Never been over to the other forums but thought I might seek some input from the other side. The bottom line is I am looking at and interested to maybe get a 2000 up, KAWASAKI K1000P police bike. Why? I am getting on in years and am ready for a cruiser that will roll on the highway and not beat one to death like the old Norton . The features of interest include push button start, fairing, windshield, saddle bags, foot boards, still enough power, siren and lights for fun.
Does anyone ride one of these or have first hand knowledge of their merits or demerits. I have only ridden Commando's all my life. Once across the USA from coast to coast. Obviously, I could not do that now. What do you think?

It's modern, reliable, powerful, comfortable and has 2 wheels! Go for it! Won't have the character of your Norton though,,,,, graeme

aceaceca wrote: ... Does anyone ride one of these or have first hand knowledge of their merits or demerits. I have only ridden Commando's all my life. ... What do you think?

I don't own a late model Police KZ1000, but I do have an early KZ1000A1 - and I love it!



For some of the reasons you mention (reliable electric start, power, etc) it is a great bike. But, it's not a Commando and not much like one. It's heavier (and the Police ones are heavier yet) and isn't as easy to chuck into corners, etc. For me, the main drawback is the LH gear change. I have a Norton with RH shift 1 up and 3 down, a Triumph with RH shift 1 down and 3 up, then the KZ with LH shift. Sometimes I have to think just which foot I'm using and which way I'm going.

But, IMHO, the big Kawasakis are great bikes.

The big Kawasaki will certainly open your eyes if you have not owned a Jap machine before! Many years ago after only owning Brit bikes I changed to an A1 z1000, and the experience was a bit like swopping an old valve radio set for the very latest wide screen plasma TV set!

Looked at a big Triumph ? Did they have the 1200 fours over there ? .

Edit ;

Ive seen a few early Z1s do peculiar things , with inatentive riders. Also tired ones get more entralling .

" A bike that rides not drives ' was a quote from a 80s NOC newsletter in comparison to a Kawsaki .
Might pay to take one for a spin through the hills before you settle on it . Post 80s Jap stuff is a bit better in the chassis than the 70s issue . From the same source " Does your Kawaski weave at high speed ?
No , but its good for knitting around town ". tee hee .

Suppose , like most things , ' maintaining the initiative ' is sumewhat neccesary ordinarily .
Dont know that you could leave it to the bike in the way you can with some say Triumps of old .

Horses for Courses .

The state land agent (my nemesis aka landlord) has an early '80s kawasaki 1000 that he restored from an original, neglected bike.
On a recent scoot up into the hills, he offered to let me take it for a spin... being left foot challenged, I declined. It is a really nice bike, seems really powerful, and in a straight line (in 3rd and above) takes my commando to the cleaners...
cheers,
Don

aceaceca wrote:I am getting on in years and am ready for a cruiser that will roll on the highway and not beat one to death like the old Norton . The features of interest include push button start, fairing, windshield, saddle bags, foot boards, still enough power, siren and lights for fun.
Does anyone ride one of these or have first hand knowledge of their merits or demerits. I have only ridden Commando's all my life. Once across the USA from coast to coast. Obviously, I could not do that now. What do you think?

"Obviously, I could not do that now."
Wanna Bet? Its got everything you asked for except the lights and the siren, and it has shaft drive.

You know, I need to get a ride on one before I do anything. I think I know what it will be like though. I have briefly ridden a Honda V65 Sabre, a Honda Nighthawk 750, the big Honda 6 cylinder, and the early Honda 750,s. Never run these bikes through the twisty bits though. I was rather aghast at their perceived lack of handling and desire to just go straight ahead. The big Honda 6 felt like a semi truck. I just assume that is the way those bikes will handle. In comparison to the Commando it is probably like the difference between a sports car a town car. I suspect one cannot have the best of both worlds and must take the trade offs. Apart from the fact that the Kawasaki is a great buy for the price and I would like a new toy for Xmas, maybe I should just man up and stay on a real machine.

grandpaul wrote:The KZ can eat just about any Commando in a straight line. The Commando then slips past in the first turn/curve you come to.

People criticise old Triumphs for "having a hinge in the middle", till they soil their first pair of trousers on an early Z/KZ.

While my '80 KZ/A4 is a "better" handling bike, it's still HEAVY and could in no way be described as "nimble". Now, as the basis for a classic/vintage HIGHWAY bike, they're EXCELLENT.

I had a KZ1000 back in 1977, First of the 1000 cc models. I street-raced a JPS Commando back then. I remember it well. He couldn't get past me, and he couldnt catch me. He claimed later that he wasn't trying and he was "amused watching my back wheel bounce around." BS!! He was trying to pass but couldn't.

Now, I own a Commando myself, and a KZ1000 (replacement for the first one that I stupidly sold). The Commando is a hooligan bike, with lots of grunt, and it is nimble, as you say. But it's a bugger to start again if it stalls in traffic, and I have an ongoing battle with the twin Amals (they're synched and tuned OK, they just have a wandering idle setting - no there is no manifold air leak - I suspect it might be the Boyer - that's my next project). The KZ is smooth. It idles great. It gets off the mark - just snap the throttle and it's off!!! It looks cool and gets as many admirers (or more) than my Commando, because most people don't know Nortons.

The early frame wobble is often caused by bad head bearings or suspension and can be fixed. My KZ is no more wobbley than my Commando, at least the way I drive it.

IMHO it is a good highway bike, but it's good around town too. It might not qualify as a canyon carver.

Now, the original question was about a recent KZ1000P. It's not really a classic bike. I haven't actually ridden one, but it seems to me that they're like a Harley in style, but with a smoother engine. They are clearly reliable and parts are available and fairly cheap. You wouldn't buy a KZ1000P to carve canyons, I wouldn't think.

What about a "SORTED" Mk3 ?

graeme

Only want to spend 2-3K, no more. I see the KZ1000 as a lot of bang for the buck. Going to unload the T120RT soon. I just cannot warm up to it like my old friend Norton.