[mallumowgli]

That's an awesome bike story - passionately written. Pics are a class apart too. Congrats again on the bike, Doc. Hope the happy days will be back again soon and you are back on the roads. Wishing you many happy miles

[Jacob1000]

Excellent write up man. Congratulations on the purchase.

Regarding the chain cleaning issue, try using the Putoline Tech Chain. I use it for my N1K and found that it doesn't fling and stays on for quite some time. The degreaser from the same brand works well too but there are other cheaper methods to do that.

Regarding the suspension, have a look at the video, it'll surely help you out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYs5CdQ5yE

[Ganapathy]

Thanks Doc. In these challenging times this was like a much needed breath of fresh air. A very passionately and eloquently written story that most bike lovers in this forum can relate to.

Wishing you many more fun filled kms on the odo . Take care and ride safely.

[v12]

Congratulations Doc, this is indeed a pre-worshipped Z1000. I would have really considered buying this from Kartik if I was not looking for a Tiger. Take care Ride Safe. Haven't gone through the whole thread but just wanted to pass on my regards.

And by the way Congratulations for you as well Kartik on the CB1000 - it's a damn near bike. Let's meet once this virus stuff settles down.

[aghate]

Awesome Acquisition!
Loved your write-up and have rated 5-stars.

Amazing photography with a very detailed review. Couldn't skip any bits once I started reading and that for me is how I began Friday. Have to focus on work now, lol.

A very very desirable bike indeed!
Ride safe and wishing million happy miles on Absynthe!

[Doc_nikhil]

Originally Posted by bigron

Looking good!

I like reading motorcycle ownership posts. This is a wonderful machine from Kawasaki…I had one for a few weeks, a loaner from a friend years ago..
I did not like the suspension set up . It was set up too hard for everyday city rides. Playing with the damping made it more palatable. YMMV.
You should see yourself having a great time with this. It is more bike than one would ever need.
Have fun!!

Thank you, Bigron! Yes it is difficult to suppress the grin that accompanies the WOT! And you are spot on, the suspension isn’t very forgiving on anything less than smooth tarmac, and I am already on the softest damping setting on the rear shocks. The front isn’t so bad, but the rear shocks definitely will need improvement.

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

Congrats on the new purchase Nikhil.
I am someone who does not like the naked bike segment a lot, but the z1000 was and will always be an exception. I haven't seen a more menacing looking bike from any angle. And those photos of the front where the headlamps just look like snake eyes with those slits. Can't get enough of it. Wishing you lots of happy miles with the bike and I'm pretty sure you will enjoy it. Hopefully, I'll spot you on the Coimbatore-Salem highway on a weekend during one of my frequent trips along that route
Cheers
Krishna

Thank you, Krishna! As you said, the looks are something else. We should try to ride soon, once the antivirus has been updated for the world. The salem - Cbe highway was one of better segments I’ve ridden on, fast sweepers and smooth roads. But we got to be careful at intersections!

Originally Posted by abbyanish

Congrats on the beast Looks fantastic and at utmost pristine condition. Did you change your number to TN yet? I also have a plan to buy a pre-owned superbike but most options are coming in from other states. If you had already changed the plates, can you let me know on the process and charges incurred? Thanks

Thnak you, Abbyanish! Yes, yes I have changed it to TN41, my place’s plates. The process is quite longdrawn with our ancient rules and regulations, but I’ll tell you the documents that would make your change over a lot easier.
1. NOC from the registered RTO.
2. Invoice (original)
3. PUC
4. Form 28/29 (cannot recall the exact numbers, but this is for the name transfer)
5. A recent fuel bill from the home state was asked by my agent. Do not know how useful it is.
6. Chassis prints on A4 x 6 copies. I had a hell of a time getting mine as the Z’s prints were so well buried underneath the front wirelooms, it would have given Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus an inferiority complex. So it is vital you get this done if your potential bike’s prints are well hidden too.
7. Properly greasing the agent / RTO officer / chaiwallah / inspector when needed. Hey, I am all for honest and transparent transactions, but sometimes, we will have to switch off the porch light (conscience) to see the stars.
The whole cost of transfer was around 70k. It is advisable to get hold of a reputable agent, who knows how to appease the RTO gods sitting inside the building. For eg., my agent knew so much detail about them, like one inspector like elachi tea for 11AM breaks and ginger tea for evening breaks. Stuff like this. And I did not opt for a special number as it was around additional 45K for those. I’d rather use that money for fuel / riding gear / accessories / food. Mostly food though. At the end of the day, nothing like having your dream superbike under your own name, with local plates, I say! I hope this helps.

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

Congrats on your new bike, wishing you many kms of fun filled riding. Lovely pictures!

Thank you so much! Will be clicking more and I’ll definitely be posting them here.

Originally Posted by Tgo

Amazing photographs chronicling the ownership. It was a great read. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you! Glad you had a good time reading this.

Originally Posted by dkaile

Congratulations and welcome to Kawasaki family. Ride safe, ride hard... ATGATT
Cheers

Thank you, dkaile, cheers! I am keen follower of your threads and yes, it feels good to be a part of the Kawasaki family. ATGATT without fail!

