Retro-styled bikes are hot right now and every company is fitting one in
Suddenly-hot retro-bike segment It’s no surprise that Kawasaki has come out with new retro-styled motorcycles, to compete with other manufacturers in the segment. They’re hot right now, and just about every manufacturer is finding a way to fit modern engineering and technology into what looks like a motorcycle straight out of the ’70s. And this direction seems to be working. ▲
You can’t go wrong with nostalgia In the case of Kawasaki and its new 2018 Z900RS Special Edition, it has actually managed to keep many – if not all- aspects of the motorcycle authentic to the original Z1 of 1972. With really only evolutionary upgrades, this motorcycle is as authentic to the original version as one would hope. These days, you can’t go wrong with nostalgia and it’s keeping Kawasaki right where it wants to be in the market segment – cool, hip and naked. ▲
Differences attributed to advancements At first glance, one would probably identify the exhaust system, radiator, rear shock system and wheels as differences from the 1972 original, though you can really overlook these differences, or equate them with advancements in engineering over the past 40 years. The 2018 Z900RS Special Edition’s exhaust system still has the four exposed pipes coming out of the engine, and they gather directly under the bike into one, and then out through the sole exhaust pipe. How does this differ from the original? The original had four going into one and then out through two. ▲
Liquid-cooled for efficiency You may also notice the addition of a radiator. The new 2018 Z900RS Special Edition is liquid-cooled, whereas the Z1 from 1972 was air-cooled. It’s a big hunk of metal attached to the front of the bike, and believe it or not, it still looks like it belongs there on a retro-bike. ▲
Natural-looking suspension, wheel upgrades Another component new to the Z900RS Special Edition is the rear suspension upgrade to a horizontal back-link swingarm with rebound dampening and spring pre-load. The 1972 version had dual shocks (one on either side of the rear wheel) that were adjustable for spring pre-load. The final old-school evolutionary change is that of the spoke wheels to now retro-looking mag wheels. ▲
Retro look for retro-bike Kawasaki has outdone itself with a couple of retro paint jobs on the Z900RS Special Edition, all which resemble the classic design and colours of the original motorcycle. We nick-named ours “root beer”, although the official colours are “Candytone Brown and Candytone Orange.” ▲
Almost naked, still lacks power You may recall the “naked” version of the Z900 coming to market over the last couple of years, and this is from where the Z900RS Special Edition originates, with just a few more “clothes.” Even with a retuned version of the Z900’s liquid-cooled DOHC 900-cc engine delivering more power lower in the rev range, the Z900RS Special Edition unfortunately falls short in the total horsepower and torque departments, coming in significantly lower with 111 (down from 125) and 72 lb-ft (down from 73), respectively. ▲
Comfortable seating position A new steel trellis frame, with handlebars that are wider and taller (and therefore closer to the rider), along with repositioned foot pegs make up a completely different riding position, ergonomically placing the rider in a more upright and comfortable seating posture. The option for the ERGO-FIT Extended Reach Seat is available for the RS, which given my 6-foot height, made me think I wouldn’t like; but, the addition of the added 2.54 cm was just what I needed to get my hips higher than my knees into a comfortable riding position. ▲
Updated gears improve control There is also an updated transmission sure to appeal to new riders, making the bike easier to control at lower speeds through the city-maze of traffic lights and parking lots, thanks to a shorter first gear. The taller 6th gear, at the other end, makes the bike more highway friendly and more efficient than the Z900. ▲
Modern tech in retro gauges The instrument cluster was also done very well to stay true to the Z1 The Z900RS Special Edition has two analog gauges that look pretty darn close to the originals, with an LCD panel in the middle that displays a temperature gauge, gear, fuel level and other useful information. ▲
Two driving modes match any road The two riding modes Kawasaki’s KTRC (Kawasaki TRaction Control) system offers are accessed via a thumb toggle on the left handle bar. The default Mode 1 provides an enhanced sport riding performance setting, whereas Mode 2 is used in those low grip situations where you need to prevent rear-wheel slip. No matter what mode you ride in, there is no road un-matched for this bike. You can carve out the twisties one minute and then slow down and carve out the corners like it’s a cruiser, the next. ▲
Choose from three different models With the addition of the Special Edition model, the Kawasaki Z900RS now comes in three different models, also including the Z900RS and Z900RS Café. The only real differences besides price ($13,199, $12,999 and $13,599 respectively) are the colour schemes and fairing. Overall height and width change by just millimeters when you look at the Café edition, (it’s a little bigger), and it would seem those few mm add to its overall weight (by just one kilogram). ▲
Great bike for a road trip Overall, the 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS Special Edition proved itself a great road trip bike. It caught people’s attention – those that thought it was a restored Z1 straight out of 1972, and those who noticed its differences right away from the Z1, “but it’s liquid cooled?” The upgraded seat indeed served me well. ▲
Nice bike may be too much for novice riders The Kawasaki Z900RS Special Edition kept its promise of comfort, fuel efficiency and handling the twisties. And it was maneuverable within city limits. It is however, a large bike, and fairly cumbersome. If you are starting out, 900-cc bikes may be too much to manage, but if you’ve ridden in the past, and maybe even ridden a 1972 Z1, this bike will take you right back there ▲
Keyword: 14 cool things about Kawasaki's Z900RS Special Edition