Bike Review | 2025 Kawasaki Z900 Nakedbike

I’ve alway had a soft spot for Kawasaki, my first two proper bikes were Kawasaki’s way back in the ’80s and I’ve recently tested the Z900 baby brother the Z500, which was a load of fun for a bargain price. So, I was really looking forward to seeing what the latest Z900 had to offer…

Kawasaki have always been a bit adventurous with their looks, especially in their Z range and this one is no different. Its sharp lines and aggressive front-end give the bike a menacing stance, especially if viewed from the front. My test bike was fitted with a larger optional black screen, which diverts a bit more of the wind at higher speeds.

“At the press of a button you can have instant hooligan fun”…

My bike also had a rear seat cover that tidies up the look of the rear end too. One thing I did wish was that Kawasaki would have given us a green bike as an option too, like the SE, which has an Ohlins shock, upgraded forks, tapered ‘bars, Brembo brakes and some other extras ($17,099 + ORC see here…), alongside this Galaxy Silver bike and the Candy tone Red bikes we get here in OZ.

“The engine is an absolute belter and in a world where horsepower figures of 200+ are becoming the norm, it’s nice to ride a bike with 123.6hp (92.2kW), which is much more usable”…

For your $14,299 + ORC Kawasaki have included a whole host of features. You get a nice crystal clear 5in TFT dash that is easy to read and navigate though, via the switches on the left ‘bar. Through the dash and six-axis IMU you get a load of rider aids and modes and it also allows for bluetooth connectivity and step by step navigation when linked to RIDEOLOGY on your phone.

Our press bike had some goodies added, including this screen, which Pommie says was great.

With the modes you get Wet, Road, Sport and a custom Rider modes, which I set up to have full power with no traction control, which means at the press of a button you can have instant hooligan fun. Kawasaki have also included cornering ABS, adjustable traction control and a up and down quick-shifter, which is excellent.

Excellent, clear, TFT dash.

Two-way quick-shifter.

Easy to use switchgear.

RbW throttle.

With a curb weight of 212kg it’s not the lightest bike to push around, but it’s nicely balanced and hides its mass well. Swinging a leg over the Z900 the cockpit area is really roomy and the new seat feels plush, the feet to seat to ‘bars triangle is perfect for my 180cm frame and with a seat height of 830mm I have no trouble in having my feet planted firmly on the ground with bent knees. They also do an even lower 810mm seat option for the vertically challenged.

The Z900 has, out of the box, good ergonomics for a 180cm rider, such as Pommie. There’s adjustment there, too.

Starting the bike up on a cold start, it actually sounds pretty good and with a rasp of the throttle it spins up nicely and has a pretty decent exhaust note for a Euro5 emissions regulated bike. As I pull in the cable operated clutch that has a light smooth action, I select first gear and head off up the road.

Decent exhaust note.

The Z900’s up and down quick-shifter is a joy to use, you do however need some open throttle to shift up, but you are then rewarded by a nice bark when doing so, downshifts are even better and when couples with the slipper clutch you can really go to town stomping down the gears, if for no other reason than the sound the engine makes when doing so.

“The Z900’s up and down quick-shifter is a joy to use”… The Z900 also has a decent bark to it when downshifting.

Through town the fueling has a slight snatch on the initial opening, I found selectinng Rain mode and a gentle right wrist action helped smooth things out. Once on the move, however, and at decent speeds, I had no real issues. Lane splitting is a breeze, the mirrors are the widest part of the bike so if they fit through, then so can you, selecting neutral at the lights is easy and the gearbox is a joy to use.

Good mirrors, easy bike to lane split on too.

Accessory radiator guard.

The mirrors are pretty good and relatively blur free, which is always a good indication of how well a manufacturer has dealt with engine vibration and in the Z900’s case pretty damn well. The engine is an absolute belter and in a world where horsepower figures of 200+ are becoming the norm, it’s nice to ride a bike with 123.6hp (92.2kW), which is much more usable.

