2026 Honda CB1000F vs Kawasaki Z900RS vs Yamaha XSR 900 ┃ Ultimate Retro Bike Showdown!

After the success of a Hornet, Honda's bringing  that formula to the retro scene with a new

CB1000F. But here's the question. Can it

take down the Z900 RS or Yamaha's XSR900?

When it comes to horsepower, the CB makes the  most out of the three, putting out 123 horses,

followed by the XSR, and then the Z in last

place. As for torque, the CB's on top again.

The Z takes second place and then the XSR comes

last. But weight is where the XSR really shines.

It's the lightest of the bunch at just 196 kilos  with the CB coming next about 20 kilos heavier

and the Z adding just one more on top of that.  And when you look at the power to weight ratio,

that lighter build actually helps the  XSR make up for its lack of horsepower.

It ends up with the best power to weight ratio  overall, followed by the CB and then the Z at

the bottom. So, personality-wise, the Z  is the most traditional one. Not the most

powerful or the lightest, but tuned for  solid mid-range performance with smooth,

predictable power delivery. The XSR is the fun  one. Light, agile, and full of character thanks

to its torquey inline 3 that delivers punchy  acceleration. Meanwhile, the CB sits right

in the middle. With its displacement advantage,  it's very well balanced, strong at the top end,

while still offering solid load to mid-range  p

ull, making it the most versatile of the three.

Both the Z and the CB are powered by inline-4.  The CB uses the same engine as the Hornet, though

it's not identical. Honda made a few tweaks,  revised cam shafts and intakes with longer,

narrower funnels that shift the focus from  top-end power to stronger mid-range torque.

They've also changed the gearing, shorter first  and second gears for better initial acceleration,

while third through sixth are longer than on the  Hornet to take advantage of the engine's fatter

mid-range. The Z, on the other hand, borrows  its engine from the Z900, but it's also been

slightly detuned to focus more on mid-range punch.  Meanwhile, the XSR runs the same inline 3 from the

MT-09, completely unchanged. The CB's extra power  mainly comes from its displacement advantage,

around 40 cc more than the Z and 110cc more

than the Yamaha. All three use a DOhC setup

for the valve train. And when it comes to  compression ratio, it pretty much follows

their power figures. The CB is the highest,  followed by the XSR, and then the Z. Power

is sent to the rear whe

el through a six-speed

box with a slip and as

sist clutch on all three.

The new 2026 Z900 RS finally gets a  long-awaited electronics upgrade. It now

comes with an IMU which unlocks cornering ABS and  lean sensitive traction control. On top of that,

it now has electronic throttle,  giving it access to power modes,

a bi-directional quick shifter, and  electronic cruise control. However,

there's still no slide or engine brake control.  And the wheelie control is tied to the traction

control. Kawasaki also keeps things old  school with an analog speedo and tachometer.

No TFT display or Bluetooth connectivity here. The

CB also packs cornering ABS, an IMU, ride byWire,

and power modes, but misses out on a quick shifter  and cruise control. There's no slide control or

individual wheelie control either. Though Honda  does include adjustable engine brake control. it

does one up the Z with a TFT display that supports  smartphone connectivity for music control,

turn by turn navigation, and phone notifications.  Oh, and it also comes with a keyless system. The

XSR takes the lead here. It's loaded with all  the features of the other two and then goes a

step further with adjustable wheelie control

,  slide control, and a back slip regulator.