The 2007 Kawasaki Z1000 enters this year's comparison fresh off a redesign, which saw the Kawi get new styling and internal tweaks to its ZX-9 motor.

As is the case with the other bikes in this class, four-piston radial calipers squeeze down on a pair of front rotors, with the Z utilizing 300mm discs up front. The rear 250mm rotor is pinched by a single-piston unit.

Some riders felt the Kawasaki's nose was the best looking front end of the bunch.

The Kwakker's Nissin braking components get the job done too, but they don't match the superbike-like power of the Tuono or the Ducati.

Some of our testers liked the copper-colored seat. Some people also watch the Gilmore Girls too, so...

The Z's mill provides ample motor across the powerband with a terrific mid-range zing. The extra bit of pop and user-friendly nature allowed the overachieving Z to sweep both engine portions of our scorecard.

It is almost easy to forgive the seat's flaws due to the perfection of the remaining riding position traits, with its well-placed foot controls and wide bars that sit at just the right spot for a wide range of riders praised by our entire troupe.

Mr. Steeves was felt the Z's chassis was a bit hinged, but didn't have any trouble pushing the Kawi on the street.

The seat, in spite of its tallest 32.3-inch height, gets narrow at the front and helps it to feel lower than it is and gives the rider a sensation of being in the bike rather than perched atop it.

Kawasaki freshened the gearbox with a new ball-bearing gearshift lever and primary gear ratio and we couldn't find any fault with the setup, other than getting lost in the first gear/neutral shuffle once or twice.

The keyword found in almost every description of the Kawasaki's engine is 'smooth'. The Z1000 is buttery smooth, but it packs a nasty little punch.

Getting our more hooligan-inclined riders to pull some impromptu tricks wasn't a problem on the Z, or any of the other bikes for that matter.

Steeves, quit stunt... Oh, nevermind.

While it appears to display a four-pipe exhaust, the new Z1000 is a dual exhaust, with each silencer sporting a faux two-pipe cap.

The instrument display aboard the Kawasaki was minimalist but informative, with an analog tach and digital speedo including an electronic fuel gauge.

Like the Yamaha, the Kawasaki had a tendency to drag the metal stuff through tigher corners.

The Kawasaki took top honors with its engine, but in the handling department there were some complaints about the chassis.

'Styling on the Z is what kept it in the running for me,' admits Hutch. 'I like the way it looks, except for the two-tone wheels. I even like the funky exhaust in this application. I didn't think I would from the images I saw, but in person it works with the overall styling.'

Fit and finish on the Kawasaki was very good, excepting the turn signal stalks, which required constant tightening.

The '07 incarnation of the Z1000 delivers a bevy of torque on the low end of the powerband, ensuring plenty of motor upon corner exits.

The Kawasaki's motor shined on the Horsethief Mile circuit. Well, it shined everywhere really.

Our testers were uneasy about the Z's handling characteristics, one of the few blights against the Kawasaki's otherwise impressive scorecard, where it earns a second-to-last 6.7 rating.

With its two-toned wheels, copper-colored seat and dramatic exhaust, the Kawasaki Z1000's styling either wins riders over, or puts them off.

The Kawasaki Z1000 is more than capable of bringing out your inner jack-ass.

Quick transitions also aren't as quick as the dexterous Italians, with the Z's porky 481-lb tank-empty weight not helping things out in this regard.

While the 24.5-degree rake, 4.1 inches of trail and 56.9 wheelbase aren't too dramatic, there is something akimbo with the new Z's chassis.

The Z's hearty torque curve exhibits that low-end oomph Kawasaki was shooting for.

On the dyno the Zed's engine is lowest in horsepower, producing 107.5 ponies at 9700 rpm - the lowest in the test.

2007 Kawasaki Z1000

This year's Kawasaki Z1000 made an impressive second-place showing.

The Z's easy-going but ready-to-party nature goes a long ways in generating its third-place result in the Grin Factor.