Kawasaki Z1000

Having ridden the Z1000 for the past week, commuting to and from work and heading for joy rides on my favourite pieces of spaghetti, it's patently clear that Kawasaki's new nakedbike is something special.

Everyday riding revealed a bike with excellent balance and handling, particularly for a litre-class nakedbike, and so a hard-and-fast blast through the hills would confirm (or deny) my suspicions about just how good this new piece of machinery is.

Indeed, the real test would be how the new model behaved under extreme duress and, importantly, how much fun it would be to blast out of corners with a wide open throttle. But more on that later. First the nuts and bolts...

Gone is the previous Z1000's steel frame, replaced with a fresh new aluminium item that uses the same architecture as the Ninja ZX-10R's. Lighter by about 4kg and more rigid, the frame is also narrower and the seat height lower by 5mm, which together with relatively flat handlebars make for a comfortable bike that's easy to climb on and step off.

This narrowness necessitates a small tank though, just 15lt in capacity.

The engine is an absolute pearler, with the sort of character that makes you eagerly anticipate the next full throttle launch or mid-gear roll. Mid-range punch is significant, but the first thing I noticed was engine refinement. It's as smooth as it is keen this engine, and I reckon the secondary balance shaft goes a long way to achieving this.

Replacing the old 953cc four-banger is a larger 1043cc inline four-cylinder engine that outputs around 10 per cent more torque than its predecessor -- 110Nm of torque at 7800rpm (up from 99Nm). Peak power of 136hp (101kW) hits the crankshaft at 9600rpm, while maximum speed is rated at just under 260km/h.

Kawasaki's liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 16-valve engine has been built from scratch rather than the ZX-9R-borrowed and tweaked mill of its predecessor. It has bore and stroke of 77mm and 56mm respectively, and makes use of 38mm downdraft Keihin throttle bodies to deliver the fuel.

On top of engine and frame changes, the Z1000 also gets a flashy new look with ultra-compact Robotech-inspired quad exhaust pipes, the latter of which are made possible thanks to an under-engine chamber. The 2010 model Kawasaki Z1000 also gets the aluminium footpegs from the ZX-10R sportsbike.

On that topic, I reckon the new Z1000 is arguably one of the best-looking nakedbikes on the market. Kawasaki says the styling is 'predatory' but however it's described one thing is for sure – it looks the business!

From the angular shrouds that cover the front forks, to the funky mufflers and edgy front cowl design, the Z1000 looks great; the aesthetic could be described as half angry Japanese robo-bike and half muscle bike. Can't wait to see the next generation Ninja ZX-10R...

All Z1000s sold in Australia come standard with ABS, though the system cannot be switched off, which may perplex some riders. The ABS system works in tandem with a pair of 300mm 'petal' brake rotors up front, clamped by radial-mount four-pot calipers, and a 250mm petal rotor at the rear, worked by a single-piston caliper.

New five-spoke cast aluminium 17-inch wheels reduce unsprung weight (and are machined close to the rims for an aftermarket look) and the suspension set-up has improved too, with fully adjustable 41mm upside-down forks propping up the front end. The rear end gets a brand-new horizontally-mounted shock absorber adjustable for rebound and preload damping and does a good job of keeping the rear wheel on track through corners.

ON THE ROAD
As a daily commuter, the Z1000 works well. It's got a smooth but punchy engine that is happy to pootle along in top gear at 3000rpm or wound up past 10,000rpm should you find yourself about to crushed by an weaving luxury SUV whose driver seems to be intent on preening herself.

The mirrors aren't great (a result of form before function), but the Kawasaki is comfortable thanks to a decent seat, an upright riding position and well-sorted suspension. Though it's no feather weight at around 221kg (wet), it feels nimble and has no trouble with slow speed manoeuvrings.

The bike's ease-of-use is also contributable to precise and throttle response, and together with a user-friendly gearbox it's the kind of bike that you could live with on a daily basis without any major problems.

Turn up the tempo and you'll quickly discover that Kawasaki has created something very special. If you're bored of reading this review, here's the verdict: it's ace. The Z1000 is as wieldy a nakedbike as you'll find, with the kind of balance and predictable handling characteristics that will have riders grinning from ear to ear.

Our performance test took us through some of the Victorian alpine region's most tightly winding roads, and it seemed more like the kind of 500-plus kilometre odyssey suited to a sportsbike...

