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The Truth About Kawasaki Racing’s Green Color Choice 

Summary

  • Green automobiles have been believed to be unfortunate and harmful on the planet of racing on account of a superstition that originated in NASCAR and later unfold to motorbike races within the 80s.
  • Kawasaki bikes are primarily painted in lime inexperienced as a method to problem the superstition and stand out from the competitors, with the objective of profitable races on Sundays and attracting consumers on Mondays.
  • Contrary to widespread perception, inexperienced is definitely a safer colour for bikes, because it will increase visibility for drivers and might help forestall accidents. Bright colours like lime inexperienced are beneficial for using gear to boost security.

Are motorcyclists a superstitious bunch? Yes, we’re. You’ll discover a ton of superstitions, native and worldwide, throughout you. Some bikers consider that hanging Guardian Bells on their Harley-Davidsons and others particularly put on their outdated underwear throughout monitor days as a result of it’s their fortunate underwear. Heck, some bikers even have their very own distinctive superstitions. A sure biker whose identify is written beneath this text believes that speaking about accidents on the day they journey is dangerous luck.

One such superstition that many bikers (and drivers) consider is the inexperienced superstition — inexperienced automobiles are unfortunate and harmful. This is why, earlier than the 70s, it was laborious to seek out race machines donning a inexperienced livery. It wasn’t till sponsors and rules pressured Formula One groups to put on particular colours that we started seeing F1 cars in green.

So, if inexperienced is an unfortunate colour, why does Kawasaki paint most of their bikes in lime inexperienced? This is a narrative of defiance and breaking conventions; a narrative of a motorbike producer who challenged destiny, so to say, and painted their bikes within the unfortunate colour to face out. Here’s why Kawasaki bikes are inexperienced.

In order to provide the most modern and correct info potential, the information used to compile this text was sourced from Kawasaki and different authoritative sources, together with Cycle World, Motorcyclist Magazine, Formula One, NASCAR, and Artists Network.

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Green Color: The Unlucky Charm For Racers

For centuries, inexperienced paint was made with arsenic and would actually burn into the canvas. The dye was so harmful (typically lethal) that some historians consider it was the green wallpaper that could’ve killed Napoleon Bonaparte. But inexperienced paint grew to become quite a bit much less harmful as time handed, and new applied sciences emerged, but, the colour drew an identical flack from a distinct breed of artists, ones who painted tracks with tire marks. Thus started the superstition that the inexperienced colour was unfortunate for automobiles and bikes.

The inexperienced superstition has its origins in NASCAR, however with time, the superstition made its manner into different ranks and races, together with motorbike races. The superstition hung round nicely into the 80s. No one is absolutely certain how the superstition started — that’s the case with most superstitions, anyway. But its roots may be traced again to 2 crashes that occurred a decade other than one another.

The Birth Of The Superstition

The first crash concerned Lee Oldfield in his inexperienced automotive on the 1910 New York State Fair in Syracuse. The crash-landed him within the grandstands, claiming the lives of a number of spectators. The crash made Oldfield consider that inexperienced was unfortunate. This is identical as a biker pondering their Scooby-Doo socks are fortunate as a result of they’d an in depth name whereas carrying them.

For ten years, the superstition was restricted to Oldfield, nevertheless it acquired turbocharged a decade later, in 1920. A race automotive driver, Gaston Chevrolet, who was additionally the brother of Louis Chevrolet, the co-founder of Chevrolet, entered a race on the Beverly Hills Speedway, a broad monitor. For context, broad-track racing was deadly for both drivers and bikers, and newspapers even referred to motordromes as murderdromes for a similar purpose.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R ZX-6R Special Edition Indonesia Hero

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The speedway was a bit of longer than a mile in size and identified for its fast-paced racing. On Lap 146, the inexperienced Chevrolet pushed by Chevrolet (sorry) made contact with one other automotive and shot up the ramp, claiming the lives of three folks: Chevrolet, Eddie O’Donnell (fellow racer), and Lyall Jolls (using mechanic).

The superstition was solidified and stored rising, reaching its peak in the course of the 50s. In the automotive world, this superstition started to die out within the 70s as sponsorships grew to become extra prevalent. For instance, Formula One drivers let go of the superstition in 1968, when the British staff had the unfortunate draw of driving inexperienced automobiles — the painted colours represented the driving force’s nationalities.

