2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R on hold

[Boom King]

Ran across this on another forum:

http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/...r-on-tech-hold

It must be pretty serious if Kawasaki is willing to give customers who have already bought a ZX-10R a full refund rather than issuing a recall notice.

[WindMeUp]

That's strange, Kawasaki is showing off the 2011 ZX-10R as I type at the Seattle International Motorcycle Show?

[Alex]

More info here:

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/...&article=42858

[Samer]

Very curious what the issue actually is. I suppose the risk goes up on complete overhaul years... At least they are proactive about it, whatever the issue.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Betting on an internal engine problem due to such an extreme program as a buy back. Years ago I worked at a BMW dealer and front wheels were bad on the K series. BMW shipped new wheels to the dealers and the dealers replaced them.

[wild-bill]

That sucks. I think I'd cry if I got a letter from Kawi "Bring back your 250R for a full refund."

[CThunder-blue]

I would guess it's their new traction control system that's giving them problems. That would cause a huge liability suit if someone wrecked because the system went nuts.

[karlosdajackal]

Actually the rumor is that its to do with the butterfly valve in the Exhaust, nothing appears to be failing it appears to be some red tape regulation thing. Euro spec bikes start shipping in January and no warning or stop notice has been issued there.

The traction control is proven on the GTR1400 already.

[CThunder-blue]

Interesting rumor, but as a manufacturer, wouldn't it be far cheaper to send out a fixed exhaust system than buying back bikes and shipping thousands of bikes back to warehouses?

[backinthesaddleagain]

I hear the US bikes are supposed to be 20 HP less than other countries.

[karlosdajackal]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

Interesting rumor, but as a manufacturer, wouldn't it be far cheaper to send out a fixed exhaust system than buying back bikes and shipping thousands of bikes back to warehouses?

It would, it would also be more sensible, but the red tape apparently means they have to test a bike that leaves the factory with no mods for emissions and noise. Effectively it means the ones already shipped can't be legally sold. They have to recall, to avoid huge fines. Then modify whatever it is that is wrong and then resubmit for testing.

Originally Posted by backinthesaddleagain

I hear the US bikes are supposed to be 20 HP less than other countries.

Traditionally the rumour is most USA super bikes are a bit down on power think that's due to emissions also. I think even an older fire-blade is said to be down 10 bhp in the states. I've no idea if that's true or not. Unsurprisingly its hard to find evidence, either because its not true (plausible) or the motorbike makers don't want you to know (plausible)


EDIT:
looks like euro release is delayed also, so whatever it is must take more than a quick fix
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-...lay/16404.html

[backinthesaddleagain]

Originally Posted by karlosdajackal

It would, it would also be more sensible, but the red tape apparently means they have to test a bike that leaves the factory with no mods for emissions and noise. Effectively it means the ones already shipped can't be legally sold. They have to recall, to avoid huge fines. Then modify whatever it is that is wrong and then resubmit for testing.



Traditionally the rumour is most USA super bikes are a bit down on power think that's due to emissions also. I think even an older fire-blade is said to be down 10 bhp in the states. I've no idea if that's true or not. Unsurprisingly its hard to find evidence, either because its not true (plausible) or the motorbike makers don't want you to know (plausible)


EDIT:
looks like euro release is delayed also, so whatever it is must take more than a quick fix
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-...lay/16404.html

Must be wrong on the US vs Euro exhaust then. Imagine if that were the case and they said, hey return your bike so we can pull 20hp off, hello, hello? At that point I guess Kawi would say no return = no warranty.

[Bill N]

For what its worth, I read a post on another forum that said it involved failures of the lower piston ring.
Bill

[backinthesaddleagain]

I can guarantee its not a problem with a positrac differential. Be interesting to see what Kawi says when the smoke clears.

[c-dog]

These new liter bikes are certainly pushing the envelope these days!

Didn't the new BMW sportbike have some initial issues also? Thought I read something about them having problems. Might have been overheating?

Hope Kawasaki gets this sorted out soon. The new ZX-10R is a very cool looking bike.

