Kawasaki Z1000SX 2014 model year

[Dav3y]

Went for a test ride today on the Z1000SX as it's top of my next bike list. If I do buy one I'll update this thread at some point in the future.

Cons.

Mirrors are a touch too small.

Seat could do with being lower or adjustable

Can't fit a top box with factory fit panniers

Lack of availability this time of year. They just didn't make enough of them.

Not a great choice of colours apart from the Candy Lime Green.

No centre stand.

Pros.

Great engine with plenty of torque and nice exhaust note with stock pipes.

Nice positive gear changes.

Amazing brakes

Electronic Traction control and power modes.

Good instrumentation despite the lack of gear indicator. Like the instant and average MPG readout.

Having been riding and XJ6 for a year and getting on this bike, it felt really quite similar and a very comfortable ride within minutes of getting on it. I can only imagine how good it would feel after some time with one. Yes it's a touch taller and maybe not ideal for a total shortarse but it was a great bike to ride.

Will now await new stocks probably in November as I just couldnt buy the one and only Black 2014 one they had left.

[Throttled]

I test road one a while back. I was most impressed with creamy smooth power delivery, performance and how the screen protected me from wind blast. My local dealer has one to do them till next year. Madness.

[Dav3y]

Got a call from the dealers this afternoon, 2015 model incoming in Red no less

[Dav3y]

O.k. , update time.

Collected my 2015 model in Red. Spec is the same as 2014 model except different colour schemes.

Candy Fire Red looks great. Not quite as loud as the Green one. Now covered 600 miles.

Back to my original points.

Mirrors although a little on the small side are perfectly adequate with proper adjustment.

Although the seat height is quite high for a shortarse like me, taking the preload right off the back suspension has improved things quite nicely. I have purchased a lowering kit to replace the brackets on the shock which will provide a 30mm drop on the seat once the first service is out of the way next weekend.

Have purchased and fitted 4100FZ Givi arms and carrier. It's possible to add panniers to this setup as well with the V35 cases if I wish to at a later date. Currently quite happy with my M5M Monolock carrier and top box that some would say has ruined the look of the bike These arms will also take Monokey plate/carrier if required. Can also get just the pannier quick release racks and fitting kit as an alternative to the slightly smaller Kawasaki panniers but the Kawasaki setup wont allow a top box as well as the factory panniers.

Centre stand would have been nice but for maintenance purposes you can fit bobbins into the rear arm and get a cheap paddock stand or get an ABBA stand or Skylift. Side stand only is fine for everyday use. Will report on this once the rear end is lowered as some say side stand needs shortening.

What's it like to ride ?

Amazing now the first 500 miles are out of the way. Looking forward to the 1000 mile mark now to open up the 6000+ rpm range.

Was thinking about replacing the standard exhaust but now I've got her the exhaust note is quite pleasant so will probably stick with standard system for now.

Only disappointment is the bloody Bridgestone tyres I've got again. Why oh why don't they come with Michelins ?

[Throttled]

Any photos? How have you found the screen?

[Dav3y]

I'll get some photos at my next rideout photo oportunity.

Had the screen fully erected on my first 500 miles. I've yet to be blessed with a downpour to see really how well things are working. Last 100 miles miles i tried screen in middle position and it seemed equally good at deflecting wind.

Footpeg positioning is quite nice too as they are set back slightly from what i'm used to and it means i can get my feet down without the pegs being in the way.

[Dav3y]

Running in completed a week ago and been having a bit more fun with her.

OMG, vibrations start at around 6500-7000rpm (just outside the running in rpm). Apparently it's a trait of the engine but it does kinda of feel like your nuts getting tickled.

Despite the vibrations though, am liking the performance.

30mm lowering kit fitted as well, we will see how that pans out over the next few hundred miles.

Rear mudguard is shit, definitely going to sort a hugger out so the rear suspension and underside of the bike doesn't get so dirty.

[littlecat]

did you drop the front through to match the rear lowering ?

just wondering as I will be fitting a 45mm kit to my z750, and will need the forks through, but not sure how much clearance there is with the set up of the bars

[Dav3y]

Didn't touch the forks to be honest. Rear lowering seems to have made enough of a difference for me. There is room to raise the forks if it proves necessary but not by much, I don't know how different the 750 is from mine.