Notable Formula One Cars That Are Green

  • Aston Martin DBR4
  • Jordan 191
  • Benetton B186
  • Jaguar R5
  • Lotu 25
  • Aston Martin AMR23

Donald Davidson, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Historian On The Green Superstition

In the mid-60s, you began to have Formula One drivers and sports-car drivers who mentioned, ‘What’s all this inexperienced nonsense about? I don’t know something about that.’ I feel it progressively went away.

Kawasaki Went Green Long Before It Was Clean

Kawasaki KR250 Racer
PekePON, CC BY-SA 3.0, by way of Wikimedia Commons

Motorcyclists generally is a superstitious bunch, and folkways and superstitions are frequent on the monitor and the highway even right now. You can think about the case a couple of many years in the past. This included Daytona, the place no rider would dare race a inexperienced bike. But Kawasaki had a objective in thoughts — win on Sunday, promote on Monday within the US market — so Kawasaki broke the conference and raced the 1969 Daytona 200 with inexperienced bikes.

When the gates opened, in got here the Kawasaki manufacturing unit staff with vibrant inexperienced A1RA and A7RA bikes. These bikes had been raced by Ken Araoka, Art Bauman, Walt Fulton III, Cal Rayborn, and Dick Hammer (ouch) and the day marked the primary showcase of the brand new widespread Kawasaki’s lime inexperienced livery. The colour was designed to problem the established order, and even right now, green Kawasakis still do that.

So, how did this colour assist Kawasaki win on Sunday and promote on Monday? The 1969 Daytona 200 race was to air on TV in colour — who knew colour TVs had been so outdated, by the best way? To make the bikes stand out from the remainder, as a advertising stunt, Kawasaki determined to paint their bikes vibrant inexperienced. They’d catch the attention of the viewer. The bikes didn’t win the race, no sir, however Kawasaki leaned into it nonetheless.

2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 USA Action

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Goodbye Superstition, Hello Sales Figures

Kawasaki Z1
Mecum Auctions

When cash talks, everybody listens. That’s precisely what Kawasaki did. Kawasaki’s inexperienced bikes on the Daytona 200 drew many eyes. The bikes had been simple to determine and stood out fairly starkly among the many competitors. Shortly after, Kawasaki responded with the 1969 F21M Greenstreak, a 238cc scrambler, in the identical colour. Interestingly, the Flying Okay brand of KMC, designed by Nick Nichols, additionally made its debut on the 1969 Daytona 200 race.

In the 70s, the inexperienced colour grew to become synonymous with racing and efficiency within the motorbike world. Kawasaki’s H2R Green Meanie, a 748cc two-stroke inline triple, ridden by Gary Nixon, gained the 1973 AMA Road Racing Championship. At the identical time, the Kawasaki Z1 was taking the world by storm. And between 1978 and 1982, Kawasaki’s inexperienced colour virtually all the time graced the GP250 and GP350 podiums.

The inexperienced colour could have been a advertising gimmick not meant to stay round a lot, nevertheless it labored so nicely for Kawasaki, that the Japanese model by no means appeared again. Ever because the 70s, Kawasaki’s Lime Green has been THE colour for Kawasaki merchandise, together with bikes, ATVs, and jet skis. Today, the green color represents the soul of Kawasaki — it’s the fortunate colour for the Japanese model.

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Irony At Its Finest: Green Is Anything But Cursed

Rukka CE-approved Vis Vest
Rukka

Let’s be trustworthy, superstitions dangle round far longer than they need to, and the identical occurred with the inexperienced colour. But that didn’t maintain again Kawasaki from difficult the conventions. The inexperienced colour was thought-about unsafe, however unusually, it could be one of many safer colour selections on your motorbike. Without moving into the technicalities of it, inexperienced is the primary colour our optical sensors learn (until, after all, you’re color-blind).

Ask a driver who’s run into a motorbike and most of them will let you know, “I didn’t see the motorcycle.” It’s true. A examine documented that round 40% of all motorbike crashes happen when a driver fails to see a motorbike. Here’s one other not-so-fun reality: black automobiles are 10% extra more likely to crash in comparison with white automobiles. Bright colours, like lime inexperienced, are a lot safer. They can improve visibility for drivers. High-viz, yo! Don’t consider us? A New Zealand case-control examine discovered that one-third of motorbike accidents might’ve been prevented by carrying high-vis gear.

So, subsequent time somebody tells you that the inexperienced colour just isn’t protected for bikes or automobiles, open this text in your cellphone at full brightness and make them learn it. Green was by no means unsafe — it’s not the bike or supernatural powers, it’s the biker. This is the reason why riding gear comes in neon green color and why you’ll discover veteran bikers donning neon inexperienced helmets on their Gold Wings. The colour could look goofy, however it’s the safer possibility.

Best Lime Green Kawasakis You Can Buy Today

  • Kawasaki ZX-10R
  • Kawasaki ZX-14R
  • Kawasaki H2 SX
  • Kawasaki KX-450 SR
  • Kawasaki ZX-4RR

Statistical sources:

  • The Vehicle Colour Study, carried out by Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), 2007
  • University of California-Berkeley and the California Highway Patrol, 2015
  • The Hurt Report, 1981
  • Motorcycle Rider Conspicuity and Crash Related Injury: Case-Control Study, 2004
News

Why The Suzuki TL1000S Was Called ‘The Widowmaker’

Summary

  • The Suzuki TL1000S had a harmful rotary damper that overheated and misplaced its damping properties, making the bike deal with poorly.
  • Despite the issues, the TL1000S had redeeming qualities akin to a strong engine and an gratifying journey expertise.
  • The TL1000S is gaining reputation within the used market and could be modified to enhance its security and monitor efficiency.

The motorcycling world has seen just a few Widowmarkers, however for essentially the most half, these Widowmarker bikes are killing machines for being too outrageous or highly effective. Take the Vincent Black Shadow, which had a strong engine however pathetic brakes and an unpredictable chassis. Even the Kawasaki H2 750 was too quick to deal with for many bikers. But there may be one motorbike that turned harmful, maybe because of rushed growth.

We’re speaking in regards to the Suzuki TL1000S. This roadster was produced by Suzuki in 1997 to tackle the Ducati 916, and in a bid to get the WSBK cake as quickly as attainable, Suzuki may’ve forgotten to check the bike totally. The motorbike featured an thrilling V-twin engine, but it surely was held again by its rotary damper, which might have you ever scent the grass on a racetrack earlier than you even warmed up on a sunny day.

Remember, rotary dampers are a wonderful piece of engineering. Race groups have used rotary dampers in Formula One automobiles for years and the identical design can also be utilized in most steering dampers utilized in superbikes. But the one used on the Suzuki TL1000S wasn’t so good, and right here’s why.

In order to provide the latest and correct info attainable, the info used to compile this text was sourced from Suzuki and different authoritative sources, together with Motorcyclenews.com and Motorcycle.com.

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A Bit of History Of The Suzuki TL1000S

Production Years: 1997 to 2001

It’s the 90s and the venerable Ducati 916 is dominating the World Superbike Championship, because of its extremely agile chassis and a punchy V-twin engine. Ducati received six of the final seven WSBK Championships and took the coveted Manufacturer’s Title for six years straight. Credit goes to the V-twin powerplant that allowed riders to drive tougher out of corners than peaky inline-four screamers that different producers used.

Unsurprisingly, many producers turned to get a slice of the V-twin pie to not solely compete with the 916, but in addition meet the fashionable backside line. Suzuki wasn’t an exception right here; the Japanese moniker took a direct method by constructing its personal model of the V-twin engine, which noticed the general public roads within the 1997 Suzuki TL1000S. Unfortunately, the TLS wasn’t successful as Suzuki would’ve anticipated; in reality, the bike dampened — pun supposed — the model’s fame and virtually killed its V-twin goals.

The Rear Shock: Achilles’ Heel In Quite A Literal Sense

Rear Suspension Type: Lever-Actuated, Rotary-Acting, Hydraulic Shock

Suzuki TL1000S
bringatrailer.com

Once Suzuki determined to plonk a V-twin engine on its motorbike, it bumped into one main downside — packaging. V-twin engines are longer from front to back, which might push the wheelbase longer. That’s not a great factor for a monitor weapon; race bikes want a brief wheelbase with a steep steering head angle for fast dealing with. Such a geometry permits fast acceleration, nook corrections, and simpler turn-ins into the nook. An extended wheelbase would make the bike slower to lean and reply to rider inputs.

