Cw First Ride 2017 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 Abs

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CW FIRST RIDE 2017 KAWASAKI NINJA 1000 ABS

BRUISER: Kawasaki reworked the swift and smooth Ninja 1000 to be swifter and smoother. Engine mods boost output and quell vibes, while suspension is more supple.

BY THE NUMBERS

Inch lower seat height has become with revised suspension

290 Cost in dollars for heated grips option

3 Riding modes available on the Ninja 1000

A California road trip on Kawasaki’s "Gentleman Sportbike”

Joseph Gustafson

California stretches forward in a burst of emerald and blue. Engorged from an influx of rain, flowers dot the apexes we’re blitzing by. Quick, sure, but not at the detriment of breathing in the scenery—a moment that freezeframes the experience of performance and touring in one. The Ninja 1000 is making a lot of sense.

For 2017, Kawasaki’s revisions offer more aggression and convenience.

The engine is still a i,043cc liquidcooled inline-four producing a claimed 138 hp and 73 pound-feet of torque. ECU revisions improve throttle response and torque spread, as well as meet Euro 4 emission standards. The assist/slipper clutch remains, but a secondary balance shaft (driven off sixth gear) has been added to reduce vibration. A new intake resonator quiets noise below 7,000 rpm but lets the engine howl above it, resulting in added drama for the rider.

The fork is a 41mm inverted unit with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping. The single shock is the same unit with remote preload adjustability but features revised linkage and settings for a softer ride; it also lowers the seat height 0.2 inch to 32.1 inches.

The front brakes are carryover dual 300mm petal discs clamped by fourpiston, radial-mount Monoblock calipers. The rear is a carryover 250mm petal disc with a single-piston caliper. For 2017, pad material is revised at the rear, and a radial front brake master cylinder is new, changes aimed at improved brake feel.

Styling and accommodations are updated as well. The fairing is more aggressive, featuring chiseled flanks, a sharpened nose, and angular lower fairing. The windscreen hems closer to the bodywork. The seat is wider for more support, and the pillion seat is both longer and wider to keep the passenger from sliding forward.

Amenities are a little sparse. There’s no cruise control, and heated grips are a $289.95 option. The electronics’ package redefines the whole bike. Three-mode KTRC is carried over from the last model, but KIBS and a Bosch IMU have been added for 2017. Here’s what that all means.

The Bosch IMU features sixaxis measurement (Longitudinal, Transverse, Vertical, Roll Rate, and Pitch Rate), and Kawasaki has its own logic to affect the IMU’s interpretations. KTRC is Kawasaki’s traction control system and features three modes: 1 and 2 for maximum thrust, 3 for wet surfaces, and Off. KIBS is Kawasaki’s Intelligent Braking System (ABS). This carryover from the last model works with the riding modes, wheel-speed sensors, and the ECU to provide seamless braking intervention.

Kawasaki now dubs its new system KCMF (Kawasaki Corner Management). This is the IMU working with the ABS and KTRC to predict intended lines and create more subtle and accurate ABS and traction control intervention.

PowerPoint over. Time to ride.

We set off as a green algae wave to Mulholland Drive. Its dusty, blind corners catch out those not familiar with the route (i.e., me), but the electronic revisions make it confidence inspiring. When the traction control light blinks, power never cuts or chops; the system just gently nudges you along.

Same with the brakes. Initial bite is a touch soft, but stopping power is more than adequate. ABS never chops aggressively and gives you enough confidence to trail brake deep.

An inline-four is perfect in this package compared to a V-twin. It spools endlessly and nearly vibration free besides a small tingle at around 10,000 rpm, at which point, with any throttle, you’re thinking more about other stimuli. It’s a sophisticated way to travel briskly.

Seating position is neutral.

Your feet are beneath you and your hands outstretched with just enough crouch to your torso to cut the wind. The windshield is threeposition adjustable; the buffeting is noticeable. And even with the comfort seat, you will be angling for a stretch after three hours.

VERDICT

The Kawasaki Ninja 1000 is defined by what it isn’t than what it is. It isn’t an apex-slaying hypersport. Nor a heavyweight tourer. Definitely not a sky-high, beaked adventure bike. I would say the Ninja 1000 is not even for gentlemen. No, this is an intelligent sportbike, at a brilliant price.

Starting at $12,199 in green or black, it’s the least expensive bike with such an advanced riding suite. It has near-superbike power levels and an electronics package stripped right off a machine winning podiums on the international level—that you can ride all day.

But not many seem to notice.

The outgoing Ninja 1000 sells a third of ZX-10R volume.

Rolling unnoticed into the Quail Motorcycling Gathering in Carmel, our press launch destination after a long riding day, the Ninja 1000 felt like the best-kept secret in all of motorcycling.

Which is a shame.

STARTING AT $12,199 IN GREEN OR BLACK, IT’S THE LEAST EXPENSIVE BIKE WITH SUCH AN ADVANCED RIDING SUITE.

2017 KAWASAKI NINJA 1000

ENGINE TYPE

Liquid-cooled inline-four

DISPLACEMENT

1043CC

SEAT HEIGHT

32.1 in.

FUEL CAPACITY

5.0 gal.

CLAIMED WET WEIGHT

516 lb.

BASE PRICE

$12,199