Menus
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- City
- Highway
- Departmental
- Night road
- Comfort
- Braking
- Convenient
- Consumption
- Conclusion
- Point of view of the enchanted (Denis)
- Point of view of the disgusted (Gilles)
The
Kawasaki Z1000 represents the master stroke of the Akashi manufacturer.
Used to its sporting tradition, Kawasaki was rather
discreet if not particularly traditional for its other models.
With the Z1000, Kawasaki strikes a blow with a devastating look,
colors and a set to make tuning regulars palate.
Is the ramage up to the plumage ?
Discovery
The
first thing you see is the color: orange or green
fluo! (also available in black though). The Z1000 pulls off! Then we
In vain to go around it and see it again, we never tire of it. We notice
immediately the color repeated on the wheel sticks and the passage
wheel. The double frontal optic is sharpened, and grafted
with a smoky windshield. The double-stage saddle is
stands out clearly and could recall a certain speed. The back
is particularly slender and the LED light
fit perfectly. The raised quadruple escapement
is simply superb. It just unveils a huge sausage
190mm, Bridgestone Battlax. But it’s the heart that comes out with
a huge radiator, an imposing tank (despite its
only 18 liters) and above all a prominent black engine. In short,
the Z1000 has everything of a big roadster.
In the saddle
Sitting down,
the position is immediately natural. When stopped, the Z1000 appears
much lighter and more manoeuvrable than suggested
its exterior template. Compact and racy are the
qualifiers that come to mind.
the
Fully digital tachometer, inherited from the ZX-6R,
surprises at first glance, but is well designed: totalizer,
clock, trip (single), temperature, fuel gauge…
Nothing is forgotten, even if we would have appreciated a double
trip. Rectangular mirrors are easily adjusted
but are relatively centered; result, they offer a
reduced visibility compared to other standard roadsters.
Contact
Ah,
the soft sound of the injection … the counter resets, while
that the tachometer makes a round trip to the red zone
: temptations … Surprise, it automatically turns on high beam;
these cannot be switched off..
The sound is soft and serious, rewarding. It is well supplied
original.
Clutch, start … She goes on a trickle of gas, without any
brutality, and goes up in towers; smooth transition to second,
without sudden or surprise. The observed lightness
at standstill is confirmed dynamically. It is true that with only
198 kilos, the Z1000 weighs less than a Bandit 600. No support
on the wrists; this is really the typical position of the roadster, relatively
right. Only the legs are slightly bent.
The knees grip the tank comfortably. We support
barely on the handlebars and the bike can be guided with your finger without any difficulty,
docile.
The box is pleasant to use with
a well thought out step and a VERY long sixth.
City
We
could expect with a 1000 to have a raging monster in
city. And we think of the origins of the rebored motor
in 953 cm3: the ZX-9R. But nay! She drives herself on a net of
gas. If she willingly stays on the interim reports in
second or third, she doesn’t mind staying in fifth
with vigorous covers, and without surprises. Its weight and position
of conduct allow him to squeeze everywhere. We feel despite
all she would appreciate to have a little more space. Because under
the 4,000 rpm, the four-cylinder is rather quiet.
Out of town, she rushes on the road with rage … to
unless you’re still in sixth grade. In which case, she does not stop
never push.
Highway
the
passage on the motorway is essential … especially for a featherweight template.
Still in sixth, all you have to do is apply the handle
to set off vigorously and overtake anything that rolls. In
fact, i was unable to test its limits … the wind
forced me to stop long before. We feel the reserve
power … while the windshield appears above all aesthetic,
unless you are a follower of the dab position. At 130 km / h;
it is already blowing hard on the cervicals, and
if it is necessary to exceed at more than 160 km / h, one shouts grace very
very quickly. We are then very far from the 245 km / h that can
reach the motorcycle in top speed.
On the other hand, despite the wind, or the overtaking of trucks,
whether solo or duo, the Z1000 remains unperturbed: it is a
real rail on all occasions. The motorway remains an ordeal that
should be reserved for obligations requiring
get out of Paris quickly.
Departmental
This is
so with real pleasure that I find the back roads of France,
towards Etretat. The N15 will prove to be too linear
and the tempting departmental ones. There, between the virolos
and pins, the Z1000 finds its playground.
from left to right like a 600, but with the approval of the
torque in its class 1000.
