Kawasaki Z1000 Special Edition

New paint scheme, little else.

ACCORDING to Japanese bike magazine AutoBy this is the 2013 European-spec Z1000 Special Edition.

Although there's not much detail, it looks like the bike is unchanged other than the paintwork, which is reminiscent of some earlier Z1000s with its red/white/black combination. It also marks the return of the polished aluminium wheel rims that have long marked out the Z1000, but disappeared from the bike in 2012.

Elsewhere, the Japanese market Ninja 400R, a sleeved down ER6f, gets the special edition treatment, too, with sliver, black and white paint.