Originally Posted by vignesh.cv

Love the photography and your writing. Safe riding !

Thank you Vignesh, I will ride safe, cheers!

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Congrats!

Z1000 is such a desirable machine - IMHO, one of the best-designed supernakeds of the modern era - and the absolute best of Kawasaki's Sugomi design philosophy…..Have heard a lot of complaints on the ride quality though! And your review seems to agree with that fact. Hope it is not too much of a burden, given the smoother roads down south? Would love to see this bike munching miles! PS: Brilliant photography as well! Never noticed the LED projectors actually had cats-eyes to go with the predator design!

Thank you, Crazy driver! Yes, the roads are much better, but still I am going to do something about the rear shock. It’s the rear shock mainly. The front feels much better and forgiving.

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

Lovely write up and wonderful photos. Was getting bored with the two wheeler section in the forum pretty dry for the last few days. It is a treat going through your words and those beautiful shots of the beast. Thanks for the treat! Remarkable beast you have purchased here. Would love to join a ride when possible, though i would struggle to catch up in my D200. Here i was itching for an upgrade when i found your D390 in the classified. I was biting my lips every day staring at that waiting for the Ukkadam flyover to get completed before taking the plunge. I am assuming that is sold now as i cannot find it in the classifieds now.

Rohit, thank you so much for your kind words. Would love to catch up with you. We have a very active WA group for cbe tbhpians and close petrolheads. Can you DM your number? I’ll try to meet you once the pandemic is behind us. And yes, citrus has been sold. But I feel bad for it, the new owner isn’t even taking proper care of it. Hope you find a good example soon. Do not wait for that one road to get ready, we have other roads to ride on. Take the plunge soon! All the best.

Originally Posted by krishsreedharan

Congrats once again doc! It was indeed a pleasant surprise when you rolled in on this brute to catch up with me on the day the bike reached Coimbatore. Happy riding!!!

Thank you chief! Will have to plan a ride together soon once normalcy is back.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

That's an awesome bike story - passionately written. Pics are a class apart too. Congrats again on the bike, Doc. Hope the happy days will be back again soon and you are back on the roads. Wishing you many happy miles

Thank you Praveen ji. Yes, lets hope for the best. Hopefully I get to eat a parotta/fry treat by you soon too.

Originally Posted by Jacob1000

Excellent write up man. Congratulations on the purchase.Regarding the chain cleaning issue, try using the Putoline Tech Chain. I use it for my N1K and found that it doesn't fling and stays on for quite some time. The degreaser from the same brand works well too but there are other cheaper methods to do that. Regarding the suspension, have a look at the video, it'll surely help you out.

Thank you! I shall check out the brand you mentioned. As of now I am using liquimoly stuff for both degreasing and lubing. Shall check this one out. Thanks for the video, I will see what can be done!

Originally Posted by Ganapathy

Thanks Doc. In these challenging times this was like a much needed breath of fresh air. A very passionately and eloquently written story that most bike lovers in this forum can relate to. Wishing you many more fun filled kms on the odo . Take care and ride safely.

Thank you, Ganapathy! Will ride safe! Cheers!

Originally Posted by v12

Congratulations Doc, this is indeed a pre-worshipped Z1000. I would have really considered buying this from Kartik if I was not looking for a Tiger. Take care Ride Safe. Haven't gone through the whole thread but just wanted to pass on my regards.And by the way Congratulations for you as well Kartik on the CB1000 - it's a damn near bike. Let's meet once this virus stuff settles down.

Thank you V12. Remember the days you had the Z800 and I used to ping you regarding the bike, hoping to own it someday? It was your ownership thread and few others that gave me hope that we can own our dream bikes sooner rather than later. Hope you are having fun on your current steed! And yeah, Kartik’s new CB is a sexy bomb! It looks superb. I’ve told him I’ll be seeing him in four years when he decides to sell that too . And yes, we should plan a meet the next time I am in Mumbai. It would be nice to see you all!

Originally Posted by aghate

Awesome Acquisition!
Loved your write-up and have rated 5-stars.Amazing photography with a very detailed review. Couldn't skip any bits once I started reading and that for me is how I began Friday. Have to focus on work now, lol.A very very desirable bike indeed! Ride safe and wishing million happy miles on Absynthe!

Thank you so much! Feedback like yours make all the late nights spent on writing the review, worth it. Cheers!

[Redline Shooter]

Congrats doc!
Lovely write up and beautiful pictures. A good read in a state of self quarantine.

Off topic : What also caught my eye is the fabric key tag. Neat! Where did you source it from?

[Doc_nikhil]

Originally Posted by Redline Shooter

Congrats doc!
Lovely write up and beautiful pictures. A good read in a state of self quarantine.

Off topic : What also caught my eye is the fabric key tag. Neat! Where did you source it from?

Thank you Redline Shooter. Hahaha.. that was ordered on motoloot.com three years ago when the duke came into my life. It depicts my profession (Cardiologist) but with the ECG beating for rides (the bike silhouette). Thanks for noticing it. Here is a better pic of it.

