2008 Z1000 compared to a 2003/04?

Hi,
Ive been humming and Haaaaing over a change of bike for sometime and now have decided that id really like to go for a 2003-05 Z1000. Id go and 08 but if I get a new bike my wife would have to get a new one too...! Im in adelaide and there are a few I can look at for sale, but my question is - is there much, if any, difference between the years in seating position and height etc or is the frame basically unchanged? Its just I may have to go fr a test ride on a new demo to get the "feel' of a Z so I have something to compare the feel with in case i find myself testing a dodgey one!
Also when it comes to after market exhausts and single sided systems should anything I consider have a power commander or is the issue of leaning off not a huge problem on this bike?
Any ideas would be much appreciated.

They're so different that the only thing the same is the name

not saying tanya is wrong,

but i was under the impression that they werent that much different in the fundamentals.

they look waaaaay different.

but basic;y under the new covers the engine and frame are the same.

new calipers ( nothing wrong with the old ones)
new forks, (old ones were useable but not great)
huuuuge pipes.

you can go to a single sided system but generally need a PC3, but slip ones just whack em on. PC3 will help too but not necesary.

if you want the new sharp looking one,. but a new one.

if you want it for the nakedness, smooth lines and riding, but the old one.

It rides, stops and handles completely differently. After I test rode one I hopped back on mine and I seriously thought the brakes had failed.. the difference was that huge in stopping power.


and on mine without the pc it leans out to 17:1

just test ride both. Easy.

2003-06 have slighly more horse power, vibrate like all shit

07-08 has more torque down low, don't vibrate, both have lots of aftermarket parts, bigger brakes

got to http://www.z1000.net

THE place to look for any Z related questions:
http://www.riderforums.com/showthread.php?t=44255

IMO, the newer Zed is a watered down version that was designed to appeal to a wider market (kawasaki make bikes to sell).
The newer Zed's have smaller throttle bodies and different cams to increase low down rideability (for commuting?).
The older Zed's have consistantly made more power with the same mod's compared to the new generation.
Not hating the new futuristic gen', just prefer the old school 'street bruiser' look of the 03-06 Zed's...

Each to their own!

i just bought an '07 demo model, and i am very pleased with the result. it has all the torque i need down low (i have heard the earlyer model was a little lacking here untill you reached higher revs, where the ponies topped the new model), and realisticly for an every day ride your top end is not where you will be riding (i rarely break 5,000rpm).

that said, the vibration is still there, i have heard some people complain about the vibration, but personally i love it; it looks powerfull, so it should feel powerfull. kawasaki can make a ZX10R vibration free, so someone has deliberatly put it inot this bike for your enjoyment.
there has been some improvement to the flighty steering of the old model, but not enough to go without a damper(make a damper your first concearn before considering more power).

that said, all my friends have proper sports bikes and i have no problems keeping up with them, and the new Z is more of a head turner than its predecessor.
i wouldnt have forked out the cash for a new one if it wasnt a step up from the old one.
let us know how you get on with your hunt!

Last edited by jaybomb on Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

This is where Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as I think the newer ones are boring and rather ugly, and after test riding one the brakes were the only thing I found that was a standout improvement. I'm a bit concerned about the vibration comment coming from a guy though
Maybe you should take an older one out for a spin Jaybomb and see for yourself

BUT everyone is different Ventura, try them both

I did a fair few laps around QR on mine and never had a need for a steering damper, just more power

I decided to buy my '06 Z1000 about 15 seconds into the test ride of one. It felt comfortable, looked the goods, had plenty of poke and was fun to ride. After the front wheel came down as I accelerated away from the dealership I thought yeah I want this bike. Then, when I tipped it into the first corner I had made my mind up, I am definitely getting this bike.

I bought mine new but due to working for 3 months every winter down the snow and a shoulder reco that put me off the bike for 12 months it's only done 5000kms so far, but it is definitely a hooligan bike and the most fun thing I have ridden (I'm on my second set of tyres!). It's light, nimble and has plenty of power and is way too easy to get neg riding charges on.

As I am a big unit and came off a ZX9 there are times when I miss fairing and the feel of a bigger bike (and, at times, have even thought about changing the thou for a ZX12) but when you want to have a fun ride, there is nothing better. I can't compare mine with a later model but if you want something fun, you can't go past the earlier model.

I'm a bit concerned about the vibration comment coming from a guy though

lol, i guess i should have guessed some minds would go there! and no, so far "that" hasnt been an issue...
i never took an earlyer model for a spin, partly on account of the fact that i hadnt the need to second guess my immediate want for the later model. love is blind i guess.
but yeah, if i get the chance i would love to see what the differences are between the two. all my riding buddies have pretty new full fairing bikes, and i love being the ugly duckling on this thing

kawasaki can make a ZX10R vibration free

What?? No they can't!

i just had my 6000km service on my 07 z1000, friggen love this bike

plenty o power with some pipes, airbox and pc3 - i'm rarely ever below 5,000 rpm!! the sweet spot for me is higher especially with Yoshi's on

let one of your sports bike riding buddies have a sit on it, and then watch their faces cringe in pain as they get back on their
uterly uncomfortable ball squishing, ass numbing hyper sport.... all i can think of when i see that is.... f&*k that!

kawasaki can make a ZX10R vibration free

What?? No they can't!

you're right, my bad.
still, i put away 350ks on saturday and came up fresh as a dasy. so i still dont see what people bitch about.
this was on a burn down to kyogle through the lions road (which is terrible btw) and back up the mt lindsay hwy (which had just recently been "repaired" by the council so i now have 2 chips in my new paint! )

I did a fair few laps around QR on mine and never had a need for a steering damper, just more power

not to discredit your experience there, but the dampener is important if you either drop the front end wrong or hit a bump in a corner, and if you are a commuter on qlds roads you would experience the latter on a daily basis. QR is an ideal surface around most corners, and was built by people who dont hate their jobs, unlike the shovel monkeys at queensland roads, god bless em. so for street use, i dont know why these things dont come with a dampener standard.
i just had the dampener installed the morning before the ride and this added heaps more confidence in the front end (i snuk a quick peak at 205 on the speedo to celebrate).

on another note, revheads at acacia ridge tossed me the keys to their new demo model which has a 4 into 1 titanium exhaust fitted and it looks like i know what i want for christmas! its the business. cant think of the brand tho.

let one of your sports bike riding buddies have a sit on it, and then watch their faces cringe in pain as they get back on their
uterly uncomfortable ball squishing, ass numbing hyper sport.... all i can think of when i see that is.... f&*k that!

I had an 04 Z1000, onwed it from new did aboout 30,000kms on it at a fairly brisk pace.

i got a sore ass after about 1.5hrs every time i rode the farker.

i now have a so called ass killer ZX10r, and not once (not even on trips to the island) have i ever had a sore ass.

once your doing over 80kms, your arms dont hold you up, the only sore bit is the knees, and thats because its got higher rear-sets on it. (and the fact my leaters are a bit baggy in the back of the legs)


BTW i only once felt i needed a steering damper.
and that was on a totally rooted road i rode on the way home from work everyday, i overtook a car at a critical point, 8500rpm second gear yeehaaa OHH SHIT!!

hehe she was a damn beast smoked hundreds od ass killers at the track