Motorcycle review: Kawasaki Ninja is a sporty tourer
Mention Kawasaki Ninja to many motorcyclists, and thoughts of pure sport-bike riding will likely come to mind. When I first glimpsed the 2014 Ninja 1000 ABS in Kawasaki's signature Candy Lime Green, that's exactly what I thought. A bike ready-made for the track.
Well, except for the hard side-cases mounted on it.
When I took the Ninja out for a 90-mile jaunt, I was pleasantly surprised. The 1,043-cc inline-four may look like a green monster, but it had the manners of a gentleman.
The upright riding position was immediately noticeable. Unlike sportbikes with a more crouched position, this Ninja was comfortable even after a couple hours of riding. There was no arm or wrist fatigue. I felt I could ride all day.
The bike has two power modes: Full and low. According to Kawasaki, low cuts power to about 70% output. The low setting was somewhat helpful for urban riding, but, truthfully, I didn't really notice a big difference unless I was really twisting the throttle. So for the most part, I kept the bike in full power, even in the city.
The Ninja 1000 ABS also has Kawasaki's new KTRC traction control system with three sensitivity modes, depending on your riding style or what type of riding you'll be doing. You can have it at level 1, which allows for most wheel spin, or 3, which cuts the most spin – useful when riding on wet roads, for instance.
The bike's powerband is wide, which makes it forgiving and easy to ride. There is plenty of accessible power for acceleration in any of the six gears, even at lower rpms, meaning riders spend less time searching for the right gear and more time just enjoying the ride. Once the bike gets rolling, you can almost keep it in sixth the entire time, even on highway off- and on-ramps.
Kawasaki also gave this Ninja a taller sixth gear, which means the rpms are lower at cruising speed. It should improve fuel economy and cruising noise and vibration.
Also new for this Ninja is the one-piece "monobloc" radial-mount brake calipers in the front, and a single-piston, pin-slide caliper in the rear. The braking is strong (I had to test it during one panic-stop situation), but there was quite a bit of front dive.
The bike has a fairly large fuel tank (Kawasaki claims a 5-gallon capacity), which allows for better range. In my rides, I averaged about 37 mpg, giving me about 190 miles per tank.
The optional saddlebags provide plenty of space; large enough for a helmet. Not only did the 28-liter bags look sleek on the bike, they are aerodynamically well designed. There was very little baffling from the panniers, even at higher speeds. Several times I forgot I had them on. The bags were also a cinch to put on and take off the bike. The only downside is the cost: $1,270.
I liked the adjustable windscreen, which was easy to move without tools. The fairings provided good protection, too. In light rain, with my knees tucked in close, I was able to remain pretty dry, even without rain gear.
The bike's 32.3-inch seat height was comfortable, even for short 5-foot, 2-inch riders like myself. I was surprised I was able to get both feet on the ground at a stop. I wasn't flat-footed, but I had enough contact that I felt confident, even on slopes. The 509-pound bike is very well balanced that I barely felt the weight.
There were a few misses, however.
The smallish instrument screen was a little difficult to read at first, but you get used to it. And although it provides a wealth of information, including speed, average and instant fuel consumption, a fuel gauge, miles-to-empty and an "eco" mode indicator (three circles that appear when you are riding very efficiently) it lacked a gear-position indicator. Old-school motorcyclists might find it unnecessary, but with all the technology the bike is sporting, a gear indicator seems fairly basic.
Another complaint is that the bike gets very hot around the legs, especially in traffic on an already hot day. After about 30 minutes of stop-and-go on Interstate 95, I was about ready pull over to the shoulder, shut the bike off and wait it out.
Another missing feature is heated grips. As an entry-level sport-tourer (Kawasaki's true sport-tourer is its mammoth 688-pound, 1,352cc Concours) the addition of heated grips just makes sense.
Overall, this green beast is easy to ride and easy to control for any rider. Beginners won't feel too intimidated, and advanced riders can customize the settings to ride as aggressively as they'd like. Although the bike is configured for touring capabilities, it rides and sounds much like a sportbike.
The Ninja 1000 ABS starts at $11,999, with a destination charge of $345. The 2014 models come in green or blue.
Follow Andria Yu on Twitter @sixspeedsis.