Motorcycle bestseller Kawasaki Z 900 revised: Fine-tuning the details

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When a motorcycle has been among the top three in the registration statistics for many years and is therefore the brand's best-selling model, the developers have to proceed very carefully, true to the motto "Never change a winning team". For this reason, the Z 900 retains the design christened "Sugomi" by Kawasaki and is built around the engine, which acts as the central eye-catcher. The look of the new model is smoother and more pleasing, with Kawasaki moving away from the wildly jagged and edgy look of its predecessor. It still looks angry, but has lost the fierce wrinkles on its forehead. The two slanted LED dipped headlights are more compact and a small LED high beam has moved between them, marking the lowest point of the new, smooth front mask, which is crowned by a short windshield.

Sophisticated detail work

The radiator trims are also completely new with a smooth surface made of brushed aluminum with an engraved "Z" and a metal plate above the frame tube below the tank. Such details give the Z 900 an inconspicuous, high-quality appearance. Although the tank still holds 17 liters of fuel, it has been redesigned, even if it retains its humped shape. It has been made narrower at the rear to give the rider better knee clearance. The well-thought-out detail work is evident in the seat, which is now flatter but slopes more steeply at the front to give the rider more freedom of movement.

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Kawasaki Z 900 I (8 Bilder)

The seat height rises moderately from 820 to 830 mm. The pillion seat now has slightly thicker padding. The LED tail light has changed its previous Z shape and is now more reminiscent of a three-dimensional W. The license plate holder has also been redesigned. The rims with the thin spokes, the swingarm, the suspension strut, the footrests, the front mudguard and the shape of the exhaust system remain untouched.

Changed chassis geometry

Beforehand, some experts speculated on a completely new aluminum frame because the Z 900 was relatively heavy compared to the competition. However, Kawasaki has retained the tubular steel frame and only reinforced the area around the steering head for greater rigidity. The rear frame no longer protrudes quite so steeply upwards.

The upside-down fork and the rear shock absorber have been re-tuned to give the rider a more front-wheel-oriented feel and more precise handling at the same time. The Fat Bar handlebars with increased stiffness could also contribute to this. Kawasaki changed the chassis geometry slightly, reducing the wheelbase from 1455 to 1450 mm, while the trail increases from 105 to 110 mm and the steering head is slightly less steep at 65.3 instead of 65.5 degrees.

Radial brake calipers at last

At last, Kawasaki's bestseller has radial brake calipers, supplied by Nissin. The two brake discs at the front no longer have a wave design, but remain 300 mm in diameter. There are different brake pads at the rear. The naked bike is now fitted with Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tires as standard. The unladen weight of the new Z 900 increases only minimally by one kilogram to 213, which the engine can easily cope with, even if the maximum output drops by one hp to 124 at 9500 rpm and the maximum torque from 99 to 97 Nm at 7700 rpm. This should not be noticeable when driving, as the difference is within the tolerance range.

Nevertheless, a lot has changed in the liquid-cooled, 948 cm³ in-line four-cylinder: it has a new camshaft profile and finally a ride-by-wire. The now electronically controlled throttle valves enable the ECU to always adjust the air/fuel mixture optimally according to the preselected riding mode. Kawasaki promises that this will reduce fuel consumption by 16 percent and CO₂ emissions by 11.3 percent.

More electronic assistance systems

The Z 900 is equipped with a whole range of electronic assistance systems, including the individually adjustable Rider mode in addition to the existing Rain, Road and Sport modes. A completely new feature is the "Kawasaki Cornering Management Function" (KCMF), which monitors engine and chassis parameters throughout cornering and modulates braking force and engine power for a smooth transition from acceleration to braking and back again. The Z 900 retains the lean angle-sensitive slip control in four stages, including a switch-off function. Slightly modified gear ratios are intended to enable smoother transitions of the bidirectional quickshifter.

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Kawaki Z 900 II (7 Bilder)

Five-inch TFT display

The five-inch TFT display is completely new. It has two display options and can be connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and the Kawasaki app. Among other things, it can display arrow navigation or the current lean angle. The operating buttons for the menu have been moved from the area around the display to the left handlebar end, which increases riding safety. The buttons for the cruise control, which now comes as standard, are also located there.

Another SE model

Kawasaki also offers an SE model of the Z 900 in 2025, which is characterized by an upgraded chassis: a fully adjustable, golden anodized fork from KYB at the front and an equally fully adjustable shock absorber called S46 from Öhlins at the rear. Deceleration is provided by radially mounted M4.32 brake callipers with 300 mm brake discs, both from Brembo, while the radial brake pump cylinder comes from Nissin. The Z 900 SE also offers a USB output in the cockpit as standard. Last but not least, the seat cover is upgraded with decorative stitching.

Prices still unknown

Kawasaki has not yet announced the prices, so far the Z 900 starts at 10,295 euros and the Z 900 SE at 11,795 euros. The standard version comes in three paint finishes: black with a green frame, black/silver with a red frame and black/grey with a black frame, while the Z 900 SE comes exclusively in black/graphite with a green frame and green rims.