2025 Kawasaki Z900 Review, Specs, Pricing, And Performance

Getting used to the Z900, I did a bit of cruising around in third or fourth gear, riding through the city in the middle-of-the-range Road ride mode, then up onto the highway at higher speeds. Even when I was lugging around, low in the RPM range, the Z900 gave me a strong dose of torque on command. With a twist of the throttle I’d get a surge of power — nothing violent or hair-raising, but certainly immediate. Sport mode is a bit more responsive, but still smooth, consistent, and progressive with the application of power as you approach the redline.
This might not be the kind of power delivery that everyone shopping for a big naked bike is looking for, but for me, it felt excellent; particularly because of how easy it was to acclimate. The Z900 doesn’t have the sort of threatening power you get with some larger-displacement naked bikes, or even the twitchy power associated with some three-cylinder bikes in this class.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The six-speed transmission was a treat during my test too. The quick shifter operated with just a subtle flex of my big left toe, slipping into a higher or lower gear without any difficulty whatsoever. Stopping is easy too, thanks to a brake lever and pedal that provide firm feedback and quick responses to inputs. The Brembo front discs are borrowed from Kawasaki’s Z H2 Hypernaked bike, and they clamp just as hard as you’d expect them to.