One thing you might need to do though if the 750 is anything like my bike is shorten the side stand. With the 30mm drop, parking the bike up on sloping ground feels a little perilous. It's pretty upright on level ground. I would imagine lowering the rear by that much and possibly the front as well it might well become a necessity.

[Rebel Rach]

By not dropping the forks through you will have changed the geometry of the bike, therefore changing the handling. I have dropped the rear on the speed triple by 25mm and the front by about 10mm which a tad less than the suspension expert wanted to go. Sounds crazy but even dropping them by 10mm makes a huge difference to the handling, before dropping the front it was like riding with pillion.

[Dav3y]

Well, as I've got no intention of using it on a track I don't think the 1 or 2 degrees difference to the steering rake angle will be of any concern for road use. In fact, lowering the back without lowering the front should increase the cornering ability due to the increased steering angle if I understand correctly.

It's very early days as I've only had one trip to work and back since doing the suspension and have been rained off since, so I'm going to give it a good few miles and rideouts before I decide how I like it. I might yet end up refitting the original plates if I decide I don't like the feel but the main reason for the lowering in the first place was reducing the chances of dropping the bike should I pull up on uneven ground and give me a better footing. It's also a little easier to get my leg over when getting on and off without some sort of movement of the hips I'd think is more normal for a dancer or gymnast. Getting it on and off the Abba skylift is nigh on impossible now without a piece of wood or something similar under the rear wheel to get the stand engaged with the swingarm

Have yet to play with any of the suspension settings other than rear preload. I'm definately going to firm the front up a bit but really want to get a feel for things now I've finished running her in before I start making many more changes. I do like things on the soft side for general poodling about though and after all, I did get this bike to be a more comfortable tourer than my previous bike.

[Dav3y]

Finally a picture.

Have had both tyres replaced as the front picked up a screw and I've been riding it around for months with a plug in. The rear as well as having squared off due to the high amount of dual carriageway riding also picked up a 4 inch long nail.

The front tyre is on the right way around before anyone mentions it. Bit weird as tread patterns normally oppose each other but hey ho.

[album]1371[/album]

[XmisterIS]

Finally a picture.

Have had both tyres replaced as the front picked up a screw and I've been riding it around for months with a plug in. The rear as well as having squared off due to the high amount of dual carriageway riding also picked up a 4 inch long nail.

The front tyre is on the right way around before anyone mentions it. Bit weird as tread patterns normally oppose each other but hey ho.

[album]1371[/album]

 

Very nice! I'm thinking of getting a Z. Incidentally, can you fit the OEM panniers and a top box, like you've got? Or if not, how big is your top box compared to the OEM panniers? I read that the '14 model panniers are slimmer than on the old model, so are easier to filter with.

[techno]

I was lookng at these the other day but its too similar to the fz by the looks of things in the comfort department, the no centerstand is odd and so is the whole factory luggage fitment. However I did prefer the colour choice you went with it does lok good in the red.

What tyres were on it when new?

[Dav3y]

Sorry for the delay, not been around much lately due to personal circumstances.

Very nice! I'm thinking of getting a Z. Incidentally, can you fit the OEM panniers and a top box, like you've got? Or if not, how big is your top box compared to the OEM panniers? I read that the '14 model panniers are slimmer than on the old model, so are easier to filter with.

 

The official line is no to Top box and OEM panniers.

Can be done though with older type panniers if you use the Givi quick release pannier frames and top box combination. I just purchased the Givi arms and M5M plate for the 46L top box I had from my XJ6. In fact the top box still has the Yamaha badge on the back !

The new OEM panniers have been redesigned and mount on the pillion foot peg hangars and grab rails. They don't fit the Givi frames used on the older model or in fact the better Givi quick release frame either. V35 Panniers can be used with top box I have. See link here

 

I was looking at these the other day but its too similar to the fz by the looks of things in the comfort department, the no centerstand is odd and so is the whole factory luggage fitment. However I did prefer the colour choice you went with it does look good in the red.

What tyres were on it when new?

 

I was considering the FZ1 before I went for this bike. No centre stand is a PITA at times but I bought a Skylift to work on it which has proved useful for working on my newly acquired CBF600 as well as someone took the centre stand off that.

Stock tyres were Bridgestone S20R's. They were o.k. but I'm not a great fan of Bridgestone tyres as they seem very good at squaring off. Have these fitted now. MAXXIS