So, to maintain the wheelbase as quick as attainable on the Suzuki TL1000S, designers took an modern method with the rear suspension. Suzuki teamed up with Kayaba to develop a brand new sort of motorbike suspension that separated the rear shock damper from the spring. This wasn’t new tech by any means; the setup was fairly much like the suspension used on Formula One automobiles, but it surely was new within the two-wheeled world.

On the Suzuki TL1000S, the spring was positioned on the precise facet of the bike and a rotary-style damper supplied damping by way of rotating arms. This is the place issues went slightly haywire for the TLS. Under arduous use, the rotary damper would overheat and lose most of its damping properties, which made the motorbike deal with like an overcooked noodle by way of corners. Plus, the bike’s wheelie-happy nature made the entrance liable to flap in the event you weren’t cautious sufficient. The end result — a scarily harmful motorbike to journey that may produce extra lock-to-lock tank slappers than giggles.

Chassis And Suspension Specifications

Frame Type

Alloy oval part trellis body

Caster

24-degree

Trail

94mm (3.70″)

Dimensions (L x W x H)

80.5″ x 28.1″ x 46.3″

Wheelbase

55.7″

Dry Weight

411 kilos

Front Suspension

43mm USD forks with adjustable preload, rebound, and compression damping

(Specs sourced from Suzuki)

How Does This Shock Work, Really?

Suzuki TL1000S
Mecum Auctions

The rotary-style shock will get a foul rep for making the Suzuki TL1000S a widowmaker, but it surely was truly an ingenious innovation for the time. It gave the TLS some additional advantages over a shorter wheelbase. One of the benefits, satirically, was warmth dissipation. Any damper’s largest enemy is warmth build-up since damping is merely a conversion of mechanical power into warmth power. Since hydraulic fluids and rubber seals don’t work so nicely once they get sizzling, the warmth have to be dissipated correctly. The TLS’ aluminum damper physique with extra mass than a traditional shock would dissipate warmth higher.

Additionally, the relative movement within the rotary-style shock consisted of rotation as an alternative of telescoping movement. This has two advantages. The rotating joints utilized in a rotary shock are simpler to seal and don’t require bushings; as an alternative, rolling-element bearings can sit between the 2 elements. This reduces friction because it has no uncovered sliding surfaces.

But this brings two downsides, with one being annoying and the opposite lethal. The first downside is that any leaks within the rotary hydraulic damper can lead to a whole lack of damping. This is why Suzuki and Kayaba declared the damper non-serviceable. Some suspension consultants might service it, however most received’t contact it.

The second, a lot deadlier downside, is oil overheating. The damper already had much less oil; this damper had 50cc of it in comparison with 300cc, which is utilized in most shocks. Plus, the amount assorted for every unit because of lax manufacturing tolerances. Some suspension consultants declare that the vanes within the damper didn’t push sufficient oil by way of the movement restrictions.

At common speeds, this wouldn’t be an issue, however it could make the TL1000S’ rotary damper work arduous and the oil would get too sizzling. After some extent, the damping fluid would change viscosity and lose its damping talents. Somehow, the rotary-style damper couldn’t dwell as much as Suzuki’s expectations of high-volume oil pumping or good warmth dissipation traits. This is irony at its best.

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Suzuki TL1000S’ Redeeming Qualities — There Are Many

Power Output: 125 HP @ 8,500 RPM

The rear suspension unit on the Suzuki TL1000S is the elephant on the racetrack that you just can’t journey round, however in case you are courageous of coronary heart, you’ll discover that this Suzuki was actually quite rewarding till it become a soggy French fry, and threatened to kill you. It was exhilarating to journey and had a terrific energy supply that may have you ever in giggles at each twist of the wrist.

The V-twin engine on this motorbike produced a linear throttle response and was a lot more predictable than a modern Panigale, however the torque got here in early within the rev vary and the quick wheelbase made the motorbike completely happy to wheelie on a regular basis. Yes, the fueling wasn’t exact within the low-revs, an issue that was made worse by the sunshine flywheel, however after 2,500 RPM, issues bought a lot better.

