Kawasaki KZ1000 Vs Yamaha XS1100 - Specs, Sound, Acceleration - Classic Motorcycle Comparison!

[@Lawrence-re6ri]

I owned a 1979 1000 kzst . I still miss that bike . It was a monster.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

They're nice machines!

[@mattdonna9677]

I had owned 2 of the 1979 XS eleven, both were full dressers, smooth and comfortable. My 1986 V-Max was a lot more fun ( adrenaline producing )

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

I imagine so! The V-Max is a beast, and the XS1100 was plenty heavy even without the full dresser treatment.

[@henryhawk978]

Like the looks of the KZ1000. Both are very nice. Enjoyed the video Jon and RIDE SAFE OUT THERE!

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Thanks Henry!

[@SophisticatedBob]

Nice video. I had the Yamaha, and loved it. Old technology, but nice ergonomics and mine was reliable.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Thank you! I love the Yamaha's ergonomics now that I went with the flatter bar. It runs great too, now that it's sorted.

[@chrispulham4779]

Wow, love them both. Great video mate.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Thanks Chris! Lots more classic bike comparisons on this channel, so stay tuned!

[@michaelpullen6812]

I own a 78 XS11 that I am doing a rolling “restoration” on….took me 45 years but I finally got one. 😉 I had numerous KZ and GS….loved them all!

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on!

[@michaelpullen6812]

And, by the way, LOVE your channel! You have a fleet of amazing classics…. I grew up with these great machines.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@michaelpullen6812 Thanks Michael!

[@richardwolf-cj8gq]

Great informative video Jonathan ! I own a 1978 Standard XS11 , a real milestone bike as the World’s Fastest Production Bike in 78 however very undervalued now ! Love those great XS11’s !! 😀👍👍

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Probably the world's heaviest too. Awful bike. My big brother owned a BMW R100S. Now that's a great shaft drive bike.

[@cousinjack2841]

I had the XS11 back in the 80's, ( the later 1.1 version) it was a great all rounder and no couch slouch. I often rode a buddy's KZ1000ST and both were great bikes. At the same time my brother had the Suzi G1000G. We went on a road trip and were miles from anywhere on good surfaces and decided to open things up a bit. My brother was hunkered down as flat as he could on the tank with a wide open throttle. He was a bit fed up when I passed him sitting bolt upright; he never forgave me or Yamaha. Happy days. My old man, an ex motor cycle cop, rode my 1.1 and said it would be no good for escort work as it tended to wander a bit at extremely low speeds, but I replaced the tyres with Pirelli Phantoms which made a fair bit of difference to the overall handling which was fine, as long as you didn't mine replacing the rear every couple of months. I still miss that bike. Great video; thanks.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Thanks for sharing the memories! Nobody could match the output of the XS1100 when it debuted - simply awesome! I think your dad was right, the handling can be "interesting" especially at low speeds, where it tends to flop into corners. Overall, it's still a fast, smooth, comfortable bike!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

That 100cc makes a difference.

[@TrustyZ900]

XS 11 Special. Probably my most favorite bike from the past. Rode one in '80. Smooth, powerful and great looking. I already had the 850 Special. Another wonderful machine. Went to buy a used one in the mid 80's, but it wasn't perfect, so I passed. Parts were abundant and cheap. Anyways, I always have fond memories of it. Another one that stood out that I rode was an 850 Norton Commando in candy apple red. What a blast. My red CBX was cooler tho.What a beast.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on! Do you still have the red CBX? That's one I would love to try.

[@TrustyZ900]

@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Unfortunately not. It truly was magical, with that shiny wide six. The sound was wonderful. There was a video about the Castrol 6 hour production race in Australia I remember watching. It took place in '78. CBX's, the regular XS11,GS 1000's, Ducati 900SS, etc. Was wild to see those big sixes coming around the turn. They did well, but the XS11 finally won. You can pull the race up- Castrol 6 hour 1978- Amaroo Park. Good times.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@TrustyZ900 I watched that race! Those were real men riding those bikes! Watching the XS1100 pogo around the track, I can't believe it won in the end. The mid-range on the XS1100 is super impressive.