“The best thing about the engine is the rewarding howl when you give it the berries and boy does it love to be revved”…

In fact, it feels stronger than that and really takes off at around 4000rpm when it’s starting to get into the meaty part of the torque curve, with the maximum 98.6Nm of torque achieved at 7,000rpm. The best thing about the engine is the rewarding howl when you give it the berries and boy does it love to be revved, although it’s happy pottering around, you really get rewarded when you’re towards the redline, this is made even more rewarding when banning up and down the quick-shifter.

Nissin radial-mount calipers.

Decent exhaust note.

Dunlop tyres.

Well set-up forks standard.

On the freeway the bike sits happily at 5000rpm at 110km/h and I’d have no problem traveling long distances in the Z900. The bike offers great fuel range and Kawasaki claim the bike is 16 per cent improvement from the previous model, on my initial ride I saw 250km with an indicated 112km left of range when I filled up, which is pretty impressive on a bike test with a 17 litre tank.

“On the freeway the bike sits happily at 5000rpm at 110km/h and I’d have no problem traveling long distances in the Z900″…

However good and comfy the Z900 is on the freeway I’m sure Kawasaki didn’t design it for that purpose and it’s much more fun on a twisty road. We don’t have the smoothest roads here in NSW, but Kawasaki have done a pretty good job of the suspension set-up on the Z900. You get 41mm forks with rebound damping and adjustable spring preload at the front and for the rear you also get spring preload and rebound adjustability.

“Kawasaki have done a pretty good job of the suspension set-up on the Z900″…

The forks have been pulled up through the yokes by 3mm, to put the bike a bit more on its nose and the chassis has been stiffened to give more rigidity. I’d describe the set-up overall as plush, but still firm enough to push hard when the road gets windy. The bike feels nowhere near its claimed weight when flicking through the corners and the words confidence inspiring, stable and planted spring to mind when I describe the bike handling.

Adjustable shock.

Accessory engine protection.

Decent ground clearance.

Nissin rear brake.

I think it’s only when you’d push the bike to the absolute limit that you would need a better suspension set-up and really that should be left for the track not on a public road. But on a twisty road driving hard out of corners, you can be a bit lazy with gear selection as the torque of the engine lets you use taller gears and still have plenty of drive to arrive at the next corner in rapid time.

Braking is taken care of with dual 300mm rotors at the front which are grabbed with four-piston Nissin radial mounted calipers and at the rear it have a 200mm disc and a single piston caliper, the brakes work pretty well and have plenty enough power to pull up the Z900 and I only noticed the ABS kicking in a couple of times, but that was in the damp so it was a welcomed interruption.

The biggest question I ask myself at the end of a test is would I buy one? Well for me to hand over my hard earned cash, I have to believe that I’m getting value for my money and I think the Kawasaki Z900 is great value and one of the best nakedbikes out there, but it has a few heavy hitters in this class to contend with. Go and check out the Z900 for yourself if you are in the market for a versatile, fun bike.

2025 Kawasaki Z900 Tech Talk

Updated Engine Tune

Powerful 948cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline four engine has a quick-revving character and a strong mid-range hit that pulls strongly to the redline. Adding to rider exhilaration, a distinct intake note encourages the rider to twist the throttle. Silky smooth power delivery facilitates control while contributing to rider comfort and confidence. Precise control from the new electronic throttle valves contribute to smooth, linear acceleration. Output is the same as the outgoing model.

Updated IMU-Equipped Electronic Riding Support Technology

Kawasaki’s highly sophisticated electronic management systems offer rider support to allow riders to more fully experience how the Z900 is fun and rewarding to control.  IMU feedback adds greater precision to the ABS.

Revised Suspension & Chassis

Key to the Z900’s agile handling is a chassis composed of lightweight components, including its trellis frame. Revised suspension settings for the new model allow riders to enjoy sport riding with more confidence. Rake and trail are both increased, while the wheelbase is decreased. Overall height is 10mm taller, width 5mm wider and seat height 10mm taller.

