Compared to the Euro bikes in part one of our mega test, the Jap steeds were all a little samey – what with their inline four, 1000(ish)cc motors and their entry level (if any level) electronics packages.
In fact the Suzuki and the Kawasaki were very similar prospects indeed – both had peaky motors that were just dying to be revved and a lack of hi-tech gismos which gave the pairing a really raw feeling. Both felt a little bit basic but they sounded great when you wrung their necks and they were able to rock our worlds on the road and on the track – that said, the Suzuki’s ABS struggled when Dangerous really started to push on round Bruntingthorpe’s test track and the Kawasaki’s smooth engine proved a little bit too wheezy down the long straights at Brunters. But I think the two technophobic Japs had a real charm about them.
I’ll admit that good shifter and blipper systems do enhance the riding experience, as well as improve lap times (for the most part), but sometimes jumping on a bike that doesn’t come with all that fluff makes the ride that bit more involved and exciting.