sportbike

adidas Originals and Past, Present, & Future of Kawasaki ZX

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adidas Originals and Kawasaki Celebrate the Past, Present, and Future of ZX with Two Collaborative Sneakers Herzogenaurach, 11th April 2022 – Born out of a shared passion for forward thinking design and unrelenting innovation, this season, adidas Originals and Kawasaki join forces to celebrate the history and future of ZX with two unique takes on the ZX8000 and ZX 5K BOOST silhouettes. An icon that needs no introduction, Kawasaki has been at the forefront of the motorcycle manufacturing industry for decades. Known for its inimitable aesthetic approach, the brand’s signature sportbike brand – ZX™ – served as the inspiration for the adidas design team when they first introduced the original ZX500 sneaker in 1984. Taking cues from Kawasaki’s instantly recognizable design philosophy of motorcycle and color palette, the collaborative ZX8000 sneaker features a White kangaroo leather upper, with Kawasaki Green leather overlays, blue map suede accents, and a Kawasaki Ninja® graphic on the lateral. Meanwhile, the ZX 5K BOOST boasts a Black TPU overlay and eye stays, Kawasaki green accents, a semi-transparent Black ripstop vamp, and a Kawasaki Ninja® logo on the toe-box. Both sneakers are capped off with electroplated lace tips, shoe jewelry and heel pieces, as well as co-branded sock liners. Each pair then comes packaged in a custom box with a printed graphic of the latest Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-10R, filled with tissue paper bearing a printed Kawasaki motorcycle sketch. The launch of the adidas Originals and Kawasaki collaborative partnership is accompanied by an evocative campaign film which pays homage to Japanese motorbike culture by taking the viewer on an unexpected journey through the city’s streets. Arriving on 14th April 2022, the collaborative ZX8000 and ZX 5K BOOST Kawasaki sneakers are available globally (excl. China) through adidas stores, adidas.com, Confirmed, and select retailers. Additionally, the ZX 5K BOOST […]

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Updated Ducati SuperSport 950 Gets Panigale-Inspired Facelift

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by Sabrina Giacomini from https://www.rideapart.com When we think of a Ducati sportbike, chances are our minds default to the Panigale. It’s no wonder since, after all, the name is a bit of an icon in the segment and the bike showcased some of the sexiest, most elegant sportbike designs in recent history, culminating with the V4. With such a presence in the lineup, it’s easy to forget that on the fully-faired front, Ducati also offers the SuperSport 950. However, with a starting price of $13,095 (for 2020), the SuperSport is an affordable and accessible entry point into the Italian sports segment. For 2021, the bike received a few key upgrades including new techs and a fresh new face inspired by the Pani. On November 18, 2020, Ducati hosted its third World Première episode. The announcement included the introduction of the new Panigale V4 SP, the TK-01RR electric bicycle, and, of course, the updated SuperSport. Ducati refreshed the model’s design and injected it with a bit of Panigale DNA to streamline the family’s look. The front optical adopts a similar shape as the one introduced on the V4, complete with the signature LED strip, while the fairing now features a gill-like design on the sides. Under the surface, the entry-level sportbike carries over vastly unchanged. The 937cc Testastretta twin, shared with the Hypermotard and Multistrada 950, gets its Euro 5-compliant upgrade, but power figures remain the same at 110 horsepower and 69 lb-ft of torque. The engine continues to act as a stressed member inside the tubular steel chassis that’s mounted to a pair of 17-inch y-spoke light-alloy wheels with Marzocchi suspension hardware. The SuperSport did gain a few pounds, now weighing in at 406 pounds. The most important upgrades happened on the electronics/technological front. The 2021 model-year is equipped with

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Could Kawasaki Be Planning A GPz900R Comeback?

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by Justin Hughes from https://www.rideapart.com It’s wild speculation time. Retro bikes are all the rage these days. As a GenXer whose first several bikes were UJMs from the early 1980s, I appreciate it. I am the market these bikes are trying to tap into. While the Suzuki Katana is one of the first to apply the retro formula to a true sportbike, I suspect that there may be another one potentially on the horizon: a remade Kawasaki GPz900R. The original GPz900R became famous in the original Top Gun as Tom Cruise raced an F-14 Tomcat down the runway. The trailer for Top Gun: Maverick shows him riding the same bike (albeit without a helmet, which is not only a bad idea but something the Navy would never allow him to do in the real world). We also know that he’ll be riding an H2R in the movie, so clearly Maverick isn’t against upgrading his ride while staying loyal to the Kawasaki brand. Kawasaki has also found success with the Z900RS retro naked bike. It has classic 1980s styling, yet packs all the performance and safety features you want in a modern motorcycle. I absolutely loved the Z900RS I rode last summer at a demo day. So did Kate, who would opt for the Z900RS Cafe. The standard Z900 is also a great bike, but the retro version is what speaks to me. With Suzuki throwing down the gauntlet with the Katana, there may be room out there for a competing retro sportbike. The Katana has a larger 999 cc engine, and Kawasaki would have to choose between competing against it with a Ninja 1000-based literbike or remaining true to the original GPz900R’s displacement. Either choice could be a winning proposition, particularly with Top Gun: Maverick providing a perfect opportunity to

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