Cheers Biltonjim! I will just answer one by one. And it's all unique again, as I am a first time KZ1300 rider, and these are my first interactions with this bike, which I had never even seen on the road until mine!
Yes, I imagined the black/silver look in my artistic eye and went for it. The black color is a precisely mixed Kawasaki ebony black color formula. It looks more black without the stripes, but it's exactly the same. I got the bike painted professionally by a fellow local guy, who heard my story and have done it for free. I think I mentioned it before. He said it would be very easy to add the stripes if I'd want to, but to me this plain color complements the black/silver look of the bike, so I am going to keep it this way. I am really glad I went for the black engine theme, it makes it look unique and tough. Quite fitting this bike.
Yes, the cooling fan works perfectly. I switched the sensor for a ZN which kicks in 10 degrees sooner. Usually the temperature dial is half way only. In heavy traffic, the fan kicks in and cools it down very efficiently. I haven't checked on the exact moment it kicks in, but I have never seen the dial past about 70%. I know the general opinion I read is that these bikes run very hot, but I don't feel it. It is definitely cooler than Vmax where, especially in traffic, you get treated with a wave of heat from underneath.
Bike feels very easy to handle. Very smooth and solid on the road, no complains about cornering. The seat is incredibly comfortable. I am staying below 4000 RPM, so it will be a while before I ride it aggressively and test it a bit, but so far excellent.
The back set at 35 psi, front with my gauge somewhere 13-15. But the valve leaks, so I am putting today a new one I am going to pick up today from Kawasaki.
Both brakes are solid, but I am going to adjust the rear for less travel. The front - I wish I could make it softer! It brakes great, but with everything brand new, including that new stainless master cylinder sleeve, it's quite hard. And adjustable lever would help. No complains though, unless someone would spend a lot of time in a city traffic.
Clutch works very well. Throttle response is good. But all this is just braking in, so it will change and I am sure become more 'sharp' and will need some tweaking to set it to my liking. I am not very fussy right now, as it's just a in the middle of a process when things change.
Overall, I love riding this bike! Definitely my favorite. And it looks and sounds great. Yes, I haven't ridden any 'modern' bikes. The newest one is my 2007 Yamaha Vmax, which is very sharp especially with a few upgrades I did (stainless lines, stronger clutch plate/springs, radial wider tires). People who are better at riding than me, who know how to race, said they have no problem staying on top with other modern bikes. So far, the KZ1300 feels to me very similar to Vmax. Except, I haven't of course ridden it above 4k RPM, so it has still a lot more to show! But, the guy who painted my bike has a 1200 Vmax and just bout a 2018 Vmax 1700. Same concept, but everything modern. He said it's a completely different bike, and the older one feels like a tank. So, I guess comparing the KZ and older Vmax to such a modern machine would see our KZ's as older bikes. At the same time, I'd say the 1300 would have no problem and don't feel old riding with other 'modern' bikes. It has power, and feels very solid on the road to me. I am not going to race it or do any stunts. I can ride aggressively at times, and I am sure the 13 will not make me feel like I am loosing on something. Not to repeat myself, very enjoyable riding, very smooth operation, stops well, and very comfortable sitting on the bike. Both thumbs up!