Sharper Kawasaki Z900 SE gets improved suspension and more stopping power

Kawasaki’s Z900 naked is getting the SE treatment; with the more premium model complete with better Brembo brakes, revised forks, and an Öhlins shock joining the line-up in December 2021.

Starting up front, the latest four-cylinder Zed does away with the standard bike’s four-piston calipers for a set of Brembo M4.32 radial monoblocs, which bite onto 300mm Brembo discs.

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Although the same size as the standard bike, the SE’s calipers also come fitted with Brembo pads and are fed by steel braided lines.

Matching the new braking bling is a set of gold-coloured upside-down forks. More striking than the standard Z900’s black legs, they remain the same 41mm diameter however have revised settings and offer full adjustability – rather than just rebound and preload.

Matching the new forks is a an Öhlins S46 shock, complete with remote pre-load adjuster for ease of use – the same unit as the one found in the recently revealed retro 2022 Z900RS SE, which gets a similar overall treatment.

Complementing these new additions are a suite of rider aids, including traction control and multiple power modes – with a slipper clutch making life easier during aggressive downshifts.

Riders can also connect their phone to the TFT dash via the Kawasaki Rideology app and the firm say the engine note has been ‘sound tuned’ by their engineers for some added riding engagement.

Available in the single colour shown here, prices for the SE will start at £10,749 and climb to £11,699 for the Performance Edition.

A whopping £1500 more than the standard Z900 in Performance trim, it’s also considerably more than the £10,202 Yamaha MT-09 SP and £10,649 KTM 890 Duke R, which will both pose serious competition.