VOLUME 59 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 18, 2022 P89
create the Z900RS SE. It's got the
same 948cc four-cylinder mo-
tor, the same tubular trellis steel
chassis, same fully adjustable front
suspension and Ohlins S46 shock,
and the same radially mounted
Brembo monobloc brakes mated to
a conventional ABS system.
Being a retro ride, Kawasaki
hasn't graced the Z900RS SE with
the kind of electronics one would
expect for a bike costing this much.
There's no quickshifter, no cruise
control, no heated grips or Inertial
Measurement Unit, which then dic-
tates a lack of Cornering ABS, lean
angle sensitive traction control, etc.
The good thing is, you barely
think about any of this while rid-
ing. Except for the absence of a
quickshifter, the Kawasaki's ride
is delightful. The wretched throttle
response we experienced on our
2018 test bike has been largely
eradicated and the suspension
action, especially the rear shock,
is smooth and compliant without
being overly stiff.
And then you get into that mo-
tor. We absolutely
love that 948cc
lump. It's got this
beautifully gruff
intake noise matched
to plenty of lowdown
torque, although it
does run out a little
faster up top than I
would have liked.
Riders a little shorter than
Rennie's 6'1" frame might find the
CB1000R's riding position a bit
more comfortable than he did.