No need to mess with the reports. If the fourth turns out
the best report to this little game, everything happens in fifth
with enough times even out of bends and we could
almost listen to nature. But then you use the Z1000 on
its medium revs, a range from 4000 to 6000 rpm.
And on this beach, she only distils her abilities, effective,
largely sufficient but not very demonstrative. Take down a report,
and past 7,500 rpm, the Z1000 really rears up
and calls the cavalry up to 9,000 rpm. If the red zone is at
12,000 rpm, you won’t have to go that high for fun.
It is all the more his favorite terrain, as the setting offers
exemplary behavior and despite the virolos, without ever causing
would only be the beginning of dodging. Irreproachable … and
extremely safe !
Night road
The
night road is always a terrible test, especially for motorcycles that
do not have a road vocation like roadsters. And there,
surprise! In the default position, low beam, the Z1000 illuminates
very good, even on country road, without any lighting
external that might help. And in full headlights position, the road is
transforms into a Christmas tree, allowing to reach quietly
the same speeds as in daylight.
Comfort
This is
a roadster and clearly it does not claim road use.
The saddle is firm, the suspensions hard – or vice versa. What these characteristics
bring precision and neutrality of behavior, they
very clearly detract from comfort. Solo, or duo,
it’s the same, and you will stop before the two hundred kilometers,
even if you are in a hurry. If the passenger’s position
is rather pleasant, not leaning too far forward, it does not have
no handles. This remark made, the Z1000 retains a behavior
copy as a duo, whatever the conditions.
Braking
the
rear brake is an honest retarder … which does not risk
no blocking, even when crushing the pedal! The front
on the other hand is very effective, without ever surprising and with a
excellent feeling.
The double disc with four opposing pistons here largely does
his office.
Convenient
This is
the angry subject. We barely place a rain suit and a block
disc under the saddle. Forget the locks, there is no trick to get there
to accommodate a suitable one. And anyway it would be
not very effective because implacable nor on the fork (because of the
front wheel) nor at the rear where the disc spaces
are too narrow to let anything pass. In short, only a small one
chain will eventually allow it to be attached. Small detail,
the opening of the saddle is vertical and therefore practically hidden.
If the first opening attempts are laborious, after a day,
you end up having a hand and opening the saddle the first time
in a second.
Passenger handles do not exist, even as an option…
like the center stand. It is these details
which also made it possible to obtain its record featherweight.
On the other hand, the tank is made of metal, and it will always be
possible to affix a magnetic bag (because the top case
would really spoil the line).
Otherwise, it has hooks under the saddle, discreet, allowing to hang
Business. But be careful to protect the paint against
tensioner friction.
Consumption
The injection once again works miracles. In cool driving and
at stabilized speed, the Z1000 turns around six
liters. In more muscular driving, on departmental, it
quietly rises to eight liters.
Conclusion
Ah
! It turns heads, all heads. Rewarding
on the outside, pleasant to drive, the Z 1000 offers
a motorcycle particularly at ease in town and on departmental roads.
Its torque allows you to drive quietly on the national road and have
an endless reserve of extension to double in complete safety
those who may have already lost their license. And yet,
it gives the best of itself well beyond the use
current. You have to go titillate her in the towers to extirpate this
that she has in her guts. The advantage is that it suddenly looks good
accessible to everyone, in perfect harmony with the trend
from the moment.
At the same price as a Fazer 1000, more expensive than the Hornet
900 or a Bandit 1200, but cheaper than a Speed Triple, the
Z1000 is in the middle with its 10,000 euros, with the added attraction
novelty and accessories as standard.
Strong points
- Look
- Road holding, braking
- General quality
- Night lighting
Weak points
- Couple got too high
- Practical: no central stand, no handles
passenger, no place for the lock
Point of view of the enchanted (Denis)
"Kawa did very hard with this model, we have two
motorcycles in one. A young lady not yet deflowered or a
insatiable dominatrix of the other ".
Point of view of the disgusted (Gilles)
"Not much below 7000 turns and after all
vibrates, but it still grows quite a bit, without tearing either
arms. I’ll be tempted to see what she gives unbridled. "
Competitors: Suzuki Bandit 1200,
Triumph Speed Triple, Yamaha
Fazer 1000
Datasheet
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