Product description
Super Futuristic, Super Fast, Super Fun
A thrill to look at, a thrill to ride. The Z1000 carving a powerful line as it cuts through the atmosphere and even as it stands still is one of those rare motorcycles that balance a distinctive aesthetic with an engine that pumps out arm-straightening power.
Completely redesigned two years ago, the Z1000′s aggressive bodywork reveals the design team’s attention to detail. The aesthetic showcase begins with a low-mount front cowl that slopes back radically, highlighting the Zs prow and, behind it, an adjustable instrument cluster featuring a multifunction LCD display covered by a trick-looking orange lens. The line-beam headlight’s guts are integrated nicely into that angled cowl. Moving rearward, you come to a shapely fuel tank thats flared on the sides to let you grab it with your knees and thats trim at the back for a snug fit. The seat is low and narrow at the front to make ground contact easy, and flows beautifully rearward to end in a futuristically retro LED tail light behind a red lens. Its a thoroughly athletic shape, one sure to garner attention wherever its ridden.
The heart of every naked bike is its engine, so Kawasaki engineers paid special attention here for maximum impact: Dual cams. Sixteen valves. 1,043cc. Liquid cooling. High compression. A long stroke 56mm for instantaneous thrust. Six speeds. And digital fuel injection. Its all there.
The result? This inline-four packs impressive horsepower combined with the sort of flexible, mid-range-heavy power delivery that pastes a silly grin on the face of anyone lucky enough to be aboard. From nearly any rpm, rolling the Z1000s throttle provides the kind of instant gratification most sportbikes just cant quite muster, all with a silky smooth, highly intoxicating response.
The Z features a wide range of new-think moto technology, including an aluminum frame similar to the ZX-10Rs that curves over the engine, cradling it from above. The design allows a narrow mid-section, which fosters a high degree of rider comfort and feedback in addition to keeping weight low and chassis rigidity high. The engine bolts solidly to the frame in three places, stressed-member-style, and theres also a rubber mount at the upper rear crankcase area for added vibration damping and torsional rigidity. The main frame and swingarm pivot elements are cast as a single unit, with welds eliminated wherever possible for a more aesthetically pleasing look. And the subframe is a lightweight aluminum die-casting, which is light, smooth and beautiful.
Suspension at both ends is thoroughly modern and wickedly functional: a beefy, fully adjustable 41mm inverted fork up front and a spring preload and rebound damping adjustable Uni-Trak shock in back thats mounted nearly horizontally above the swingarm to shield it from exhaust heat and foster an added degree of mass centralization. Wheel control is simply superb, and the substantial feedback sent to the rider makes it easy to know exactly whats going on at the bikes contact patches.
Theres more, of course. Check out the Zs five-spoke wheels, with spokes machined near the rims for a custom look. We carried forward the quad-pipe theme from the last Z1000 (and the first Z-1), but an under-engine pre-chamber lets engineers use shorter mufflers for great looks and better mass centralization. A solid-mount handlebar and aluminum footpegs lifted from the Ninja ZX-10R contribute to the Z1000s quality, top-shelf feel. Brakes? Totally modern: Radially mounted calipers, Ninja-spec 300mm petal-type rotors and a radial-pump master cylinder all provide the latest in braking feel and feedback.
Conventional wisdom says many of todays motorcycles lack soul, or are all too much alike. The Z1000 proves otherwise and happily.
Authentic Kawasaki Accessories are available through Kawasaki dealers.
Engine
Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four
Displacement
1043 cc
Bore x Stroke
77.0 x 56.0mm
Compression Ratio
11.8:1
Fuel System
DFI with four 38mm Keihin throttle bodies, oval sub-throttles
Ignition
TCBI Digital Advance
Transmission
6-Speed
Final Drive
X-Ring Chain
Frame Type
Aluminum Backbone
Rake/Trail
24.5 deg. / 4.1 in.
Front Suspension / Wheel Travel
41 mm inverted cartridge fork with stepless compression and rebound damping, adjustable spring preload / 4.7 in.
Rear Suspension/Wheel Travel
Horizontal monoshock with stepless rebound damping, adjustable spring preload / 5.4 in.
Front Tire Size
120/70 ZR17
Rear Tire Size
190/50 ZR17
Wheelbase
56.7 in.
Front Brakes
Dual 300mm petal-type rotors with radial-mount four-piston calipers
Rear Brakes
Single 250mm petal-type rotor with single-piston caliper
Fuel Capacity
4.0 gal.
Seat Height
32.1 in.
Overall Length
82.5 in.
Overall Width
31.7 in.
Overall Height
42.7 in.
Color Choices
TBD
Warranty
12 months
Good Times Protection Plan
12, 24, 36 or 48 months
Engine
Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four
Displacement
1043 cc
Bore x Stroke
77.0 x 56.0mm
Compression Ratio
11.8:1
Fuel System
DFI with four 38mm Keihin throttle bodies, oval sub-throttles
Ignition
TCBI Digital Advance
Transmission
6-Speed
Final Drive
X-Ring Chain
Frame Type
Aluminum Backbone
Rake/Trail
24.5 deg. / 4.1 in.
Front Suspension / Wheel Travel
41 mm inverted cartridge fork with stepless compression and rebound damping, adjustable spring preload / 4.7 in.
Rear Suspension/Wheel Travel
Horizontal monoshock with stepless rebound damping, adjustable spring preload / 5.4 in.
Front Tire Size
120/70 ZR17
Rear Tire Size
190/50 ZR17
Wheelbase
56.7 in.
Front Brakes
Dual 300mm petal-type rotors with radial-mount four-piston calipers
Rear Brakes
Single 250mm petal-type rotor with single-piston caliper
Fuel Capacity
4.0 gal.
Seat Height
32.1 in.
Overall Length
82.5 in.
Overall Width
31.7 in.
Overall Height
42.7 in.
Color Choices
TBD
Warranty
12 months
Good Times Protection Plan
12, 24, 36 or 48 months
Tags: 2012 KAWASAKI Z1000, Beartooth Kawasaki, Kawasaki