[@TrustyZ900]

@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 The only bikes that were somewhat suited for the race were the GS1000 and Ducati, but those boys could ride. thanks.

[@blairrawls4858]

Another great video, Jon. I really appreciate these comparisons. Being in high school when these bikes came out, I so wanted one but could not afford the cost nor would my folks have allowed it! Fast forward may years later I ended up owning a BMW K11RS, which I rode and loved for 20 years. But I still look fondly on these early 1000cc superbikes.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on Blair! These classics were always dream bikes of mine as well. I've owned many of the modern bikes, but these are the ones I enjoy most. Cheers!

[@Chittybang1821]

Kawi used that kz1000 platform for so many different type of riding

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Yep. It was a good platform.

[@propdoctor21564]

Another great video as always. I have always been a fan of the '70s and '80s Kawasaki's so that's what I would pick... Back in the '80s and '90s I had owned both a 1978 LTD 1000 and a 1980 LTD 1000 and have always regretted selling them but these days they have gotten too expensive for what they are so the last bike I bought a couple years ago and currently own is a super clean black 1992 Honda Nighthawk 750 with only 10,000 miles which I am enjoying immensely as I really have always been a Honda fan first...

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on! I reviewed the Nighthawk 750 recently - it's a great UJM!

[@jlrutube1312]

Both bikes are really awesome machines. I personally like the Yamaha just a tad better partly because I really like the 1980s type looks. I like that little hint of chopper style without really being a chopper. Many people don't like that but I really do. I like being down in the bike as opposed to being up on it. With regards to the brakes, sometimes when you get an older bike the history of the brake calipers or pads are the real question. Are the caliper pistons clean and oiled? Are the pads the original type? Are they ceramic or organic or what? Probably just get some different pads and the brake issue will become irrelevant.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Everything on the brake system has been rebuilt: calipers, rotors, pads, steel-braided lines, rebuilt master cylinder, etc. The Kawasaki just has better brakes, I guess.

[@jlrutube1312]

@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Okay, that answers the question. You must be correct. The way you described the Yamaha's brakes, it sounded so bad that I thought something must be wrong.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@jlrutube1312 Unfortunately, Yamaha used a single, vertical pivot bolt for each caliper. I've not seen this design on any other bike, and I think I know why - it just doesn't work as well. I drove another XS1100 Special yesterday with similar upgrades, and it felt the same.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I'd pick the Kawasaki as having better quality brakes. Manufacturers save money on different parts. The Yamaha brakes are from a earlier period. They've put big rotors on to improve braking but the calipers become the weak link.

[@kurtwise7356]

Had a 81 Yamaha XJ 750 that I loved! Same set up with shaft drive and very comfortable to ride!

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Nice, I haven't ridden one of the early Yamaha triples yet. Cheers!

[@Chopatube]

Thanks for the redirect to this video from your XS11/Z1000 work. The sound of both takes me back, and I loved them both! What is with you Pennsylvanians and your multi-bike collections? I used to visit a Mercedes dealership's service manager in Allentown who had 3, count 'em 3 Moto Morini three and a halfs, as well as a handful of more "normal" bikes!

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

You're welcome. I came close to buying a Moto Morini once. And you're right about the collections. I have many friends with multiple classic bikes and cars. Must be something in the water. I just thought it was normal. Cheers!

[@Mannix2023]

Also John did you know that the middle gear transmission was made by Porche?? And back in the 80’s the xs1100 was name The Excessive 11 because of the tremendous power.

[@64faffi]

Yes, Porsche helped Yamaha develop their first shaft final drive system back in the early-to-mid 70s. On the XS750, which the 1100 was based on, an expensive constant-velocity "U-joint" in which the drive passes across six large ball bearings carried in grooved inner and outer spherical members. This kind of U-joint will operate at large angles without any change in input/output speeds and without creating any drive pulsations, which is why it is widely used in front-wheel-drive automobiles. It cost more money than the typical U-joints fitted to just about every other motorcycle, including the 1100.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

I didn't know that!

