Bike Test: Kawasaki Z1000SX (2017)
New sports tourer from Kawasaki has SX appeal
THE Kawasaki Z1000SX has been around since 2011 and it’s always been a bit of a brute.
Fast and powerful, you and your panniers hang on for the ride.
Lots of people like that aggressive, edgy side in a motorbike – this journalist included.
It received an update a couple of years ago but, for 2017, we will get the best version of the SX yet.
Kawasaki has worked hard to increase both the sporting and touring appeal of the bike in equal measure. The screen gets a three-position adjuster and the fairing panels are sculpted to do a better job of keeping the wind and rain off you and your pillion. You will both be more comfortable for longer thanks to the upgrades in material and the profiles of each seat.
The electronic assistance is anything but simple. Traction control, anti-wheelie, cornering ABS, slide control and a selection of power modes and settings, all there to not only keep you safe but also to enhance the riding experience.
We flew down to the South of France to test the bike – a place usually awash with sunshine at this time of year.
What we got was . . . wet. Not just a spot of rain but biblical rain, all day. However, the Z1000SX put in a fantastic performance, one that highlighted just how good those new electronics are.
There is no easier way of testing traction than coming off wet unknown corners with a fist full of twisted throttle.
The system is barely noticeable when it activates. A few lights flash on the easy-to-read clocks and you feel a slight pull from the back. The bike is still happy to accelerate though, allowing you to make real progress. In the dry the next day, the Z1000SX shone again. Motorway cruising was effortless, as was fast cornering on beautiful coast roads.
Kawasaki claims to have invented the 1000cc sports touring class with the original Z1000SX.
With the competition closing in, it can be confident that this new version is up to the job of keeping that top spot in the sector.
Expect to pay around £10,600 for the touring version of this bike, which will be on the stand at Motorcycle Live next month.
To see this bike being ridden, head to bikeworld.co.uk or search “Bike World” on YouTube.