Hotshots
HOTSHOTS
Rx for sport-touring?
I saw January’s cover story on the Kawasaki ZZR-X concept bike and one word comes to mind: Sweeeet! Designer Mark Knight is spot-on in his assessment of today’s angular, reptilian look. A real turn-off. Two thumbs-up for his sophisticated, sleek, feminine, flowing design. Eddie H. Midha
Los Angeles, California
Saw the Kawi ZZR-X on the cover. Aarrgghh! Can’t decide if it looks like a pissed-off wasp or a suppository with wheels. Charles M. Dawson Bentonville, Arizona
I’ve just put down the January issue of CW, and find myself writing a letter to the editor for the first time in more than 12 years. I built an entire biz around designing, manufacturing and retailing accessories for the BMW K1200 crowd. It is now the largest company on Earth specializing in parts for these bikes. To me, everything else is just...well, Japanese, about as distinctive as white bread.
With that said, after seeing the Kawasaki ZZR-X on your cover and reading the article twice, I am not only eating my words, but ready to turn my back on the Fatherland. This is simply one of the most beautiful bikes I have ever seen. BMW (and every other manufacturer) should take note. This bike will make history. My kingdom for a Kawasaki ZZR-X! Jerry Finley Pirates’ Lair Motorcycle Accessories Fairview, North Carolina
Your January coverbike is another example of how engineers and real motorcyclists are pushed aside in favor of new-age Generation-Y designers trying to be different. Looking at that R-X, it’s clear that Mr. Knight would make an excellent home-appliance designer.
Luis Castaño
Monterrey, Mexico
When I first saw your pictures of the ZZR-X, I thought, “Typical concept bike. Futuristic without relating to anyone in the real world.” But now, I think it looks really cool from certain angles. Who knows? I may have to give up that ZZR1200 I’ve never owned.
Trent Eadie
Marion, Iowa
I particularly enjoyed your last issue, especially the futuristic designs. However, I think Kawasaki is going to have a rough time selling the ZZR-X. The history books are full of poorselling sport-tourers that were ahead of their time. The Vincent Black Prince, Honda CBX Six, Bimota Tesi and Yamaha GTS 1000 spring to mind.
Clive Adams Nashville, Tennessee
Congrats to you, CW, for so avidly supporting American design. By the way, the ZZR-X is way better than those Play-Doh-in-a-Kaleidoscope scoottards on the next page. Ethan Parker Phoenix, Arizona
Says you, Ethan. Read on...
G spot-on
That ZZR-X is definitely something to behold, but those “Big Wheels” motorscootQvs...hot damn! Keep your Ris, Ducs and Gixxer 1000s, I want a G-Strider! Suzuki has to put this work of art into production. Scooter geeks unite! The cool gods have smiled upon thee! Vincent Flirio
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Previously, I’ve held my nose up at any and all scooters, but dammit, that G-Strider is cool! Imagine one of those in black and red; it would look like something Judge Dredd might ride. Brad Lambert
Houston, Texas
Suzuki G-Strider: Does anyone see a Gurney ’Gator here? Stacey Knight
Lake Bluff, Illinois
I love the G-Strider. Pass it along that Suzuki needs to make this bike. Some of us can’t afford Dan Gurney’s A6 Alligator. Robert Cuthbertson
Chino, California
Am I the only one who noticed that the Suzuki G-Strider looks almost identical to the Kaneda’s bike from the cult classic anime “Akira?” I’m glad to see that the manufacturers are finally looking to the future of motorcycling.
Bruce Leonard
Plainville, Georgia >
CONTINUED
Ever since I collected Japanese comic books in high school, I’ve been waiting for one of the four Japanese makers to build what Suzuki has finally built. The G-Strider is my dream motorcycle. They’d have my money if they put it in production. Greg Burger
San Diego, California
Eve never written to a magazine before, but I have to comment on the Suzuki G-Strider. How much and when? I own an RI and a V-Max, but I have to have a Strider! Rob Clemency
Grafton, Ohio
Here are my wife’s exact words upon seeing the G-Strider: “Ed get my motorcycle license tomorrow if I could buy one of those.” Better put us down for two. Keith St. Laurent
Windsor, Connecticut
Scoot World?
Enough already with the scooters! Start a sister publication for those things.
Steve Healey
Coral Springs, Florida
Alloy Flyer
I really hope to see Kawasaki’s ZZR-X
at dealerships soon. Same goes for the ’Gator-esque Honda Griffon and Suzuki GStrider. Just, please, first send them to Robert Steffano and Evan Wilcox (“Art in Alloy,”
CW, January) for a little plastic-ectomy.
The first part of the word motorcycle is “motor,” right?
Seems like pocket-rockets, touring bikes and even the big cruisers glorify plastic panels and chrome-plated shrouds over the mechanicals. Come on Japan, good value isn’t the only reason we’re buying standards like Monsters, Z 1000s, ZRXs, SVs and FZs. Clearly, Norton gets it with the new 952.
Show us the working parts, please.
