Kawasaki’s ‘Big Zed’ is back in the range with two versions
The Kawasaki Z1100 is back in the UK range, with two versions and a CB1000 Hornet rivalling pricetag.
Kawasaki has reintroduced its hugely popular big-bore super naked to the range, with the 2026 Z1100 and Z1100 SE.
Kawasaki’s ‘Big Zed’ was discontinued in the UK in 2020, and it turns out the intervening years have been very kind to the bike, as it looks pretty much identical to how it did five years ago! The aggressive ‘Sugomi’ styling is still very much a feature, complete with the flicked-up seat unit. One visual change that previous ‘Zed’ owners will pick up on is the new silencer, which is much sleeker than the one found on the previous bike.
Thankfully, a lot has been going on beneath the skin of the bike, and while much of that will have been focused on getting the super naked through the latest Euro5+ emissions regs’, some of the work has also been centred around elevating the bike on a technical level.
Mechanically, the bike boasts new pistons, valve springs, and cams, with revised cogs in the six-speed slip/assist-equipped gearbox. Electronically, you now get a RBW throttle, opening the door to things like cruise control and a quickshifter as standard. You also get an IMU, meaning lean-sensitive ABS and traction control are standard fitment. Topping off the electronic trickery is a five-inch full-colour Bluetooth-enabled TFT which, if you are a modern Kawasaki rider, will be very familiar to you.
New higher-spec SE version joins the stock bike
Alongside the stock bike will also be a new SE model, which boasts an Öhlins S46 shock absorber, complete with a remote preload adjuster, and Brembo monoblock calipers which are paired to braided brake lines. The SE also gains a sexier paint scheme, with gold fork stanchions and wheels adding to the allure of the slightly spicier model.
Peak power for both bikes is quoted to be 134 bhp, which arrives at 9,000 rpm, while torque (which was always the Z1000’s best friend) peaks at 83 lb ft at 7,600 rpm. Like the power and torque, the weight for each is stated to be identical, with a kerb weight of 221kg, making this one of the heavier super nakeds in the category.
Price and colours
Both variants of the new Z1100 are set to land in October 2025, with the stock bike coming in at £11,099 while the SE will cost £12,699. The stocker will arrive in a moody Ebony / Metallic Carbon Gray colour scheme, while the SE gains an equally stealthy Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray / Metallic Matte Carbon Gray paint job.
More information about both the new bikes can be found on the official website.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
