Z900 and the ITV: what to check before modding your bike

Modding a Z900 is easy. Knowing what the ITV (Spain's roadworthiness test) will say, not so much. Here's what's worth checking before you fit a part and before the inspection.

This is general information. It's not legal advice and it doesn't replace the current regulations or the judgement of your ITV station.

What the ITV looks at on a modified bike

The inspection checks that the bike matches its paperwork and that the safety items meet the regulations. On a naked like the Z900, the most checked items are:

• Lighting and signalling: headlights, tail lights, indicators and number plate light.
• Number plate: position, angle, visibility and lighting.
• Mirrors: number, field of view and marking.
• Protrusions and sharp edges at the front.
• Noise and emissions, if you change the exhaust.

Some changes count as a formal modification ("reforma") and follow their own procedure. The reference in Spain is the Manual de Reformas de Vehículos (Vehicle Modifications Manual): you'll find the current version on the Spanish Ministry of Industry's vehicle modifications page.

Parts that don't touch regulated items

Some accessories don't change the lights, the number plate, the mirrors or the bike's dimensions. For example:

• Engine covers and axle sliders.
• Radiator guard.
• Oil filler cap and brake reservoir cap.
• TFT screen protector (2020-24 and 2025-26).

Even so, the inspector judges the bike as a whole. A badly fitted or loose part can be a fault even if the part itself isn't regulated.

Parts worth checking before the inspection

Tail tidy

A short tail tidy changes the position and angle of the plate, and often its lighting too. Those are exactly the points they check. Our 2017-24 short tail tidy and the 2025-26 one have no type-approval marking (E-mark). Many riders keep the stock one for inspection day.

Solo seat cowl

With the seat cowl on there's no pillion seat, even if the bike's papers say two seats. It comes off in a moment: take it off before you go if you're unsure.

Mirrors

Mirrors must give a minimum field of view and carry their marking. Before you fit bar-end mirrors, check the product page for what information they have and keep the originals.

Flyscreen and winglets

They add bulk at the front. Check there are no sharp edges and that they don't cover the headlight or the indicators. If in doubt, ask your station before you go.

Lighting: indicators and headlight tint film

This is the most delicate part. Lighting parts must carry their marking and meet the rules on position, colour and visibility.

• Indicators: our mini LED indicators have no type-approval marking. Keep the stock ones.
• Film on headlights or tail lights: any film over a light can change how it looks and how much light it gives. For the inspection, the safe move is to remove it or fit the original light.

If a lighting part has specific certification information, we list it on its product page. If it's not there, assume it doesn't have any.

How to get the bike ready for the ITV

1. Keep the original parts. Tail tidy, indicators, mirrors and lights. It's the most useful thing you can do.
2. Refit the stock parts before you go if you're unsure about any part.
3. Call your station. Criteria can vary between stations and regions.
4. Check the current regulations. They change over time. What was fine a few years ago may not be today.
5. If you want to keep a part on for good, ask whether it needs a formal modification and what paperwork it requires.

Quick questions

Do engine covers cause problems at the ITV?

They don't touch the lighting, number plate or mirrors. Even so, the decision is always the station's.

Can I go to the ITV with the short tail tidy?

We can't promise that. The safe move is to fit the original for the inspection.

Can the police fine me even if I passed the ITV?

Traffic rules apply all the time, not just on inspection day. Find out before you ride with a part that has no marking.

What if I don't live in Spain?

Every country has its own inspection and its own rules (the MOT in the UK, for example). The idea is the same: keep the original parts and check your country's rules before you ride.

Disclaimer

Z900 Build sells aftermarket parts, not genuine Kawasaki parts. This article is for guidance only. For any decision, check the official regulations and your ITV station. Questions about a specific part? Message us and we'll tell you what we know about it.