December 2013. Kawasaki India launched their flagship superbike models in a country that was obsessed with fuel consumption figures. Foolish, I thought. Not one. Not two. But five models that included the Ninja 1000, the ZX-10R, the ZX-14R, the naked twins Z800 and the Z1000. “Why?” “ Do they feel the market has grown in India?” So many questions inside me. As I was looking at all their newly launched superbike models on the internet the lot consisted of big, green machines. But there was one bike that really caught my attention - The Kawasaki Z1000. Months passed and on the last Sunday of 2014, lucky enough, I had the opportunity of test riding the mighty Z. Kawasaki Chennai was kind enough to let us take their prized possessions for a spin along the scenic East Coast Road, south of Chennai city. Did it impress me as much as it did with its looks? Read on to find out.
Looks & Styling:By far the Z1000 is the most radically designed motorcycle from the Kawasaki stable. One look at the bike and you’ll feel something kicking the insides of your gut. Yes. ‘The Call of the Wild’, they say. The in-your-face Sugomi design philosophy renders the bike immensely muscular and a stance that is native to the big cats. This motorcycle provokes your long lost animal instincts and looks like it eats Italians and Germans for all three meals a day and would still ask for more. Take the bike to the dense south american rain-forests and park it – it would instantly become the alpha male of a pack of jaguars.
The first thing that one would notice is the brilliantly styled headlamp cowl which houses four blinding LED projectors that reminisce the bloodshot eyes of an angry predator. The instrument console is futuristic and comes to life once you turn the ignition on. The tachometer as a matter of fact starts from 4000 rpm and follows a cascading style rev meter.
The tank is chiseled, flaunting the muscular curves and accents. The rear seat looks like an arrow head and could be easily mistaken for a seat cowl. The seat has the Z design etched all over it – a neat touch from Kawasaki. The four header pipes split into four exits, two on each side, housed inside stubby exhaust cans that go well with the overall design. On the whole, the bike is quite a looker and a natural crowd magnet.
Performance:The 1043 cc DOHC , 16-valve in-line four engine is borrowed from the Ninja 1000 and puts out 140 Bhp, which is so not in the range of its rivals from Europe. The motors feels very refined and is free from vibrations. It has a good amount of torque (read 111 Nm) that enables the bike to pull effortlessly at speeds as low as 60 kmph (city riders take note). To put it in perspective, 110 Kmph in sixth gear equates to 5000 Rpm on the tacho.
According to Kawasaki, the intake cams have been redesigned so as to improve torque figures. The revised ECU and fuel injection system has upped the top speed to around 240 Kmph. As the engine features are not in the level of the rivals, the transmission/gearbox is top notch. The shifts are butter smooth and there is no trace of chunkiness. The throttle response is immediate despite the bulk of the bike.
Brakes & Suspensions:The best feature of the 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 is possibly the front end, with its top class hardware components and cycle parts. Up front the bike sports Showa Separate Function- Big Piston Forks (SF-BP forks) which are fully adjustable. The preload adjuster is on the left side and the compression and rebound damping adjusters are on the right. The stopping power comes from radially mounted Monobloc four piston Tokico calipers that are bolted to the 310 mm dual petal rotors. ABS is provided by Bosch and comes as standard. Though the bike weighs a whopping 221 kg, the motorcycle drops to a halt, thanks to superior brakes.
The suspension setup is sprung hard to enable better handling. This was very evident when I tried to glide over potholes. The bike refused to soak the bumps and as a result, my spine took them all. The handlebar is set low, so the riding posture is a little forward biased, but not as aggressive as the Ducati Streetfighter.
Handling:At first the bike’s weight might seem intimidating, but once you thumb the starter and hit the roads, the thought subsides a little. But, the heavy weight is felt when you throw the bike onto corners. I, for one, am a light weight rider and I had difficulties bringing the bike back up after the corner exit. U-turns will be a pain in the backside owing to the heavy weight and a comparatively large turning radius. Ergonomics wise, the riders footrest is set back and high, thereby giving a sporty riding posture. The rider’s seat is narrow up front, enabling the rider to slot his legs and clutch the tank.
The 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 is not ride by wire, and so it does not have traction control and power modes unlike its European counterparts. Though these tech features are lust-worthy, they are not missed on the mighty Z, thanks to the fun filled 140 hp motor. The only available feature is the standard ABS from Bosch.
Verdict:At 13.5 Lacs onroad this motorcycle is quite some value for money considering the litre class. Competition in the super naked class is fierce, involving participation from the KTM SuperDuke R 1290, the Aprilia Tuono and the BMW S1000R. In India, the competition is only from the land of the rising sun and the Triumph Speed Triple. Both Yamaha FZ-1 and the Honda CB1000 are a bit old in the tooth.
The Speed Triple, after Tirumph’s detuning episodes, faces trust issues from buyers. So, considering the supernaked scene in India, the money that the customer sheds from his wallet, and the result that he obtains, I think the 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 is a clear winner. And for all you budget superbikers, you have someone else if you think this motorcycle is heavy on your bank account- The younger sister from the family, the Z800.
Special Mention: Mr.Krishna and Mr.Deepak from Kawasaki Chennai.
By: Vishnu Prasad