Alan Ploetz Maple Grove, Minnesota
The alloy Ducati 969 looks great. If you hold the photograph on page 54 at arm’s length, the Due turns into a Harley V-Rod! Red Palicki
South Bend, Indiana
Catterson and Cernicky are hereby banned for life from attending Club Desmo track days! Why? On page 58
of the January issue, the picture of Robert Steffano’s “Art in Alloy” Ducati 969 was flopped. The drive sprocket and chain should be on the left side, not the right. Greg WOO Camarillo, California
Sorry, they’re used to looking at Ducatis in their mirrors...
Egan Triumphs
Since reading Peter Egan’s January column, “Another Green Triumph,” I haven’t been able to stop grinning. This summer, I also bought a new T100 Bonneville, like Peter’s with the richer jets and freer-breathing pipes, only in the Sapphire Blue and Opal (to each his own). I decided on the Bonneville because I do most of my riding on the farm roads of Wisconsin and > don’t need or want to go 185 mph. Besides, it is a damn good-looking bike.
See you on the back roads. I’ll be grinning. Tom Kielpinski
Middleton, Wisconsin
Me too! That is to say, I also have a Triumph Bonneville, a 2002 in Goodwood Green (of course), and I am having a ball with it! It is a motorcycle from my youth. Modern in many ways, but with that Triumph feel and Triumph sound. I, too, changed the exhaust to a more straight-through design, and installed a
more efficient foam air filter. Big difference at 7700 feet! Everywhere I go, people come up to me with their Triumph stories, or at least give me a big thumbs-up!
Come up here some day and I’ll take you for some great rides in these mountains. Jeff Jacobsen
Gunnison, Colorado
It’s good that Peter Egan has seen the light and acquired a new Triumph Bonneville. My 2001 Bonnie is the fifth Hinckley Triumph I have owned, and
my fondest. It’s light, quick, agile, comfortable, reliable and, best of all, different. Welcome back to the Britbike fold!
Bruce Buckley
Cincinnati, Ohio
Always enjoy Peter Egan’s writing, but he really spoke to me with “Another Green Triumph.” A new Bonneville was my first bike after almost 30 years away from riding, and it’s made the re-entry comfortable, stimulating and fun. Let Peter know that there is a great and growing web forum for the new Bonneville, http:/forums.delphiforums.com/New_Bonneville/start/. Everyone on the forum is proud that Peter has joined the club. Greg Walker
Oakland, California
The 999% Solution?
I am dumfounded that the Ducati 999 has been a flop in the marketplace (Up Front, “Ups & Downs, 2003,” January). If you spend a day with the 999, you discover that it is the most satisfying sportbike you have ever ridden, or looked at. The 999 does cost too much money. If people don’t want to pay the fee, that’s okay, although it didn’t stop me. But if people aren’t buying the 999 because they think the old bike is better, well, there are plenty of used 996 Ducatis to go around. I’ve got a few old computers in the closet at home. Maybe the same people will want them, too. Marc Miller
Portland, Oregon
I disagree with Editor Edwards’ assessment that the 999 will become a classic. To me, and perhaps to all the other nonbuying Ducatisti, it seems obvious that Pierre Terblanche has no understanding of organic functionalism, Ducati’s previously successful design concept. Rather, he puts together a mishmash of components that just don’t result in a pleasing whole. As you well know, motorcycles are judged and bought with head and heart, and one is reluctant to spend $18,000 on what is perceived to be the Pontiac Aztec of motorcycles.
Erich Schneider Houston, Texas
Putting aside the Terblanche love-hate argument, the 999 is simply the best bike put out by Ducati since the delivery of the 916 back in 1994, closely followed by the Multistrada.
Edwards’ Down to the 999 for “not finding its audience” falls squarely on Ducati itself. The factory pulled the
plug on Ducati No America in 2002. When you fire 90 percent of the company and move the office an extra 3000 miles (and nine hours) away from the factory, that’s bound to cause turbulence. When this all happens at the same time the successor to the 916 is launched, it’s easy to see why the 999 would have poor initial sales.
I love Ducati and will always one in my garage, but I’ll never understand the business moves the company has made over the last couple of years. Maybe when Eric Bostrom puts Ducati on the AMA Superbike podium a few times, the U.S. “audience” will find the 999. The Ducatishop
New York, New York
Some advice for Ducati: 1) Fire the artschool guy and his dog. 2) Drop the overdesigned, fussy 999 and the dork-bike Multistrada. 3) Base the next flagship sportbike on the mouth-watering, racebred MotoGP model. 4) Build a powercruiser-that’s right, make it red, trellisframed and 90 degree V-Twin’ed, and you will possess the first real alternative
to Harley for the status-symbol street-machine market. 5) Okay, the dog another chance; he probably hates the 999 and Multistrada, too.
William Mostow Phoenix, Arizona
When last seen, Terblanche was gazing longingly at the Jesse James “Killer Cafe” VTX at the Long Beach Cycle World Show. The whereabouts of Pippo the dachshund are unknown. □
