Australian Motorcycle News - June 21, 2018

amcn.com.au 11

submit a revised list later this
year, including the new Ninja
ZX-10R,afterthebikehas
been unveiled.
It will have to be something
pretty special. The present
model is already at the
cutting edge with its Bosch-
developed electronics, and
there aren’t many complaints
when it comes to power, w ith
around 149kW (200hp) on tap.
However, looming new
emissions rules provide an
opportunity to create a new
engine at the beginning of its
development curve, with a
new chassis to suit.
Expect to see a lighter, stiffe
and more powerful Kawasaki
platform as the basis for a new
decade of updates.
BEN PURVIS

Anew600too!

KAWASAKI WILL LAUNCHa

newZX-6Rlaterthisyearto

add much-needed life to the

600cc Supersport class.

OnlyYamaha,withthe

YZF-R6, and MV Agusta with

the F3, make supersports

machines with Euro

emissions certification.

But Kawasaki will soon

join them, with the ZX-6R to

be revamped to meet Euro4,

and return the bike to the

European market.

Yamaha might want to

reconsider leaving Supersport

to its privateers.

Kawasaki can’t afford

to rest on its laurels in

Superbike racing

KTM SAYS ITwillbringasuite

of rider aids to the market on

future models, including radar-

based adaptive cruise control

and blind-spot detection.

Starting in 2021, the firm says

it will have radar both front and

rear on bikes.

The front radar

will be used for

adaptive cruise

control, which

will maintain a

two-second gap

between the bike

and the vehicle

in front when

engaged. It will be

able to manipulate

the throttle and

even brake gently

to keep that gap

constant.

The rear radar

scans blind spots

for vehicles,

giving a visual

warning in the mirrors as well

as an on-dash display and an

audio signal.

“As a company, KTM is

committed to improving rider

safety and also to reduce

accidents,” said KTM research

and development vice-

president Gerald Matschl.

“We have a lot more

development and many

thousands of kilometres to

test these systems in the real

world before we can implement

them on series

production bikes,

but they are

coming in the near

future.”

If this all sounds

familiar, it’s

because Ducati

announced a

very similar set

of technology

just weeks ago,

although it will

appear slightly

sooner, in 2020.

Both companies

buy in their safety

technology, such

as cornering

ABS and traction

control, from Bosch.

Bosch clearly has its

motorcycle radar components

nearing production, so expect a

horde of bike firms to introduce

identical tech, all at around the

same time. BP

r

w

S

p

KTMtojointhe

radar revolution

“We have

a lot more

development

in the real

world before

we can

implement

these

systems,

but they are

coming”

Adaptive cruise control

should greatly reduce

frontal collisions