[Nemesis]

Just FYI - All rumors posted in this thread are incorrect.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Just FYI - All rumors posted in this thread are incorrect.

So.....What is it??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wvninja]

^^^^^

[backinthesaddleagain]

Maybe BMW after producing an all out liter bike only to have Kawi respond with a new ZX10 put out a rumor that the ZX10 is on hold??? Nope!

[backinthesaddleagain]

Eidt - Do know for a fact that dealers had to send their inventory back to Kawi, friend at dealer takes care of setup (in this case send back). Supposedly some bikes have some wrong parts, though not sure what parts.

[FrugalNinja250]

If I had one of these bikes and the dealer said he wanted it back I'd be asking for a detailed explanation as to why. If that wasn't forthcoming then I'd be expecting a full refund (including all fees/charges/taxes) plus interest plus something for my time and trouble.

[Nemesis]

Um...they are giving the customers a full refund. =P

[backinthesaddleagain]

What is the full refund though? Is it MRSP (assuming they paid MSRP) + freight/setup + taxes? What if some dealer added some slimey high cost doc fees etc? Thinking not too many have been sold at this point and are either in warehouses (Kawi or dealer).

[CThunder-blue]

The refund would consist of whatever a person paid for it OTD. The dealer nor manufacturer can't keep any of your money if it was their mistake. There's no restocking fee or anything of that nature when manufacturers do recalls.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Makes sense.

[Alex]

The carrot is the immediate full refund. The stick is an immediate voiding of the warranty on the unit, as it hasn't been maintained to Kawi's standards (which are now: "return it to the dealer as there is a critical maintenance issue"), so if a rider does ignore the request and keeps the bike and has something fail down the line, they are likely completely on their own.

[FrugalNinja250]

Originally Posted by Alex

The carrot is the immediate full refund. The stick is an immediate voiding of the warranty on the unit, as it hasn't been maintained to Kawi's standards (which are now: "return it to the dealer as there is a critical maintenance issue"), so if a rider does ignore the request and keeps the bike and has something fail down the line, they are likely completely on their own.

I somehow suspect that push come to shove Kawasaki would likely not leave a customer twisting in the wind on a flagship product regardless of the circumstances WRT warranty/recall. It would be nice to know what the deal is. Maybe it's that the EPA/DOT testing/certification had errors and the bikes aren't compliant with US regs? In that case the bike itself would be perfectly fine and have Kawasaki's usual reliability. If the bikes were leased/licensed like software that'd be one thing, but physical ownership is an entirely different animal IMHO.

[Alex]

Rumors are all over the map. Some have been disproved (euro maps on US bikes), some are still viable (pre-production engine parts included in some production bikes). It'll all come out at some point. The bikes have now been delayed in the UK as well, inferring that it's not just a EPA/DOT/US regs issue, and is a more fundamental manufacturing issue.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Rumor I heard was privateer race teams received some ZX10's. After putting time on them they started pulling them apart and were noticing accelerated piston wear. Replacement parts didn't look like original parts. Just a rumor.

[Powerlogix]

I went to a Kawa dealership on Saturday since they were having a big sale in their parts department. I spoke to the manager he stated Kawa hasn't stated to him what it was but he thinks since the Euro version is out but not the U.S version they were thinking it was something to do with there ECU. Something to do with us being limited to 188hp and Euro is not and they had to fix it due to regulation. I did ask if they sent theres back he said not yet but it is all in there back room.

[Nemesis]

This is the closest rumor to date:

The bikes are being brought back to Japan because the engine parts were machined from billet that came from a steel foundry that got some of it's raw material from an old containment vessel of a decommisioned nuclear power plant. In a shipping snafu, Instead of the steel being sent to the toxic waste dump in Idaho, it was shipped to Japan where it was made into Sportbike parts bound for the US.

Authorities were tipped off to the radioactive nature of these bikes by epidemiological studies of oncology reports that found a strong correlation between patients whose tumors mysteriously shrunk, and the ownership or close proximity to a 2011 ZX-10r sportbike. Also the bikes in question consistently maintained an ambient coolant temperature of 119 degrees fahrenheit even after being shut down for several days.

