Kawasaki Z900 2017: The 'all-in-one' bike

The Kawasaki brand has always been known for performance, and the Z series machines remain popular with riders. The Kawasaki Z900 has a strong position in the naked bike segment, with a balance of engine power and extremely agile handling.

Kawasaki Z900

After being announced last year, the Kawasaki Z900 has been greatly improved compared to its predecessor, the Z800, with the mission of replacing the Z800.

Starting with the engine, the Z900 has a 948cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four engine with a 36mm two-valve radiator, mated to a 6-speed gearbox, producing 123.3 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 98.6 Nm of torque at 7,700 rpm. This is a 10% jump over the 111 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 18% over the 83 Nm of torque of the Kawasaki Z800. The power of the Z900 engine is quite smooth and controllable.

The Z900's strength is its balance of engine power and extremely agile handling.

Kawasaki also says the Z900 has gone on a diet. The Z900 weighs 210kg, compared to the Z800’s 231kg. As we know, this weight reduction is a real benefit on the road and in the twisties. The new frame is connected to the engine at 5 points, which adds stability when operating.

The Z800's tubular steel frame has been replaced with the Z900's 13kg trellis frame. The frame replacement shaves a total of 11kg off the Z900's weight.

The vehicle is 2,027 mm long, 820 mm wide, and 1,065 mm high. The headlight cluster is newly designed, using LED bulbs. Meanwhile, the positioning lights and turn signals are arranged above. The overall length of the Z900 is about 30 mm shorter than the Z800. The fuel tank has a capacity of 17 liters.

Also new to the Kawasaki Z900 is the front and rear ABS, which comply with Euro 4 standards. Braking for the Z900 uses dual 300 mm disc brakes at the front clamped by 4-piston calipers, while the rear uses a single 250 mm disc with 1 piston. The Kawasaki Z900 is also equipped with 41 mm inverted forks that are adjustable for preload at the front and a shock absorber system that is also adjustable for preload at the rear.

Female riders will love the Z900's easy and light handling.

Coming close to the Kawasaki Z900, the rider will find the seat height at a friendly 795mm, about 38mm lower than the Z800, allowing most riders to comfortably reach both feet on the ground. This makes the Z900 quite suitable for Asian physiques. The Z900's saddle is wide at the back and narrow at the front. This will support the Z900 rider with more confidence.

The Kawasaki Z900 is a petite machine, similar to the Kawasaki Z650 and Z250. Female riders will love the Z900's easy and light handling.

In the cockpit, the Kawasaki Z900 comes with an LCD screen that displays all the necessary information the rider needs.

Who is the Kawasaki Z900 for? The obvious choice is the rider who wants an all-in-one bike, whether for touring or daily riding, and the rider who doesn’t want to spend unnecessarily on the glamour of a European brand, and doesn’t need the latest and greatest high-tech. The direct competition to the Z900 would be the Yamaha MT-09.

According to Dan Viet Newspaper