Well, the BMW has the shaft drive you were thinking about. The Kawasaki is chain drive, I think. I have had two shaft driven bikes and wouldn't want to go back to chain drive but it seems hard to avoid on a retro.
(10-25-2019, 08:29 AM)postoak_imp Wrote: [ -> ]Well, the BMW has the shaft drive you were thinking about. The Kawasaki is chain drive, I think. I have had two shaft driven bikes and wouldn't want to go back to chain drive but it seems hard to avoid on a retro.
I somewhat agree.
Mainstream Japanese shaft bikes reined during the late 70's and early 80's. Shaft drive also adds weight, cost and some performance drag on the bike. I suspect manufacturers wish to keep costs down. Arguably, would a retro version of an 80's shaft Japanese bike be really retro? Some might argue for it.
The '80s was the power-ranger-look stage. It just doesn't have any appeal to me. I do find the BMW appealing in appearance but there's not much retro there. The W800 may be the most retro looking of the lot.
Kawasaki RS900
This one goes off the rails I think with, single shock, slightly raised tail (blowing the flat seat which is useful for sliding back or forth on to fit your size and build), too-fat rear tire, extremely large and obvious radiator, and "too much" engine. This is going to be a problem on a lot of them. It's not as much fun to ride these over-powerful bikes.
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URCzkGH15vM&t=907s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URCzkGH15vM&t=907s
Moto Guzzi V7 III
Shaft drive, dry clutch, no tach (which seems like a big deal), and surprisingly jerky.
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmo682jiddw&t=339s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmo682jiddw&t=339s
Personally, to me most Guzzis are retro/clasic type, -1n, just in case if somebody is of a different opinion or wants to dispute.
(10-25-2019, 09:51 AM)postoak_imp Wrote: [ -> ]Moto Guzzi V9
Same comments as for the V7. Some will say these aren't retros since MG has made something along these lines continuously since the 1960s. But whatever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2_BVI01nEw
I really like many of the Guzzis, and the V9 may be the most "classic" looking of them all. It is a modern classic, but I probably would not call it "retro".
It is like calling a modern day Triumph Bonneville "retro". I would just call it a modern classic.