Bheezy27403_imp
Road warrior
My first street bike was a 1980 CM400T. Loved it.
Kawasaki Z900RS
- Thread starter Capo
- Start date
Wisedrum
Road warrior
It's the feel of a good torque that satisfies my ride.The ferret_imp said:
The CB and the W have it, somehow like a steam locomotion not needing much revs. In order to keep my driving license and stick to speed limits I seldom have to rev them higher in their highest gear then your mentioned rev range except on the AB, where things are a little bit faster. And the bikes pull right away when being accelerated into higher revs.
But I think a lot of manufacturers seems to tune their bikes for having a similar torquey character.
That's what I'm reading in motorbike tests today but I've not tested other bikes these days.
Wisedrum
redbirds_imp
Road warrior
From Web Bike Japan... http://japan.webike.net/moto_news/l...utm_medium=motonews&utm_campaign=20171119
toecutter_imp
New to the forum
Any idea on where the bike is produced? i think I read somewhere it might be made in thailand... Debating between this and the cb1100 although the z900rs is a bit lighter
LongRanger_imp
Road warrior
Japan's my guess. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
DaSwami_imp
Been there
I still get a kick hopping on my TU250X around town, I'm darn near as big as the bike and probably look ridiculous, but I have a blast.
I find I like different bikes for different moods!
I find I like different bikes for different moods!
Houtman_imp
Road warrior
One of my riding buddies has one as well and loves it , rode it once but it was not for me.DaSwami_imp said:
redbirds_imp
Road warrior
Now on Kawasaki's US site at $10,999. About 70lbs lighter than the CB.
nhawk7504_imp
Been there
70 Pounds is a lot. Gonna be a completely different animal. About the same as my liquid cooled Honda 919 which I only sold because the first previous owner replaced the forks and gauges so the mileage was off and the front end was a tad shorter. The RS won't have the engine pinging and fins. Won't have retro engine look, retro forks, retro twin shocks. What I really liked about the 919 is the way it settled in at about 72 mph on the highway. The RS will likely be the same.redbirds_imp said:
I'd have both if I had the money and time. I also test rode the Ducati Supersport and that has its place too. Very nice machine. Bent over the front but that again is good at higher speeds and I like highways myself just to clear the cobwebs sometimes.
The RS is apparently on a dealer's floor in Brisbane at an advertised price of AU$17,999 ride away. On today's exchange rate, that's about US$13,500.
The café version arrives early next year.
The café version arrives early next year.
Someone over on the Hawk GT forum recently posted up their 1989 Honda CB-1 for sale in the classifieds section. If it wasn't for an unfortunate tank ding (but then aren't they all), it would be truly pristine. I've alway considered the CB-1 to be a beautiful bike. A guy I worked with owned one back in the day and it was a joy to look at. The engine is gorgeous — it's jewel-like, and it's got a radiator with hoses hanging off of it (yes, it's a water-cooled engine). I'm okay with that because it's an honest bike. No, hoses are not exactly beautiful. But then neither are cooling fins in and of themselves (not to my eye anyway). However, in the case of an air-cooled bike they're honest and for me that adds to their appeal. Pretty much everything that's bolted on, or otherwise attached to the CB-1 serves a purpose and was seemingly made to look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I suppose the notable exception would be the short rear cowl. While I find it aesthetically pleasing, it doesn't provide much purpose beyond covering up other things up (subframe, wiring, etc.). I bring up this bike because I feel that it has stood the test of time well from a design standpoint.
As with the CB-1, I don't have a problem with the radiator hoses on the Z900RS, it's a water-cooled engine after all. The "cooling fins" on the other hand are just plain cheesy to me. I know that others will feel differently, but it's always bugged me when designers do that kind of stuff. I feel the same way about the fake "carbs" on the Bonnevilles. Again, cheesy. When Triumph changed the Bonnies over to fuel-injection I wish they would have just created a nice looking fuel-injection system without trying to make it look like carbs. In my mind fake cooling fins and fake carbs are the modern day equivalent of the bogus air scoops that some guys would mount to the hoods of their cars back in high school (usually hastily attached with some corroded machine screws - this brought a whole new meaning to the phrase shaker hood). This kind of thing didn't impress me back then either, lol.
