2024 Kawasaki 1000SX Review // IDEAL Sports tourer? // 4K 

I got one in 2020 when they first came out, got 21,000 miles on it now and it’s been a great bike, absolutely bulletproof, not a thing has gone wrong on it, fill with petrol, turn the key and it goes as quick as you like 😬 which is exactly what you want from a sports tourer 👍 Ride anyway you want and it’ll do 165 miles until reserve light pings on, so range is decent and I’m ready for a coffee ☕️ by then anyhow, the bike you’re riding is missing something,…the “tourer” package also gives you a sat nav bracket that mounts to the two front tank bolts, it’s not on your bike, I’ve got my Garmin Zumo mounted on it and it works fine. This bike’s biggest asset is that creamy smooth, tractable, torquey engine, its just so easy to ride and make good progress with very little effort, which is exactly what you want at the end of a long tour day when you’ve done 350 or so miles in the rain 🌧️ and you’re starting to feel tired, it kinda looks after you. I get what you’re saying about the windscreen , it protects you okay but it can get a bit noisy, no buffeting, just noise, I’ve gone the other way and after experimenting with an aftermarket Powerbronze screen, I decided to cut it down by about 4 inches and my helmet now sits in the calm quiet airstream, works for me 🤷🏻‍♂️ Re the quickshifter, only use it when you’re getting a bit of a lick on and it’s fine, quickshifters are not designed for crunching through the gears at 3,000 revs around town, do that and it’s just mechanical abuse and bad technique. It’s a great all rounder and brilliant value for money, I would buy it again put it like that 👍

I still have a 2017 touring version in Green,that I bought new ,my screen has never moved, yes it does have a small bit of vibration but I’m sensitive to it due to hand and feet issues, brilliant bike that’s the main reason why I still own it and I don’t much like the colour scheme of these newer bikes 90% black😢, fuel economy is unbeatable if driving in a sensible manner 50 + to the gallon 😊 what more can you ask of a 1000 cc bike other than possibly a shaft drive ,

Got a '21, love everything about it! 6'1" and the ergo seat helps. Headers help power all around. Still helping two kids through college, so this hits the budget right as well! Oh yeah, moved up to the xl screen and the wind gets me mid- helmet.

I've never riden one if these but they're very popular in my local bike club. Reckon I'd have to go for the H2.

Looking at picking a low milage, used example up for the 2nd bike. I have an xsr900 currently and after having the Tracer9, the vibrations that developed were horrendous! Im not a fan of the adventure looking sports tourers, i think they're pig ugly. Im moving towards a traditional sports tourer. Anothe great review lad.

There is an after market mount for your sat nav that attaches to the screen mounts and puts the unit above the TFT. works really well.

Had one on a 20 plate, put it in when pcp was up. Got z9 to buy but wish I could have the 2. Fab bike

I love my 1250 RS and I’ve been ready to pay for it but I must admit that, if you factor in the price, this is the best package. Thanks ✌️

Can i ask what mount your using for the camera on the mirror?

Fantastic

I had an 18 plate for 4 years. A great bike but I found it a bit boring, no character. I think it was just too refined and good at everything if that makes sense. Also the handling was a bit weird and didn't give any feedback from the front end and it dived into corners sometimes.

Nice review mate.i dont think you can go far wrong with a kawasaki.solid,reliable,good price.always nice looking and ride well.if you want premium you have to pay out more.

Recognise that demonstrator sticker, what was the experience like booking a test ride with them??

Very nice bike. Looking at ....all things, methinks your build, size is a bit limiting. For me, it would be ideal.

Love this bike, but i think she would be 2 quick for me🤔

Tried one a few weeks back. Lovely throttle and clutch but god the seat was painful! Also with anything other than slippers I struggled to find the gear lever. Shame, lovely bike otherwise but not for me.

Best Sport Touring Bike? Close, but I think the BMW R1250RS peeps it for having an abundance of torque and shaftdrive, albeit slightly more $$

Traded mine in for the Suzuki GSX s1000gt...Best thing I ever did ..lighter, faster more agile, smoother ..much better quick shifter.. amazing versatile engine.. liked my Kwacker but love the GSX-S1000GT..

The BMW R1250RS would be (well actually is) my choice too. It is more expensive but to offset that slightly BMWs hold their value better. It has the option of 3 seat heights of 760, 820 and 840 mm on the configurator, as well as a 790mm version available to buy separately. You can also get it with tubular bars now if the reach to the clip ons is too wristy for you so it will fit a lot of riders. It has a better (the best?) TFT as well as semi active suspension and no chain to faff with as it's shaft drive. The screen is crap though but as with most sports tourers fixable via a Puig Touring or MRA Vario screen. It's coup de grais is however the engine, just 4 hp short of the Ninja SX, but has 143 nm of torque at just 6250 rpm so goes like stink throughout the rev range and is very easy to ride quickly and smoothly which pillilns will like. It's very smooth for a twin and mine shows over 230 miles tank range when I fill it up. The sat nav mount is in a poor position but you can get an after market mount that puts it above the TFT so just where you want it. Stupidly though heated grips arn't standard, even on the high spec SE model, but you can add them either seperately or as part of the "Comfort" pack. It's a very underrated bike, sitting in the shadow of the (much more expensive and common as muck) GS but it's certainly worth a test ride if you're looking for a traditional sports tourer. Panniers are not included, but as with all BMWs you can also fit a top box too, where as with some other manufacturers you can only fit panniers or a top box which for touring is not ideal. One nice little option is that the modes (Eco, Rain Road, Dynamic and Dynamic Pro) are switchable in the menu and you can add up to 4 of them to select via the mode button. As I only normally use Road/Dynamic Pro I only have them showing so can switch between the 2 very easily, rather than having to toggle through modes I won't be using on that ride. Likewise if the weather was poor you could add Rain mode to the menu etc. To suit the conditions/your riding style.

I had a 21 plate sx. The screen is crap, so noisy. Kawasaki don’t recommend fitting a top box and panniers at the same time which is a bit naff. The best phone/sat nav solution is an EvoTech unit that bolts to the tank front mount. I’m now on a Tracer 9 GT which is a similar proposition to the sx. I’ve got a top box fitted and the heated grips are much better than the sx. Oh and the quicker shifter is much better on the Tracer.