2007 Kawasaki Z1000 Photo Gallery

Kawasaki tries to convert the American masses to the joys of the street-fighter creed with the release of its overhauled Z1000. Check out what we thought of this bike during our 2007 Kawasaki Z1000 First Ride.

Kawasaki tries to convert the American masses to the joys of the street-fighter creed with the release of its overhauled Z1000.

The Z1000 rider will relish the curvy roads.

The Z1000 motor provides ample power all the way across the powerband and it shines when accelerating out of corners.

The Z's large tachometer is easy to read at a glance while riding.

Some testers felt the styling of the Z's seat grew on them. You be the judge.

Oceanside rides are easy on the eyes.

The Z1000's rear brake rotor expanded 30mm to 250mm.

Kawasaki was compelled to keep the four can look, even though it is a dual exhaust.

A pair of 300mm rotors with four-piston radial-mount calipers and radial-pump master cylinder take care of braking up front.

Northern California country roads were the perfect place to test the new Z1000.

Our test bikes were fitted with a Garmin GPS system, a very useful tool for navigating the meandering backroads without getting lost.

The Nissin stoppers on the new Z1000 couldn't be better, bringing the rowdy Zed down to reasonable corner speeds with the slightest pull on the lever.

Riders won't find anything to complain about with the new Z1000's brakes.

In order to keep the four-pipe look of its predecessor, the dual exhaust of the 2007 Kawasaki Z1000 has a faux two-pipe cap stuck on the end of each muffler.

Take away that dang seat and the Z1000's riding position is perfect.

A new aluminum sub-frame now incorporates the 993cc powerplant as a stressed member and the engine mounts have been relocated from in front to behind the cylinders

Sitting in the saddle at speed the wind smashes into you pretty good, with the front cowling not offering up much wind protection. But that's not exactly a newsflash is it?

In general the new Z handles well, but the front end felt a little suspect when turning on rough road surfaces.

Kawasaki claims to have reduced rigidity by 15% for better feedback.

The new ECU-managed fuel injection system, which features smaller throttle bodies (reduced from 38-36mm), does an admirable job, although there was a slight jerkiness at lower speeds.

The Z1000 powerplant is still based off the ZX-9 engine but modifications were made to improve low- to mid-range power.

A revised transmission, with a new primary gear ratio, is super smooth. The gearbox features a reshaped ball-bearing gearshift lever and there weren't any missed shifts on our test ride.

Kawasaki changed the new Z's cam profiles and shrunk intake and exhaust valves by 0.5mm. Other internal engine adjustments include a new crankshaft and a 7% increase in flywheel mass.

The motor's power delivery is impressive, pulling steady all the way across the powerband. It's the kind of power that makes triple-digit mph dreams come true with the flick of the wrist.

Tight twisty asphalt allowed the Z's new low- to mid-range power to shine, as pulling out of slower turns was easy as pie in almost any gear.

Overall, the Z is a sharp looking package, although the out-of-place seat confused this tester's styling sensibilities

The Z1000 sports aggressive lines.

The 2007 powerplant is still based off the ZX-9 mill, but Kawasaki has made some modifications to give the new Inline-Four improved performance on the lower half of the powerband.

Will the new Z1000 prove to be a hit for Kawasaki on American shores?

The Nissin stoppers on the new Z1000 couldn't be better, bringing the rowdy Zed down to reasonable corner speeds with the slightest pull on the lever.

The Kawasaki Z1000's riding position is almost perfect, if only the seat didn't force the rider into the gas tank.

The 2007 Z1000 created a stir when it was unveiled last fall with its aggressive styling, which Kawaskai labels as dynamic.

Kawasaki brings a revised Z1000 to the U.S. market as it's lone street-fighter entry for 2007, with the Japanese manufacturer dropping the Z750 from its roster.