Description:

They came especially from Japan, four senior staff from Kawasaki, engaged in the development, testing and quality assurance. For this purpose a delegation of Kawasaki Motors Europe and the German branch, which wanted to explore together with the phenomenon of highly migratory MOTORCYCLE Pressure Point, the ZX-10R Brake.

First appeared in the spring was the cause in some laps at Hockenheim. In the course MOTORCYCLE editor Michael Pfeiffer, the duration of the test lever-ZX-10R, and finally had to continually pull up to the handlebars, to delay development. Several letters from concerned ZX-10R-owners, diminishing braking effect on a race track compared to the Sachsenring with another ZX-10R and a slushy pressure point during the braking tests with the endurance test machine in the top test track, the braking distance by almost 60 meters from 100 km / h, led to the problem presented even more explosive.

It was inspired by Kawasaki in Japan with two bikes – one with the brake system of the Sachsenring circuit test machine – but do not reproduce in this drastic. In test runs, test and track the movement of lever extended after heating of the braking system is always about five millimeters. Per Data recording determined at a point 50 mm away from the end of the lever inward. In positions one and two of the adjustable brake lever was then still enough lever travel for safe deceleration, especially as the pressure point was constant after reaching the operating temperature.

Surprisingly, at Hockenheim in the unchanged duration test ZX-10R with almost worn surfaces of the same findings. Times four, usually five, one point was 5.5 millimeters of pressure on her and a reference machine with fresh pads after. Cross linked replace the discs and pads changed nothing. In any situation, the pressure point was completely gone. This was despite the damp track up to 15 times more strongly delayed in a row from 150 km / h to a standstill. The temperature of the fluid rose to 122 degrees Celsius, are normal even in highly stressful pass runs around 90 degrees. The disc reached over 350, the tongs over 120 degrees.

Conclusion: Even with optimally maintained ZX-10R-brake lever travel, the lengthened under stress. Drivers with relatively short fingers to get problems because the brake lever, then the detent in one or two must be wide and sticks out, barely able to reach. Acute danger does not exist. Nevertheless, should ZX-10R to their dealer-owners require a meticulous bleeding the brake system and brake pads, discs and calipers regularly.

Kawasaki asks for trouble to consult a dealer, without changing anything on the machine and promises thorough examination of each case. Because the cause of the sometimes dramatic migratory pressure point is still unclear. Maybe it comes to such a Kawasaki engineer, if the driving conditions caused some heating and cooling cycles.