The 90-degree V-twin configuration made for the proper major steadiness, and it featured hybrid chain/gear-driven cams. In essence, a cam chain would flip a gear that may additional flip the cams. This setup eased upkeep and produced a mild gear whine that added to the aural expertise of the engine. The engine was such a sweetheart that it was bought to Cagiva for V-Raptor and Navigator. Even Bimota used the identical mill on the SB8R sports activities bike. Even immediately, the identical engine configuration is used within the Suzuki SV1000 and V-Strom 1000 bikes.

Apart from the engine, the Suzuki TL1000S had different nifty methods up its exhaust. Before the damper become a thawed bacon strip, it labored nicely. The motorbike would flip into corners with ease, maintain the road nicely, and blast out of corners when wanted. Plus, this was the first Suzuki to get fuel injection, the other way up forks, torque limiting clutch, and trellis body.

Engine Specifications

Engine Type

Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 90-degree V-twin

Displacement

996cc

Compression Ratio

11.3:1

Max Torque

79.21 LB-FT @ 7,100 RPM

1/4 Mile Acceleration

10.9 seconds

Top Speed

165 MPH

(Specs sourced from Suzuki and Motorcyclenews.com)

The motorcycle was well ahead of its time, and regardless of an unsteady run in its earlier manufacturing years, the TLS remains to be an gratifying bike to journey. Suzuki had even issued a recall for the TLS to suit it with a steering damper and a slight engine tune-up. Today, the TL1000S is gaining some traction in the used market, and with just a few extra mods, you possibly can get pleasure from this Widowmaker with out having your accomplice plan your funeral. Turning this motorbike right into a secure monitor weapon is pretty simple.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen’s new exit warning system reduces risks when opening the doorways

The newest technology of the Volkswagen exit warning system helps to keep away from harmful conditions when exiting the car in inner-city site visitors. The help system can warn the driving force and passengers about street customers approaching the parked Volkswagen from behind. For instance, inside system limits, the system can detect cyclists, who are sometimes among the many most weak street customers. In addition to the driving force and entrance passenger doorways, the exit warning system additionally gives safety for the rear doorways. The new ID.7, new Passat and new Tiguan are outfitted with this help system as commonplace. In the Golf, ID.4 and ID.5, the expertise is optionally obtainable in a technically particular kind.

The exit warning system within the new ID.7
The new ID.7 is provided with the very best specification of the help system. The exit warning system scans the realm behind the Volkswagen by way of two rear radar sensors (on the left and proper within the bumper) and informs the passengers of a hazard earlier than a door deal with is even operated: if a street consumer is approaching, an LED mild within the exterior mirror robotically lights up as the primary warning stage. If one of many door openers is nonetheless pressed, the door can also be prevented from opening for a brief time period. If the door is opened, a warning sign sounds. Furthermore, the help system stays energetic for 3 minutes after the Volkswagen has been parked and switched off with a purpose to cowl all passengers who exit the car.

The exit warning system within the new Passat and new Tiguan
The exit warning system within the new Passat and new Tiguan features in a really comparable technique to the ID.7: the system makes use of the LED mild within the respective exterior mirror to tell the car occupants if a street consumer is approaching from behind, even earlier than the door deal with is operated. If a door deal with is nonetheless operated, the acoustic warning sounds by way of a speaker in that door. Since each fashions are outfitted with mechanical door locks, the extra door opening delay characteristic from the ID.7 isn’t obtainable.

The exit warning system is optionally obtainable within the ID.4 and ID.5. It operates in virtually the identical approach as within the ID.7. The solely exception: on this case, the LED mild within the exterior mirror is barely activated in case of hazard when the passengers function one of many door handles. The different warning ranges – the acoustic sign within the respective door and the digital opening delay – are an identical to these within the ID.7.

The first Volkswagen with an exit warning system was the present Golf. Here, the system works in an identical technique to the ID.4 and ID.5. As with the Passat and Tiguan MQB fashions, the Golf is provided with mechanical door locks, which signifies that the extra door opening delay characteristic isn’t obtainable.