Kawasaki entered the liter bike market in 1977 with the Z1000, a model that saw major design changes and grew gradually more powerful during its long lifespan.
the Kawasaki Z1000 was introduced in 1977 as the successor to the highly influential Z1 and 900 super4. The original Z1000-A1 used an air-cooled 1,015 cubic centimeter inline-four engine making about 83 horsepower. This marked the brand’s move into the liter bike market, and Kawasaki kept updating the Z1000 and added a total of 39 horsepower before discontinuing it globally in 2023. Although its lineage goes back to the ’70s, many riders identify the Z1000 nameplate with the redesigned naked version that appeared in 2003 with aggressive lines and modern performance tuning.
It featured a liquid-cooled 953 cc four-banger that produced 127 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. Kawasaki gave the bike a new look and frame tweaks in 2007 but left the engine alone, so its displacement and output stayed the same through 2009. In 2010 the Z1000’s engine grew to 1,043 cc and output jumped to 138 horsepower. With its six-speed transmission, this version could get close to 150 mph.