While I personally don't think that the Z900RS looks nearly as good as a CB1100, it's simply not intended to be the same style/class of bike. One of the coolest things about the CB1100 is that it's air-cooled and one of the last of it's kind. But I can still appreciate the Z900RS for what it is. While it's of a different style, in many ways this bike strikes me as more similar to the current Triumph Thruxton. I'm guessing, hoping even, that Kawasaki will sell plenty of these bikes. It would seem that they've done a nice job addressing those folks that want a bike with modern levels of performance and handling combined with standard type styling that doesn't look like a praying mantis, or like something from a Transformers movie. Sure, it might not be totally retro, but I still consider it to be fairly retro looking. I applaud Kawasaki for their "retro-influenced standard". If someone is not going to be riding by on a CB1100, then I'd get a bigger kick out of seeing them zipping by on one of these as opposed to most of the other bikes being produced today.
As with the CB-1, I don't have a problem with the radiator hoses on the Z900RS, it's a water-cooled engine after all. The "cooling fins" on the other hand are just plain cheesy to me. I know that others will feel differently, but it's always bugged me when designers do that kind of stuff. I feel the same way about the fake "carbs" on the Bonnevilles. Again, cheesy. When Triumph changed the Bonnies over to fuel-injection I wish they would have just created a nice looking fuel-injection system without trying to make it look like carbs. In my mind fake cooling fins and fake carbs are the modern day equivalent of the bogus air scoops that some guys would mount to the hoods of their cars back in high school (usually hastily attached with some corroded machine screws - this brought a whole new meaning to the phrase shaker hood). This kind of thing didn't impress me back then either, lol.
While I personally don't think that the Z900RS looks nearly as good as a CB1100, it's simply not intended to be the same style/class of bike. One of the coolest things about the CB1100 is that it's air-cooled and one of the last of it's kind. But I can still appreciate the Z900RS for what it is. While it's of a different style, in many ways this bike strikes me as more similar to the current Triumph Thruxton. I'm guessing, hoping even, that Kawasaki will sell plenty of these bikes. It would seem that they've done a nice job addressing those folks that want a bike with modern levels of performance and handling combined with standard type styling that doesn't look like a praying mantis, or like something from a Transformers movie. Sure, it might not be totally retro, but I still consider it to be fairly retro looking. I applaud Kawasaki for their "retro-influenced standard". If someone is not going to be riding by on a CB1100, then I'd get a bigger kick out of seeing them zipping by on one of these as opposed to most of the other bikes being produced today.
redbirds_imp
Road warrior
Well said Guth and my sentiments also. We're planning the purchase of the Z900RS next year but it won't replace the CB1100. These are different bikes with a similar style and I think both are gorgeous in their own right.
F800GT_imp
Running like a top
So well said !Guth_imp said:
I don't quite understand all the fake (i.e. useless) things either.
Look at the stuffs that are put on houses in the two pictures below. One has fake and the other serves real purpose.
flynrider
Road warrior
Same here. I love my CB1100 and plan to keep it for a very long time, but the CB750 is beginning to show its age and miles. It's requiring quite a bit more wrench time than it used to.redbirds_imp said:
My big dilemma for many years was that there was absolutely nothing in the dealer showrooms that I wanted to buy. I was looking for an inline 4 standard motorcycle that didn't look like it was going to spontaneously turn into some sort of robot.
I can see how the Z900RS would disappoint retro purists, but it checks all of my boxes. I'm not looking for a replica of a 70s bike. I'm quite happy with a modern, inline 4 standard bike that isn't all random angles and plastic. I'll be very happy to have one sitting in my garage next to the CB1100.
Oh you lucky things. I think I'd have one if two bikes were a possibility. I'll be interested to see what Tezza does.redbirds_imp said:
I'm with you Guth: I think the 'retro-influenced standard' is a good style of bike. It's what the CB1100 is. I think it is also why I like both the CB400 and the CB1300. They have features that honour the past while being honest about when they were built.
Article on the Australian launch here: 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS & Cafe Australian unveiling
Can't seem to find the video, Guth.
Thanks Guth. Filmed here in Brisbane.