And there's the rub – this thing feels a lot like a sportsbike when you're cranked over at silly angles, eyes glued to the fringes of any given corner unfurling in the distance. The new Z1000 handles very impressively through the tight stuff, so much so that you'd be forgiven for thinking it was just a stripped-down Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R with flat handlebars.

However, unlike most sportsbikes there's a big fat mid-range just waiting to be unleashed, making the bike easier to ride hard (you don't really have to worry about which gear you're in to extract optimum performance) and more approachable around town.

It tips into corners with the eagerness of a much smaller bike and tracks through apexes very confidently. And it doesn't mind changing directions at speed either. The Z1000 has a predictable feel thanks to above average levels of feedback through the bars and unless you really stuff up your corner entry you'll rarely be caught out.

One of the keys to the Z1000's impeccable handling dynamics is partly down to good mass centralisation, with things like exhaust pipes lower and closer to the centre of the bike than the previous model. The new frame, which has improved torsional rigidity by 30 per cent, also helps.

Indeed, this motorcycle is more nimble than its predecessor, but if there's one aspect of the bike that doesn't quite nail it, it's the brakes. They're actually fairly good, but the high levels of confidence that the chassis imparts isn't quite there with the brakes. They have good stopping power, but the icing on the cake would have been a bit more initial bite.

As well as that spanking chassis, the Kawasaki Z1000's all-new engine is a real winner, involving the rider with its distinctive howl while delivering a decent top end and a muscular mid-range. With a huge glut of torque hitting the crankshaft at 7800rpm -- and plenty of twist below -- it's a challenge not to stir up the engine at every opportunity. Better yet, it's also one of the most refined four-cylinder litre-class engines on the market. On my notepad the word "awesome" has been hastily scrawled on more than one occasion...

It'll pull smoothly from 2500rpm in sixth gear and, although the bottom end isn't quite as lusty as some of its European nakedbike rivals, it can be coaxed along at an eye-watering pace if you're game.

Truly, this new nakedbike has a real menace about it and is ultra quick off the line. Slip the clutch from standstill and by the time the revs hit 5000rpm the 1043cc motor is genuine, then as the digital tach eclipses 8000rpm (and if you can keep the front wheel grounded) the bike really hits its stride.

The physical stimulus is matched by the audio; the engine emits a rising growl as the twin air intake ducts greedily suck fresh oxygen into the airbox, all of which add to the experience of thrashing the bike down deserted backroads.

For me, the new look really works, and even the yellow Tron-inspired digital instrument cluster looks pretty cool, and it works too. It can be tilted to three different preset positions and the speedo information is easy to read at a glance.

The only real shortcoming of the Kawasaki Z1000 is the compact fuel tank -- at 15lt it's just too small. And the engine will happily chew through fuel faster than a fat kid with a bag of chemically flavoured corn chips. Thankfully, then, it has a digital fuel gauge so you can plan ahead for fuel stops.

At the end of the day, the 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 is an excellent motorcycle. It's a brutally quick nakedbike, whose handling dynamics are arguably the best in class. The Z1000 is a beautiful bike to regard and ride, it's got plenty attitude and has the performance to back up it's bold looks.

I'd go as far to say it's best the nakedbike to come out of Japan and has the potential to be a huge success for Kawasaki. Highly recommended.

SPECS: Kawasaki Z1000

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multi-disc

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Aluminium twin-tube
Front suspension: 41 mm inverted fork with stepless compression and rebound damping and spring preload adjustability, 120mm travel
Rear suspension: Horizontal Back-link, gas-charged with stepless rebound damping and spring preload adjustability, 135mm travel
Front brakes: Dual semi-floating 300mm petal discs with opposed 4-piston dual radial-mounted callipers (with ABS)
Rear brakes: Single 250mm petal disc with single piston calliper (with ABS)
Wheels: Cast aluminium 17-inch wheels
Tyres: front 120/70 ZR17, rear 190/50 ZR17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 24.5 degrees
Trail: 103mm
Claimed dry weight: Not given
Claimed wet weight: 221kg
Seat height: 815mm
Wheelbase: 1440mm
Ground clearance: Not given
Fuel capacity: 15lt

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 136hp (101kW) at 9600rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 110Nm at 7800rpm

OTHER STUFF
Price: $16,499
Colours: White/orange, silver/black
Bike supplied by: Kawasaki Australia (Kawasaki.com.au)
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres