Ninja 1000 Test Ride

Got to test ride a brand new 0 mile Ninja 1000 this morning.

In short- FZ1 is 3x better in terms of power and ergonomics.

Likes:
  1. Looks really good - better than FZ1
  2. Great wind protection - ya don't feel a thing at 95mph. Took it to 95 mph a few times - didn't feel the speed at all . Or the speedometer was erratic. I am starting to appreciate full fairings more. Maybe I should have kept mine.
  3. Good motor and good acceleration, smooth FI in stock form
  4. Front suspension is good, but the rear shock is ok. They did skimp on the damping adjustments. The left fork doesn't have compression adjuster at the bottom.
  5. Super slick gearbox. Kawasaki probably makes the smoothest transmissions.

Dislikes:
  1. My fully modded FZ1 feels much much more powerful and smoother than this stock ninja. My FZ1 is an angry beast compared to the Ninja which seems a tame cow. Once modded the Ninja will definitely open up but I suspect if it will be really better than the FZ1.
  2. Weird handlebar angle - more forward. Those bars need to be a bit outward. The inward angle put a lot of pressure on the outward area of my wrists
  3. Illegible gauges
  4. Real narrow bike which I don't like. It is difficult to get a solid grip with your legs and I imagine difficult to maneuver in tight twisties. I can't magine how brutal it would be to hold on to a naked Z1000.
  5. Most irritating were ball-numbing vibrations at 5500 -7000 rpms which is not at all good for touring
  6. No coolant and air intake temperature readouts which is lame IMO. Atleast I couldn't find them. Maybe I should have looked more carefully.
  7. No dual running lights - hate that.

Trading the FZ1 for one will be a foolish move IMHO. It is only slightly better than a stock FZ1. In short, a good choice if you don't modify your bikes. But the negatives make FZ1 the winner for me.

Yamaha made a great bike and they did that 6 years back.
 
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In short- FZ1 is 3x better in terms of power and ergonomics.

That's great info!

I would also be interested to see a comparison to a completely stock FZ1 as yours is quite obviously a far cry from a factory bike, especially in in terms of 'power and ergonomics'.

Thanks for sharing!
 
Very nice review. Thank you very much for that. Your review dovetails with my assessment of the article that compared the Z1000 to the FZ1, which is that the new Z1000 really brought very little to the table over the 6 year old design of the FZ1.

Those vibrations sound like a deal breaker. To all you pros and shade tree mechanics out there: Is that something that can be "fixed" with a power commander?
 
Good review although we are all biased here so we will agree that the FZ1 is a better bike lol
I'm not a Kwakka fan personally, they have lousy resale and I hate that bloody green.
 
I have a Kawasaki C14 I'm very happy with and as the OP stated its gear box is indeed slick and the smoothest I have ever tried.
 
No dual running lights

Keep in mind a few years back they stopped using dual lights on most Bikes because at night cars comming from side streets or making lefts would think a Bike was a car way down the road. The Dual lights give a wrong perseption at night.
 
Ivan's comparisons prove that the modded Ninja is better but I am not ready to plunk down 6-7k for the difference since I will need to fully mod the Ninja too. I got all my FZ1 mods used for ultra cheap. Ninja is still new and I will need to buy the mods new.

Stock Z1000 vs Fully modded FZ1 w/ slipon

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Fully Modded Z1000 w/ Full exhaust vs Fully modded FZ1 w/ slipon

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Remember that with a full system FZ1 pickup substantially. Moreover that dip in the last chart is just because Ivan's e-map was not finished yet. It will be gone after that.
 
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Good review although we are all biased here so we will agree that the FZ1 is a better bike lol
I'm not a Kwakka fan personally, they have lousy resale and I hate that bloody green.

Trust me, I am the least biased member on this forum. I love all makes and bikes. I will be adding one SS this year - trying to decide between the Ninja 636, Daytona 675, GSXR 750
 
Incomparables!!!

