Kawasaki Z900RS Unveiled

[r1limited]

That design was Team Kawasaki in the Muzzy years, Wayne Rainer, Lawson, Spencer on not just the 900s but as well the 500cc smokers.  Just like the Roberts years teams had class

[faffi]

If you mean the colours, sure. But I am talking about the shape of the white lines and the thin black pinstriping together with the not best green ever. That's what, to my eyes, makes the green 900RS look like it was painted by an owner in his own garage without too great a success. YMMV.

[stev74]

Also of course I checked that bike at Eicma. I loved it from the pictures.
I'm a bit disapointed with the quality from some parts. The seat for example and also these plastic parts from the cockpit.
I wished the handlebar would be a bit more straight. ( i don't like to much bended handlebars).

The clutch is awesome like on nearly all new Kawasaki. They have the smoothest, easiest-pulling clutch. I LOVE this.
 

[r1limited]

3 hours ago, faffi said:

If you mean the colours, sure. But I am talking about the shape of the white lines and the thin black pinstriping together with the not best green ever. That's what, to my eyes, makes the green 900RS look like it was painted by an owner in his own garage without too great a success. YMMV.

Yup, Going to do the same thing to what I hope to pick up today a basket RD400.  Plans Plans Plans for that one

[rushdewalt]

 

 

The lines do resemble this Eddie Lawson replica from a German publication. My memories might be fading, but did Eddie ever race any AMA with a cafe fairing on his bike?

[r1limited]

No, The rules at the time of Superbikes pre SBK they had to be 100% Showroom bikes (Sort of) nothing to allow erodynamics. 

 

 

This was sold on the showrooms at one time

[r1limited]

KAWASAKI has just announced prices for its new-for-2018 models, revealed at Eicma in Milan last week. 

The 200hp supercharged Ninja H2 SX sports-tourer will cost £15,099, while the higher-spec Ninja H2 SX SE - with colour TFT instruments, LED cornering lights, quick-shifter and launch control - will be £18,099 when both go on sale from February 2018. 

The 1970s Z1-inspired Z900RS will be £9,899 in black, £10,099 in green and black or £10,199 in the brown and orange scheme most reminiscent of the original. It will hit showrooms at the beginning of next month while the Z900RS Café, (pictured above) with café racer fairing, drop handlebar and green paint, will arrive in March 2018 priced at £10,349. 

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The Ninja ZX-10R SE, equipped for 2018 with Showa semi-active suspension, will be £18,949 from March next year. 

And the Ninja 400, Kawasaki's new parallel-twin mid-capacity sports bike, will be available from February 2018 for £5,249 in black or £5,399 in KRT colours.

[bornagainbiker]

First ride review of the Z900RS:

 

 

[Grip it & Rip it]

The bike looks really good. 11 grand, though...

[bornagainbiker]

5 minutes ago, Grip it & Rip it said:

The bike looks really good. 11 grand, though...

Yeah, I know--13 grand in Canada. 

[pattonme]

and with a lovely world-wide recall going on with badly engineered shock pivot mount on the frame.

Though I'm sure they'll have that fixed in time for spring. Why superbike pricing on a nice but still nothing-special UJM? Should be priced same as the GSX and FZ09: 8 grand tops.

[gregjet]

"badly engineered shock pivot mount on the frame"

I saw the photo of the pivot mount on the MC chassis link. I just went "WHaaaaaaaat" even before they mentioned what the actual problem was. How could anyone think a piece of metal that thin could take the multiplied load on a multi link suspension mount. And instead of replacing the swingarm , they just bolted another piece on top.

No Kwakas for this little black duck. Makes you wonder what else is dangerously engineered in that bike.

 

[pattonme]

58 minutes ago, gregjet said:

Makes you wonder what else is dangerously engineered in that bike.

 

Next season's racers will probably find out the hard way... Bottom-out the suspension my-ass. That bolt is being pulled on for every compress/extend cycle. 

[faffi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=9lk0WG9Pf7o

[shinyribs]

On 11/4/2017 at 4:52 PM, bornagainbiker said:

Here's the black version:

 

I cannot believe they used a front master cylinder with a remote reservoir. That fluid pot poking up in the air looks so tacky to me.  Obviously stolen from a faired bike. Bleh. I'm not even going to start in on the front fender mounts. Those huge aluminum plates?...why??  Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful bike. A friend of mine is just waiting for them to hit the shops. Can't wait to swing a leg over his once it gets home. 

[pattonme]

Nissin and Braking, even Brembo make integrated units WITH radial MC. They just didn't try.

I doubt those fender mounts are metal - just plastic painted metallic color. The pricing guarantees the thing won't sell like it should. Just NUTS!

[Grip it & Rip it]

It’s true, both the front master cylinder and whacky fender mounts are completely incomprehensible. That silver cover panel under the tank is not great looking either. It’s almost as if they got 90% done with the bike and some different people took over. And when you take the price into account it’s too bad, cuz this is still the best looking bike of this style by far.

[shinyribs]

I believe the fender mounts are cast aluminum due to a video review I watched, but I can't say for sure. 