[@jasonfisher4860]

I ❤ following these informative threads!!! Thx for starting something here Jon ...😅

[@redtobertshateshandles]

And weight. 😂

[@jimclarke1108]

Often wondered what the Yamaha was like on the road, owned a couple of Z's back in the day, great comparison👍

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Thanks, Jim!

[@64faffi]

Interesting comparison again. At least in Europe, the KZ1000ST made two more claimed horses than the XS1100, 97PS @ 8000 vs 95PS @ 8000rpm.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Interesting. I own three KZ1000s, and the Yamaha walks away in roll-on contests. Maybe the European bikes are tuned differently.

[@64faffi]

@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 Tests in Europe showed the same thing, that the XS1100 had the better roll-on performance. And more often than not the higher top speed, but production tolerances meant not every bike of any given model perform exactly the same.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@@64faffi Yamaha may have also underrated the hp rating intentionally (or Kawasaki overrated theirs).

[@64faffi]

@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 You are probably correct on both accounts, with Kawasaki usually being more optimistic than Yamaha was pessimistic.

[@haxan6663]

The old Zeds are amongst my favourite bikes to ride. Last owned one, a Z650, about 20 years ago! Just considering purchasing another for occasional recreational use (I own a regular, daily use Royal Enfield 410 Scram).

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@@haxan6663 Nice! There is something special about riding a classic Zed. Cheers

[@ericromeiro6688]

I still have my1980 Yamaha XS1100 Special garage kept with 10,000 miles Great Bike Fast😊 👍 and I have my 1983 Yamaha 650 Seca Turbo garage kept with 4,000 miles Very Fast😊 👍

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Very cool! I would love to try out a Seca Turbo if I ever get the chance!

[@butchsanders6113]

I have three old Suzukis a 80 1000e and two 1100 GS,s an 80 and 81.❤ 😊👍

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on! Be sure to check out the Suzuki GS1100 content on this channel - I have lots of videos featuring them (4 in the garage currently). Cheers!

[@29madmangaud29]

Yes, the Honda's also had that problem of jerky shaft drive, but with Yamaha, they've got together with BMW about the shaft drive and got some help from them. The Honda's didn't get that fixed until some time later in the '80's or in the '90s.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Interesting! I didn't know there was some BMW influence there.

[@64faffi]

That was news to me as well, but if true would explain why the Yamahas has terrible shaft drive reactions as well. Not as bad as the Beemers, admittedly, but still very noticeable.

[@29madmangaud29]

@@64faffi I've not ridden a Beemer ever, but what I've read is that what I've said, and I have owned 2 different Honda shafty's, and the 80's Hondas were much WORSE than my 1981 XS1100H. The Honda's were so bad that they could actually cause a crash, if you were in middle of a turn, getting on it, or letting off in a hurry.

[@64faffi]

@@29madmangaud29 Yes, you are correct that several of the early Hondas were badly affected as well, like the CX500, CB900/1000C and GL1000/1100, due to too short swingarms. And probably poorly placed U-joints. But the shaft on my XJ750, which was better than that of the 750/850/1100s, still fully extended the rear suspension under maximum acceleration in the lower two gears, and shutting off the throttle would drastically compress the suspension. Enough to cause me to crash, when shutting off the throttle fully retracted the rear wheel off the tarmac. Admittedly, I was already scraping peg, both stands and the headers, so I guess I was mostly to blame... My XV1100, though, does not experience such issues and feel as good as the Suzuki GS-G I once owned.

[@64faffi]

@@29madmangaud29 BTW, if you ever get to ride an old BMW airhead, you will notice that on every take-off, you first go 4 inches up before you go forward!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

The Kawasaki looked better. Both are very heavy, with Yamaha taking the win. Huge chunk of metal. Here in Australia the XS was ridden in our Castrol Six Hour production race. They would get a tank slapper and crash on the high speed / twisty section of the track. My mates step father broke both legs and destroyed his brand new XS1100. He said he hit a piece of timber but who knows what really happened. I'll take the Kawasaki. I hate "special" styling. Suzuki's specials were terrible. Leave it to Harley, they do it best.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on! The "Special" styling was so new and popular in the late 1970's through early 1980's. I still prefer standard style machines. Cheers!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

@@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538 I suppose nowadays if you see a special in good condition you should snap it up. They aren't making any more.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@redtobertshateshandles Yep. Not my favorite, but still nice bikes and getting rarer. Cheers!

