Motorcycle specifications Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ZX-10R SE 2018 Sport à la carte

Driving a big sports car on the road has always required a great deal of composure to exploit its full potential without becoming over-committed. Recent advances in electronics have made it possible to delegate some of this work. Like most hypersports bikes, the Kawasaki ZX-10R has its own big package of chips and silicon: traction control, ride modes, engine braking control, launch control, multi-axis inertial unit, ABS, etc.... We can go even further, especially to improve driving conditions on the road. And that's the mission of the ZX-10 R SE with its pilot-controlled suspension.

Self-reflecting damping is one of the great assets of modern machines. It's a relief to leave the tools in the garage and easily adjust the settings. This ZX-10R introduces Kawa's first semi-active system, known as KECS (Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension). With this, the Superbike Ninja will be able to read the road, adjust in real time and offer a feeling and efficiency welcome to road riders. But how does it work?
The Akashi-based manufacturer worked with Showa to develop this technology. First, they took most of the components from the excellent BFFF cartridge fork and BFRC shock absorber. Then, to graft the brains of an ultra-fast controlled damping system and transform it all with highly reactive technology.
In concrete terms, every millisecond, sensors integrated into the fork and shock absorber inform the KECS control unit of travel speed and compression. To complete the picture, every 10 milliseconds the inertial unit provides information on the machine's acceleration or deceleration. The KECS acts on this data, activating solenoid valves to adjust compression and rebound in a fraction of a second. A blink of an eye is at best 1 hundredth of a second. The control valves on the 10R SE are 10 times faster, thanks to single-stage direct control. Reaction time is given as 1 ms, much faster than stepper motors or double-stage pilot valves. So, depending on the road profile and the bike's dynamics, the damping reacts even faster than a human nerve impulse.

As humans, we don't always get up in the same mood. Driving is no different. It's best to adapt. To accommodate this, KECS offers 3 damping modes. ROAD, with a softer type of damping; TRACK, for firmer damping; and MANUAL, where the rider determines his or her basic settings according to 15 levels of compression and rebound damping. The electronics and sensors then react according to the rider's preferences.

Proud of its adaptive suspension, the ZX-10R SE is nonetheless discreet, with a black-grey color scheme reminiscent of that of the ZX-10RR. In fact, it has not hesitated to steal its Marchesini forged aluminum wheels and Up&Down shifter. A few touches of green and a special SE plate on the top of the tank identify this electronically enhanced bike. On the scales, the SE weighs in at a paltry 2 kilos more. On the engine side, the cavalry is still present with its big 200 in the 4-cylinder, offering its best at high revs.

The ZX-10R family is now available in 3 models. Standard for high-caliber riders, RR for competition riders, and SE for auto-reactive damping. A way to tease the R1M and Fireblade SP. You won't get Öhlins, but you'll get faster control response. And for a very different price. The ZX-10R SE will still cost around 5,000 euros more than the basic version. Available in March, for customers with an ever-increasing appetite for technology.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos