There are places that test not just the machine beneath you, but the very spirit of riding. Ranthambore, with its ancient forts, dusty curves, and sudden bursts of wilderness, is one such place. It’s not the tallest mountain range nor the most technical terrain, but there’s a strange magic here. The roads are sweeping, unpredictable, and at times heartbreakingly beautiful. And into this soul of Rajasthan, I rode Kawasaki’s latest contender in the naked bike battle, the 2025 Z900. Now, this isn’t my first time with a Z. I’ve had flings with its older siblings over the years, each time walking away slightly buzzed, slightly more impressed. But this time, things felt different. The stakes were higher, the rivals tougher, and Kawasaki, bolder. With Honda’s new CB1000 Hornet breathing fire, the Z900 didn’t just roll out as a refreshed model. It roared in like it had something to prove.

This is what the new Z900 wants

Let’s get this straight, Kawasaki isn’t here to take part. It’s here to dominate. The Z900 isn’t just a carry-forward of last year’s success. It’s an audacious statement: to remain the best-selling naked streetfighter, to claw up the registration charts, and to do it without breaking the bank. At €9,995, you’re looking at serious value. My test unit, decked in Metallic Spark Black with Kawasaki’s iconic Candy Lime Green frame, cost a smidge more, but looked an absolute riot against the golden hues of Ranthambore. The design? Still unmistakably Sugomi. Lean, aggressive, and screaming velocity even at standstill. You don’t walk up to this bike. You approach it like you would a wild animal. Cautiously. Respectfully. And yet, eager to tame it. But it’s not just about presence. Kawasaki knows the Hornet’s knocking with a heavier punch, so the Z900 had to evolve, not just flex.

This is what the new Z900 offers

Let me take you into the meat of it, the heart that pumps beneath that sharp exterior. The inline-four, 948cc liquid-cooled engine now churns out 124 hp at 9,500 rpm, with 97.4 Nm of torque peaking at 7,700 rpm. On paper, it’s a notch below its predecessor, by a single horse and a single Newton. On the road? You’d be hard-pressed to notice. This thing surges forward like a freed jungle cat. The six-speed gearbox is now paired with a standard quickshifter (only optional on the 70kW version), and let me tell you, it’s worth its weight in gold when you’re pushing through corners uphill. Click-click-click, no drama, no fuss. Just seamless aggression. The IMU-based electronics package is where things get exciting. The Z900 now gets cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control. This is not just a tick on a spec sheet, it changes the game. Midway up a curve-drenched ascent in Ranthambore, I leaned the Z in hard on a tightening left-hander, felt a slight slip, and just as quickly, felt it reel back under control. That lean-sensitive safety net works, and it builds confidence with every kilometer. Three ride modes, Rain, Road, and Sport, are onboard. I started in Road, then flicked into Sport once the roads opened up. Response sharpened, the throttle got snappier, and every twist of the wrist felt like a livewire connection to the crankshaft. The cruise control is a blessing on the flat stretches, working effortlessly between 30 and 200 km/h. It’s basic but effective. Set, adjust, disengage with a brake or clutch pull, done. The new 5-inch TFT display? Clear, vibrant, and now Rideology-app compatible. You get turn-by-turn nav, voice control, lean angles, and even ride logs. I peaked at 44 degrees left, 41 degrees right, though some pros on the Dunlops have hit over 50. Show-offs.

This is what the new Z900 can do

Let me be blunt, this bike hauls. Flat-out, Kawasaki claims a top speed of 234 km/h. I didn’t push it that far in Ranthambore (not for lack of want), but past 180, it still felt solid, taut, and composed. The chassis, tubular steel lattice, feels familiar but refined. The new suspension setup with 41 mm USD forks and adjustable rear shock eats up inconsistencies with grace. Handling is the Z900’s secret weapon. You can flick this 193 kg beast through chicanes like it’s a 300cc corner carver. It’s neutral, balanced, and beautifully responsive. The electronic throttle is crisp, and the engine’s mid-range grunt means you don’t have to dance through gears constantly. Whether you’re in third or fifth, just twist and go. On the braking side, the standard version comes with Nissin’s radially mounted four-piston calipers on twin 300 mm discs. They bite hard and linear. No fade, even after some aggressive downhill runs. The SE, which I didn’t get to ride, swaps in Brembos and Öhlins for an even sharper experience, but I never felt under-braked on the standard bike. Sound? Glorious. That deep inline-four growl is punctuated by a sexy bark during downshifts. With the optional Akrapovič pipe, I suspect it would be borderline naughty. Ergonomics are versatile. At 830 mm seat height, it’s friendly for average-height riders. There’s also an optional 810 mm low seat. The handlebar is wide, footpegs slightly rearset, sporty without killing your knees. I rode for nearly four hours with breaks and felt fresh.

This will be remembered

Not everything’s perfect. Let’s address the elephant in the jungle, the lack of automatic turn signals. Yes, it’s a small thing, but in 2025, it feels like a miss. My group ride saw me blink-blink-blinking away down the straights like a forgotten Christmas light. And hey, the quickshifter doesn’t blip on downshifts unless the throttle’s closed, so you’ll still clutch in sometimes. But these are minor gripes. What I will remember, however, is the feeling of cresting a blind corner, the throttle pinned, rear tire clawing for grip, with peacocks darting off to the side. Or the way it made the worn tarmac feel like a racetrack. Or the sunset photos we snapped near the Ranthambore Fort, where the Z900 looked so right against history. This bike has soul. It might not shout the loudest on the spec sheet, but it sings beautifully on the road.

Conclusion

The 2025 Kawasaki Z900 doesn’t just aim to survive in the top-tier naked bike wars, it’s here to thrive. Ranthambore tested it. The corners, the straights, the gravel-dusted patches, it passed them all. It may not have the most brutal horsepower, or the fanciest gadgets, but it balances performance, price, and character with rare finesse. It’s Sugomi, sharpened. And if you ask me, still one of the best all-round naked bikes out there. If the question is whether Kawasaki still has it, the Z900 answers loud and clear: Yes. And then some.