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2010 Kawasaki Z1000 Review

21661 Views 30 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  htech71, 
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Okay, we've now ridden the all-new Z1000, and it brings to the sportbike table big grins, liter-class performance, a wide range of capabilities and a wicked appearance, all at an MSRP less than some 600cc sportbikes.

Now, the question yet to be answered is whether the American market will continue its bone-headed aversion to any sportbike without a full fairing. If they do, they will be missing out on one of the best performance bargains available.

I once had a first-gen Z1000 as a long-term project bike, which gave me plenty of time to learn its strong points and its deficiencies. Its distinctive styling and hooligan demeanor gave it an enthralling personality, but those positive attributes were countered by an unbalanced suspension and a vibey motor. The old Z had its fans, but there weren't enough of them. A 2007 revision calmed the annoying vibes and had midrange-enhancing tricks to go along with its freshened cosmetics, but continued slow sales caused it to be dropped from Kawi's 2009 lineup.

No matter, because the 2010 model is new from the ground up. Improvements are so vast that comparisons to the previous iteration are pointless. It's a well-engineered street-fighting machine that will be difficult to humble by any of the illustrious naked sports bikes from Europe.

The new Zee begins with a completely new chassis and motor. Aluminum now makes up the frame (and swingarm), lighter and stronger than the previous steel frame. Rake and trail (24.5 degrees/4.05 inches) are identical to the old bike, but it handles with poise the original could only dream about.

Wheels spaced nearly an inch further apart add stability, yet a weight reduction and improved mass centralization contributes to exceptional agility for its displacement. With its smallish 4.0-gallon tank full, it scales in 22 lbs lighter (481 lbs) than its 4.9-gallon progenitor, for a net reduction of 16 lbs, 9 lbs of it solely from the new alloy frame.

The Z-Thou's engine is a completely new inline-Four, sharing nothing with the old Zee or the ZX-10R Now displacing 1043cc, the fuel-injected mill gains 90cc and a secondary balancer from previous. The stressed-member engine now mounts to the frame in four rather than three mounting points, with a rubber mount above the transmission to reduce the, er, transmission of vibration.


Full Story 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 Review on Motorcycle.com
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Barry
I can feel your and share youre passion for the true street fighters!
Glad to find this site.
Hope we can all make it grow and open minds that plastic doesnt make a bike cool or fast.
But they will learn as i rip them up day by day :] !
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notabiker
i did not buy a naked street fighter to hang with crotch rockets. they do a better job of that. i bought style and comfort. i could care less about fully adjustable suspension, perimeter frames etc. i do not like extra plastic that does nothing. magazines MUST always push new bikes. that claimed vibration on my 04 Z 1000 is bogus. maybe a 90 mph. for all the riding i do my 04 is a very smooth engine. at least as smooth as the 2002 ZRX i owned before. my friend ownes a 2010 Z 1000. the only thing it has over my 04 is more roll on mid range power. in real world street riding radial brakes etc do not mean much .my 04 makes over 120 RWHP stock and the weight is the same as the 2010. rember the 04 holds almost 1 GAL more gas so the wet wight will be about 8 lbs more. i will trade 8 lbs with a full tank that gives me better range. style is a personal thing, i understand that. if more people think the 2010 is the best looking Z 1000 fine. i personally think the 03-06 is by far the cleanest ,best looking of all the Z 1000s. the new z is a great bike. my older z is also a great bike. i would not trade my 04 for a brand new one. no way. what i like about britt sport bike magazines is they tell it like it is. if a 2005 gsxr1000 is a better bike than the 2009 gsxr 1000 they will say so. here in the USA they always hype the newest bike.so the bottem line for me is except for roll on mid range power my 04 is a better looking bike than the 2010. all the other little trick specks mean nothing to me.
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notabiker said:
i did not buy a naked street fighter to hang with crotch rockets. they do a better job of that. i bought style and comfort. i could care less about fully adjustable suspension, perimeter frames etc. i do not like extra plastic that does nothing. magazines MUST always push new bikes. that claimed vibration on my 04 Z 1000 is bogus. maybe a 90 mph. for all the riding i do my 04 is a very smooth engine. at least as smooth as the 2002 ZRX i owned before. my friend ownes a 2010 Z 1000. the only thing it has over my 04 is more roll on mid range power. in real world street riding radial brakes etc do not mean much .my 04 makes over 120 RWHP stock and the weight is the same as the 2010. rember the 04 holds almost 1 GAL more gas so the wet wight will be about 8 lbs more. i will trade 8 lbs with a full tank that gives me better range. style is a personal thing, i understand that. if more people think the 2010 is the best looking Z 1000 fine. i personally think the 03-06 is by far the cleanest ,best looking of all the Z 1000s. the new z is a great bike. my older z is also a great bike. i would not trade my 04 for a brand new one. no way. what i like about britt sport bike magazines is they tell it like it is. if a 2005 gsxr1000 is a better bike than the 2009 gsxr 1000 they will say so. here in the USA they always hype the newest bike.so the bottem line for me is except for roll on mid range power my 04 is a better looking bike than the 2010. all the other little trick specks mean nothing to me.
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We are all entitled to opinions....and here is mine:

