2011 Ninja 1000 Walk-Around with Gabe Ets-Hokin from CityBike

Gabe from MotorcycleDaily.com and CityBike magazine does a walk-around video of the new Kawasaki Ninja 1000 sportbike. Tough-looking, cheap and versatile, but how is it to ride?

Notoe: I apologize for the wind noise...it comes and goes. Oh, and the camera (AKA my iPhone) shakes a bit...sorry for that too.

USA MSRP of the Ninja 1000 is actually $10,999.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Ninja 1000
• Z1000
• kawasaki
• literbike
• sportbike
• gabe ets-hokin

[hntr51]

Love the information, but the audio drove me nuts... overall.. Love the new bike!

[getshokin]

@hntr51 Sorry dude! I'll stay out of the wind next time.

[DTProductions188]

Enjoyed the preview! .. the audio was unbearable  :(

[getshokin]

@DTProductions188 Sorry about that! Windy!

[Rhunyen]

I appreciate the more frank initial review. All the current reviews I've seen/read have been glowing, so it's nice to hear that the brakes and EFI aren't perfect. I'm sure those quibbles are totally livable, but it's nice to hear a critique instead of a brown-nose fest like some reviewers seem to do. I saw it a the San Mateo International Motorcycle Show and it's a damn sexy bike, so "budget withstanding" I'll be buying one in 2011 and trading in my FZ1.

[getshokin]

@Rhunyen Thanks for that! I think the Ninja really hits the mark in a lot of ways the Yammie doesn't.

[Thaibiker85]

deff. want one.

[hunter371]

Great review man love going over all the different aspects of the bike that get glossed over in all other videos.....I wish I could afford this bike seems like a dream come true, and I love that they kept the analog dial for the tachometer!

[Rhunyen]

@getshokin Can't argue with that. My FZ1 is no slouch (had to mod it a bit to get it just right), but it's still bit on the soft side suspension-wise and handling is a bit slow (though rock solid) unless I put on super sticky sport tires. The R1-derived engine is great, but requires high RPMs to really be fun. That said, a good Kawi engine is hard to beat and the styling and ergos of the Ninja 1000 look spot on to me.

[TheReapersSon]

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Kawasaki cycles. Kawasaki understands what it is to have fun on a motorcycle, no matter what your skill level or demographic.

My 650R was one of the best bikes I've owned because, like the Ninja 1000, it did nearly everything well. The only thing I wanted from it was a bit more power. The Ninja 1000 looks like it has similarly excellent ergos and a better seat, for starters. Did you burn through a tank of gas yet? What was your observed fuel range?