Kawasaki Z1000SX Tourer
Kawasaki Z1000SX Tourer £10,736 + 1043cc inline four + 140bhp + 235kg + 19L tank + 815mm seat Tester: Simon Weir, editor
I DO RATHER wonder if the SX was designed in Yorkshire. There’s a certain no-nonsense quality to it. Want power? Twist the grip – no, harder. Want more wind protection? Put the screen up. More? Well, crouch down a bit. Come on, stop moaning and get on with it. You don’t need a quickshifter or cruise control or a colour dash, you southern softie – just ride the bike.
But that’s what I like about the SX. It’s a sports tourer of the old school: long, low, comfortable and seriously fast, though uncorking that bottle did take a while. Running-in keeps the engine spinning at a lowly 4000rpm for the first 600 miles, which that sat nav I attached to this Tourer model’s mount tells me is really 58mph. Things improved after the first service, with 6000rpm making dual carriageways realistic… but it’s only after running-in is finished that the SX shows its true colours. Keeping the revs up in fourth gear makes every B-road a joy (though I must reset the orange shift light, which starts flashing around 7000rpm).
Of course, beneath the surface this 2017 version of the SX isn’t quite the no-frills, no-nonsense rocketship that previous generations were. The addition of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) means the three-level traction control and the ABS are now lean-angle-sensitive. I’m hoping never to notice the changes, which should only come into play if something goes wrong. Part of my job this year is to see whether it should have gained a few more mod cons – yes, like the quickshifter and cruise control that are increasingly common on bikes used for sporty touring.
The SX has had other updates for the year – a more comfy seat, slightly wider fairing and taller three-position screen, plus bright LED headlights that do a great job of shifting lane hogs without being flashed. It hasn’t gained new tyres, though… and as the OE Bridgestone S20s have always been criticised by owners, I’ll be looking for the best alternatives (suggestions welcome).
“Keeping revs up in fourth makes B-roads a joy”