Guys current fz1 is a 2006 progect and in 5 years has no modifications!!(dont talk about fuel map because is a joke not an up grade!). Kawa play first and made new zx10r(the only kawa that calls Ninja with the middle zx6r an the orrible mini 250..z1000 is not a Ninja!) to fight bmw s1000rr and z1000 naked,first and now this version that is a very nice stuff but remember that fz1 have a perimetral duble arms aluminium chassis from 2006,z1000 only now!
Yamaha had a terrible 2009 whit a 98% -!!!and you know how much prudence japaneses are..so I tell you: wait the new irregular strokes engine fz1 than we can talk about who is better than who!!
And I don't think that z1000 will win...
 
Guys current fz1 is a 2006 progect and in 5 years has no modifications!!(dont talk about fuel map because is a joke not an up grade!). Kawa play first and made new zx10r(the only kawa that calls Ninja with the middle zx6r an the orrible mini 250..z1000 is not a Ninja!) to fight bmw s1000rr and z1000 naked,first and now this version that is a very nice stuff but remember that fz1 have a perimetral duble arms aluminium chassis from 2006,z1000 only now!
Yamaha had a terrible 2009 whit a 98% -!!!and you know how much prudence japaneses are..so I tell you: wait the new irregular strokes engine fz1 than we can talk about who is better than who!!
And I don't think that z1000 will win...

True, the new Kawasaki is being compared to a 2006 model bike which is still pretty awesome and has some excellent technology.
The cross fire crank FZ1, if and when it comes out, will be something else that's for sure.
 
Last Summer I got to briefly ride a Z1000 (ride was cut short by rain). I liked the handling and fueling just fine. It was geared just like the FZ1 with a 16T sprocket so it was plenty responsive. Can't really comment on the vibrations since my ride was so short, but I thought it was a decent bike. However, I was glad to get back on my FZ1 :D
 
It's always a pleasure came back on Fz1 after an "other" bike test ;-)
I don't like the old z1000 line and the last naked version with covered forks is more matzinger addected...but z1000sx is very very nice with a great look and a lot of personality!! Kawa start first so the war is started and a great idea was use the SHOWA BIG PISTON FORK unity as a stock one..at the moment the best stock fork on the market(ohlins unity on s r sp ducati models o rsv4 factory for me are no standard equipment like 2006 r1 sp version..do you remember yamaha?!!!?)..
yamaha on R1 2009 and before on 2006 fz1,re-entroduced the asimetric idraulic regolations that like the showa unity,make light heavy a single fork,so the kayaba idea cames first..whe just need a most racing configuration..
 
Problem/s with 2009 FZ1?

Guys current fz1 is a 2006 progect and in 5 years has no modifications!!(dont talk about fuel map because is a joke not an up grade!). Kawa play first and made new zx10r(the only kawa that calls Ninja with the middle zx6r an the orrible mini 250..z1000 is not a Ninja!) to fight bmw s1000rr and z1000 naked,first and now this version that is a very nice stuff but remember that fz1 have a perimetral duble arms aluminium chassis from 2006,z1000 only now!
Yamaha had a terrible 2009 whit a 98% -!!!and you know how much prudence japaneses are..so I tell you: wait the new irregular strokes engine fz1 than we can talk about who is better than who!!
And I don't think that z1000 will win...

Is there something wrong with the 2009 FZ1? I'm no which are great bikesst sure what he means in his quote "Yamaha had a terrible 2009 whit a 98% -!!!" Aren't the 2009's pretty much the same as the 2006's (which are great bikes as far as i know)? If anyone could comment on this, that would be great.
 
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C'mon a stock Z1000 eats a stock FZ1 for breakfast, i think the Z1 looks like a tarts handbag but the motor is simply awesome. I think some of you are biased an have forgot how terrible the FZ1 is stock, the suspension is terrible, non-radial mounted brakes and no low-mid range grunt & the thing loves gas.
 
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