Japanese roadster comparison test: CB1000R, Z1000 or GSX-S1000 ?
Invested last year by several novelties, the maxiroadster segment remains dominated by the Kawasaki Z1000. In 2015, Suzuki finally responded with its GSX-S1000. MNC therefore brought out the Honda CB1000R to oppose all the Japanese 4-cylinders on the market. Comparo.
Discovery of the CB1000R, Z1000 and GSX-S1000
More slender in appearance, especially on the right side where the motorcycle seems to float above its rim as if by magic (amonobracadabra!), The Honda has a – bad – surprise: it is the heaviest of the three motorcycles, with a weight estimated by its manufacturer at 222 kg all full (with combined ABS, 217 kg without).
The pilot who expects the inertia of a small Hornet 600 may be disappointed: the CB1000R is as physical to move as the imposing Z1000 (222 kg TPF). In this little game, the user of the GSX-S1000 is doing the best in the end, since his motorcycle weighs "only" 209 kg (see technical sheets on page 5)
For maneuvers, however, the Honda has a definite advantage since it steers much shorter than its two rivals. According to the learned experiments carried out by the MNC researchers, the CB1000R requires a meter less than the Z and the GSX-S to turn around.
Its saddle may be a centimeter higher than those of its competitors, you hardly feel the difference once seated on it. The Honda is particularly thin for a "mile", which allows the majority of riders to put both heels on the ground.
Boots on the footrests, the pilot’s pelvis is spared by the finesse of the CB tank. The angle formed by the knees, on the other hand, is quite acute: as much as on the GSX-S, but more than on the Z. With its wide seat – on the rear – and relatively soft, the Honda remains the most comfortable..
In contrast, the Z1000 continues to play the villainous Streetfigther card. Intimidating visually, it reserves a particularly dry welcome in the buttocks! The driving position is also more radical due to the handlebars a bit wider, but above all lower and straighter.
Between the two, the GSX-S1000 offers a saddle that is narrower than the CB but less hard than the Z. Its high handlebars and a little more curved prevent any fatigue in the wrists. Conversely, its large reservoir separates the thighs significantly. Those who wanted to go on a "big motorcycle" are served !
The Honda’s clutch lever is a touch harder than the others, which is felt over time in traffic jams. But it has the advantage of being adjustable in spacing, which improves grip. On the Kawa and Suz ‘, only the front brake lever is adjustable.
Still practical, the CB1000R offers the largest storage space, accommodating a disc lock of good size. A slightly smaller lock will need to be selected to fit into the trunk of the GXS-S1000. On the other hand, there is no need to look under the saddle of the Z1000: there is nothing to see, get around !
As far as the instrumentation is concerned, the GSX-S1000 is a hit since it adds to the consumption indicator and to the calculation of the autonomy (present on the Z but not on the CB) a gear indicator light (see practical aspects and equipment on page 4).
This engaged gear indicator will appeal to those who like to manage their bike with the finger and the eye rather than the finger and the ear … The Suzuki drives home the point by integrating controls on the handlebars, curiously doubled controls on the dashboard.
Contact, engine: motorcycles wake up and their lights come on. Seen from the front, the new Z1000 (from 2014) puts a new slap on the freshly released GSX-S1000 and the good but old CB1000R: the tiny headlights of the Kawa give it a killer look..
Next to the bluish light projected by the Kawasaki’s LEDs, the Suzuki and Honda beams seem faded, almost yellow. This does not, however, eclipse the observation of this test-yage session: the Z plays too hard compared to the comfortable CB and the complete GSX-S.
The motorcycles have not yet moved a centimeter that already, the GSX-S1000 marks an important point: its hoarse airbox, its small sonorous pot and the liveliness of its engine covers the purr of the Z1000 and leaves the CB1000R without voice … And once launched on the road, what do the three Japanese maxiroadsters give? Answer on page 3 !
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