The year is 2000, the Kawasaki ZX-12R has just gone on sale and it was a big enough deal for the manufacturer to go to the expense of launching an advertising campaign… one that actually aired on television (how times change).
Among these ads was a particular favourite for its ‘bird flipping’ attitude towards the pumped up car driving show off, with a ZX-12R cruising up to park alongside a Porsche, which proceeds to spring an oil leak (aka, pisses its pants).
Today, you really have to concentrate to think about the last time a motorcycle waa advertised between Coronation Street and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but regardless motorcycles find their audience online either because they’ve spent the monies or a ‘freebie’ just happens to drop into their lap.
Which brings me onto this below - Kawasaki vs Porsche, the 2021 Viral Edition.
Brought to attention by Moto.it via RideApart, the (amateur) video features a 2021 Kawasaki ZX-10R at the Nordschleife in Germany, during which it sizes up to the darling of the ‘Green Hell’, the Porsche 911 GT3.
The 14-mile venue lives in infamy across the motoring and motorsport industry for its history - good and bad, as Niki Lauda can testify - its ridiculous length through verdant forests, … plus the relative ease of you, me and our Mums getting on track to have a go ourselves
If you don’t know, the public track days mix everyday punters in/on fairly standard machinery along with semi/professional racers with trick models, creating a startling disparity between some of those on track.
That’s demonstrated here with ‘Mr Porsche’ ducking, diving, weaving and snatching gaps… I mean, someone has to stand up to him.
So here it comes entering stage right - a KawasakI ZX-10R which neatly positions itself in front of the Porsche and proceeds to give it the sniff of a dual!
We can’t speak for the models themselves and any modifications they may or may not have had, but this mesmerizing concertina effect of the rapid accelerating ZX-10R being reeled in coming into corners by the grippier Porsche is a joy to watch.
Oh, volume up. Obviously.