Kawasaki Z1000 Special Edition

An instant design classic, the Z1000 has the brute force to underpin its beauty. Avant garde styling joins Supersport handling, braking and performance in one breathtaking package.

Other Super Naked models are often no more than supersport models with the fairings removed, so the scope of the design is limited. The 2013 Z1000 Special Edition takes the Super Naked concept in a different direction boasting stunning visual impact with a healthy dose of power thanks to the proven engine.

Superior Power, Mesmerizing Aesthetic

The Z1000 Special Edition attracts riders with its muscular good looks and then seduces them with its incredible power and charismatic feel. Serious torque, comfortable ergonomics, and a mesmerizing aesthetic make for an unforgettable experience — one that makes it easy to see why Cycle World magazine named it the “Best Standard” motorcycle for two consecutive years.

The satisfaction begins even before you climb aboard. Its distinctive look begins with a front cowl that slopes back radically, highlighting the Z’s aggression. The line-beam headlights are integrated nicely into that angled cowl. Then its shapely fuel tank is flared on the sides for serious knee grip and is slimmer in back for a snug fit. The seat is low and narrow at the front to make ground contact easy, and flows beautifully rearward to end in a futuristically retro LED tail light behind a red lens. The muscular aesthetic will definitely turn heads wherever the Z1000 Special Edition takes you.

Kawasaki engineers paid special attention to this bike’s heart, for maximum impact: dual overhead cams, sixteen valves, 1,043cc, liquid cooling, a high compression ratio, a long 56mm stroke for instantaneous thrust, Six speeds, and Digital Fuel Injection (DFI®)... It’s all there. The result? This inline-four packs impressive horsepower combined with the sort of flexible, mid-range-heavy power delivery that pastes a silly grin on the face of anyone lucky enough to be aboard. From nearly any rpm, rolling the Z1000 Special Edition’s throttle provides the kind of instant gratification most sportbikes just can’t quite muster, all with a silky smooth, highly intoxicating response.

An aluminum frame, similar in concept to the Ninja® ZX™-10R’s, cradles the engine from above. The design allows a narrow mid-section, which fosters a high degree of rider comfort and feedback in addition to keeping weight low and chassis rigidity high. The engine bolts solidly to the frame in three places, stressed-member-style, and there’s also a rubber mount at the upper rear crankcase area for added vibration damping and torsional rigidity. The main frame and swingarm pivot elements are cast as a single unit, with welds eliminated wherever possible for a more aesthetically pleasing look. And the subframe is a lightweight aluminum die-casting, which is light, smooth and beautiful.

Suspension at both ends is thoroughly modern and wickedly functional: a beefy, fully adjustable 41mm inverted fork up front and a spring preload and rebound damping adjustable Uni-Trak® shock in back that’s mounted nearly horizontally above the swingarm to shield it from exhaust heat and foster an added degree of mass centralization. Wheel control is simply superb, and the substantial feedback sent to the rider makes it easy to know exactly what’s going on at the bike’s contact patches.

There’s more, of course. Check out the Z’s five-spoke wheels, with spokes machined near the rims for a custom look. We carried forward the quad-pipe theme from the last Z1000 Special Edition (and the first Z-1), but an under-engine pre-chamber lets engineers use shorter mufflers for great looks and better mass centralization. A solid-mount handlebar and aluminum footpegs lifted from the Ninja® ZX-10R contribute to the Z1000 Special Edition’s quality, top-shelf feel. Brakes? Totally modern: Radially mounted calipers, Ninja-spec 300mm petal-type rotors and a radial-pump master cylinder all provide the latest in braking feel and feedback.
Conventional wisdom says many of today’s motorcycles lack soul, or are all too much alike. The Z1000 Special Edition proves otherwise – and happily.

Other Super Naked models are often no more than supersport models with the fairings removed, so the scope of the design is limited. The 2013 Z1000 Special Edition ABS takes the Super Naked concept in a different direction boasting stunning visual impact with a healthy dose of power thanks to the proven engine.

Features

• 1,043cc inline-four with DFI® produces massive power with an intoxicating howl
• Lightweight aluminum frame specifically designed for the Z1000 Special Edition
• Fully adjustable inverted front fork with settings designed for sporty performance
• Horizontal rear monoshock features stepless rebound damping and spring preload adjustability
• Radial-mounted four-piston front brake calipers and radial-pump front brake master cylinder combine with 300mm discs to provide superior stopping power
• Digital instrument panel tilts to accommodate different viewing angles
• Aggressive styling makes a bold fashion statement