Kawasaki 1400 GTR Grand Tour Edition 2011 — Specifications

When Kawasaki designed the 1400 GTR, the idea wasn't to build just another touring motorcycle to overshadow the BMW R 1200 RT or the Honda Pan European. The idea was to graft a sporty temperament onto a grand touring chassis, drawing directly its genes from the ZZR 1400 missile. The result is a motorcycle that runs at 250 km/h electronically limited, weighs 310 kg fully fueled, and develops 155 horsepower at 8800 rpm with 136 Nm of torque available from 6200 rpm. Not really the profile of a liner.

The 2011 Grand Tour edition starts from this base and complements it with luggage kit designed for those who don't pretend to travel. The color-matched top case is the centerpiece: 47 liters of volume, enough to transform the passenger seat into a real armchair where you settle and hold firm under the frank acceleration of the inline four-cylinder engine. Rigid saddlebags complete the setup with a well-thought-out storage logic: waterproof, structured, they differ in their uses. One is carried over the shoulder thanks to an integrated strap, the other remains in place. Practical when managing luggage and provisions without wanting to mix everything up.

The rest of the Grand Tour kit plays in a more discreet register, but no less useful in everyday life. A three-part semi-transparent tank protector preserves the bodywork from the inevitable scratches, protective films dress the sides of the suitcases, and a GPS mount is added to the standard equipment. Nothing revolutionary, but the whole forms a coherent whole to go far without asking logistical questions. The bill climbs by about 500 euros compared to the standard version, and the weight increases slightly.

This Grand Tour positioning makes sense on a machine like the 1400 GTR, which is aimed at an experienced rider, accustomed to handling imposing sizes and exploiting the monocoque aluminum frame over long distances. The 815 mm seat height, the shaft drive, the 43 mm inverted fork and the Uni-Track rear system form a set designed for highway swallowing at a sustained pace as well as for winding national roads. At 17,499 euros in this configuration, it presents itself as a serious alternative to premium European touring bikes, with a significant argument: it runs as fast as a sports bike when asked.