Kawasaki Z900RS

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Sat on one yesterday. Sent Kawasaki a tweet about that bulbous tank. Sat on the 18 CB11EX down the row from it. Much better. I liked the 9RS otherwise though. My 919 had a radiator. I don't mind. The Z9RS is not retro retro but I'd still ride one. My 919 was so sweet at exactly 72 mph on the highway. Smoooooth. So there is something to be said for water cooling. And she sure did like an exit ramp. Just roll her on in and lean. A touch of front brake. Nice. But the CB11EX is still a beauty. What a piece of art.

That's how I feel about it. The Z900RS is a liquid-cooled motorcycle, and needs a radiator; a discussion of the engineering strategy behind the bulbous tank (to allow a full 4.5 gallons of fuel and the huge airbox needed for the engine's low-end torque) is found in another post. So I have to wonder, in this case, just exactly what could Kawasaki's engineers have done differently to assuage these aesthetic concerns?

There is only one answer: they could have built an air-cooled motorcycle! And they've already done that, over 15 years ago. The ZR750 was a beautiful motorcycle, in profile very similar to the new Z900RS. When it first came out, my buddy bought one right away, and I had the chance to ride it. It was a superb machine in every way.


A bone-stock Zephyr 750, circa 1992.


Not bad with the MRS pipes.

[url=https://www.cycleworld.com/focusing-in-on-kawasaki-zephyr-to-find-out-if-it-was-ultimate-750-from-archives]Cycle World has published an article about the ZR750, where it has named that bike the best standard of 1992, on its website.

Kawasaki produced versions of the ZR (Zephyr) in 400, 550, 750, and 1100 versions.


The Zephyr 1100 shares the "bulbous" tank design of the Z900RS. It's a Kawasaki signature throughout the line.


Not a bad-looking mill.

[url=https://www.cycleworld.com/riding-impression-zephyr-1100-from-archives#page-4]Cycle World has also posted a review of the Zephyr 1100 from 1992, which has a lot of interesting information about the bike's performance, its adherents, and its development.

I had another buddy who had a few of these retros, the 1100 in particular. He commuted for years on that bike. Later he upgraded to the ZRX1200 and rode that bike for tens of thousands of commuting miles. He still had one, last time I checked.


The ZRX1200 was the first liquid-cooled machine in the retro line of ZR's.

Kawasaki has been all the way down the road and back with respect to making retro-styled inline fours of the air-cooled variety. And what they've learned is that, these days, they just don't sell very well. The Z900RS is a very slimmed-down example of the same kind of bike as the ZRX1200. Motorcycle sales are down right now, and KHI has made the right decision in choosing the style and technology for the new Z series.

Anyone who owns a CB1100 today should be thanking their lucky stars that they got one now, since it doesn't look like the bike is going to be back in the USA, at least. Those folks have the bike they want, it doesn't have an ugly radiator, bulbous tank, or the wrong badge on the tank. And hopefully, the bike they have is the bike they want, and it'll make them happy. I can't say, but it may be that no one bike can have everything one might want. I suppose that's why we have a lot of good choices. And if another person's choice differs from ours, it can still provide the same satisfaction of ownership.

I leave it to Cycle World's excellent staff of 1992 to sum it up; these thoughts are equally relevant 15 years later:

Good times are what motorcycles are for, though if recent sales figures are anything to go by, a smaller percentage of people than ever are enjoying good times on new bikes. But who knows? There would seem to be strong demand, among riders and former riders, for a liter-class standard-style motorcycle that offers a workable combination of style, comfort, performance and value.

Those words, written over 15 years ago, couldn't be more apropos.

As one who cut his riding teeth on the classic KZ bikes, I loved the Zephyrs.

But that was '92. Honda did the same thing in '91 with the CB750 Nighthawk back then. Emissions regulations allowed them to basically reuse lightly modified 1980s powerplants to produce real retro bikes. The Zephyrs used the same 8 valve, twin cam engines from the KZ bikes of the 70s/80s. The CB750 used a detuned version of the 80s CBX750.

I don't think any of the other manufacturers (besides Honda) were willing to jump through the engineering hoops required to produce a Euro 4 compliant air cooled inline-4 engine for a 21st century retro bike. I don't think the retro market is big enough to justify the R&D expense.

