Street Kawasaki :: 89 Pts.
Once again the ZX-10R ekes out a slim margin over the CBR on the street ratings sheets in a near repeat of last year's tally. The Honda's improved top-end performance tended to take a little shine off the Kawasaki's armor this year, and many remarked that they just weren't as satisfied with the ZX-10R as they were previously. Nonetheless, its attributes were enough to keep it well in the hunt.
While the Honda is more agile than the Kawasaki, the latter's planted and more confidence-inspiring feel when cranked over on rough pavement can't be ignored. The ZX-10R is still the smoothest of the inline fours, and its throttle response off idle also remains the class benchmark-which allows you to make use of its hard-charging upper midrange and top-end power to good effect. Bleeding off the speed generated by that engine is ably handled by the best brakes in the class (on everyone's ratings sheets, no less); the Kawasaki's radial-mount four-piston Tokicos simply had the best combination of power, feel, initial response, and progressivity of what is an obviously high-end group of brake systems.
As we noted in last year's test, the ZX-10R's suspension strikes a very good compromise between street compliance and sporting firmness. And the aforementioned superior performance of its OEM-fitment Bridgestone BT-016 rubber adds significantly to both the handling and ride aspects.
On the downside, the Kawasaki still could stand to lose a little heft, with a fully fueled weight that spots the Honda 20 pounds-not something to be ignored when trying to hustle down a tight canyon road. This is especially noticeable when flicking the Kawasaki from one side to the other; a good amount of muscle is required to accomplish this, much more so than the others. The ergos are also some of the raciest of the bunch, which puts more strain on your wrists and back.
| KAWASAKI ZX-10R |
| TEST NOTES |
| + |
Most powerful of the Japanese literbikes |
| + |
Superb brakes, confidence-inspiring chassis |
| - |
Could lose some pounds |
| - |
Least flickable of group |
| + |
Tons of potential, needs refinement |
Suggested Suspension Settings
| FRONT |
Spring preload—4 lines showing on adjuster; rebound damping—8 clicks out from full stiff; compression damping—10 clicks out from full stiff |
| REAR |
Spring preload—25mm thread showing on shock; rebound damping—1.75 turns out from full stiff; high-speed compression damping—2.75 turns out from full stiff; low-speed compression damping—2.5 turns out from full stiff |
Street BMW :: 92 Pts
The S 1000 RR took the top spot on nearly everyone's ratings sheets, and definitely was the clear winner when it came to subjective comments. The majority of our testers couldn't think of any real gripes they had with the BMW, and the ones that were listed were admittedly inconsequential nitpicks. And the bike's big features (traction control, ABS, quick-shifter, etc.) that you'd think would greatly influence their comments were not as much of a factor in each of the ratings sheets as you'd think; it was just the S 1000 RR's overall competence on the street that was its main strong point.
The BMW's engine is a joy to use on the street, with plenty of midrange torque despite the dominance of its high-rpm power. Letting the revs drop to 6000 rpm isn't a death knell to acceleration; the engine's quick-revving character swiftly pulls from those depths with unbridled haste, and once it hits 9000 rpm, you'd best know where you're going. Although not as agile as the Aprilia or as easy to flick as the Honda, the BMW is close enough to be right behind either with little effort. Suspension action combined both excellent chassis/wheel control at speed with good compliance and decent front-end feedback, and overall grip and handling from the OEM-fitment Metzeler Racetec K3 tires was superb. Braking performance was likewise very good, with little intervention from the ABS as long as you were in the higher settings (Race or Slick); feel and feedback before the onset of ABS was surprisingly good.
Even everyday street aspects were nailed by the BMW. Ergos were ranked at or near the top by all testers, and everyone liked the control and instrumentation layout. The S 1000 RR even has the fairly accurate fuel reserve mileage countdown (showing approximately how many miles you have left), a nice touch.
| BMW S 1000 RR |
| TEST NOTES |
| + |
Most powerful literbike ever |
| + |
Excellent chassis, suspension |
| - |
DTC needs a little more adaptability |
| - |
Could lose a little weight |
| x |
In the right hands, a new standard |
Suggested Suspension Settings
| FRONT |
Spring preload-5 lines showing on adjuster; rebound damping-position 8 of 10; compression damping-position 7 of 10 |
| REAR |
Spring preload-9mm of thread showing; rebound damping-position 8 of 10; high-speed compression damping-position 7 of 10; low-speed compression damping-position 7 of 10 |