VOLUME 59 ISSUE 6 FEBRUARY 8, 2022 P77
lb-ft of torque, the same tubular
steel chassis and subframe and
identical Sugomi styling from Ka-
wasaki's patented, err, Sugomi
department.
Aside from the suspension and
brakes, the Z900 hasn't changed
an awful lot over the years. It
replaced the aging Z1000 back
in 2017, and although it was
Kawasaki's main naked bike until
the bonkers Z H2 came along in
2020, it was never meant to chal-
lenge the naked bike bangers like
the KTM Super Duke or Aprilia
Tuono 1100 V4.
You could angle the Z900,
and thus this SE model, as a
middleweight, going up against
the new-for-2021 Yamaha MT-
09/MT-09 SP and the KTM 890
Duke/890 Duke R. And in that
regard, the Kawasaki stacks up
pretty well.
But we're not doing a com-
parison test here. This is purely
about how the new springers
ride and how the stoppers stop,
and whether the extra cash paid
is worth the cash paid.
The new suspension is cer-
tainly stiffer when you first sit
on it. It's more noticeable at the
rear, which has a much more
taught feeling even at a stand-
still. Get the Z900 SE moving,
however, and the difference in
dollars starts to shine through.
The bike I rode in 2020 would
start wallowing and protesting at
the mere thought of turning up
the wick from moderate medium
speeds, let alone actually going
really hard. This is not the case
braking
and whether the extra cash paid
braking
and whether the extra cash paid
braking braking
Little nips and tucks,
nothing revolutionary, for
the '22 Z900 SE.
(Left) The styling is
a bit hit-and-miss
for some, but we've
grown to like the Zee.
Those gold forks
certainly look the
part. (Below right)
Nissin has fitted a
new master-cylinder
and together with
the Brembo calipers;
braking is much
improved.
