Team Green had some serious objectives for the '07 Z1000. They wanted to bulk-up performance, refine the chassis, revise the riding position and give it a make-over. So where did they start?Though the engine didn't receive a major overhaul, a few key items were altered internally on the ZX-9R-derived 953cc DOHC inline-Four.Down in the basement, flywheel mass was increased 7% from '06 and the final-drive gearing has been lowered ever so slightly. Work continued in the tranny package by reshaping the shift cam and adding ball bearings to the shift lever. Reduced clutch effort is provided by lower-rate clutch springs. Finally, the radiator was lightened and its cooling capacity increased by 18%.
According to MO's dyno last year the '06 Z wicked up 127 hp at a smidgen over 10,000 rpm with 69 ft-lbs. of torque almost dead on 8,000 rpm. Kawasaki didn't provide claimed horsepower figures for '07, but the provided spec chart boasts a torque figure of 73.1 ft-lbs at 8,200 rpm, up slightly from the crankshaft claim of 70.5 at 8000 rpm for the old model. Kawi product manager Karl Edmondson estimates that the new Z is probably down a top-end pony or two from last year due to the new focus on low-end grunt.
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