2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000/SX

The 2020 Ninja 1000SX puts the sport in sport-touring with its 1,043cc inline-four powerplant, up and down quickshifter, and ride modes. Touring chops are accounted for with its relaxed riding position on the new seat, cruise control capability, and adjustable windshield that maximizes wind protection. Ideal for the daily riders and the long-distance weekend warriors, the Ninja 1000/SX has a knack for a thrilling adventure at a reasonable price.

In Motorcyclist’s MC Commute of the Ninja 1000SX, Michael Gilbert concluded, “The 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX is a do-it-all machine. If you want to flog the canyons with the sportbike crowd, it will do it with confidence. Mellow highway jaunts on the agenda? It will do that too, even if the seat is too harsh for our liking. Team Green found an excellent balance in this Ninja, and it’s a worthwhile option for a one-bike-only garage.”

When we rode the 2017 Ninja 1000, it delivered beyond the spec sheet on the freeway, canyon, or urban roads that made up the route from Los Angeles to Monterey, California.

Other sport-tourers on the market include the BMW R 1250 RS, Yamaha FJR1300ES, KTM 1290 Super Duke GT, and Ducati Multistrada 1260.

Updates are plentiful when it comes to the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX, namely sportier styling, revised windshield, TFT dash, ride modes, cruise control, electronic throttle valves (this enables the ECU to optimize fuel and air delivery to the engine), quickshifter, suspension refinements, tire swap, and connectivity to the Rideology The App.

The base-model Ninja 1000 is available at a starting MSRP of $12,199 and the SX version rolls in at $12,399.