Test ride of Z1000SX

Lord Snooty

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I'm thinking of moving the HD XR1200X on so took a Z1000SX out for a test ride courtesy of Cradley Kawasaki.

With the roads still a bit damp and greasy I set off in low fat mode and traction control set at 2 not at max 3 as the dealer said it gets a bit intrusive. First impressions are of a comfortable riding position and with the screen set at its highest it does a good job. It was very user friendly in Saturday morning traffic and the engine has loads of torque through the rev range and able to trickle around at about 30mph or lower in third without stuttering - in fact at one time I popped it in to 5th at 30mph and it was absolutely fine at about 2k rpm. I have to say it was much smoother than the GSA at those speeds.

The gearbox is beautifully smooth - gorgeous to use. Out on the open road the fuelling is immaculate, totally linear and smooth, there was never any surprises and it was all totally controllable. The suspension was supple and pliant and the rear shock did a great job on some bumpy corners and the bike never got upset. After about 30 minutes me and my mate stopped for a chat and I did a couple of foot up U turns within the width of three parking bays in the car park - piece of piss, so a decent steering lock. After a 10 minute chat we headed off, as the roads were drying I turned the riding mode up to full fat :green gri:green gri

It handles beautifully with just a small amount of pressure required on the bars to get it to turn and it holds a lovely line. The brakes are fantastic, no more than a couple of fingertips are needed and there is not a huge amount of front fork dive.

We got to a dual carriageway and I gave it some beans revving it up to high in the rev range - holy shit! The world suddenly started going backwards and I developed a rictus grin on my chops.

Downsides - there is a bit of buzziness in the bars at about 3k revs and the seat feels a bit hard, as a sports tourer I was wondering how my ass would feel after a full day in the saddle.

All in all a great bike, the power is fantastic but not at all intimidating and controllable, I can see why it is Kawasaki's best seller and the best selling sports tourer on the market.

Decision to be made now - do I go green for the first time in my biking life? :D
 
reading your report says you will be going green you speak more positive about the bike than negative.....

did you buy it then ?
 
How can you go wrong with a Kawasaki suburb bikes with 100% reliability. It is a great pity the do not make a top spec luxury adventure motorcycle with active suspension and loads of goodies.
 
Same model that Delboy bought, I think - and enthused over.

Back to the sports/touring idea of the VFR750/800, R1100s - before the "sports-tourers" - grew to accommodate the luggage and large pillion-arses of the masses...........

I'm sure it is a cracker, but it is the BMW R1200RS or 1200R that would get into my garage..........

But - that's why they make chocolate AND vanilla.............. ;)

Good read- your write-up :thumb2

Al
 
They have evolved the Z1000SX over a couple of years now, and I keep meaning to try one as I still believe 'Sports Tourers' are the best bike for me, relatively sensible money too.

If only they would add cruise, and maybe a quickshifter.

RBW.
 
reading your report says you will be going green you speak more positive about the bike than negative.....

did you buy it then ?

They don't have any in stock at the moment, they fly out the door. Depends on what they think they can offer on the HD XR1200X and then the haggling will start.

The R1200RS is a lovely bike also but I already have a boxer twin GSA.
 
They don't have any in stock at the moment, they fly out the door. Depends on what they think they can offer on the HD XR1200X and then the haggling will start.

The R1200RS is a lovely bike also but I already have a boxer twin GSA.

I can heartily recommend these bikes Mike. As you say seat is a wee bit hard but that could be sorted with the addition of a Sargent unit. The 2017 bike comes with a host of upgrades over the 16 plate ones, like LED Haedlights, slipper clutch and a ABS Giro thingy that calculates lean angle when your ABS kicks in in case of emergency and all that. Oh and a gear position thingy in the dash. I definitely made the right choice when i bought my one. However what with my ongoing health problems i may have to end my biking days and sell up all my gear. :eek: Good luck and BTW the Candy Burnt Orange is the fastest, and the OEM exhausts are as ugly as feck, thats why i went for the Performance version.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149269980@N02/35325066956/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149269980@N02/34947510941/in/dateposted-public/

:thumb:thumb:D
 
I can heartily recommend these bikes Mike. As you say seat is a wee bit hard but that could be sorted with the addition of a Sargent unit. The 2017 bike comes with a host of upgrades over the 16 plate ones, like LED Haedlights, slipper clutch and a ABS Giro thingy that calculates lean angle when your ABS kicks in in case of emergency and all that. Oh and a gear position thingy in the dash. I definitely made the right choice when i bought my one. However what with my ongoing health problems i may have to end my biking days and sell up all my gear. :eek: Good luck and BTW the Candy Burnt Orange is the fastest, and the OEM exhausts are as ugly as feck, thats why i went for the Performance version.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149269980@N02/35325066956/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149269980@N02/34947510941/in/dateposted-public/

:thumb:thumb:D

Its not green but still lovely. I was up for one of these a couple of years ago but when we sat on one at a show 2 up felt a bit cramped.
Best of luck with the health thing buddy.
 
Its not green but still lovely. I was up for one of these a couple of years ago but when we sat on one at a show 2 up felt a bit cramped.
Best of luck with the health thing buddy.

Thanks, will have to wait and see specialist in Aberdeen. Thinking its Fibromyalgia.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Cheers Del, I do like the Orange colour. Do the Akros come with the Performance version?
 
Top tip , be careful fitting paddock stand bobbins. I don't know if they've changed it on the newer models but on earlier ones , even if you fitted the official Kawasaki ones, they would foul the exhaust when riding, if you were lucky your exhausts would be badly damaged. If you were really unlucky and hit a decent sized bump or carried a pillion then they would hit the exhausts so hard they would shear the lugs of the swing arm and you'd have to replace it and two damaged pipes . :blast

The handbook states that although threaded lugs are there for bobbins you shouldn't ride with them fitted .
 
Top tip , be careful fitting paddock stand bobbins. I don't know if they've changed it on the newer models but on earlier ones , even if you fitted the official Kawasaki ones, they would foul the exhaust when riding, if you were lucky your exhausts would be badly damaged. If you were really unlucky and hit a decent sized bump or carried a pillion then they would hit the exhausts so hard they would shear the lugs of the swing arm and you'd have to replace it and two damaged pipes . :blast

The handbook states that although threaded lugs are there for bobbins you shouldn't ride with them fitted .

Yeah i knew that but i fitted narrow kwak ones and they dont foul the exhausts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top tip , be careful fitting paddock stand bobbins. I don't know if they've changed it on the newer models but on earlier ones , even if you fitted the official Kawasaki ones, they would foul the exhaust when riding, if you were lucky your exhausts would be badly damaged. If you were really unlucky and hit a decent sized bump or carried a pillion then they would hit the exhausts so hard they would shear the lugs of the swing arm and you'd have to replace it and two damaged pipes . :blast

The handbook states that although threaded lugs are there for bobbins you shouldn't ride with them fitted .

I did ask about that at the dealers and he pretty much said the same. He then showed me how to use an ABBA stand to raise the bike from the centre of the bike - what a great bit of kit.
 
I have the 2014 model and get between 160-200 miles to the tank depending on "enthusiasm" :)
 


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