We live in the era of trail motorcycles, which are taking over the market overwhelmingly and with some reasons for that. But does a Sport Touring still find its space and make sense in today’s world? Kawasaki answers.
This Ninja 1000SX is a very different motorcycle from the one originally launched in 2011, where basically Kawasaki decided to “dress up” a Z1000. Today, the Z acronym has disappeared from the name of this motorcycle and its purpose has been changed and improved, now being positioned at a prestigious level in the Japanese brand, if we can say so.
SMOOTHNESS AND REFINEMENT
Inline four-cylinders are synonymous with smoothness, and it’s strange to take a motorcycle with an inline four-cylinder engine and feel that the motorcycle vibrates or has a rougher behavior. Still, there are inline fours smoother than others, and this 1,043 cc engine is one of the smoothest and most refined engines I have had the opportunity to test. It delivers 142 hp at 10,000 rpm and 111 Nm of maximum torque at 8,000 rpm, which already commands some respect and above all reveals, in theory, the capabilities of this motorcycle in terms of power delivery. But the most impressive thing is how Kawasaki manages the numbers and manages to offer an impressive linearity from low revs to 11,000 rpm, where the engine cut-off is located.
Like most inline four-cylinder engines, the soul of this engine appears in its entirety from medium/high revs, not leaving anything to be desired at low revs. Above all, this Ninja 1000SX offers a certain sense of security, as it always seems comfortable, no matter the rev range. But if you want to push the sporty side of this motorcycle, don’t hesitate to take the rev counter to the limit, because the 1000SX will have no problem delivering all the available horsepower and leaving a big smile on the face of the rider. However, smoothness has a slightly negative point, which is to somewhat mask the energy of the engine, which is delivered so progressively that it strips the Ninja of a more distinctive personality.
TRAVELING FAST
Addressing the “engine” topic, it is important to say that Kawasaki seems to have focused heavily on smoothness and refinement, not only in the four-cylinder block, but also in all the other components. In particular, the suspensions of this 1000SX have a behavior similar to that of the engine, in the sense of offering homogeneity throughout its range of use. We feel that in an initial course, on small road bumps, we will suffer a little, but we quickly have that feeling demystified by the excellent behavior of the front fork and rear shock absorber, which offer exemplary comfort to this Kawasaki. But this raises another question… Will the behavior of this bike disappoint us at higher speeds? The answer is no. Comfort and sportiness can often be dissociated, but Kawasaki has found a way to combine these two concepts in the Ninja 1000SX without penalizing either too much.
THE BEST Smoothness of the engine, suspensions, ergonomics and comfort TO IMPROVE Engine character, menu navigation
The front suspension is fully adjustable and the rear mono-shock has preload and extension adjustment, thus offering the possibility to find the best tuning for all types of riding. However, even with the factory settings, we feel that the Ninja 1000SX is an extremely balanced motorcycle. As we mentioned, it absorbs irregularities in the asphalt very well and in a more sporty ride, it fulfills its Sport Touring purpose with distinction, taking us to any destination quickly and comfortably. Pulling with all its 142 hp, this motorcycle never hesitates and seems to make everything happen smoothly and slower than it actually is. But it’s a misconception, as we have already mentioned. To counteract this false sensation and know that we can stop in time, Kawasaki equipped the 1000SX with two semi-floating 300 mm discs and a single 250 mm disc at the rear, which together offer excellent braking power, with such sensitive feedback that it may require some extra adaptation to avoid excessive and abrupt braking. As a whole, this Kawasaki is well balanced between what it can deliver for those who want to travel at reduced speeds without worrying about fatigue, and the “riders” who have already discarded an R but don’t want to leave their sporty side behind.
AID FOR ALL TASTES
Kawasaki has equipped this Ninja 1000SX with a large technological arsenal, aiming to offer comfort in any driving situation. The 4.3″ TFT display offers excellent visibility and allows connection to the mobile phone via Bluetooth, where we can see various extra information through the application, in addition to the ones available on the display – which are already many. But on the TFT, we also have the possibility to switch between three predefined driving modes (Road, Rain, and Sport) and one customizable mode. As expected, the sport mode is the one that adds more spice to this bike, and that’s where we rode for most of our test. To all this, we can add Kawasaki’s traction control (KTRC) that lit up some lights throughout the days, but always without making itself felt, and the super smooth quickshifter (standard) in both directions. If we don’t want to use this system, we can always count on a very light and sublime functioning slipper clutch. Furthermore, for long journeys and if we don’t want to touch the gearbox at all, this Ninja 1000SX comes equipped with cruise control as standard. If we add to all this a comfortable seat and an adjustable screen in four positions that offers good aerodynamic protection, we have another almost perfect balance between comfort and sportiness.
FAST OR SLOW… JUST CHOOSE
The “true” Sport Touring in the most natural sense of the word is slowly disappearing. Even so, Kawasaki wants to show that it doesn’t make sense for that to happen, revealing that it is possible, and makes sense, to have a bike like this in the garage. The Ninja 1000SX doesn’t shy away from fulfilling absolutely everything it sets out to do, offering the excitement of a sport bike in a comfortable package capable of taking us on many kilometers without thinking of giving up. The segment of this bike may be unloved these days, but the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX deserves a chance from all those who are looking for a good travel companion and know that they will never take a wheel off-road.
KAWASAKI NINJA 1000SX
INLINE 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine
DISPLACEMENT 1,043 cc
POWER 104.6 kW (142 hp) @ 10,000 rpm
BINARY 111 Nm @8,000 rpm
6-speed gearbox
Double aluminum beam frame
19-liter tank
Front suspension: 41mm inverted suspension, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: gas mono-shock, Back-Link, with preload and extension adjustment
Front brake: two 300mm semi-floating discs, 4-piston radial calipers
Rear brake: 250mm disc, 1-piston caliper
Front tire: 120/70 ZR17
Rear tire: 190/50ZR17
Wheelbase: 1,440mm
Seat height: 835mm
Weight: 235kg
Starting price: €15,990
