At the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show, Japanese motorcycle giant Honda stunned everyone when it announced the Honda CB750. This motorcycle had several firsts to its credit. Apart from being the world’s first mass-produced four-cylinder production motorcycle, it was also the first ever to feature an electric start and disc brakes. Its 67 hp engine also let it hit a top speed of 200 km/hr (124 mph). The automotive press at the time coined the term “superbike” to describe the CB750, a term which is — to this day — used to describe high-capacity, powerful motorcycles.
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Honda’s arch rival from Japan — Kawasaki — was among the many competitors who were blown away by the reception of the Honda CB750. As a result, Kawasaki, which was designing its own 750cc superbike at the time, modified that project mid-cycle and set out on a goal was to create a motorcycle that was even more powerful than the Honda CB750.
It would take Kawasaki four more years to develop a competitor to the Honda CB750. The company called it the Kawasaki Z1. With its 900cc engine, the first-generation Kawasaki Z1 made a staggering 82 bhp of power and could hit a top speed of 201 km/hr (132 mph). Kawasaki continues to sell its Z Series motorcycles to this day. The 1972 Z1 spawned several successors, and as of today, the company sells a variety of powerful superbikes under the Z Series brand.
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Today, Kawasaki’s Z Series motorcycles are known for their “naked” design, which essentially denotes that these machines lack fairings and panels that cover various parts of the motorcycle. In this article, we take a look at five of the most powerful Z Series motorcycles to ever exist.
Kawasaki Z H2 (2019 – present)
The most powerful Z Series street-legal naked motorcycle ever made by Kawasaki is the Kawasaki Z H2. Closely related to the Kawasaki Ninja H2, as of 2024, this bike is the flagship product in Kawasaki’s Z Supernaked series of motorcycles. Kawasaki first showcased the Z H2 in 2019. The Kawasaki Z H2 features a 998cc 4-stroke, in-line four supercharged engine that makes 197 hp of power and generates 101 lb-ft of torque.
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As expected of a motorcycle of its class, the Kawasaki Z H2 is loaded with a plethora of engine and chassis management features that include an assist and slipper clutch, a dedicated launch control mode, a quick shifter, different/ power modes, and smartphone connectivity options.
Onboard safety features on the Kawasaki Z H2 include a comprehensive ABS coverage, with additional support from Kawasaki’s proprietary intelligent anti-lock brake system. Braking hardware on the motorbike consists of dual 320 mm Brembo discs at the front and a single 260 mm disc with a single piston caliper at the rear.
The Kawasaki Z H2 weighs around 531 lbs, and boasts a fuel tank capacity of 5 gallons. It comes only in a single color option; Metallic Matte Graphene Steel Gray/Ebony/Mirror Coated Black. Prices for the Kawasaki Z H2 start at around the $20,000 mark, making it one of the company’s most expensive offerings.
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Kawasaki Z1000 (2003 – 2016)
Varga Jozsef Zoltan/Shutterstock
In 2003, Kawasaki brought a legend back to life when it announced a brand new liter-class naked motorcycle called the Kawasaki Z1000. This motorcycle was a tribute to the company’s “original” 1000cc naked super sport motorcycle from the late 70s, which shared the same name. The 2003 Kawasaki Z1000 borrowed the 953cc engine from the ZX9R, and made around 127 hp of power and 71 lb-ft of torque.
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It remained in production until 2006, following which it was replaced by the 2007 Kawasaki Z1000. This iteration featured slight design updates and retained the same 953cc engine, albeit with slight changes to the power. The output went slightly down to 125 hp (from 127), while the torque went slightly up to 73 lb-ft. This variant remained in production until 2009, following which Kawasaki replaced it with another variant in 2010.
The biggest change to the 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 was the engine. Kawasaki discarded the old 953cc engine in favor of a larger 1043 cc four-stroke four-cylinder engine which made 138 hp of power at 9,600 rpm, and a peak torque of 81 lb-ft at 7,800 rpm. This edition of the Z1000 was also known as the Z1000 ABS in some markets, as it offered ABS (anti lock braking) as standard.
