Kawasaki Z1000 Forum banner

Z1000 Standard ? or Sportbike?

8K views 23 replies 9 participants last post by  Bikeazoid 
#1 ·
Z1000 standard or sportbike? Lets hear your thoughts.

I had the chance to ride this bike in early 2010 and let me tell you... Its not a standard. It very well might be classified as one, but if you swap the bars its not to far away from a great sportbike!

The only thing that really makes this a standard are the front bars. So comfortable but yet it handles amazing!
 
#8 ·
Super Naked sounds good. I like it all the better due to the cheaper insurance!
 
#13 ·
Hey guys, sorry, haven't checked this forum lately. Spend more time on KawiForums. Will definitely spend more energy here- we need it. I have serious Z questions and all those dorks know about is 250 weedeaters and which helmet-mohawk looks best w/ their punk-*** zx600.
Yeah anyway, Mopar (Chrysler's MOtor-PARts division for Plymouth Dodge Chrysler Studebaker Packards) Made the Max Wedge engines from 62-64. They were high compression engines (11:1 or 13.5:1 !!!) in either 413 or 426 ci sizes. They were offered in small to intermediate sized cars like the early Darts and Polaras. You Chevy guys know about the COPO cars, right? Corporate Office something something.. I feel terrible- I'm a Chevy guy but can't remember it right now (I'm trashed and been arguing w/KF guys). Anyway, same sorta thing. Full-on race engines, 410/420 hp (413ci) or 415/425 (426ci)with 500+++ lb.ft. of torque. Valve springs so thick they couldn't use v.seals, so they burnt massive amounts of oil. Two Carter carbs at opposite corners of the engine. When you ordered this option for your "cheap/economy" car, for about $374.00, you also got a locking diff, aluminum hood and front fenders, and special (super cool and effective) hood scoop. At the time Nothing available from ford or GM could beat it at the strip. And it was cheaper than the closest competitor. In 64 they put Hemi heads on the same motor to make the RaceHemi, which I believe was only offered to Mopar-sponsored teams (NASCAR, drag, etc), which led to the SUPER-famous "de-tuned" Street-Hemi, found in late-60's to early 70's street cars like Roadrunners, Chargers, Challengers, GTX's, Barracudas/Cudas, etc..
Anyway, this was a super-powerful engine/option, that nobody knows about (anymore), and I've been using it as a user name for like 6 years on all kinds of forums. Oddball, powerful, misunderstood, unappreciated vehicle, like my Z1000.
 
#14 ·
Max, COPO stands for Central Office Production Order. My family has both GM and Mopars. I caught the name when I first saw you on here but didn't think much of it. What do you have for cars? My brother has a restored '69 Camaro pace car, BB 4spd, dad has the '67 Camaro pace car, BB 4spd that's still original even down to the redline tires. Got a couple other cars in pieces right now as well.
 
#16 ·
Super Standard, I like that also, standard seems like a cb750, or something with shaft drive, sport bike, it's not, or at least, not by todays standards (parton pun), street fighters (proper explanation) are sport bikes crashed where riders remove farrings, to save on replacement parts, and install bar risers. There for, factory manufactures cannot create a line of street fighters.
 
#20 ·
I think for any bike to be called a sportbike, it has to come with the requisite wrist and neck pain along with the optional lower back pain. :)

I had a Ninja ZX-6R (pain) and moved on to a 2006 Z1000 (no more pain), followed by a Ducati Monster S4RS (pain again), and finally to my current 2008 Z1000 (pain be gone).

This bike, particularly the 2010 Z1000, will arguably set the standard (pardon the pun) for the "Super Naked" category that's being coined these days, although Streetfighter (the style of bike and not the Ducati model) might still be the original moniker that should be used out of respect for how these bikes came to be.
 
#21 ·
why cant they just make a naked bike A NAKED BIKE. kawa just kept adding plastic every time they up graded the Z 1000. i would call a 03-06 zed a true naked bike .07-09 simi naked 2010 un naked. sit up yes naked no.
sorry if i step on some toes but i saw my first 08 in the flesh and every change they did from the 03-06 i think looks like do do.
 
#22 ·
I recently traded in a Ninja 250 on a new Z1000. When I called my insurance company to tell them about the new bike, I was expected to have to bend over and take it you know where.

I told them about the bike but didn't have the VIN. They asked if it was a "sport tourer" and I said sure. The initial quote for full coverage was $405/year (vs. $220/yr for the 250). Then we did a conference call with my salesman at the dealer to get the VIN. During the conference call, my salesman mentioned that the bike is a standard. The official rate then came in at $210 a year for a brand new Z1000. It is cheaper to insure than my Ninja 250 was!

My point: if your insurance company asks what it is, tell them it is a standard!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top