SUSPENSION AND RIDE

The BMW outperforms the poor new Zed in every sense here. The R uses the RR’s 46mm Sachs suspension, albeit using revised geometry figures and damping to relax the ride a little. Even thought the bike feels tall and ungainly when presented with its first corner, by the third of fourth you feel right at home, knowing the bike will sniff out an apex perfectly. The rear, too, is RR sourced, and thus more than able to cope with the 148bhp it rips out. The balance to the bike is impressive, there are no chinks at either end. And then you add in the Sport’s extra suspension accoutrements, namely the Dynamic Damping Control system. Flown in from the HP4, this semi-active system provides the magic carpet ride that the stock damping is so nearly capable of. Stick in your mode of choice, which are otherwise synchronised with the ride settings (or you can flick through bespoke soft, normal or sport presets), and you are presented with an array of performance – although even on the softest setting the R’s suspension is compliant enough for ball’s out road riding. The Kawasaki struggles in this eminent company. Though the riding position works in the bike’s favour, the control at the Horizontal Back-link rear is poor. The front’s not so bad, as is always the case with the Showa SFF-BP forks, with a supple feel and action, but any pleasantness over the bumps here is quickly quashed by the rear returning a choppy ride. It manifested itself leaving town on our first ride, with Al on the BMW noting how poorly the Z1000 was tracking through a bumpy roundabout. Find a corner that’s snooker smooth and it’s fine, but soon you’ll find the composure goes, the stroke stutters and the ride becomes more of a grind .