The Z900 (pictured above) uses an all-new steel-trellis frame housing a 948cc in-line-four, delivering 124.5hp in an ‘extremely manageable’ way, according to Kawasaki
The Z900 will be available in Pearl Mystic Gray / Metallic Flat Spark Black, Candy Lime Green / Metallic Spark Black, Metallic Flat Spark Black / Metallic Spark Black and Candy Plasma Blue / Metallic Graphite Gray (Special Edition)
They've given people a load of choice. But there's an absence of photos of the new models.
The original Z900/Z1 was an iconic bike that delivered the best performance available and set the look of bikes for years to come, based on the stated bhp and the pic above that's a dodgy knock-off.
If you want to call it a modern day Z650 - fine, but it ain't ever going to fill the shoes for that model name.
The new Zed boasts a 948cc inline-four engine – nicked from the Z1000 – packed into an all-new trellis frame. At 210.5kg it’s hardly a lightweight, but Kawasaki claim the low seat height (794mm) and lightweight swingarm increase its flickability. Power is 123.6bhp, and Kawasaki say it’s happiest higher in the rev range, partly thanks to its lightweight crankshaft, suggesting that it’ll be the thrasher’s choice.
Z900 facts
•123.5bhp
•210.5kg
•Seat height 794mm
Gears one to five are close and short, with sixth being an overdrive (something the Z800 needed), while it also uses a 525 chain to reduce drive losses – all engaged and released by the Assist & Slipper clutch.
The 41mm inverted fork features stepless rebound damping and spring preload adjustability in the left tube, with the adjusters located on the fork top cap, while the rear monoshock is also rebound and preload adjustable.
I don't like those figures. Over 200kg and less than 125bhp doesn't sound very impressive to me.
It strikes me as a pointless bike. You've got the z1000. The new z900 doesn't appear to have the electric gimmicks the other nakeds do. It's not kicking out much power. It doesn't make sense.
