Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

2003 Kawasaki Z1000 I've received mixed reviews about the quad-exhaust look on the new ZI 000. People either agree with me and think they are pretty cool and something fresh, or they want to yank them right off and put something different on there. For those who want to yank them off. Muzzys has come up with a couple of twin-pipe alternatives, which should add power and reduce the bike's weight. Choices include twin round aluminum, polished oval stainless, oval carbon fiber, and oval titanium. The oval canisters feature billet end caps, and all of the pipes feature polished stainless steel midpipes. Muzzys claims that the aluminum round slip-ons save 19 pounds, and the oval versions even more. Full systems are also available with the same canister styles, polished head pipes and even more power and less weight. Prices for the slip-on systems start at $524.95 and are available from your local dealer or at www.muzzys.com. Muzzys Performance Products 629 J0 Peerless Ct. Bend, OR 9770 J • 54 J/385-0706 bit). This is rather fun, if you ask me, but pay attention. Power from the Z is really quite respectable. It's still not in the realm of open-class sportbikes, but at almost 120 horsepower and just shy of 70 ft.-lb. of torque, there is plenty of fun in the go box. Not that we recommend that everyone run out and try to do their best impression of Gary Rothwell, but wheelies are cake on this bike - first. Second, it doesn't matter what gear, there's plenty of power for fun. One thing about the way the Z makes its power is that it has a nice linear horsepower curve (see the dyno graph) with a beer belly of a midrange. The torque curve isn't the prettiest that we've seen, but its gut is hanging over the belt as well. One thing that I was pretty sure wasn't going to be a problem was the handling. With the bike's light weight, wide bars and sporty riding position, I was confident that it would carve up the canyons with ease. The suspension is adjustable for both preload and rebound both front and rear, and I guess that is adequate for most riders; I just wish it were fUlly adjustable. The spring rates are a bit on the soft side in the twisty stuff but are perfect riding around town and commuting. As I've mentioned, the front is hypersensitive at times, but it makes the bike steer incredibly aggressively on a really tight road. Despite the less than Superbike-like suspension, the bike just plain handles; it's really hard to harp on it. I didn't really have any issues with ground clearance - never hitting the exhaust pipes and only nicking the footpeg feelers a few times. One area that I will complain about is the front brake setup. I had much higher expectations from the front stoppers than the performance they offer. The feel at the lever is mushy, and they don't offer a lot of feel. The lever travel is pretty long from the front brake, and the bite from them is 40 MAY 7. 2003' cue • e The bikini fairing offers just enough protection to get the air up to your neck when at speed. The dash Is really cool looking with plenty of Infonnation, but the LCD tach Is a IltUe hard to read in the daylight. more like a poodle than a pit bull. I don't know if it's the pad compound or the master cylinder ratio, but I doubt it's the Nissin four-pot calipers or the rotors, because they look like they would do the business. RolUng stoppies aren't the order of the day on the Z, which kind of takes away from the bike's hooligan image. They can, of course, be done - the problem The brakes' feel could be a little better, but they are adequate powerwise. is that there isn't a lot of feel from the front end, making it a tricky endeavor. All stunts aside, the average rider isn't looking for a three-ring circus, he's looking for a great all-around bike, and that is one thing that the Z1000 is. One thing to think about is that the bike's teeny bikini (fairing) only offers minimal coverage - wind protection, that is. But you already knew that from looking at it, didn't you? The quad-can exhausts are a relncamation of a classic look. Other than that, the riding position is really comfortable, with a nice, upright seating position and reasonably placed footpegs, but the seat could be a bit softer. Like the new ZX-6R and the ZX6RR, the transmission is a little bit stiff when trying to find neutral at stoplights, despite Kawasaki's positive neutral finder mechanism (which allows you to go from first to neutral without hitting second). especially going from second to neutral. Hopefully it will break in with some additional miles. One other thing, I never rea lIy got that great of fuel mileage from the Z. Maybe I was just twisting the throttle too much, but it floated in the high 20s most of the time with about a 120 mileish range. The Z1000 is available in two different colors, Pearl Blazing Orange or Pearl Black. The MSRP is $8499, and the standard 12-month warranty can be extended to either 24, 36 or 48 months for a little more dough. n _ vv s eN Specifications !Z!iJW!IJ@!IJrzD ~fJ@@@ LIST PRICE $8499 DISPLACEMENT 953cc ENGINE TYPE Uquid-cooled, DOHC, 16 valve. in-line four-cylinder BORE x STROKE 77.2 x 50.9mm COMPRESSION RATIO 11.2: 1 CARBUREIlON .........••••••••••••••••••..•....EFI w/38mm throttle bodies IGNmON Digital TRANSMISSION ..............•...•.....•••••..................Six-speed STARTING SYSTEM ........................••••..................Electric FUEL CAPACITY .4.8 gallons WHEELBASE ...........•••••••••• _.••••.•••••.•••••...•........ .55.9 in. RAKE/TRAlL .24°/4 in. SEAT HEIGHT ..........•••••••••••.•.•.••.•......••.••......... .32.3 in. FRONT TIRE 120/70-17 REAR TIRE ....................•.....••.•.•.••.•••.•••••••.... 190/50-17 FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL ....•......•.••..•.••..••...................4.7 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL ....••••...•.•.•••..••••••.•..•..............5.4 in. FRONT BRAKE .............•...........................Dual 300mm discs REAR BRAKE ..........••••••.....................................Disc FINAL DRIVE Chain CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT .437 Ibs. ACTUAL WET WEIGHT 486 Ibs.

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