[sportrider - latest stories] - “Technical Hold� put on 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10

[Ninjette Newsbot]

“Technical Hold� put on 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R

Unsold units will be returned to warehouses, sold units will be returned to dealers and refundedKawasaki Motor Corp USA has announced that a “technical hold� has been issued for the new 2011 ZX-10R, and that the handful of units already delivered to customers (reported to only be approximately 25 or so) must be returned to the dealership “for a full refund and will be among the first to have the option of receiving a new unit once the technical hold has been lifted.� All unsold units will be returned to KMC warehouses, and will be “redistributed once Kawasaki is 100 percent confident they reflect company standards.�

As expected, various wild and unfounded rumors as to the reason for the technical hold have been spreading like wildfire on the internet, but our insider at Kawasaki says that all of them are complete bunk. “Some of the stuff I’m seeing on forums and such are people stabbing in the dark, trying to sound informed,� said our insider. “A lot of people making statements like ‘my dealer said Kawasaki said it was this,’ or ‘so-and-so said it was this...’ Mistaken installation of wrong parts, oil pickup issues, cylinder ring problems…all complete fabrications. And contrary to one widespread rumor, it apparently affects units worldwide, not just North American units.� So just what is the problem or issue causing this? “The fact of the matter of is, KHI (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the parent company in Japan) hasn’t told us yet. And we’d be the first to know because we’ve to got to implement the fix ASAP. So no one outside of the tech people in Japan knows yet.� When we mentioned that staging a recall of sorts without stating the specific reason for it only invites conjecture, our insider replied, “I know, I know. Unfortunately Japan hasn’t been forthcoming with details yet.� More news as we get it, then.

The following is the official press release from Kawasaki Motor Corp USA:

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. is placing a technical hold on the 2011 Ninja® ZX™-10R sportbike. The company is proactively addressing a remedy which reflects Kawasaki’s commitment to excellence and its relationships with its highly valued customers and dealer network.

The following actions are being initiated through the Kawasaki dealer network:

• Unsold units will be returned to KMC warehouses. The units will be redistributed once Kawasaki is 100 percent confident they reflect company standards for this highly technical, race-bred machine.

• Those who have taken delivery of a unit will be instructed to return the unit to the dealership for a full refund and will be among the first to have the option of receiving a new unit once the technical hold has been lifted.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, utility vehicles and recreation utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,400 independent retailers, with an additional 8,000 retailers specializing in Kawasaki power products and general purpose engines. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 3,100 people in the

United States, with 300 of them located at KMC's Irvine, California headquarters. Kawasaki’s tagline, “Let the good times roll.™�, is recognized worldwide. The Kawasaki brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki’s complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.




Photo Gallery: 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R on Technical Hold - Sport Rider Magazine


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