Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128176
ous VN1500's 1470cc, in order to enhance midrange power. Smoother fuel· injection response and improved ride quality are also claimed for the new bike, which Kawasaki says is the longest, lowest cruiser in today's volume-production market. Yes - but does it go around turns? A bike which surely will is the other major novelty on Big K's list, the sharply-styled ZR 1000 streetfighter launched to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Kawasaki's first big four-stroke, the legendary Z-I. Tanaka-san's styling heritage has come to the fore in this sharp-looking naked sportrod based on the ZX-9R, whose chassis it adopts complete with upSide-down forks and sports-spec brakes. But the ZRI000 is powered by a big· bore 953cc version of the ZeeEx-Nine motor, with all-new cylinder heads featuring milder cams in pursuit of more potent midrange performance, at the expense of top-end power well, until Rob Muzzy gets hold of one, that is. However, unlike its donor package, the ZR 1000 is now fuel injected, and the 4-2-4 exhaust system is a straightforward style testament to the four-megaphone Z-1 of yesteryear. Say hello to the first one· liter Japanese streetfighter with serious attitude. Matching Kawasaki's overhaul of its well-established range were Ducati's offerings at Intermot, spear· headed by the 999 Testastretta already launched to the press in July, but whose first official public display this was. More to the point was its 749S kid sister making its debut in Germany, in the first application of Testastretta engine technology to the Supersport class, while also underlining how great Pierre Terblanche's new-page 999 design looks in yellow. Replacing the old-style desmoquattoengined 748 (which still continues to be listed, as does the desmoquattro 998, to satisfy those ducatisti for whom Massimo Tamburini is the paragon of style) as a potential counter to the Japanese wipeout of the Supersport race class everywhere except in the UK, the 749S has a shorter-stroke 90 x 58.8mm engine (88 x 61.5mm on the 748) with higher 11.7:1 compression (11.5:1), and an all-new cylinder-head design derived from the 998/999, with a narrower angle for the bigger valves fed by 54mm Marelli throttle bodies (50mm). The result is that, in street guise, the 749S produces 103 bhp against the 748's 97 bhp, in spite of having a catalyst exhaust fitted as standard, which the older bike does not - the main reason for the 6.5pound weight penalty of the 437 pounds of the new model. However. citing lack of R&D time. Ducati management confirmed that there'll be no 749R homologation special for Supersport racing next season. and that they won't even homologate the 749S for the class, to prevent some private team getting smart with the tuning file (NCR?). This means it'll be 2004 before Ducati makes a comeback in World Supersport - though we can expect to see the ultra shortstroke 104-bore 999R basis for Colin www.motorcycleshows.com • 800-331-5706 THEADVENTU NEVER END 55 National Championship Races. Your first chance to see the 2003 Suzukis. 5 days of high speed motorcycle roadracing. What more could you want? How about SuperTT racing in the pro paddock? Vendor row with aU the performace products racers use? We've got it aU and then some! October 23-27 at Road Atlanta WERA - 770-720-5010 or www.wera.com Road Atlanta - 800-849-RACE or www.roadatlanta.com $ SUZUKI G. M. D. COMPUTRACK A8'...lI:7 ET.AT.l/C"CI'IDesr for yourliike. ~Simplytile I. A E LL-. NETWORK cucle n e _ S • OCTOBER 16. 2002 31