Clarion Book Review
Kawasaki Superbikes: Z1000 R and Z1100 R is a comprehensive visual guide accompanied by detailed descriptions for identification and verification of the motorcycle’s components.
Stefan R. Oehl’s Kawasaki Superbikes: Z1000 R and Z1100 R is a reference text depicting the history and identifying marks of the iconic racing motorcycles. Oehl brings his passion for Kawasaki motorcycles and his technical prowess from working in the airline industry together to provide thorough documentation of every detail of the Superbikes. This is a clear and informative text, full of images and figures of the motorcycles throughout the years—a comprehensive visual guide to an era of Kawasaki racing bikes that’s accompanied by detailed descriptions for identification and verification of the motorcycle components. The book is organized into three main parts: history and development, technical data and basic identification, and the buildup (detailed identification of individual parts) of the motorcycle. The most comprehensive of the sections is the buildup section, which makes up the majority of the text. This section includes 360 of the 433 figures and diagrams used in the book, depicting the differences between frame brackets through different years and the washers used in the transmission. These figures are easy to navigate between thanks to an exhaustive figure index that defines what each figure depicts. The figure index combined with the thorough table of contents makes this a straightforward and coherent text to use when working on or purchasing the motorcycle. The writing is technical; in the opening parts of the book, the prose is terse and to the point, with no flourishes or extraneous detail. Thereafter the prose becomes sparse, as it is unnecessary except in descriptions of the images. The section on development showcases this, with its one page on the history of the commercial Superbike. The use of color in the text when explaining the colors of specific parts of the bike is helpful. For instance, when describing the lights on the tachometer, the book lists a light that displays the words “High Beam” in the color they should indicate on the version of the original tachometer (blue). This technique is used to describe paint colors, lights, and wiring, and makes visual identification easy and quick. Another great feature is the page layout within the buildup section. Pages in this section are each structured in the same way, showcasing the image, basic information, and where the part is applicable. There are also specific border colors defined early in the book to highlight prototype equipment, important information, unusual details, and warnings. Kawasaki Superbikes: Z1000 R and Z1100 R is an impressive visual reference text documenting the history of and changes to the commercial racing motorcycle over time.
AHLIAH BRATZLER (June 24, 2024)
Z1000 R & Z1100 R: Book Review by Ahliah Bratzler (Clarion)
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Posted: July 1, 2024 by Stefan R. Oehl
Clarion Book Review
Kawasaki Superbikes: Z1000 R and Z1100 R is a comprehensive visual guide accompanied by detailed descriptions for identification and verification of the motorcycle’s components.
Stefan R. Oehl’s Kawasaki Superbikes: Z1000 R and Z1100 R is a reference text depicting the history and identifying marks of the iconic racing motorcycles. Oehl brings his passion for Kawasaki motorcycles and his technical prowess from working in the airline industry together to provide thorough documentation of every detail of the Superbikes. This is a clear and informative text, full of images and figures of the motorcycles throughout the years—a comprehensive visual guide to an era of Kawasaki racing bikes that’s accompanied by detailed descriptions for identification and verification of the motorcycle components. The book is organized into three main parts: history and development, technical data and basic identification, and the buildup (detailed identification of individual parts) of the motorcycle. The most comprehensive of the sections is the buildup section, which makes up the majority of the text. This section includes 360 of the 433 figures and diagrams used in the book, depicting the differences between frame brackets through different years and the washers used in the transmission. These figures are easy to navigate between thanks to an exhaustive figure index that defines what each figure depicts. The figure index combined with the thorough table of contents makes this a straightforward and coherent text to use when working on or purchasing the motorcycle. The writing is technical; in the opening parts of the book, the prose is terse and to the point, with no flourishes or extraneous detail. Thereafter the prose becomes sparse, as it is unnecessary except in descriptions of the images. The section on development showcases this, with its one page on the history of the commercial Superbike. The use of color in the text when explaining the colors of specific parts of the bike is helpful. For instance, when describing the lights on the tachometer, the book lists a light that displays the words “High Beam” in the color they should indicate on the version of the original tachometer (blue). This technique is used to describe paint colors, lights, and wiring, and makes visual identification easy and quick. Another great feature is the page layout within the buildup section. Pages in this section are each structured in the same way, showcasing the image, basic information, and where the part is applicable. There are also specific border colors defined early in the book to highlight prototype equipment, important information, unusual details, and warnings. Kawasaki Superbikes: Z1000 R and Z1100 R is an impressive visual reference text documenting the history of and changes to the commercial racing motorcycle over time.
AHLIAH BRATZLER (June 24, 2024)
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