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RIDE REVIEW I 2026 KAWASAKI Z900RS SE ABS
(Above) A new megaphone-style exhaust gives
the Zee some extra bark. (Right) As a cruisy weekend
scratcher, the Zee fits the bill beautifully.
Yamaha or Triumph, the performance of the Zee
is as good as you could possibly expect, given
the emissions laws they must navigate.
While the bike's styling pays homage to the
Z1 of the early 1970s, its technology suite is thor-
oughly modern and updated further for 2026.
As mentioned, the IMU gives you access to the
cornering traction control and ABS. And the
cruise control and an up-and-down quickshifter
further modernize the ride.
The quickshifter is exceptionally smooth in
both directions, making gear changes feel nearly
seamless and giving a satisfying pop from the
exhaust when you've got the throttle wound back
and you're clicking up through the 'box. Cruise
control, meanwhile, adds genuine value for longer
highway stretches and is something this model
sorely missed over the last four years of its life.
As for the chassis, the SE gets a couple of
upgrades over the base model Z900RS ABS and
the Z900RS Cafe ABS. Gold-colored 41mm forks
are fully adjustable, while the rear benefits from
an Öhlins S46 shock equipped with a remote
reservoir. This is the same setup as the previous
iteration of the model, so Kawasaki took the "if
it's not broken, don't fix it" route.
This being the case, the ride quality is still
good. The Zee is a very neutral bike that re
-
sponds predictably as it transitions from one cor-
