If you’ve been waiting for Kawasaki to bring back some serious muscle into the naked category, your wish is about to come true. After months of leaks through emissions papers and spec filings, fresh design documents have now confirmed the existence of the 2026 Kawasaki Z1100—and it looks every bit the aggressive streetfighter we’ve been craving.
From the design sketches filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the new Z1100 clearly borrows DNA from the much-loved Z1000. The headlight cowl, tank, and radiator shrouds are familiar, but this time around, Kawasaki has sharpened the package with a new lower fairing sporting gill-like vents, slimmer lines, and a single right-side silencer instead of the twin double-tipped pipes from the old model.
Powering the beast is the same 1,099cc inline-four that underpins the Ninja 1100 and Versys 1100. Official figures peg it at 134 hp at 9,000 rpm. Expect a TFT display lifted from the Z900 SE, fresh LED lighting, and the kind of fit-and-finish that Kawasaki’s big-bore nakeds are known for.
Here in the UAE, the naked bike scene is pretty interesting. Triumph has the Street Triple 765, Yamaha brings the MT-10, and Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 is a regular contender. The Z1100, with its mix of old-school brute force and modern updates, could become the sweet spot for riders who want something brawnier than a Z900 but more raw and visceral than the Ninja 1100SX.
Expect Kawasaki to showcase the Z1100 at this year’s EICMA.
