The latest iteration of the big Kawasaki Versys tourer has arrived.
2019 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 launched in India
India Kawasaki Motors have launched the Euro 4-compliant, 2019 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 in the subcontinent, simultaneous to the bike’s release in international markets. [Read more…]
Suzuki GSX-R1000R – First Ride Review
Although a long time coming, both the GSXR1000 and its R version from Suzuki highly impressed us when we rode them for the first time at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore
New Kawasaki Ninja 1000 launched at Rs 9.98 lakh
The litre-class Kawasaki Ninja 1000 has arrived on Indian shores and carries a sticker of Rs 9.98 lakh (ex-showroom). [Read more…]
Kawasaki Versys 650 First Ride Review: All for Versatility
Different bikes, different brushes
Being relatively new to the idea of different bikes for different purposes, we Indians often tend to look for the same things in different motorcycles. Here’s a closer look
Motorcycling Gemini
Can a motorcycle maker straddle the two worlds of excitement and easy commuting? Perhaps they can. And no one proves this better than Honda
Kawasaki launch new Versys 1000 in India
We couldn’t peel our eyes of the 2015 Versys the first time we saw it at the INTERMOT last year. And now, in a move to expand their product range, Kawasaki has launched the Versys 1000 ABS right here in India. We couldn’t be happier about it! [Read more…]
Suzuki launch new special edition bikes
After Suzuki unveiled bits and parts of their 2015 line-up at the INTERMOT, and EICMA, the UK’s Motorcycle Live show is now the latest venue for an unveil, albeit of special additions rather than completely new bikes. [Read more…]
Kawasaki Ninja 1000 : More Responsive, Better Equipped
We savour the revamped Kawasaki Z1000SX (Ninja 1000 in India) in the Alpine foothills of southern Austria.
Like many successful formats, the Z1000SX’s seems obvious with hindsight. Of course, not all the riders abandoning sports bikes would defect to adventure bikes. Plenty were bound to prefer a sharp looking, sporty, 240 km/h fully-faired four with a more upright riding position, some all-round ability and a sensible price.
A bike, in other words, like the SX — although even Kawasaki didn’t expect the relatively simple Z1000-With-A-Fairing to be one of their top-selling models in many markets for the last three years (their absolute best-seller in the UK), as well as one of the most popular sports-tourers of any make.
That’s what has happened, though, and even before that third year is out they’ve revamped the SX to make it sharper, more responsive and better equipped. This makes plenty of sense as I throw the updated green bike down a spectacularly twisty road in the Alpine foothills of southern Austria.
Its 142-PS motor is hurling the bike forward at an entertainingly rapid rate with a fruity howl from the re-tuned airbox. The screen is keeping the wind and most of the fat late-summer bugs off my chest. The tweaked and firmed-up suspension is giving a reasonably comfortable yet impressively taut and well-controlled ride — even under severe provocation from the powerful new Tokico monobloc front callipers. And the sleek new panniers are keeping my waterproofs and other junk neatly out of mind.
In short, the revamped Z1000SX is proving a blast to ride. And equally importantly, it’s giving every indication of being well up to the job if I had to strap on a bit more luggage and ride it 1,000 kilometres home rather than back to the relatively nearby launch hotel.
That’s hardly surprising because the original SX was a good place to start and this update is fairly thorough. The 1,043cc, 16-valve engine gets new cams with shorter duration and revised air intake trumpets of the same length. (Different length intakes are so last year…) Kawasaki claim an extra 4 PS, with that 142 PS maximum arriving at 10,000 RPM and say the motor has more low-rev and mid-range performance.
