2013 Kawasaki Kx450f on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Kawasaki Reports Q3 2011-2012 Results

Kawasaki reported a net profit of 33.7 billion yen (US$441.9 million) for the nine months ended Dec. 31, 2011, but its motorcycle and engine division continues to operate at a loss. The motorcycle and engine division, which also includes ATVs, UTVs, personal watercraft and power products, operated at a loss of 4.58 billion yen (US$60.1 million) over the first three quarters of Kawasaki‘s 2011-2012 fiscal year, including a loss of 2.2 billion yen (US$28.9 million) in the third quarter alone.

Aren't motorcycles brilliant?

WE'RE not saying MCN's verdicts lack variation but here's a few of the weekly paper's recent headlines on just-ridden bikes: ‘Simply brilliant’ On the Kawasaki Z1000, November 27, 2013 ‘Brilliant’ On the BMW S1000R, December 4, 2013 ‘We thought it might be good. It's not: it's bloody brilliant!’ On the BMW R nineT, January 29, 2014 ‘Simply brilliant’ On the Yamaha MT-07, February 19, 2014

A Weighty Issue

For as long as I can remember, motorcycle manufacturers have been playing fast and loose with regard to what they claim for the weight of their bikes. The “dry weights” they foisted upon us had little basis in reality. The “dry” part of that claim meant that listed weights on a spec chart were the result of all fluids being MIA from the bike, including necessities like engine oil, coolant and fork fluid (not to mention fuel), but even that didn’t fully explain the overly optimistic specs.