Kawasaki Z1000SX gets serious update for 2017

By Marc Potter

marcpotter Tested every new bike since 1994, loves anything on two wheels, runs Potski Media, ex-BikeSocial boss. Recently discovered elbow-down riding - likely to end in tears.

Posted 04/10/2016 14:17 UK

Kawasaki’s Z1000SX is already one of the class leaders when it comes to speed, comfort and touring, but for 2017 it’s about to get even better.

With a big focus of rider comfort, the new, updated 2017 Kawasaki Z1000SX features a new wider fairing for improved wind protection, a double bubble adjustable screen plus new LED headlamps designed to be 1.4-times brighter than the current bike.

Rider and passenger seats are more deeply padded for improved comfort too, meaning it’s way more comfortable to stay in the seat over the bike’s range from its 19-litre tank. New clocks feature adjustable shift lights and a gear position indicator.

Answering fans of touring, the bike now gets a clean-looking integrated pannier mount system as standard too, panniers are optional extras. The bike weighs in at 235kg, some 4kg heavier than the claimed weight of the outgoing ABS model.

To suit new Euro4 emissions controls, the motor has been tweaked with a new ECU and settings to give smoother power deliver and cleaner emissions. Yet, Kawasaki claim this remap of the 140bhp inline four-cylinder motor has been designed to give the rider a smoother throttle response, while still keeping the Z1000SX’s howling top-end and high-rpm performance. Kawasaki say the bike now spins up much faster from 7000rpm too.

But perhaps the biggest change to the Z1000SX is the new electronics package which offer sports bike levels of sophistication from its new Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).

The new system features a system which Kawasaki are calling KCMF, or Kawasaki Cornering Management Function. It means that cornering ABS is now available, as well as three modes of traction-control, wheelie control which takes into account the weight of a passenger and rider, along with power modes letting the rider choose between low power (70%), or full power.

The bike’s aluminium twin-tube frame remains the same, but also gets a new revised shock setting to improve the ride over bumps. It makes the seat height lower by 5mm too, down from 820mm to 815mm.

No prices are yet available but the 2017 Z1000SX will be available in green and grey, black and grey, or burnt orange and grey.

Kawasaki Z1000SX gets serious update for 2017

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