 

Kawi is currently claiming wet weight to be 474lbs. That's nearly identical in weight  to a 481lb 1969 SOHC CB750! That seems odd to me. Especially considering the engine from a SOHC CB750 weighs in at a whopping 220lbs by itself (no carbs or fluids- I weighed one myself)! Of course, those old CB's didn't have the penalty of a liquid cooling system, but they did run heavy, chrome steel rims, heavy 18" and 19" tires with heavy tubes inside and a massively heavy drum brake out back. They also had huge 630 chains and a battery that could power a lawn tractor. Modern bikes should be much lighter IMO. 

 

Considering the standard Z900 weighs in at 465'ish lbs I don't guess Kawi cares much about lighweight? CRB1000RR is around 430lbs fully faired, and the GSXR 1000 is 440'ish, also with bodywork. CBR600RR comes in right at 400lbs soaking wet. I understand 4 cyl bikes carrying some weight, but I don't see why the liter bikes are carrying so much more mass compared to the 600rr. The engine cases aren't THAT much bigger. 

 

I really don't understand why modern bikes don't weigh less than they do. For a budget minded twin with a steel chassis and swingarm, I'm quite happy with the weight of the FZ 07. 

 

 

[shinyribs]

Got a phone call that my local dealer had one of these in, so I rode over to have a look.

 

The front fender mounts are cast alloy, but very light. I thought the would be heavy things, now I think they're a bit fragile looking. Texture is quite gritty, too. 

 

The seat felt great and the reach to the bars was perfect for me ( 6'2"- 33" inseam). The pegs weren't bad, but I'd like them back and up about an inch in both directions. They felt very cruiserish to me, even for a standard. 

 

The proportions were disappointing in real life. The tank looks very fat and squatty. The rear cowl seems very short and narrow compared to the seat, and the very large rear fender extension really accentuates the odd proportions IMO.  In the flesh, the front of the bike looks short and fat, and the back looks thin and stumpy. I really didn't like it all. The side panel under the seat looks out if place in the flesh. It doesn't tuck away as well as it seems to in pictures. The exhaust looked great though, and the header was just beautiful. 

 

What's worse, the black paint has metallic in it. Really? You don't put metallic in classy, black paint. That's like sprinkling glitter on a nice tux. You just don't do it. 

 

The seat felt great, but a little soft. I think it will be too soft for long rides, but the ergos are definitely comfy otherwise. And the bike holds it's weight very well. Just sitting on it you'd never know it was nearly 100lbs heavier than our 07's. You can't ignore that damn brake reservoir while seated. Sticks up like a sore thumb and is made of the same ugly brown material that KTM uses. 

 

I was afraid this bike was going to give me a bad case of buyers remorse. But I walked away still very content with my FZ. The pictures on the internet make the Z look much slimmer than it really is. I'm still very anxious to ride one, though. 

[pattonme]

2 hours ago, shinyribs said:

The front fender mounts are cast alloy, but very light. I thought the would be heavy things, now I think they're a bit fragile looking. Texture is quite gritty, too. 

lovely. More pot-metal perhaps? ie. the same crap they use in levers and foot pedals?

[shinyribs]

18 minutes ago, pattonme said:

lovely. More pot-metal perhaps? ie. the same crap they use in levers and foot pedals?

I believe so, but I could be wrong. 

 

It's still a lovely bike, but not quite what I expected. I'd own one, but not at $12k OTD. 

[Cruizin]

I rode one of these last weekend. I loved riding that bike. Really comfortable and tons of TQ. For fun I took off from a stop light in 3rd gear, and it still spun up pretty well.  

Im hoping to find one of these for sale in two years for $7-8 grand. 

[pattonme]

you can find the Z900 for 7 grand new, 2017s. unfortunately due to low volume I suspect the -RS owners will hold out for more money. And now with the Cafe the detuned the engine a 2nd time? WTH are they thinking over there?

[Cruizin]

1 hour ago, pattonme said:

you can find the Z900 for 7 grand new, 2017s. unfortunately due to low volume I suspect the -RS owners will hold out for more money. And now with the Cafe the detuned the engine a 2nd time? WTH are they thinking over there?

I dont like the z900, it's the z900rs that I rode and love. It has me looking for old kawi 900's to fix up. Technology has brought us wonderful new aspects to bikes, but at the same time some really annoying crap has come along too. Seats suck now days. Damn near every stock seat sucks. Actually hurts. 

70's 80's bikes had comfortable seats. And ya know what? If Im comfortable, I ride faster and longer. I could have the best suspension in the world but if my ass hurts like hell, I'm not leaning and shifting around properly, I'm turning around and riding home to go hop in the hot tub. 

 

My old KZ1000 was comfortable. And back then we had this purple leaded Gasoline that was pure and burned clean.  I could ride all day on that seat. Me and the GF would hop on and ride all over New England. Could rip 100 mph two up, up any hill no probs. Easy to work on, easy to tune. Back then I didn't worry about suspension, but I only weighed 170 lbs too. 

 

No ABS, no ECU, no forums to tell me everything that was wrong with the bike, no traction control, not so many cops, not so much traffic. 

[Cruizin]

For one summer, I rode my buddies 454 LTD. That was the most fun bike of em all, and I still dont know why. Maybe because it was his and I only had to pay for gas? I dunno, but it had some good low end power and I wheelied the hell out of that bike.