I see the Z900RS for what it is. A retro-ish styled version of a modern Z900. Fat tanks and radiators are to be expected. You're not going to get something that looks like a Zephyr (or a CB1100) without a heavily reengineered air cooled inline 4.

That's just it. The CB1100 is a very unique motorcycle. And very likely the last of its kind. Honda is not making much money on it. Get yours while you can.

W/R, I'd correct that typo to "25 years" but I can't because of the one-hour editing rule. No big deal.

All I know is that Ulvetanna better get a move on, if he's going to grab a '17 CB in America. With spring just around the corner and no 2018 models coming to these shores, the remaining '17 EXs won't be available much longer.

Well-said. I will probably begin getting more serious about once I finish last year's taxes!

If I miss out, I think the used-bike market will still have quite a few examples for a year or two, anyway.

Well-said. I will probably begin getting more serious about once I finish last year's taxes!

If I miss out, I think the used-bike market will still have quite a few examples for a year or two, anyway.
With so few '17 EXs brought to America, I wouldn't expect to see many used ones pop up for at least another year or two. I doubt there are more than five hundred in the country, and the vast majority of them will not be showing up anytime soon on Cycle Trader or craigslist.

I know mine won't.

I would tend to believe that. However there do seem to be used examples of very lightly-ridden '17's on the market. I think a guy really has to know what he wants with this kind of bike, and I think you really did have a good sense of the qualities you would appreciate.

When I bought my 2013, no one else had one, the reviews were pretty good, and I figured "it's a Honda, it's got to be a good bike."

It was indeed a good bike but in the end, not quite as good a fit as I'd hoped. I believe sincerely that the '17 would be a much better fit but I've bought a few bikes here recently and to make another move is going take serious contemplation.

I like everything I am hearing about the 2017 as well as the "feel" of the bike in the showroom.

That's just it. The CB1100 is a very unique motorcycle. And very likely the last of its kind. Honda is not making much money on it. Get yours while you can.

W/R, I'd correct that typo to "25 years" but I can't because of the one-hour editing rule. No big deal.

All I know is that Ulvetanna better get a move on, if he's going to grab a '17 CB in America. With spring just around the corner and no 2018 models coming to these shores, the remaining '17 EXs won't be available much longer.

Well-said. I will probably begin getting more serious about once I finish last year's taxes!

If I miss out, I think the used-bike market will still have quite a few examples for a year or two, anyway.

Well-said. I will probably begin getting more serious about once I finish last year's taxes!

If I miss out, I think the used-bike market will still have quite a few examples for a year or two, anyway.
With so few '17 EXs brought to America, I wouldn't expect to see many used ones pop up for at least another year or two. I doubt there are more than five hundred in the country, and the vast majority of them will not be showing up anytime soon on Cycle Trader or craigslist.

I know mine won't.

I would tend to believe that. However there do seem to be used examples of very lightly-ridden '17's on the market. I think a guy really has to know what he wants with this kind of bike, and I think you really did have a good sense of the qualities you would appreciate.

When I bought my 2013, no one else had one, the reviews were pretty good, and I figured "it's a Honda, it's got to be a good bike."

It was indeed a good bike but in the end, not quite as good a fit as I'd hoped. I believe sincerely that the '17 would be a much better fit but I've bought a few bikes here recently and to make another move is going take serious contemplation.

I like everything I am hearing about the 2017 as well as the "feel" of the bike in the showroom.
I was just bustin' your chops Ultevanna.

I agree with you that the CB1100 is the last of its kind, I would be very surprised to see a 2019 model in Canada (unless the 1100RS' fly out the door). Both the dealers in NB that brought in '17s still have them on the floor. If I were a betting man (I'm not) I would hazard a guess the US has seen the last new CB1100s in 2017.

Although they seem to be selling well in the rest of the world.

Rotor - the shop here is Toys for Big Boys in Moncton.

All the more reason for me to keep an eye out for one.
If Honda brought this bike here I would go down to my closest dealer and buy one TOMORROW. I wouldn't wait.

I am not as convinced about the EX but if that's all we can get, so be it.

I prefer cast wheels and I like the suspension setup on the RS, but it's not a deal-breaker. We'll see what happens by the end of April.