The radioactive metal was used primarily for the subframe. Authorities were tipped off by AMA (American Medical Assoc), not the bike guys, when doctors found an increasing number of cases where patients had shrunken balls syndrome.

[Flashmonkey]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

This is the closest rumor to date:

LOL closest? Really? That's like a superhero origin story!

A boy and his radioactive motorcycle going around solving mysteries. All they need is a talking dog and we're ready for a Michael Bay movie.

[backinthesaddleagain]

FWIW only the green bikes got the radiation contaminated parts. The others got parts made from melted down CB radio antennas (or is it antennae?, but I digress). This problem was discovered also when the green bikes were being ridden at night and full throttle, appearing like a fast moving large neon green lightstick.

[Flashmonkey]

Seriously...if the sales person ended his or her pitch with "....also, it's radioactive!", I'd totally buy it. It doesn't even really matter what it was....

[backinthesaddleagain]

Originally Posted by Flashmonkey

Seriously...if the sales person ended his or her pitch with "....also, it's radioactive!", I'd totally buy it. It doesn't even really matter what it was....

So long as the salesperson threw in a pair of LEADthers.

[Nemesis]

Originally Posted by Flashmonkey

It doesn't even really matter what it was....

Yes it would if it had the potential of causing someone's life.

But what do I know...they're just rumors.

[Flashmonkey]

Originally Posted by backinthesaddleagain

So long as the salesperson threw in a pair of LEADthers.

I see what you did there!

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Yes it would if it had the potential of causing someone's life.

But what do I know...they're just rumors.

If Marvel (comics) has taught me anything about nuclear physics, it's that everything will be cool....as long as you dress in tights after-the-fact. Now...where are my tights....

[backinthesaddleagain]

Its not a crotch rocket, its a crotch reactor.

[Nemesis]

Originally Posted by Flashmonkey

If Marvel (comics) has taught me anything about nuclear physics, it's that everything will be cool....as long as you dress in tights after-the-fact. Now...where are my tights....

Wanna buy my collection? 500+ comics for $200.

[Nemesis]

Kawasaki ZX-10R: "high rpm problems"
By Trevor Franklin - New bikes 21 December 2010 13:30
A Kawasaki insider has revealed that the new ZX-10R has been recalled because "on some engines, at very high RPM and in harsh operating conditions, ie on a race track, there have been some problems."

There is still no official statement from Kawasaki about what it refers to as 'a technical hold' on the ZX-10R. The Kawasaki insider, who does not wish to be named spoke to MCN after Kawasaki announced no bikes will be released to UK dealers until the ‘technical hold’ has been lifted.

Here is the transcript of the conversation:

MCN: What is the reason for the technical hold?
On some engines, at very high RPM and in harsh operating conditions ie on a race track, there have been some problems.

So was the decision made on a safety issue?
No, based on the information currently available it’s not thought to be a safety issue.

So why wasn’t the problem discovered earlier? After all, testing of the WSB bikes has been heavily reported as was the initial press launch?
This is under investigation.

What does technical hold actually mean?
It’s an internal term – a term that the factory uses. It means the factory will suspend any units that are thought to be suspect and stop delivery and sales until problem solved.

How are the bikes going to be fixed and what will the counter measure be?
This is still under investigation. Kawasaki is investigating potential counter measures and will announce a solution when it is available.

Is this a US only problem?
We thought that maybe it was at first because the technical hold was instigated in the USA and European units weren’t suspended until after the American bikes. But the factory now says all machines produced so far will be checked as a measure – this is not uncommon.

The test bikes at the ZX-10R’s week-long world launch didn’t appear to suffer any problems?
All units at the press introduction were part of the initial mass production run, this means that they too will be checked before going on as press test machines.

Thank you, but that doesn’t tell MCN readers what the actual problem is..
Like many people within Kawasaki, I don’t know, that’s what I am saying…

Looks like it's been leaked however I'm surprised the guy didn't tell MCN the full story. In other words, the actual part that's problematic. Can any of you guys guess?

A Free Shoei helmet to the one who guesses it right!


















NOT!!! But I'll tell you if you guessed it right. LOL!