2015 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS

2015 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS

In Japanese, “Sugomi” means to inflict an intimidating, palpable presence, which is exactly the experience of the 2015 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS motorcycle. With its mass being centralized beneath the rider, it responds to every move with immediate precision and ease. A powerful 1043cc engine delivers invigorating power in all gears, and a sophisticated Showa Separate Function Big Piston Fork (SFF-BP) makes misbehaving easy on this amazing machine.

• Styling

A large capacity gas tank holds 4.5 gallons and sets the styling cues for the aggressive bodywork. The tank wraps around the top of the engine like a fist and sharply slopes to the front, flowing into the predatory glare of LED headlamps; the lower shrouds complete the menacing ensemble.

• Exhilarating Power Delivery

The Kawasaki Z1000 is the ultimate supernaked bike with a 1,043cc engine tuned to deliver exhilarating response at any rpm—from idle to full-throttle. Precision fuel injection and a cool-air system regulate air and fuel to ensure natural, linear delivery. All-in-all, the feel of the engine is fun at any rpm, with power delivered in a linear fashion—up to about 7,000 rpm, where the Z’s grin-inducing power can really be felt.

• Instrumentation

The extremely compact dual-element digital instrumentation keeps the front of the motorcycle out of view, clearing the rider’s field of vision. A dual element bar-graph tachometer shows engine speed on the LCD screen under 4,000 rpm, and then displays it on the LED analog tachometer over 4,000 rpm. LCD functions include ABS and ECO indicators, a unique digital speedometer, odometer, dual trip meter, clock, fuel consumption, and more.

• Front Suspension

The 41mm Showa Separate Function Big Piston Fork (SFF-BP) provides a superb balance of ride comfort and performance capabilities. With fork springs in both legs, the left tube handles preload adjustment and the right tube controls damping. The larger-diameter damping piston has significantly greater surface area than that of a conventional cartridge fork, thus making it possible to reduce damping pressure and allow smoother fork action.

• Braking

The brake system on the Z1000 contributes to the more-than-satisfying grip to the pavement. The Tokico monobloc front calipers, 310mm petal discs and a radial-pump master cylinder provide firm initial feel followed by progressive yet controlled brake performance. A single-piston caliper and 250mm petal disc in the rear provide a nice complement to the front system. With standard ABS, smooth, controlled stops can help provide confidence.

• Led Headlamps

The Z1000 features reflector-less LED headlamps with a slim, modern shroud. Inside are four long-life, low-energy bulbs—two for low beam and two for high beam. When you engage the high beam, all four bulbs illuminate. With no reflectors, the bulb area is dark when the light is off—adding to the Z1000 Sugomi™ presence.