Kawasaki Z900
I’m pretty sure that at some point in your life, you must have thought of owning a big bike.
After all, who wouldn’t want to experience the power, the sound, and the speed that such bikes offer? And those who experience these bikes, well, they are hoped for life.
The Kawasaki Z900 is one such motorcycle that manages to leave a lasting impression.
And if you’re in the market for your first big bike, you might want to take a look at this bike.
Big bikes can get intimidating, especially when you are graduating from low-capacity motorcycles. Kawasaki Z900
For most of you, the last thing you want is an engine that will scare the living daylight out of you, and the Z900s isn’t so.
Engine & Performance
The Enlan4 engine is the chief ingredient of the Japanese motorcycle, and it only takes a few kilometres of riding for you to understand why this is such a star.
It is delightfully smooth for the most part, packs enough performance to take this motorcycle to some eye-popping speeds, and at the same time, it manages city traffic without any engine heat issues.
Part of the reason is the way this engine has been nestled inside this bike.
If you notice, the cylinder heads are moved further away from the rider, and that helps with heat management. Kawasaki Z900
It is incredibly tractable as well, i simply Really cannot imagine how Kawasaki has made a 948 cc engine with 125 horses,
so capable of handling the stress of dealing with chockablock traffic and propelling the bike to fast highway speeds with equal aplomb. This engine manages India in a way nothing in its class does.
What remains as a cherry on top of this engine is the sweet sound that it produces, and it’s not just the rider, but also the people around you that end up grinning when they listen to it.
Features
The bike gets four ride modes, rain, road, sport, and rider. The first three modes alter the power delivery, but even in sport mode, it’s never aggressive.
You’ve got the safety net of traction control, which was handy while riding and one can also choose to switch it off completely under the rider mode, aka the custom mode. Kawasaki Z900
I think overall, the performance of this engine is thrilling, it’s entertaining, but it never gets scary at any point.
In fact, the power delivery in either of the modes, be it train, road, sport, or rider, is all very measured. It never scares you at any point.
Mileage
If you’re coming from a 400 cc motorcycle and graduating to this bike, it is a very friendly and manageable motorcycle to ride
Even the fuel efficiency is surprisingly good, and judicious use of the throttle will see you easily extract over 15 km/L.
Complementing this engine is a well-set up chassis, and here’s where the Z throws in a few surprises good ones at that. Kawasaki Z900
Quality
Now, this bike weighs 212 kilos, which is on the heavier side for a street naked, but Kawasaki has done a pretty good job of masking all that weight.
So when you When you’re riding this bike at slow speeds in traffic or out on the highway, you don’t really feel the weight of this motorcycle.
Negotiating the bike through traffic, flicking through traffic is very easy as well.
But I wish that the turning radius would have been a little on the tighter side to make your way through traffic that’s stuck in a jam. Kawasaki Z900
The weight of the bike also doesn’t come in the way this motorcycle rides and handles.
You only got rebound and preload adjustment at both ends, but even in the stock setting, the suspension does a pretty good job of absorbing bumps and potholes.
It’s only the sharp bumps that do manage to get through. But on the whole, for a fast street naked, the ride quality is very good.
Handling
As far as handling is concerned, the motorcycle is quite composed and settled when you tip it into a corner. Kawasaki Z900
The front-end doesn’t feel very sharp as some of this competition, but then again, it is a very friendly motorcycle.
It doesn’t do anything funny, it doesn’t get unsettled by mid-corner bumps.
So on the whole, again, the handling is quite predictable and very friendly, which people who are graduating from a low-cc motorcycle to this motorcycle will truly appreciate. Kawasaki Z900
Brakes
The brakes are acceptably good, but there were times when I wish they had more bite and feedback.
The ABS could have been better calibrated as well, and I found it to be too intrusive for my liking.
Design & Quality
Now, let’s get down to assessing another factor that sways big bike buying decisions, the way they look. Kawasaki Z900
The Zee’s design evokes mixed emotions, at least in my case.
From some angles, I like the cuts, creases, and the flow of the lines, but I’m not entirely sure about the design of the headlight and the fangs that it supports.
Nevertheless, it does attract attention even in this predominantly black colour.
Quality and finish levels are par for the course, and there aren’t any sore points whatsoever. Kawasaki Z900
Ergonomics & Seat Height
The aggression in the design has continued to the way one is seated, and I’m not entirely a fan of the riding position.
I think a slightly more relaxed ergonomic setup would have been ideal for this street bike.
Now, considering this is a street naked, the riding position is slightly on the aggressive side.
If you see the hand bar is a little low, the footpegs are reset, and the bend in knee is a little too pronounced. Kawasaki Z900
If you’re sitting on this motorcycle over long distances, you will feel a little bit of ache around your knees.
At the same time, for the pillion, there is very little space, so you wouldn’t really want to take someone along with you for a really, really long ride.
Negative Point
The picture about the Z isn’t all rosy, and there are a few so points that need to be addressed.
I mean, Kawasaki, it’s 2024 now, and this motorcycle should have had lean sensitive rider safety aids.
The suspension also isn’t fully adjustable, and the TFT display, while it is neat and legible, the menus are just irritating to navigate through, and it requires too many jabs at the button to get a selection.
I also wish for a quick shifter quite desperately as it would have made the acceleration and sound from the engine a lot more involving and entertaining at the same time. Kawasaki Z900
All said, these issues aren’t so big that they’d be termed deal breakers, especially considering the price of the bike.
Should You Buy?
At Rupees 9.29 L, the Z900 offers unmatched value. Sure, it lacks a few features, but it makes up for it by bringing a lot more to the table.