Kawasaki ZX12-R

Its latest performance flagship from a company that makes a staggering array of gear - ranging from supertanker ships through to helicopters - is a very different barrel of primates to its predecessor.

The ZZ-R1100 was hideously quick and firmly planted in sports-tourer territory with, by the way, one of the sweetest powerplants ever to be fitted to a big motorcycle. The ZX-12R heads off at a different tangent with a few more cubes, somewhere in the realm of 40 more horsepower and nearly 30 kilos less weight.

Line it up against the most obvious competitor and you'll spot a few differences. The Suze carries 100cc more capacity, claims three horses less (175 at 9800rpm versus 178 at 10,500) and a bit more torque (14.1kg-m at 7000 versus 13.66kg-m at 7500rpm). As for the chassis, the Hayabusa is 45mm longer in the wheelbase, has a more conservative rake up front (24.2 degrees versus 23.5) and more trail (97 versus 93mm). Oh, and the Suzi weighs five kilos more while having a claimed five mm lower seat.

What all this adds up to is the Kawasaki has yet to win a top-speed run against the Suzuki, but is still the only other member of the genuine 300kmh-plus club. It's also a far more nimble bike but is a lot less pillion friendly.

The Kawasaki boasts a remarkably wide fairing which gives a lot of protection from the elements, plus a riding position that is surprisingly conservative - with less reach to the handlebars than you might expect and more legroom.

Like the Hirebus, it makes the Blackird feel a bit limp when you find enough tar to nail the throttle - just unbelievable stomp. The steering is quick and stable at most speeds, though it gets light at the outer reaches. Braking is said to be very good by most other reports - our example had problems in this area.

Where the Twelve works is as a sports toy. It's easily the most nimble-feeling of the group - despite a tallish riding position - and encourages the rider to get a bit more out of each ride. Having said that, I'd still be buying the firm's own ZX-6R if I wanted a pure sports ride. Less intimidating and more precise.

The styling and finish is a little industrial, but the end result is something which invites exploration of the performance envelope on a more user-friendly plane than a Yamaha R1.

Despite some shortcomings on our 4500km-old test bike (including suspected glazed front brake pads), I liked it. The sporting ability wrapped into such a powerful package is impressive, though firm suspension and seat make it a day-ride rather than a distance mount. However the initial asking price was over the odds, with close to a three-grand gap between it and the Suzuki.