The Kawasaki Z1000 has been officially announced, blending "Japanese art and technology"
Kawasaki's 2010 model Z1000 has been officially released, with the big news that it will feature an aluminium chassis for the first time.
The end result is essentially a custom-made super streetfighter," says Kawasaki.
Kawasaki has built the new litre-class engine from scratch, whose torque will eclipse the current output of 99Nm. The compression ratio is 11.8:1 and fuel is delivered to the cylinders via 38mm Keihin throttle bodies, and Kawasaki has crafted a new exhaust system.
A long list of items was addressed for the "Kawasaki Z1000" transformation. Ditching the old steel frame in favor of an aluminum unit, the new chassis and subframe enables 30% more torsional rigidity, more compact proportions, a lower seat height (dropped to 32.1 inches), and 8.8 lbs of weight savings. Total weight loss is 22 lbs, bringing curb weight to 481 lbs.
The rear suspension is also revised, with a horizontal back-link shock.
Grunt has been bumped from 125 horsepower to 138 horsepower (at 9,600 rpm), and torque improved from 72.7 lb-ft to 81.1 lb-ft (at 7,800 rpm.) Stopping power comes via ZX-10R-like 4-piston, dual 300mm petal disc brakes up front, and a single-piston 250mm rear setup that's been spun downward to better showcase the new cast aluminum, open-spoke wheel that's wrapped in aggressive Dunlop Sportmax D210/D210F rubber.
The Kawasaki Z1000 is available in two colors: Metallic Spark Black (with silver) or Pearl Stardust White
Despite its dimensional shrinkage, the Kawasaki Z1000 is still a substantial bike. The fully digital gauges include a speedometer, bar-style tachometer, odometer, dual trip meters, clock, and fuel gauge.
The first section proved challenging, especially because of the way my particular bike was setup; though the engine felt delectably strong, turn-in was skittish and the bike seemed unsettled in turns.