[@Mannix2023]

Hi John also the Yamaha rear tire is a 16 smaller than the ST1000 , I enjoy your rides and your bikes we like the same era.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on, thanks Salvador!

[@flexjay87]

Two really nice bikes. Both bikes would benefit from a 6th gear overdrive. Personally, i love constant velocity Carbs :)

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Me too!

[@fframer1]

No doubt the Yamaha is a nice bike,had a 85 Virago that was silky smooth. But the styling on the Kawasaki is beautiful. Love the 160 speedometer.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Me too! Cheers!

[@Do.Christ]

What models were the sport bike models?

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

For Kawasaki, it was the Z1R. Yamaha didn't really have a "sport" model, but their standard XS1100 was one of the superbikes of it's day. Cheers!

[@owen368]

Well looks like I am 1st to comment. Have heard of the xs1.1, but you never see one in the UK they either didn't ship them here or they just never caught on.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

They're not as popular as the Kawasaki's, Suzuki's, and Honda's. I wasn't super excited when I bought this one as a non-runner last year. Restoring it has been a learning process. But, now that it's running great, I really enjoy riding it. You could say that I'm surprised that I like it as much as I do.

[@garylethbridge6220]

Great review. The 1100 maxim was even better than the 1100 special. Have you ridden The Honda cbx 1000. It's one of the few I haven't but was a beast in its day.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

I sold my 1100 Maxim prior to buying the XS1100. It did handle better but I didn't like the linked brake system on the Maxim. I haven't ridden the CBX yet. I've owned the KZ1300 six cylinder, but it's a different kind of animal. Cheers!

[@Lar308]

Beautiful bikes and scenery but some of the speed limits in the USA are crazy low for the roads they are on.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Thanks, Stephen! I think most people here see the posted limits as loose guidelines. Cheers!

[@straightchad8059]

The Yamaha looks more 'soothing' to my eyes , maybe because of the silver engine and black tank color combo .

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

It's more rounded and organic in shape.

[@Uncletoast52]

I owned that Kawasaki and it was the fastest machine on the road bar none. It could disappear.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on, it is a fast bike!

[@Mannix2023]

Kawasaki have the looks but the XS have the power.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on!

[@29madmangaud29]

I'm biased, but I like the Yami!

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Right on!

[@jesuspalominomora1650]

😊😊

[@pb68slab18]

What? No Suzuki GS 1000 or 1100?

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Watch tomorrow's video...

[@simonapeters4372]

When he said he was going to gear up he forgot his boots and get your foot ripped off on a motorcycle you know

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Note to self: never wear shorts, always wear boots...

[@jonbowden5207]

The XS Eleven was a beautiful bike, until they painted it black and 'made it a 'Special'... I'd take that over the KZ

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

I like the standard XS1100 styling better, but this one runs so nice that the looks are growing on me. I think it would look good with a café fairing.

[@jasonfisher4860]

Jon... please keep us XS11 owners apprised of any headlight faring you are considering. I've also looked into one for 'some' wind deflection @speed. *special size needed or stock bike part removals, anything you see when looking would be appreciated.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@@jasonfisher4860 I was thinking of the Emgo Viper fairing. I'll post an update if I purchase a fairing.

[@jlrutube1312]

I like the looks of the Special a little more.... not so much because it's black but just the style of the body and seat and fenders and handlebars etc.

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

@@jlrutube1312 Right on! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[@Paulfarmer-en4vh]

Wrong the laverda was faster 145 mph the clocks were always way out! Over here mcn tested actual speed

[@jonsmotorcyclerescueandrev3538]

Quickest doesn't mean fastest. It refers to 1/4 mile times. Plus, the Laverda was a low-production exotic and not really a competitor to these machines. If you were riding one of these, chances are you couldn't find someone riding a Laverda to race.