has been put on hold for at least one eagerly awaited 2011 Kawasaki motorcycle model here in the U.S.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC), the U.S. company that sells Ninja sportbikes, Vulcan cruisers, ATVs, Mules and Jet Ski watercraft, has place a technical hold on the brand new 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R superbike.
The company stated that they are proactively addressing a remedy for the ZX-10R that would help ensure Kawasaki’s commitment to excellence and its relationships with its highly-valued motorcycle enthusiasts and dealer network.
The following actions have been initiated through the Kawasaki motorcycle dealer network:
- Unsold 2011 ZX-10R units will be returned to KMC warehouses. The Ninja units will be redistributed once Kawasaki is 100 percent confident they reflect company standards for this highly technical, race-bred superbike.
- All 2011 ZX-10R owners who have taken delivery of a 2011 unit are being instructed to return the Ninja to the Kawasaki dealership for a full refund and will be among the first to have the option of receiving a new unit once the technical hold has been lifted.
The 2011 liter-bike is new-from-the-ground-up with the 2011 Ninja ZX-10R press release stating that the 1000cc motorcycle goes beyond newer, faster, lighter and better by offering the most advanced traction-control system in all of production motorcycling.
Kawasaki had redesign of the ZX-10R engine, frame, suspension, bodywork, instrumentation and wheels, but it is the advanced and customizable electronic system that claimed to capitalize on the new ZX-10R power and responsive handling.
While Kawasaki has not stated the exact issue, one wonders if the MotoGP-derived S-KTRC system, that crunches numbers from a variety of parameters and sensors including wheel speed and slip, engine rpm, throttle position, and acceleration could be the issue.
Kawasaki under took an intense data gathering and analysis to develop the complex software that is buried in the new ZX-10R Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and feed by additional lightweight speed sensors located on each wheel.
At the end of the day, KMC has a network of more than 1,400 motorcycle dealers will allow the company to act in a prudent and proactive manner, much like Piaggio who had issues with the crankshaft on the Aprilia RSV4 during their launch period.
We are confident that Kawasaki U.S. and its affiliates who employ nearly 3,100 people in the United States, with 300 of them located in Irvine, Calif. headquarters, will make matters right and we can’t wait for the updated Ninja motorcycle.
