2010 Kawasaki Z1000 First Look Photo Gallery

Gone during the 2009 model year, the Big Zed is back and one glance at the ‘10 Z1000 makes plain that there’s more than bold new graphics afoot.

The styling of the Big Z changed dramatically changed. The profile is sharper, more angular, dialing down the nakedness of its predecessor with black bodywork covering the front fork and belly of the design.

But it’s more than the outside that’s been overhauled, the 2010 Z1000 bragging an all-new engine and frame as well

Suspension changes include the addition of compression damping to the 41mm inverted fork and its rebound and preload adjustability. The all-new monoshock rear features rebound and preload adjustment.

Nissin calipers up front are swapped out to radial-mount four-piston Tokico pinchers, which grab hold of Kawasaki’s dual 300mm wave rotors through input from the radial-pump master cylinder. A single piston-caliper bites down on a 250mm rotor out back.

Steering geometry, at 24.5 degree rake, 4.1 inch trail and 56.7 wheelbase appears virtually identical to the ’08 Z1000 (wheelbase recorded at 56.9 inches). At 32.1 inch, the seat height is marginally lower (0.2 inch).

New for 2010 are five-spoke cast wheels, which replace the 3-spoke units adorning the previous Z1000.

As for the Z1000’s distinctive four-muffler exhaust system, it returns, with wide triangular cans on both sides. Like the previous model, however, each side canister is really a single muffler, with a faux dual-pipe cap retaining the four-can look found on the original Z.