2014–2016 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Low-End Pull With Top-End Howl
The ZXT00L takes a 1043 cc inline-four making 142 hp at 10,000 rpm and 82 lb-ft at 7,300, then wraps it in bodywork built for distance. That combination decides the whole bike. Three-stage traction control and two power modes come as standard, ABS is an option, the upside-down fork and the shock both adjust, and a 5.0 gal tank sits behind a fairing that does real work. At 507 lb wet it is no featherweight, but the aluminum chassis and 17 inch wheels keep it honest. This is sport touring read from the sport end.
On the road it ages the way these Kawasaki fours tend to: it keeps working. Reliability was never in question over my miles, and 41 mpg from that tank puts a little over 200 miles between fuel stops. The 32.3 in seat and upright bars suit a rider who wants one machine for weekday commuting and a 300 mile Sunday. There is no cruise control and no heated grips here, so cold mornings and long interstate hauls ask more of you. I would also note one isolated front caliper bolt that stripped its threads at a dealer tire change, repaired under warranty.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 142 hp (104 kW) @ 10,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 82 lb-ft (111 Nm) @ 7,300 rpm |
| Displacement | 1043 cc |
| Engine | Inline-four |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/50-17 |
| Seat height | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 507 lb (230 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (19 L) |
| Top speed | 165 mph (266 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 41 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
None of what follows comes from my own miles. It is what has accumulated over years of listening: riders I meet at events, owners who start talking at a fuel stop, club nights, and the messages that keep landing in my inbox. On this Kawasaki the reports line up unusually well, and they gather around a handful of repeated points.
The engine leads every conversation. Riders describe it as smooth and flexible, pulling from low revs, building through the middle, and running clean all the way up. Handling gets named just as often, with owners saying the bike turns in with more precision than they expected from something this size and holds its line at speed. Brake feel draws steady praise for strong initial bite and predictable progression. Plenty of riders also mention what the whole package delivers for the money next to European machinery.
One gripe dominates. Owners call the seat padding thin, say a few hours is where it starts to tell, and many end up buying a replacement. A smaller number raise low-speed balance, describing parking lot turns as something the bike asks you to pay attention to.
Front brake caliper bolt stripping
A very isolated report of a front caliper bolt stripping threads during a tyre change at a dealer, repaired under warranty.
Where this Kawasaki Z1000SX pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Z1000SX is actually built for.
It steers better than 507 lb suggests and rewards clean lines on the Dragon or Cherohala. Just know you are working a full-size sport tourer when the corners come one after another.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
This one is built for you. Day stages of 200 to 400 miles suit it, the fairing keeps the weather off, and it still has legs when the road opens. Add the luggage and plan a fuel stop around 200 miles.
Made for Highway 1 / Big Sur · Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway
Plenty of engine for Angeles Crest and brakes to match, but it carries weight and touring bodywork. If you want the sharpest thing in the canyon, look elsewhere. If you want to ride there and back in comfort, this works.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2011–2013
Reliable Pull, Sport-Tourer Soul
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