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This variant of the Z1000 received more updates over the next few years, with the final production variant of the Z1000 appearing in 2017. This variant of the Z1000 was also the most powerful of the lot, with its 1043cc engine making 142 hp of power and 82 lb-ft of torque. The modern-day avatar of the Z1000 remained in production between 2003 and 2016 (sold as the 2017 model year), following which it was discontinued.
Kawasaki Z900 (2017 – present)
One of the reasons for Kawasaki ending the production run of the Z1000 in 2017 was because the company was getting ready to launch another high end Z Series motorcycle called the Kawasaki Z900 around the same time. At launch, the Z900 was marketed as an upgrade to the Kawasaki Z800, which was launched in 2013, and was available until 2017. This motorcycle remains in production as of 2024.
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Currently, there are two series of Z900 motorcycles in Kawasaki’s lineup. These include the standard Z900 models (which include the Z900 ABS and the Z900 SE). The standard Z900 models make around 124 hp of power and generate 73 lb-ft torque, making these machines the second-most powerful naked motorcycles in Kawasaki’s Z lineup. Then there is the Z900RS lineup, which is the same motorcycle in a retro sport design. These machines make slightly less power than the standard variants (110 hp and 73 lb-ft).
In the U.S., prices for the standard Kawasaki Z900 starts at $9,899, going up to $11,399 for the Z900 SE, which boasts of a few additional features over the standard variant. The Kawasaki Z900 RS lineup also gets three variants; the Z900 RS which starts at $12,149, the Z900RS Cafe RS priced at $12,899, and the Z900 RS SE, which is the most expensive of the lot at $14,149.
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Kawasaki ZRX 1200R (2001 – 2016)
The Kawasaki ZRX 1200R may not feature in the list of Kawasaki’s most popular Z Series motorcycles, but there is no denying that it, to this date, remains among the most powerful naked Kawasaki super sport motorcycles ever made. First launched in 2000 as a 2001 model year product, the ZRX 1200R was a successor to the more popular Kawasaki ZRX 1100 from 1997, with a handful of styling and functional updates. The major change, however, was the engine, which saw an increase in capacity from 1052 cc to 1165 cc.
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Despite being a relatively modern motorcycle, having been released in 2000, the design theme of the Kawasaki ZRX 1200 made it look like a proper 90s bike. The ZRX 1200R retained several structural and design aspects from the ZRX 1100, including the Eddie Lawson style swingarm, dual shocks, and a steel cradle frame.
While Kawasaki wasn’t forthcoming revealing the true power figures for the ZRX 1000R, it is reported to have produced 122hp of power. In the U.S., the ZRX 1200R was available until 2005, following which it was discontinued. The motorcycle remained in production for a lot longer in its home country of Japan, where it was sold as recently as 2017.
Coming back to the power figures of the ZRX 1200R, the final variants of the motorcycle sold in Japan appear to boast lower power figures (110 hp) than the earlier claimed 122 hp. Nevertheless, even with the lower power figures, the ZRX 1200 remains one of the most powerful and potent naked Kawasaki’s to ever exist.
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[Featured image by Aaryana8 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]
Kawasaki Z1300 (1979 – 1989)
The Kawasaki Z1300 may be the last pick in this current selection on the basis of its marginally lower power output, but there is no denying that it is, perhaps, the most unique motorcycle in this list. To begin with, it is the oldest motorcycle in this list, with its production run lasting a decade between 1979 and 1989. Secondly, unlike all the other motorcycles in Kawasaki’s supersport category which feature in-line four engines, the Kawasaki Z1300 distinguishes itself by being the only motorcycle from the company to ever feature a six-cylinder engine.
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When introduced in the late 70s, the Kawasaki Z1300 was a monster of a motorcycle. It was longer, heavier, and more powerful than most competitors of the era. The wet weight of 314 kg (692 lbs) made it substantially heavier than other motorcycles of the era.
All this weight was also the result of the massive 1286cc, six-cylinder engine which made a staggering 120 hp of power and was good for 85 lb-ft of torque; power figures that would even give a modern-day Z900 a complex. The Z1300 featured a five-speed gearbox and claimed a 138 mph top speed. Thanks to the humongous engine, the Kawasaki Z1300 retains the title of featuring the biggest ever engine on a Kawasaki Z Series motorcycle.
[Featured image by Ritika via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]
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