VOLUME 57 ISSUE 20 MAY 19, 2020 P53
was in the Z1000. Throttle response was greatly improved,
making for a smoother transition from fully closed on those
little increments where it mattered, like inner-city streets or
roundabouts. That throttle response now has a new layer to
it with two throttle modes, which gives you all the gas in Full
and a scant 55 percent of the available power in Low. The
Low power is too low for a bike weighing
a claimed 467 pounds curb, but it's a nice
thing to have at your disposal, especially
if you're a new rider getting used to the
power of a near 1000cc inline-four.
When it's broken down, the Kawi's is an
old-school motor—smooth four-cylinder
power mated to a rad intake noise, and a
decent kick once you cross the 6000-rpm
threshold. Switch the TC off and give the
bars a yank in the first two (sometimes
three) gears, and the front wheel will rip
