BLACK GREEN Kawasaki Ninja Motorcycles, page #40

Moto blog

Simon and Leo

If you are a track day regular this year, you may well have bumped into former racer and friendly Kiwi, Simon Crafar. I first met him in Malaysia in 1990 when he was riding for a Yamaha dealer team, sweating his way round circuits like Shah Alam and Johor Bahru but with a long term plan to make it onto the World scene. And he didn’t take long as after riding for Honda in the UK in 1992 he moved to WSB in 1994 and enjoyed success with both the Honda and Kawasaki factory teams.

2012 Kawasaki KX250F Video

Kawasaki has released a new video from the press launch of its 2012 KX250F motocrosser. As noted in our preview, the 2012 Kawasaki KX250F introduces a new dual fuel injector system with the second injector in the airbox, a design intended to give added top-end power. Based on the impressions of the testers in the video, the dual injector system does just that.

Kawasaki Reports Q1 2011-2012 Results

Kawasaki reported a 8.7% decrease in motorcycle sales over its first quarter ended June 30, 2011. The motorcycle and engine division (which includes ATVs, UTVs, personal watercraft and general purpose engines) generated sales of 59.8 billion yen (US$775.4 million) , a decrease from the 65.5 billion yen (US$848.9 million) reported from the same period last year. Overall, Kawasaki Heavy Industries reported a profit of 9.56 billion yen (US$123.8 million) over the quarter, compared to a profit of 5.88 billion yen (US$76.2 million) reported last year.

US Motorcycle Sales First Half 2011 Results

The U.S. motorcycle industry saw a 4.6% decrease in year-on-year sales over the first six months of 2011, thanks mostly to a 17.3% drop in ATV sales. Motorcycle and scooter sales however saw a 1.7% bump in the first half .

Recall for 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R

A recall has been issued on the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R due to a problem with the wiring harness. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a portion of the wiring harness on some 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R models may get pinched between the subframe and the rear fender, or between the subframe and the bolt holding the seat cover. This may result in damage to the harness and wiring, potentially resulting in a short in the electrical system, which could cause the engine to suddenly stop.

Two-tone hugger for Kawasaki Versys

One of Pyramid Plastics' best sellers has been the rear hugger for the Kawasaki Versys, they have now enhanced upon the original product as it is now painted to match the various colours of the bike. The Hugger is manufactured from “High-Grade Reliability PlastiK” and matches the silver swingarm, while a painted style has been adopted for the top shell. Priced at £104.99 for Pearl Solar Yellow and Metallic Imperial Red, other options include Gloss Black, Carbon Look and Atomic Silver.

V.I.P treatment for first Dainese D-Air customers

To celebrate the release of the D-Air race suit in the UK, Dainese are offering the first 20 customers to order a complete V.I.P treatment at the upcoming World Superbike round at Silverstone. The iconic safety brand will have each of the customer's suits personally tailored, with measurements undertaken by a Dainese D-Air engineer from the factory in Italy. Following this, the first 20 customers to register will receive a hospitality lunch, garage tours of the Aprilia, BMW and Kawasaki teams with the opportunity to meet the Dainese riders and rub well protected shoulders with the big names of the WSB paddock.

Recall for 2009-2010 Kawasaki KLX250

Kawasaki is recalling some 2009-2010 KLX250 models due to a risk of leaky fuel tanks. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fuel tank on affected motorcycles may not be in contact with the frame-mounted rubber dampers designed to support the front of the tank, and the tank side mounting tabs may have excessive clearance from from the frame. As a result, spot-welded sections along the side tabs may be under excessive stress, potentially resulting in cracking and a fuel leak.

Recall for 2011 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT

Kawasaki is issuing a recall on the 2011 Vulcan Classic LT tourer due to a risk of damage to the tires’ inner tubes. According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the inner tubes on some Kawasaki Vulcan Classic LT models may become pinched near the valve stem during mounting. In some cases, this may result in a loss of air pressure.

Kawasaki Giving Away 820 Vehicles in Good Times Sales Event Promotion

Kawasaki is giving away a free 2011 Ninja 250R or Bayou 250 ATV at each of 820 participating dealerships across the U.S. as part of its “Good Times Sales Event” promotion. The contest also features a number of instant win prizes ranging from discounts on accessories and service to Green Day music downloads to one of four 2011 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaqurero cruisers.