By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Sport Tourer vs Hyper Naked
Kawasaki Versys 1000 (LZT00B) vs Z1000 (ZRT00A)
Kawasaki Versys 1000 vs Z1000: different classes, one choice. Here's how to make it.
Tip the Kawasaki Versys 1000 into a bend you're hustling and it's point-and-shoot. The Kawasaki Z1000 darts for the apex without hesitating.
So which one do you buy?
Buy the Versys 1000 if…
Traveling with luggage
No contest: Versys 1000
For multi-day trips with bags, the Versys 1000 makes far more sense. Credit better wind protection and a better passenger seat. Pack it up and go.
Riding two-up with a passenger
Gets the nod: Versys 1000
With someone on the back, the Versys 1000 comes out clearly ahead. Most of that is a better reliability record. That's the bike for shared rides.
The Z1000 has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
Inches ahead: Z1000
For the Monday-to-Friday grind, the Z1000 pulls a nose in front. The reason: lighter steering. Your own commute could easily flip it.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Edges it: Z1000
On a twisty road, the Z1000 edges ahead. The difference is more feel through the bars. Not by enough to settle it alone.
What makes each one tick
Versys 1000
The Versys 1000's four tugs clean off the bottom and still finds a sporty rush up top, all day long. On the Blue Ridge Parkway, the wide bar won't let the bike's real heft slow the steering through the curves. The bar stays free of buzz.
Nils rode the Versys 1000 in Austria in 2015 (NastyNils Testride).
Z1000
Four pipes give the Z1000 its raw bark. Around town the throttle's smooth, and the compact chassis threads through traffic without fuss. Past the middle of the rev range, the motor surges with serious torque into a rush that's hard to give up. The front turns in on demand.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Z1000 has the lower seat: 32.3 in (820 mm) vs 33.1 in (840 mm).
- The Z1000 makes more peak power: 127 hp (93 kW) vs 120 hp (88 kW).
- The Versys 1000 makes more peak torque: 75 lb-ft (102 Nm) vs 71 lb-ft (96 Nm).
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Not its job: Z1000
The Z1000 gets left out of the long-distance question. It's built for a different kind of day.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Versys 1000
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Swallows A Full Touring Load
- Built To Run Long
- 120 hp, Plenty In Reserve
- Controls You Stop Noticing
- Willing From Low Revs
Trade-offs
- No Cruise Control Fitted
- Fork Seals Can Weep
- Steering Head Bearings Wear
- Neutral Light Plays Tricks
Z1000
Strengths
- Big four, real drive
- Four pipes, honest noise
- Turns in without arguing
- Deep parts bin, proven hardware
- Addictive mid-range engine with top-end rush
Trade-offs
- Check the headstock first
- Highway buzz numbs your hands
- Nothing catching your mistakes
- Weep points around 22,000 mi
Known problems to check before you buy
Versys 1000
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
Z1000
- Valve cover gasket oil leak (left side) A persistent oil leak from the left front of the cam cover, typically due to a failing valve cover gasket. The leak is usually minor but can worsen over time, requiring gasket replacement.
- Exhaust headers coming loose The exhaust header nuts can work themselves loose, causing exhaust leaks and rattling.
What they share
- Engine
- Inline-four
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Versys 1000 | Z1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 33.1 in (840 mm) | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Versys 1000 | Z1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 1043 cc | 953 cc |
| Power | 120 hp (88 kW) | 127 hp (93 kW) |
| Peak power at | 9,000 rpm | 10,000 rpm |
| Torque | 75 lb-ft (102 Nm) | 71 lb-ft (96 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 7,500 rpm | 8,000 rpm |
| Versys 1000 | Z1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 5.5 US gal (21 L) | 4.8 US gal (18 L) |
| Versys 1000 | Z1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 310 mm | 300 mm |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 | 190/50-17 |
| Wheelbase | 59.8 in (1520 mm) | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Versys 1000 | Z1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Standard | Not offered |
| Traction Control | Standard | Not offered |
| Ride Modes | Standard | Not offered |
| Slipper Clutch | Standard | Not offered |
| Heated Grips | Option | Not offered |
| Luggage System | Option | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
