Kawasaki Z1000 duel Vs Suzuki GSX-S 1000

by Oliver · June 29, 2015

Although it came late on the market, the Suzuki GSX – S 1000 can finally be facing competition. For his first duel, we put him in the legs the beastly Kawasaki Z1000, an intimidating motorcycle, ceasing to play the big arms before the ice, but some difficulties to follow a Suz’ smoother, easier and less exclusive.

At the gym, there are those who are inflating their pecs ‘, take the prot’ galore and play to those who grow the biggest load to the bench-press. Then there are the others. Those who are more discreet, who work their cardio more than the increase and which, ostensibly, because they are less stocky, appear less strong. Except that if we face these two profiles on a D.A 100 m, for once, are the big arm that will shoot the language.

Well the Kawasaki Z1000 and GSX-S 1000 share a little the same fight. On one side we find a Suzuki to the most common look, with a drier template and a wiser figure. On the other, the fact Kawa figure style. More muscular, more condensed, rawest, its angular lines in addition to its fork way ‘predator’ head make it a nasty straight output machine of a manga. And in urban areas, it is she who attracts attention. Even with his rather inconspicuous grey/orange, the Z does not go unnoticed and its optical double equipped with lights to leds gives him a look scary as a predator in hunting. More than a year after its release in January 2014, it is therefore always as much effect.

In front, despite his electric blue colour and its recent marketing dating April 2015, the Suz’ fails to attract as much attention. Its more rounded forms and aesthetics of the whole have nothing revolutionary, there are even some similarities with the Gex’ from the same family that has already seen and reviewed.

1000 CM3 INCREASINGLY MORE SMALL

Before, when we had a “thousand”, could is the fart face buddies both dimensions of this displacement were tough and rewarding. Today, the roadsters 1000 cm3 are as much hunting to the weight as hypersportives from which they derive also. And inevitably, it suffers side template, including the GSX-S, appearing as fine as a 600 cm³ or a big 250 cm3. In short, there not really rules and in the saddle, with my 83 meter, I am almost ashamed to be as big. On the Z, yet shorter wheelbase and shorter, I’m strangely more at my ease. Its most generous forms in places makes it more massive and its belly tank allows the pilot to ‘settle’ in it and do more body with the machine at the level of the legs. The position of the arms is quite similar on both bikes as two major rights handlebars offer a bust pretty straight and slightly bent position. Finally, on the passenger side the two bikes are equal game: there is no space under the stool and the duo is to be avoided. Unless you have a doll as fine as a pen ball who can actually ask its size 34 on a really thick seat and which will embrace you very hard to not fly at the first acceleration…

BUT BRIDLED POWER SUFFICIENT?

As you know, in France, 106 PS Act penalized more than one motorcycle locking its original performance. And even if this law will end first January 2016 leaving free access to the bikes in the ‘full’ version, meanwhile, must still run with. On our two top athletes delivering between 142 horsepower and 145 HP at the natural, 106 PS clamping has apparently not too penalized engines. Of course, the explosion of power usually found in high revs is more also demonstrative in free version. However, it is good to remember that there are still little time, clamping of motorbikes made capricious injections producing unpleasant jerks in the management of the gas. Our bikes of the day do not have this problem. The response of the gas on the Z1000 is actually more brutal than the Suz’ which is finer and softer, but overall the feeling is good on our two models.

Should we conclude that 106 horsepower is enough for these roadsters? Not and I am the first satisfied. But despite everything, in the French version, motorbikes retain much of their character. Take for example the Suzuki. Its 4-cylinder in-line from the GSX – R 1000 2005 vintage we had packed in his essay in Alicante, Spain, with a rise in linear regime, availability to all plans through its elasticity and stretch to push the reports up to the Redline at 11 500 rpm / min. On our French version is found the motor sensations Allicante was discovered. The Suz’ is always also torquey at low revs, leapt to the slightest rotation of the handle and propels you without penalty up to 8 RPM. These schemes, raises are even ecstatic and you spin the banana! But as soon as it climbs into the towers, the castration of the motor is felt and the riser is less spectacular which is not really a handicap because in daily use, it is rare to solicit as much high-plans… Except for arsouiller on track!

THE Z1000? A RINGWORM!

If the first output Z1000 in 2003 is intended rather to a sport/touring use, the 2010 and 2014 vintages returned to the front of the stage with clearly more sports benefits. That we are trying today seems a less sporty than the old hair. As on the previous model, Kawasaki has opted for a horizontal rear shock absorber that reduces congestion and allows to centralize the masses. Actually, the Z1000 proves very agile and easy to swing from one angle to another. Provided that roll on the pool because as soon as the road deteriorates, the Z ends up in trouble. No point to disunite, non, but if the suspensions are not relaxed, the bike becomes demanding to fly and you lose all the pleasure of driving they can accrue on a flawless path.

Suddenly, it is on the side of engine on consoles himself. This four-cylinder engine is fabulous so I squatted the Kawasaki of Eric, partner for this duel, the entire week. Normal, his surly side (I do not speak of Eric, eh) and its short stroke offered him a huge couple as soon as released the clutch and fire retirements are canonesques… Sometimes I have the impression of having a dragster in hand and the absence of a large fork head accentuates this feeling. The couple of the Z is therefore one of its strengths. 4-cylinder repeats are more brutal, shorter also because Japanese does not have the extension of the Suz’, but hungry as me will be what gorging even if there also, the engine run out of steam a bit because the bridle once past 9 RPM. However, in daily use, the block widely delivers its share of sensations and performance.

THE GSX-S? THAT ROUNDS THE CORNERS

The one that seemed like the most discreet despite its light colour and its exhaust noise rather serious cache rather well his game. Indeed, the Suzuki is the best balanced of both while its design looks older than the Kawasaki. Evidence that it works as in town the bike remains manageable, even at low speeds, there where Z1000 galley with its closed steering angle front that committed during turn-arounds, kinda like on the Italian. Where the GSX-S made the difference, it is on the side of his suspensions. The front/rear set synchronizes better than on the Kawa’ and is both flexible and comfortable on bad coating, but also more rigorous and effective when the horizon looming. Clearly, the Suz’ may miss charming at first, but its homogeneity offered him a welcome versatility in mixed use. His braking is strong and stands out for its progressiveness while that of the Z1000 is characterized by a more frank attack early in the race. Matter of taste. However, if both are equipped with ABS and tire Dunlop D209 series, the Suzuki scores points with its adjustable Traction Control on the handlebar on 3 positions to regulate the power of the engine according to the use (Sport, road, and rain).