Kawasaki’s wild muscle bike revealed

This is the machine everyone is going to be talking about. In the latest issue of MCN, out August 14, you can see the first picture of Kawasaki’s new ZX-9-powered muscle bike.

The image has been generated from material supplied to MCN, but the bike, called the ZR1000, has already been seen by our own Dave Batchelor (with no camera to hand) in secret tests in France.

He confirms that this is an accurate rendition of the bike he saw in the metal.

Inspired by the firm’s legendary Z1 of the early ‘70s the bike is a much more radical effort than just a stripped down ZX-9R. With two sets of over-and-under pipes and an all-new swingarm the 140bhp machine is the boldest design from Kawasaki in years.

Also in the new MCN there’s the best news, features and sport from around the world, including:NEWS

*Details on the new RCV-inspired CBR600

*How Foggy’s FP1 road bike will go to 1000cc

*Swansea’s position as the UK’s Gatso hotspot

*The latest pictures of Ducati’s controversial Multistrada

*How Westminster council is targeting bikes parked on its pavements

*MCN’s Road Test Idol is launched: YOU could win a dream job as an MCN road tester.

*How one man’s dreamt up a Bond-style Gatso beater

FEATURES

*The silly money road test: Benelli Tornado v Ducati 998 v Aprilia RSV v MV Agusta F4…start saving now

*How’s this for a day out? A ZX-12R and Hayabusa pop to the Alps to catch some supermoto racing

*Yamaha’s TDM and CCM’s R30 are our long term bikes

*We catch up with Carlos Checa at his Yorkshire home for pies, ale and darts

*There’s the ultimate guide to buying and owning a Yamaha Fazer 1000

*In our new products section we look at Geodesy’s updated Gatso-beater, clever gadgets to make your riding faster and safer and MCN’s staff surrender their leather jackets for our ” Abused ” section

*In our ” What’s On ” section, there’s our unmissable guide to things to see and do around the UK for the next seven days, including the Suzuki Frenzy at Santa Pod on August 17-18

SPORT

*In British Superbikes Sean Emmett proves the R1 has the pace to win the title and we look at how the BSB pack has been shuffled mid-season.

*In Grand Prix we talk to Garry McCoy on his offer of an RCV V5 ride for 2003

*And in World Superbikes, there’s the latest news from the Foggy Petronas camp and an exclusive interview with Chris Walker

It’s all in the new MCN – don’t miss it.