Kawasaki's ZX-10R remains unchanged for 2007. Power seeps in from every nook and cranny, and the Kawasaki's dyno curve is staggeringly steep, revving to a place where four-cylinder litre machines really shouldn't go. Top speeds are incredible, and there's a decent kick in the mid-range – but to get this ultimate power rush Kawasaki has sacrificed accessible drive. Power is loaded high in the range and you never get to use it off-track unless you know a road like the back of your hand, and the cops are on a donught break miles away…

The chassis too has a race feel about it. There's lots of weight over the front, yet the bike still manages to feel low and balanced. It's quick to turn in, but the rear struggles to apply all the power that the Kawasaki is capable of delivering, often leading to the bike running wide. The front gets terribly shy and uncommunicative mid-corner too, with Dunop's new GP Racer tyres still doing too much work.

The steering damper still needs winding up to control flaps under acceleration, and there's way too much travel in the front brake lever before anything happens. On track, the feeling is of a tremendous waste of a good engine, while on the road the uncertainty remains, feeling nervous and unsettled especially in damp conditions.

The Kawasaki suffers in its styling too. There really is no good side to look at the ZX-10R, and it doesn't win many friends with its ergonomics either. On the road, the stretch to the bars, the jockey-like riding positioning of the stirrups and the low screen all mean the Kawasaki becomes more of a chore to ride any distance.
But there's a great bike in there somewhere…

2007 Kawasaki ZX-10R
988cc liquid cooled inline four 16V DOHC
Dry weight 175kg (claimed)
Insurance group 17
Claimed power/torque 161.26bhp @ 11,778rpm, 78.08bhp @ 9,375lbft
Issue tested:
Group test: June 2007
Kawasaki UK on 01628 851000