What owners say…
PERHAPS PREDICTABLY, MOST owners are older (most of our sample were in their 50s and 60s) and highly experienced. Brian Russell is typical he’s been riding for more than 40 years and is a former IAM instructor. “I bought the Z1000SX 15 months ago,” he says. “The deal I got on the bike in the winter was brilliant, getting the full-spec pannier version for about £9400. I love the looks – even the exhausts that a lot of people change.
“The standard bike has a few weaknesses – the rear suspension is normally set far too soft but the handling improved greatly after taking it to a local race set-up company who tweeked it for £25. Apparently they do a lot of SXS.
“Loving an SX isn’t hard. It looks so neat without the panniers and yet in seconds you can attach them and have a perfect one-man tourer. If you aren’t riding two-up it’s the perfect balance of sports and touring bike. After 15 months I still look at it and smile. It’s a bugger to clean, though, as there are lots of nooks and crannies that need attention if you want to keep it looking good.”
Roland Cannon’s happy with his 2012 version, too - now he’s upgraded it to the way he wants it. “The best mod is a reflash of its ECU by a US gentleman named Ivan,” he explains. “He spent two
“The perfect balance of sports and touring” Brian Russell 2015 Z1000SX owner
years developing a flash for this specific machine. The bike is much more powerful, responsive and smooth. Add to this my Arrow header, and the bike has close to 150bhp. Suspension was next. I added Penske fork cartridges, springs and a rear shock. Handling is excellent now the rear end is raised by about an inch.”
He also went on to upgrade the brakes and fitted a lithium battery. “And I replaced my centre fairings with the candy green model’s,” he adds. “That’s my weakness, that candy green colour. If you painted a turd candy green, there’s a good chance I’d buy it... My mod list is more than I had wanted to do, but I still don’t see any other machine that really fits in this category. If a bike has wind protection, then it’s usually a large, heavier tourer. If the bike is small, with high bhp, it’s often a naked machine with poor or no wind protection.”
Richard Looker has put 27,000 miles on his 2014 SX – and that’s rising fast. “I commute most days, all year and it’s a 70-mile round trip,” he says. “I need something that’s entertaining, reliable and not too expensive to maintain. I tried the Yamaha Tracer and Triumph Tiger 800, but really love the SX. It’s quick, agile enough to filter, comfortable and has decent wind and rain protection. It’s started first time, every time. However, some of the cheap parts show signs of weathering and rust. The headlights are weak. The bar ends had to be replaced due to rust and some of the clips and holdings need replacing. The suspension is budget but it’s fine for everyday use.”