[reihem]

I’m not even a bike guy, and I can say without doubt this one of the best threads I’ve had the good fortune to read. You have a real gift when it comes to penning your thoughts. Truly and genuinely, a great read !

[VijayAnand1]

Nicely compiled, with raw emotions that equally exudes from the bike itself. I live not far from Coimbatore, 80 KMS up, in Ooty, if you ever plan to stretch her wings, would definitely like to get to know you. Big bikes by default require frequent chain clean up and lubrication. It's not because of the wider tire, it's because of the power transmitted through them, and the centrifugal force acting on the chain that spews the lube in no time.

A chain that is cleaned, lubed and maintained well with the correct slack, makes a big difference the way the bike feeds us back. Trust me, it's the one area most superbikers neglect, and the one that makes a vital difference in the way power is transmitted.

Ride safe! Congratulations on your dream come true.

Cheers!
VJ

[Doc_nikhil]

Originally Posted by reihem

I’m not even a bike guy, and I can say without doubt this one of the best threads I’ve had the good fortune to read. You have a real gift when it comes to penning your thoughts. Truly and genuinely, a great read !

Thank you so much. Really happy you enjoyed the thread.

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Nicely compiled, with raw emotions that equally exudes from the bike itself. I live not far from Coimbatore, 80 KMS up, in Ooty, if you ever plan to stretch her wings, would definitely like to get to know you. Big bikes by default require frequent chain clean up and lubrication. It's not because of the wider tire, it's because of the power transmitted through them, and the centrifugal force acting on the chain that spews the lube in no time. Ride safe! Congratulations on your dream come true.

Cheers!
VJ

Hey VJ.. thank you so much. Your explanation for frequent lubing sounds right. Anyway, I do not wait for the set intervals in the Odo, but do it more on the tactile sensation when the chain is dirty. I really don’t know how to explain it but that tactile feel of roughness goes away when I clean and lube the chain.

And yes, some day after this covid is behind us, I will plan a trip up the ghats and we shal l meet. The kotagiri road is especially very nice to ride, I’ve done that on the duke and enjoyed it thoroughly. Looking forward to doing it all over again!

[mh09ad5578]

Awesome thread! I can feel the similarity to my pre worshipped Harley purchase from fellow bhpian @dust_harl 4 years back. He's a riding buddy now and a friend for life.

You are one master story teller, and I thought docs with hobbies were an oxymoron. Loved every bit of it. Have ridden with the Ninja 1000 a couple of times on our weekend rides and man the exhaust sounds like a symphony on wheels! Enjoy the ride and keep updating the thread, cause you have us glued to it. It's 2 am, and I'm replying

[Odeen12]

Lovely lovely.. Congratulations! What a peach of a motorcycle this is. I was there at Zubin's garage when you were loading this beast away. The Suzuki under covers was mine.

I think i clicked some of the group pictures with Zubin and team.

Wish you the happiest miles on her and oodles of fun along the way!

Cheers!

[Doc_nikhil]

Originally Posted by mh09ad5578

Awesome thread! I can feel the similarity to my pre worshipped Harley purchase from fellow bhpian @dust_harl 4 years back. He's a riding buddy now and a friend for life. You are one master story teller, and I thought docs with hobbies were an oxymoron. Loved every bit of it. Have ridden with the Ninja 1000 a couple of times on our weekend rides and man the exhaust sounds like a symphony on wheels! Enjoy the ride and keep updating the thread, cause you have us glued to it. It's 2 am, and I'm replying

Hey.. thank you! Yes, going preowned and making that experience that much better is mainly down to the guys who sell us their steeds! I’m glad I found a friend in Mumbai too! And thank you for the compliment.. my wife always tells me I’m better at anything related to automobiles than I’m with my profession. I take that as a compliment too. I can’t risk taking it the wrong way and living to see the next day!

Yes, I will keep updating this thread whenever I can. It is gonna be more of short rides as I cannot take more than half a day off. But something is better than nothing na. Cheers! Thanks for the 2AM reply too. It made my day!

Originally Posted by Odeen12

Lovely lovely.. Congratulations! What a peach of a motorcycle this is. I was there at Zubin's garage when you were loading this beast away. The Suzuki under covers was mine. I think i clicked some of the group pictures with Zubin and team. Wish you the happiest miles on her and oodles of fun along the way!

Cheers!

Odeen, man, thank you so much!! Yes I remember you being there clicking the pics, but my stupid brain did not put two and two together. Of course that Gixxer must have been yours. The two days I was there I was secretly peeking under the covers and wondering if it was the same bike I read about, here. Damn. Next time I’m in town I get to see you and the Suzuki in all its glory! Not under the covers, ok!

[neil.jericho]

Congratulations Doc, you certainly have picked up a great motorcycle at what appears to be a great price as well. I too had my eye on the same bike for quite some time when it was in the classifieds section but the complications involved in getting the registration transferred for a different state made me rethink my decision. Do keep writing and updating this thread, you certainly have a flair for writing. In worrying times like this, a wonderful new ownership thread like this is just what the forum needed.