Kawasaki z900 or MV Agusta Brutale 800RR?

matze
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Stuttgart, DE
Edited Date/Time 7/7/2025 12:40pm

Anyone of you have experience with one of them and can share? I purchased a brand new 2025 z650 about a month ago and I must say the power isnt enough. I absolutely love the handling, it feels lightweight and incredibly agile, which was the primary reason I chose this bike. However, the power delivery is lacking. The 0–60 mph acceleration is decent, but beyond that, you can really feel the absence of horsepower. A few years ago, I owned a supersport bike (Yamaha R6), so perhaps that's why I feel something is missing. I had hoped the handling would compensate for the power, but unfortunately, that's not the case.

An obvious upgrade would be the z900, but Im also considering something a bit more exotic, the brutale 800RR. There are some good reviews out there, just wanted to ask if someone can share their own experience. positives, negatives, and maybe even how it suits shorter riders, as I'm only 5'7". Cheers!

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matze
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Stuttgart, DE
7/8/2025 11:06am Edited Date/Time 7/8/2025 11:16am
TeamGreen wrote:

Graves Motorsports…especially their ECU solutions…ECU…Pipe…Voila! 
https://www.gravesport.com/categories/shop-by-vehicle/sport-bike/kawasaki/z650/2020-2025.html

Thanks for the link! But ECU adjustments and just another slip-on exhaust aren’t really worth it in my case on the z650. We’re talking about a difference of nearly 60hp (!) compared to a Z900 (125 hp vs. 67 hp). Sure, you can gain a bit with tuning, but truth is u still end up only having like 76hp and some power delivery improvements. That wont be satisfying. Right now, I’m looking for a Z900 that’s already ECU-tuned, something like this one:
https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=419750825 

1
TeamGreen
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7/8/2025 3:17pm Edited Date/Time 7/8/2025 6:10pm
TeamGreen wrote:

Graves Motorsports…especially their ECU solutions…ECU…Pipe…Voila! 
https://www.gravesport.com/categories/shop-by-vehicle/sport-bike/kawasaki/z650/2020-2025.html

matze wrote:
Thanks for the link! But ECU adjustments and just another slip-on exhaust aren’t really worth it in my case on the z650. We’re talking about a...

Thanks for the link! But ECU adjustments and just another slip-on exhaust aren’t really worth it in my case on the z650. We’re talking about a difference of nearly 60hp (!) compared to a Z900 (125 hp vs. 67 hp). Sure, you can gain a bit with tuning, but truth is u still end up only having like 76hp and some power delivery improvements. That wont be satisfying. Right now, I’m looking for a Z900 that’s already ECU-tuned, something like this one:
https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=419750825 

Getting more “torque” out of the 650 improves acceleration really, really well. 

I’m gonna go in Chuck Graves’s direction…he’s been riding a nicely kitted ZX4RR and he’s having a blast at track days. 

1
7I3N
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Moto Paradise, UT, USA
7/8/2025 5:55pm

I've got  buddy that just picked up a new Z900.  He's really short and can touch the ground easily.  He loves everything about it.  Strong motor, great handling and comfy riding position.    

2

The Shop

BH_84
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Cameron, ON, CA
Fantasy
7/9/2025 8:31am

The Z is one of my all time favourite bikes. It just works, effortlessly smooth, beautiful shifting, that Kawasaki in line 4 exhaust note. Absolutely love that bike. 

3
7/9/2025 10:25am

The Kawasaki will do everything well but maybe a little bit boring 


The mv will be like dating a stripper , it may go haywire but fuck does it look sexy 

1
matze
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7/16/2025 7:30am Edited Date/Time 7/16/2025 7:51am

Thanks for the Input guys 👍 Decided to not rush things and take my z650 through this year. 

Next year gonna be exciting cause kawasaki is introducing a z1100 for the first time ever. (they made a z1000 but only until 2020). Will then decide between z900 or the z1100.

Wont buy a MV Agusta cause closest authorized MV dealer/workshop is just too far away.

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