The 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS gets engine, chassis, and styling upgrades that mark a significant departure from the outgoing model and help it stand out from its fiercest competitors.

No longer dressed like an ancient robot, the new Z1000 sports properly aggressive and modern attire, with a clean headstock featuring LED headlights, a front splitter, large radiator cowls shaped like a boomerang, and a short, upswept tail.


More powerful and responsive
The engineers who worked on the 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS managed to increase power while preserving all of the 4-cylinder's hearty torque at low and medium revs. Thanks to a fully redesigned intake system including equal-length intake trumpets, more efficient fuel injectors, and revised camshafts, output is up from 138 hp to 142 hp.

Even more fun on the road
Revised frame geometry will make the 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS livelier up front, especially with the new separate-function, big-piston fork. Similar to the ZX-6R's setup, you have preload on the left, compression and rebound damping on the right. The end result is greater control as the fork begins to compress, and very calm response during brake-induced weight transfers.

Speaking of braking, expect greater performance courtesy of new monoblock callipers, a more precise and powerful master cylinder, and revised brake pads that have more bite. Of course, ABS comes standard.

Bottom line
The new 2014 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS promises to put on a show for standard sport bike enthusiasts, while its impressive specs -- and attractive $13,299 MSRP -- ought to strike fear into most rivals, particularly the Europeans.