I had the 03 Z. Two of them, actually - the first got stolen. Loved those bikes. But when I saw the new one, I had to get rid of the old one so I could buy the 2010 model. Ive ridden them back to back (like, rode my 03 to the shop and traded it for the 2010) You say that the radial mounted brakes make no difference. You're wrong - I can get this new bike to stop using only a single finger. Not even with brand new pads and rotors did my 03 ever stop that fast. You say that you would take the 0.8 gallons for more range....I commute on mine, and I can tell you that I get pretty much the same mileage per tank on the 2010 that I got on the 03 - around 120-140mi/tank, depending on how fast I go. The 03 had rubber mounted footpegs, it vibrated so much - the 2010 has solid mounted knurled metal pegs with no rubber - they dont need it because they cured the vibration problem the first generation bikes had.

I agree about style - its a personal thing. But I think you are way off the mark with regards to radial mounted brakes and vibrations... Just my opinion...
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notabiker
i think i just do not use all the performance all these bike provide. for my riding the stock brakes are very good, no complaint. i am sure the 2010 stops better. the only vibration i get that is worth talking about is when i rev the engine at full throttle. most of my riding the engine is always under 6,000 rpm.
enjoy the fantastic 2010 ZED:)
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jrick56
met a deer in the road tonight,if i had of been on the rex might not be typing this. first real test of radial brakes. nearlly put it on front wheel, but missed the deer. i feel better brakes and mobility make this bike safer than my 03 rex. still, gotta love them rexes. rick :D
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jrick56 said:
met a deer in the road tonight,if i had of been on the rex might not be typing this. first real test of radial brakes. nearlly put it on front wheel, but missed the deer. i feel better brakes and mobility make this bike safer than my 03 rex. still, gotta love them rexes. rick :D
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Ever seen those videos of the deer jumping right over a harley? Looks like you were able to test out those brake pretty good last night. Glad to know they work perfectly. :)

p.s. Is your 2010 part of the recall over the brake lines getting damaged over hard braking. If yes did you get it fixed already?
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BeastIncarnate
Inline4_rider said:
p.s. Is your 2010 part of the recall over the brake lines getting damaged over hard braking. If yes did you get it fixed already?
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I think all the 2010s have the recall. New models are being sold with the recall kit already installed.
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AirWolf
My 2 cents worth

