Since its introduction in the spring of 2017, the Z900 has been Kawasaki’s sales success and is not only consistently the best-selling sporty Naked in the Netherlands, but even the best-selling model across all segments. After recently announcing a major update for 2025, Kawasaki has now also announced the prices of the various versions.
It is one of the presentations that has always stayed with us, the one of the Z900 in the spring of 2017 somewhere in Spain. “This is the first Kawasaki that doesn’t ride like a Kawasaki,” test rider Janik Kaufmann told us at the time and we couldn’t agree more. While Kawasakis had always had a idiosyncratic character and therefore had to be steered with a firm hand, with the Z900 you only had to blink your eyes to change direction.
In addition to the Z900 steering like crazy, Kawasaki had given the 948cc four-cylinder a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde character. Up to around 8,500 revolutions per minute the Z900 was Dr Jekyll, but if you had the courage to go full throttle above that, the Z turned into Mr Hyde, aggressively launching the front wheel into the air. Add to that the fact that the Z900 was free from electronic aids and you understand that it could have your hands full. But that was also the challenge.
For model year 2020, the Z900 received its first update, where the ugly display was replaced by a new 4.3″ TFT color display with Bluetooth connectivity, with which you could connect to the Kawasaki Rideology app. Indeed, the display that has since been used almost all Kawasaki models have been rolled out.
In addition, Kawasaki had not been able to avoid providing the Z900 with electronic driving aids. Not because we had to, but because the market was moving in that direction. And so the Z900 got riding modes (Sport, Road, Rain and Rider) and adjustable traction control, which fortunately could also be turned off. A year later, a sportier Z900 SE was added to the range, with sportier suspension (Öhlins S46 rear monoshock) and Brembo M4.32 Monobloc brake calipers with 300mm discs and steel-braided brake lines.
For model year 2025, Kawasaki has gone one step further in terms of electronics with the introduction of the 6-axis IMU, which accurately monitors the Roll, Pitch and Yaw of the engine and controls the ECU accordingly. In combination with the new ride-by-wire throttle control, this has enabled more dynamic riding modes, with lean angle-dependent traction control. That plus an up/down quickshifter and cruise control. And application of Kawasaki Cornering Management Function (KCMF), popularly known as cornering ABS.
Kawasaki says it has also made some adjustments to the bicycle section for even better steering characteristics, and a completely new 5″ TFT color display is now equipped with “turn-by-turn” navigation. The SE version also has a USB-C connection. and received a luxurious saddle.
However, all those updates have had no material effect on the price. For the Metallic Spark Black version you have to pay ‘only’ € 11,199 and that is a bargain, especially when you compare that to the first Z900. The Metallic Carbon Gray/Red and Metallic Moondust Gray/Lime Green colors cost €11,399. Finally, the Z900 SE, only available in the color Metallic Matte Graphite Gray, starts at € 13,499. Available from February 2025.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.