NEW Radial-mount brakes

Front brakes with new radial-mount four-piston calipers offer a linear brake touch with excellent control.

NEW Dunlop Sportmax Q5A Tyres

Featuring a new tyre compound, Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tyres deliver a strong, planted feel when cornering for enjoyable sport riding.

Styling Update

A major part of a sharper-looking new front end is the new sharper, more compact headlights, which were designed to be an integral part of the Z’s sugomi styling.  They enable a sleeker front cowl, creating a compact, aggressive looking view from the front, sure to resonate with fans of the Supernaked Z.  The headlights are surrounded by black plastic parts that appear like eye shadow if the headlights were eyes, enhancing the looks of the front end.

NEW LED Taillight with Light-Guiding Technology

The advanced LED taillight features light-guiding technology to achieve a futuristic design with a cutting-edge, 3D appearance that highlights the Z900’s sharp, edgy styling while contributing to a high-grade look.

NEW Metal Accents

Brushed aluminium side shrouds, plated parts around the key cylinder, and a metal ornament located above the seat featuring the Kawasaki logo are attractive accents that give the Z900 a high-quality, metallic look.

NEW High-Quality Seat

The new, more comfortable seat is flatter to allow the rider to shift around and take a variety of riding positions for increased comfort, especially on longer rides. The seat also has rounder edges on the sides for more comfort and an easier reach to the ground, while its new shape also allows the rider to easily shift their weight during sport riding.

NEW 5in TFT Instrumentation

5in all-digital TFT colour instrumentation is larger than the previous model’s display and gives the cockpit a high-tech, high-grade appearance. The glass-bonded display with IPS (in-plane switching) LCD technology offers superb visibility.

NEW Electronic Cruise Control

With the push of button, riders are able to easily maintain a set speed, making highway cruising even more comfortable.

NEW RIDEOLOGY THE APP MOTORCYCLE

In a Kawasaki first, turn-by-turn navigation can be displayed on the instrument panel, allowing the rider to see where the next turn should be made, while compatibility with RIDEOLOGY THE APP MOTORCYCLE allows the rider to control various functions by voice.

2025 Kawasaki Z900 Specifications

Kawasaki.com.au

Price: $14,299 + ORC (visit here and enter your postcode for Ride Away price)
Warranty: Two years/unlimited kilometre
Colours: Galaxy Silver / Metallic Spark Black / Phantom Blue, Metallic Carbon Gray / Metallic Graphite Gray / Candy Persimmon Red
Claimed power: 92.5kW [125hp]@9500rpm
Claimed torque: 98.6Nm@7700rpm
Wet weight: 212kg (192kg dry)
Fuel capacity: 17 litres
Fuel Consumption (Claimed): 4.8L/100km
Fuel Consumption (Tested): 4.9L/100km

Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC inline four-cylinder, 16-valve four stroke, bore and stroke: 73.4 x 56mm, displacement: 948cc, compression ratio: 11.8:1, four 36mm Keihin oval throttle-bodies, with oval sub-throttles Gearbox: Six speed Clutch: Wet multi-disc Final ratio: 15/44 Final drive: Sealed chain

Frame: Trellis, high-tensile steel
Rake: 24.7 degrees Trail: 110mm
Suspension: 41mm inverted fork with rebound damping and spring preload adjustability, 120mm travel, Horizontal Back-link with rebound damping and spring preload adjustability, 140mm travel
Brakes: ABS, Dual semi-floating 300mm petal rotors, radial-mount four-piston calipers, single 250mm rear petal rotor, single piston caliper
Wheels & Tyres: Five-spoke wheels, Dunlop Sportmax Q5A 120/70 ZR17, 180/55 ZR 17

Dimensions:
Seat height: 830mm
Overall height: 1075mm
Overall length: 2065mm
Overall width: 830mm
Road Clearance: 145mm
Wheelbase: 1450mm

Instruments & Electronics: TFT display, Cruise Control, RbW throttle, KCMF, KQS, KTRC, Power Modes, Smartphone Connectivity, ABS, IMU Awareness, LED lighting.