New Z1000 is way more fun and stylish (dare I say) than the "couch" bikes I have owned. Performance makes it a safer and more reliable bike for everyday use. It's manners in the rain are better than I'd expected, weighing less than the other bikes I've had. She does, however have a tendency to ask you do bad things ;). So a modest amount of restraint is needed. But she is a blast to ride and not hard on the eyes either.
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BeastIncarnate
AirWolf - what prompted the change? Drastic switch from the other bikes.
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AirWolf
BeastIncarnate said:
AirWolf - what prompted the change? Drastic switch from the other bikes.
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I guess...I finally grew up? Got tired of the noise, but more so got tired of the "attitude". I find, and I may be 100% off base, but standard and sport bike riders seem to be more technical riders. I enjoy the ride. I enjoy the learning experience each ride imparts a little more knowledge. And yes, there is a little "squid" in all of us...lol. Our inner squid if you will. I try to keep it in check, and I do 99.9% of the time buuutttt? Well you know! Now and again it rears its ugly head. But I digress. I just enjoy my Z so much I can't stand it!!! ;)
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AirWolf
PS.. I didn't mean to come off sounding like some nose in the air rider. haillllllllno. I just wanted a little more out of my riding is all. I will be doing some track days as I can see my way clear to do so. I used to race sports cars SCCA years ago. So this is bringing back the good ol' days as well.
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zephyrboy738
Iam 44 this year there is nothing more satisfing than riding my Z1000 down back roads or freeways. I love to feel the motor the sound of the pipe and just the feel of the bike. I agree, the bike does make you want to brake the law, like power wheeling over small risese or riping out of corners but for the most part she is a gentle giant. I feel the same way I did not buy my Z to out run sport bikes,but it is a blast to ride.I just wish more people would catch on in the us.
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AirWolf
zephyrboy738 said:
Iam 44 this year there is nothing more satisfing than riding my Z1000 down back roads or freeways. I love to feel the motor the sound of the pipe and just the feel of the bike. I agree, the bike does make you want to brake the law, like power wheeling over small risese or riping out of corners but for the most part she is a gentle giant. I feel the same way I did not buy my Z to out run sport bikes,but it is a blast to ride.I just wish more people would catch on in the us.
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44? a mear child...:D...I'll be 60 come January...and I still have a ton of stuff to do.
Granted there are those of us who give us a bad name. I believe "SQUID" comes to mind. But for all that we as a whole quite a law abiding bunch. I see guys acting up and I just think ..."Hey Bud...yer giving us all a bad name"...but hey you can't control what others do. I just do what I do and help who I can, and well thats all I can do. And you are right, I too wish others would catch on to us as well. It takes about half a day at work to get the grin off my face from the morning ride, and then I grinning waiting for the ride home!! Rain or shine I'm having more fun than some guy in his cage.
You my friend take care, and if you enjoy your Z half as much as I do, you could get arrested if you had any more fun!!:cool:
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jrick56
inlin4, recall was already done when i picked up my bike. they made me sign a paper stating i was told recall was done. my 3 complaints are can't read tach very well.(i'm 54 and the numbers are awfully small) stupid adjustment on rear shock, i miss my storage space under the seat.(zrx) they all disappear when i twist the throttle. once it's broken in tach won't matter either. this much fun must be against the law. rick:D:D:D:D
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jrick56
i don't know about him, but i went from an 03 zrx bought new in 03 to an 05 883 sportster in 07, to an 05 1200 sportster later in 07, to an 05 superglide in 08,to an 07 street bob in 09, to an 03 zrx in feb. 010, to 010 z1000 in aug. i'm sure i'm crazy. rick:D:D:D
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zephyrboy738
AirWolf said:
44? a mear child...:D...I'll be 60 come January...and I still have a ton of stuff to do.
Granted there are those of us who give us a bad name. I believe "SQUID" comes to mind. But for all that we as a whole quite a law abiding bunch. I see guys acting up and I just think ..."Hey Bud...yer giving us all a bad name"...but hey you can't control what others do. I just do what I do and help who I can, and well thats all I can do. And you are right, I too wish others would catch on to us as well. It takes about half a day at work to get the grin off my face from the morning ride, and then I grinning waiting for the ride home!! Rain or shine I'm having more fun than some guy in his cage.
You my friend take care, and if you enjoy your Z half as much as I do, you could get arrested if you had any more fun!!:cool:
Click to expand...
The FUN must never stop!
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notabiker
i am 63
1. 02 started to ride again. bought a starter out used honda 750 night hawk
2. 03 traded for a 1 year old ZRX [ loved it]
3. 05 thought i was over the hill for sport bikes. tried a 750 honda spirit [ flamed tank cute]
4. late 05 traded for a new 05 1200c sporty
5. 06 traded for a vengeance pro street [ vendetta] 113 S&S the works, kept it 8 months
6. traded for a victory 06 8 ball. still have it.
08 bought a mint 1984 suzuki GS 1150 ES cuzz i had to re live my youth. sold it 5 months ago and bought my mint 04 Z 1000. it was a long road to now. i am positive until i can no longer ride i will have my Z 1000. they are that good. i have never in my life enjoyed another motorcycle more than my ZED.
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AirWolf
63?... you go wit yer bad self!! Need a new Forum... The Geezer Gliders...lol...:eek: I was from the Vulcan to the Bagger. The HD's are really the wifes but I put most of the miles on them. Did the "Dragon" on the Wide Glide.. Now need to try in on the Z ;)

True ...the fun NEVER ends!
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notabiker
my victory 8 ball is comfy and a darn good bike. it is not fair cuzz the ZED gets all the attn now. i am like a kid again. dam it is fun to go threw the gears, listen to the music the inline four makes threw my MUZZY 4-1 exhaust. it is a time machine. if my 04 does not have it i do not want or need it. it might be 25 HP down on a newer crotch rocket but when i hit 7,000 RPM in the first 3 gears things get very fuzzy fast.
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