Any other Z1000 riders out there? I just bought this bike (2700 miles on it) There must be a Z1000 forum out there on the interweb somewhere. Perhaps someone could point me in the right direction. Cheers. Greg
kawiforums.com might have a z1000 section put a zx636r front end on it(near bolt-on), top clam kit with some 1 1/8" bars and a better shock on the rear congrats on getting a fun hooligan bike.....nice to know some people on here still get fun bikes as it seems like many are buying the most economical/sensible bikes that are the equivalent of driving a toyota corolla or minivan . I'm thinking about getting one in the future....one of the best bang for the buck used bikes there is. Also looking at the sv1000's because I'm over the 600SS and not ready for an old man bike Hopefully when I get one it will be in as great shape and as nicely farkled as your bike :eek1
Greetings, My wife picked up a used 2003 a couple of years ago after having a cruiser. She loves it....calls it dragonfly. It's the black one w/ red wheels and seat. She is slowly learning to have fun with the power of the bike. She's toured on it using a Puig windscreen and Cortech sport tail/saddle bags as well. I've ridden it a couple of times and like it.... a lot. I do really stupid things on that bike....:huh
Nice bike - seen a bunch of goodies for them as well. Carbonfiber bits is the direction I would go. What ya plans for it??????? Do tell! How hard is it to keep the front end down when launching? Shane - should make you feel good to know I have 2 retard bikes! Too many gutless v-twins around my hood.
http://www.Riderforums.com has a Z1000 specific section where I got a lot of good info after I bought mine. It's a great bike stock, and when modified really rips. Feels like a 4 cylinder heavy supermoto. I have one, but have been bitten by the Adventure bug and don't ride it anymore. Need a spare?
I bought mine new in 05. It was an 04 still on the show room. This is a pic of it at Houston drag strip. Streched arm and slammed. It looked great. ran great also.
Do the Z1000's have more of a standard seating/leaning position, or are they more sport bike seating position. The look is growing on me and I've seen a couple recently in the area for a decent price, but if it's a sport bike seating position it just won't work for me.
I have straddled several of them. They have a slight forward lean to them that could be corrected with risers. Excepting the mufflers I love the way they look. Just not practical for me as hard luggage is not available.
Have you discovered the Beartooth Kawasaki forums yet? I hang out in the Vintage forum for the most part, but there's probably a bunch of Z1000's in the Sportbikes/Streetbikes forum. http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/index.php
I enjoyed my Z1000 trememdously. Took it on many long trips and it always ran like a top. I'm a little over 6' and found the seating position fairly upright - not too leaned over. I would have liked a little more leg room on long rides but you can't have it all! Contrats on the new bike - I'm sure you are having a blast!
Yeah, it's been a little over a year now since I bought my Z and what a great summer I had. No regrets at all - I love this bike. The only mods I've done is to purchase a set of brand new OEM mufflers off eBay for $75 to use on longer trips - the Yoshi pipes sound great, but can be a bit much for more than a day ride. I'll keep both exhaust systems and change up to the OEM ones for my Cape Breton run next summer. Oh yeah, I also made a homemade rack for it. I am going to get some sort of a trunk (like a Givi) and maybe even some side pannier bags for it this winter.
I still drool over Z1000s... I even like the stock exhaust! I guess I'll put that on my list again for Santa this year
My son Nick had a Z1000, sold it about 2 years ago when he caught "Duc Fever". He regrets selling the bike. We bought it used and had it down to the Z1000 or a Speed Triple and he wen Kawi because he couldn't handle the looks of the headlights on the Speedy (kids!). I rode the bike quite a bit and I really liked it. The engine pulled like a four cylinder superbike - much more like my old R1 than like other bikes I have owned, but it did have more of a "torquey" feel than the R1 had - it seemed to deliver some good power in the low powerband for a 4-cylinder bike. The seating position was interesting - I found it to be pretty darn upfright and forward. I felt more like I was sitting "in front" of the bike than "down in" the bike - sort of the opposite of my old R1150R whch made me feel like I was sitting down in the guts of the bike. We (Nick and I) loved the black paint job (certainly more than the green - but I know a lot of "Kawi guys" like the green) and while we had toyed at first with going to an aftermarket exhaust, the stock exhaust grew on us and we were glad we kept it - very unique look, here are a few pics of that great old bike - I think it was an 03. We sold it to a guy in Baltimore so if anyone is up there you may see it running around:
