Note: "No production US model" often denotes excess manufacturing the previous year, which is often sold the following model year.
1986
ZG1000-A1
Introduction
Color: Pearl Gentry Gray (aka silverdammit among COG members
)
1987
ZG1000-A2
Color: Pearl Gentry Gray & Candy Wine Red (the latter mostly intended for Canada)
Bars and windscreen raised approximately 1"
1988
ZG1000-A3 and A3a
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping
1989
ZG1000-A4
No production US model
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping (Canada)
1990
ZG1000-A5
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping
Cam chain tensioner design changed to ratcheting type.
Case half modified in several locations for larger case half bolts.
1991
ZG1000-A6
Color:Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping
1992
ZG1000-A7
Color: Ebony (Black with Red pin striping
Clutch and brake lever reach now adjustable on some models.
1993
ZG1000-A8
Color: Ebony. (Black with Red pin striping)
1994
ZG1000-A9
Color: Luminous Vintage Red with Cosmic Gray Lower (Wineberry with Gray)
New design instrument cluster (ZX-10).
New design dash cowl and inner fairing panels.
Wider front rim width.
New design wheel pattern, front and rear.
Dual piston front calipers, with semi floating front rotors.
New design 'stepped' seat profile.
Air adjustable front suspension replaced by spring preload forks.
Brushed chrome exhaust canisters replaced with bright chrome.
1995
ZG1000-A10
Color: Luminous Vintage Red with Cosmic Gray Lower
1996
ZG1000-A11
No production US model.
1997
ZG1000-A12
Color: Windsor Green with Cosmic Gray lower
1998
ZG1000-A13
Color: Windsor Green with Cosmic Gray lower
1999
ZG1000-A14
Color: Candy Amaranth Red with Cosmic Gray lower
Fork tube protectors added, fork seals 'double' lips
Clutch 'star spring' redesigned mid year
2000
ZG1000-A15
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with Cosmic Gray lower
Recall notice to replace star spring nut on several Kawasaki models.
Engine numbers ZGT00AE025431 through ZGT00AE028058 (1999 - 2000 model years)
2001
ZG1000-A16
Color: Metallic Sonic Blue with Cosmic Gray lower
2002
ZG1000-A17
Metallic Phantom Silver with Cosmic Gray lower
2003
ZG1000-A18
Candy Cardinal Red with dark bronze lower
The news here is, Kawasaki finally ran out of "Cosmic Gray" paint for the lower
2004
ZG1000-A19
Pearl Black with Chateau Gray lower
2005
ZG1000-A20
Pearl Luster Beige with dark bronze lower
20th Anniversary 
The pipe into the muffler is now chromed.
2006
ZG1000-A21
Metallic Nocturne Blue with Metallic Graystone lower
21 years now and like a Timex, the Concours keeps on ticking
Often on the various Kawasaki C10 Concours/GTR1000 forums there is discussion about what parts are interchangeable across differing years. The short answer is most parts are interchangeable between most C10 model years.
There are some differences however, and I shall attempt to outline them.
Changes by Year
There were quite a lot of changes after the first 1986 A1 model
There were quite a lot of changes going into 1994
Some other differences not by year.
On pre 1993 bikes all three calipers and disc pads are the same/interchangeable. 1994 saw new front calipers. Rear disc, caliper and pads are the same on all years.
There are two quite different center-stands, which may account for the fact that some Connies go up easily and others are a struggle. They are interchangeable.
There are two different belly pans, they are interchangeable.
There are two different headlights, the USA version has provision for an extra (parking light?) globe
The early USA version has the reserve lighting device.
California gets the Smog version, which included the exhaust gas recirculation, charcoal canister, extra vent tubes on the fuel tank and different jet sizes. Australia did not get any smog bikes.
There were 5 different muffler styles they are all interchangeable between all year models.
All painted plastics are fully interchangeable between all year models.
All tanks are interchangeable between all year models (allowing for Smog tube differences).
All seats are interchangeable between all year models.
All engines and drive-trains are interchangeable between all years.
The black plastic inner fairings are not interchangeable between pre and post 1993 bikes, unless the dash and its associated wiring and mounting is also changed.
Some bikes has additional coolant plumbing for carb heating/de-icing, very rare in Australia, may possibly only be some late model bikes.
1986
ZG1000-A1
Introduction
Color: Pearl Gentry Gray (aka silverdammit among COG members
)1987
ZG1000-A2
Color: Pearl Gentry Gray & Candy Wine Red (the latter mostly intended for Canada)
Bars and windscreen raised approximately 1"
1988
ZG1000-A3 and A3a
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping
1989
ZG1000-A4
No production US model
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping (Canada)
1990
ZG1000-A5
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping
Cam chain tensioner design changed to ratcheting type.
Case half modified in several locations for larger case half bolts.
1991
ZG1000-A6
Color:Candy Persimmon Red with White pin striping
1992
ZG1000-A7
Color: Ebony (Black with Red pin striping
Clutch and brake lever reach now adjustable on some models.
1993
ZG1000-A8
Color: Ebony. (Black with Red pin striping)
1994
ZG1000-A9
Color: Luminous Vintage Red with Cosmic Gray Lower (Wineberry with Gray)
New design instrument cluster (ZX-10).
New design dash cowl and inner fairing panels.
Wider front rim width.
New design wheel pattern, front and rear.
Dual piston front calipers, with semi floating front rotors.
New design 'stepped' seat profile.
Air adjustable front suspension replaced by spring preload forks.
Brushed chrome exhaust canisters replaced with bright chrome.
1995
ZG1000-A10
Color: Luminous Vintage Red with Cosmic Gray Lower
1996
ZG1000-A11
No production US model.
1997
ZG1000-A12
Color: Windsor Green with Cosmic Gray lower
1998
ZG1000-A13
Color: Windsor Green with Cosmic Gray lower
1999
ZG1000-A14
Color: Candy Amaranth Red with Cosmic Gray lower
Fork tube protectors added, fork seals 'double' lips
Clutch 'star spring' redesigned mid year
2000
ZG1000-A15
Color: Candy Persimmon Red with Cosmic Gray lower
Recall notice to replace star spring nut on several Kawasaki models.
Engine numbers ZGT00AE025431 through ZGT00AE028058 (1999 - 2000 model years)
2001
ZG1000-A16
Color: Metallic Sonic Blue with Cosmic Gray lower
2002
ZG1000-A17
Metallic Phantom Silver with Cosmic Gray lower
2003
ZG1000-A18
Candy Cardinal Red with dark bronze lower
The news here is, Kawasaki finally ran out of "Cosmic Gray" paint for the lower
2004
ZG1000-A19
Pearl Black with Chateau Gray lower
2005
ZG1000-A20
Pearl Luster Beige with dark bronze lower
20th Anniversary
The pipe into the muffler is now chromed.
2006
ZG1000-A21
Metallic Nocturne Blue with Metallic Graystone lower
21 years now and like a Timex, the Concours keeps on ticking
Often on the various Kawasaki C10 Concours/GTR1000 forums there is discussion about what parts are interchangeable across differing years. The short answer is most parts are interchangeable between most C10 model years.
There are some differences however, and I shall attempt to outline them.
Changes by Year
There were quite a lot of changes after the first 1986 A1 model
- 1986 has cast iron (not stainless steel) front discs, all other years are stainless.
- 1986 has flat (not convex) rear view mirror glass
- 1986 has a smooth finish on the pannier lids (not the wrinkle finish of all other years)
- 1986 has lower handlebars, by about one inch, than all other years.
- 1986 has an extra screw in the upper fairing inner.
- 1986 in Australia has unrestricted carb tops and unrestricted (USA style) mufflers, and was therefore the most powerful GTR1000 sold in Australia.
- 1986 center section fairings have separate vents, and are easily identified by the two extra holes in the radiator air outlet.
- 1986 left and right pocket covers are the vinyl press-stud types, lockable right pocket started after 1986.
There were quite a lot of changes going into 1994
- New dash
- New dash surround
- New dash wiring harness.
- New dash support bracket
- New one piece fairing inners
- Bright chrome replaced brushed chrome on the mufflers.
- Stepped seat padding.
- New front brake discs and calipers
- New forks, deleted air preload.
- Wider front wheel
- New mudguard
- Dual clutch star springs and changed retaining nut (quite an important change because virtually all pre 1993 springs broke)
Some other differences not by year.
On pre 1993 bikes all three calipers and disc pads are the same/interchangeable. 1994 saw new front calipers. Rear disc, caliper and pads are the same on all years.
There are two quite different center-stands, which may account for the fact that some Connies go up easily and others are a struggle. They are interchangeable.
There are two different belly pans, they are interchangeable.
There are two different headlights, the USA version has provision for an extra (parking light?) globe
The early USA version has the reserve lighting device.
California gets the Smog version, which included the exhaust gas recirculation, charcoal canister, extra vent tubes on the fuel tank and different jet sizes. Australia did not get any smog bikes.
There were 5 different muffler styles they are all interchangeable between all year models.
| Brushed chrome | 1986-1993 | USA |
| Brushed chrome | 1986 | Australia |
| Brushed chrome with “pea shooter” | 1986-1993 | Australia, Europe |
| Bright chrome | 1994-2005 | USA |
| Bright chrome with “pea shooter” | 1994-2004 | Australia, Europe |
| Full chrome | 2006 | USA |
All painted plastics are fully interchangeable between all year models.
All tanks are interchangeable between all year models (allowing for Smog tube differences).
All seats are interchangeable between all year models.
All engines and drive-trains are interchangeable between all years.
The black plastic inner fairings are not interchangeable between pre and post 1993 bikes, unless the dash and its associated wiring and mounting is also changed.
Some bikes has additional coolant plumbing for carb heating/de-icing, very rare in Australia, may possibly only be some late model bikes.