Rennie Scaysbrook | October 30, 2024
Kawasaki has taken the wraps off its revised Z900 ABS in two models—the base bike and the uprated Z900 ABS SE with, as before, Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes. There rumor that the 948cc motor would be punched out to 1000cc for 2025 did not come to fruition, so the 948cc inline-four gets refined cam profiles to boost low-end torque and improve fuel efficiency.
U.S. models will produce up to 123 horsepower at 9500 rpm and 73.1 lb-ft of torque at 7700 rpm. A new throttle and updated ECU settings aim to provide smoother, more linear acceleration, achieving a claimed 16 percent increase in fuel efficiency and an 11.3 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions.
New styling makes for a sharper Z in 2025. The electronics suite gets updated with a six-axis IMU, so you’ll have lean-sensitive traction control and ABS. Inside are three preset ride modes—Sport, Road, and Rain—plus a customizable mode, which will let you alter power delivery, traction control, and ABS settings as you see fit. The 900 also has a quickshifter for clutchless up and down shifts, and it now comes with new cruise control system.
The front lighting system now features a more compact, triple LED design, with two upper lights for low beams and a single lower light for high beams. The rear lighting also utilizes LEDs, employing a light-guiding method that provides uniform illumination across the taillight through a curved tube structure.
A new five-inch TFT color display acts as mission control and offers two display modes: a bar-style tachometer or a hexagonal tach with a lean-angle indicator.
For the first time on a Kawasaki, the screen supports turn-by-turn navigation through the Rideology app, which also allows voice commands for adjusting settings hands-free.
The Z900’s steel trellis frame has been stiffened for improved rigidity, and the seat height remains at 31.9 inches, despite a thicker cushion. Suspension improvements include a 41mm inverted fork and a horizontal back-link shock on the base model, while the SE model adds a an Öhlins rear shock and Brembo brakes. Both models are equipped with Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tires.
The 2025 Kawasaki Z900 ABS and Z900 SE ABS are set to arrive in U.S. dealerships in Winter, 2025. The base model prices begin at $9,999 for the Metallic Spark Black/Metallic Carbon Black/Ebony color scheme, and $10,299 for the Galaxy Silver/Metallic Spark Black/Phantom Blue variant.
The Z900 SE ABS is priced at $11,848 and is available in Metallic Matte Graphite Gray/Ebony/Metallic Graphite Gray.
2025 Kawasaki Z900 ABS (Z900 ABS SE) Specifications
| MSRP: | $9999 ($11,848) |
| Engine: | Inline four-cylinder, four valves per cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-stroke |
| Displacement: | 948cc |
| Bore x stroke: | 73 x 56mm |
| Fuel injection: | Electronic fuel injection system, Ride-by-Wire throttle |
| Max Power: | 123 hp at 9,500 rpm |
| Max Torque: | 73 lb-ft at 7,700 rpm |
| Compression ratio: | 11.8:1 |
| Exhaust: | 4-2-1 |
| Transmission: | 6-speed |
| Clutch: | Multi-plate anti-hopping oil bath clutch |
| Electronics: | Economical Riding Indicator, Electronic Cruise Control, Kawasaki TRaction Control (KTRC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Three Power Modes, Kawasaki Cornering Management Function (KCMF), Kawasaki Quick Shifter (KQS), IMU, 5 in TFT color dash, LED lighting, Smartphone Connectivity with Voice Command and Turn-by-Turn Navigation |
| Chassis: | Twin-spar cast aluminum |
| Front suspension: | 41 mm inverted fork, fully adjustable, 4.7 in. wheel travel |
| Rear suspension: | Monoshock, spring preload and rebound adjustable, 5.5 in. wheel travel (Öhlins S46) |
| Front brake: | Dual 300 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted monobloc four-piston calipers, Cornering ABS (Brembo M4.32 monobloc calipers) |
| Rear brake: | 250 mm disc, single-piston caliper, Cornering ABS |
| Front tire: | 120/70 – ZR 17 |
| Rear tire: | 180/55 – ZR 17 |
| Rake: | 24.7° |
| Trail: | 4.3 in. |
| Wheelbase: | 57.1 in. |
| Seat height: | 31.9 in. |
| Fuel capacity: | 4.5 gal. |
| Weight (curb, claimed): | 427.6 lb (469 lb) |
For more Kawasaki news and reviews, click here
