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[flynnstig82r]

oh.. and that little CC, ouch!  yah no thanks for an extra 50 pounds get what, an extra 100 horse with a spiffed up ego?

didn't realize it was THAT heavy.  what are they going for with that kind of weight, that's like holy shit wow, a 100 percent electric bike would kick the living shit out of that with a few more pounds, and an ice at around that weight will push you 230 mph... which demographic are they aiming at, just wow.

I think they were going for the “I have research grant money to give you” demographic.

For the track use that you described above, it’s hard to picture this bike being more useful than something like a ZX4RR or Ninja 500. I do wish Kawi would have just picked a possible demographic and made the bike for them without compromises. As it is, I just don’t know who it’s for. Even at the fire sale price, I wouldn’t consider upgrading because it’s so much less comfortable, powerful, and premium than my FJR1300, and I’m one of the first people who would want a hybrid with automatic shifting. If I wanted something with small displacement, I wouldn’t want anything so heavy and with such a long wheelbase. If I wanted electric, I’d get an electric. If I wanted something fuel efficient, I’d get an NC750X, etc.

I still believe that a properly-designed hybrid can have insane acceleration, efficient engine operation for good MPG, and with bonuses like a slow-forward and reverse. It would just take a team of talented engineers working on it as a passion project, willing to throw the rulebook out the window. When Ducati makes a hybrid, we’ll know the idea’s time has come. Good on Kawi for taking a swing (even if it was just for the grant money), but let’s hope the next one is a better swing.

[princec]

I still say it's just pointless ... this is exactly why turbochargers vanished without trace back in the 80s (to make a bike with a small engine go more fasterer, you just need a bigger engine, because it's already going to need bigger tyres, forks, and a sturdier chassis and enough room to package the turbo). Thus it is with the electric bike ... if you want a longer range electric bike, you might as well just ditch the exhaust, gas tank, engine, gearbox, and injectors, and just fill the space and weight with battery instead.

Cas

[Richard230]

I still say it's just pointless ... this is exactly why turbochargers vanished without trace back in the 80s (to make a bike with a small engine go more fasterer, you just need a bigger engine, because it's already going to need bigger tyres, forks, and a sturdier chassis and enough room to package the turbo). Thus it is with the electric bike ... if you want a longer range electric bike, you might as well just ditch the exhaust, gas tank, engine, gearbox, and injectors, and just fill the space and weight with battery instead.

Cas

And then Kawasaki shows up with a 1000 cc motorcycle with a supercharger and over 200 hp. I wonder how the insurance companies feel about insuring that model. 

[princec]

Much as it is to be lauded for simply existing (I had two GPz750 Turbos!), it is kind of a pointless device in light of the fact the ZZR1400 exists, also making 200bhp, definitely more than anyone can use for anything useful, without anything clever going on ...

Cas

[Fran K]

Here is a picture of the battery label and one going across the Ohio river on a ferry.

It is quite the gadget, of course a dangerous one as all motorcycles are.  The operator could use more control in my opinion.  I have been using it in eco mode with alpf or automatic launch position finder which basically means it downshifts as you slow down.  In the manual shift as opposed to at or auto transmission mode.  It seems a bit challenged with hills sometimes it goes into coast as I slow down and to downshift because of a hill one needs twist the throttle to off.  In EV mode it is auto transmission mode only and it does seem to shift a lot.