The café racer is making a comeback. At least, going by recent times, we have seen the major motorcycle brands mass-produce this class of bikes that used to be built in garages and backyard sheds. Today, instead of buying a bulky sports bike, stripping it down and getting rid of all non-important parts, you can walk into a dealership and ride away on a brand-new modern café racer. There are plenty of café racer choices, from the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, Yamaha XSR700, Triumph Thruxton, to the Norton Dominator.
In this article, we direct our focus on the Kawasaki Z900RS, a bike with which Kawasaki hit the retro bullseye. It comes with a Café trim that is complete with a stylish front cowl. Here's why we love the Kawasaki Z900RS.
10 Beautiful Retro Styling Makes For Iconic Looks
The Z900RS Café succeeds in reigniting the classic elegance of the original Z1 900 bikes of the 1970s. The bike calls upon timeless design elements, very little bodywork, and the absence of fairing to ooze a pure retro-style look. The result is a modern retro masterpiece. Put it in a time machine and send it back to the '70s, and it wouldn't raise an eyebrow.
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Going purely by first impressions, the older riders will fall back and reminisce on their beloved beauties of the 70s, while the younger riders will be questioning whether the Z900RS is quick enough.
9 Modern State-Of-The-Art Features
The Z900Rs is like an old dog with new tricks, given it comes wrapped in plenty of modern state-of-the-art features that blend seamlessly with the retro styling in a perfect balance. The twin retro instrument panel is subtly modernized with a digital screen sandwiched between them. It relays range, trip meter, instant and average fuel economy, and ambient temperature information.
Other modern offerings include an assist and slipper clutch, ABS, and Kawasaki Traction, a two-stage system. The first stage is more of a wheelie control, while the second stage cuts all wheel spin to help keep the bike grounded in wet-weather conditions.
8 Comfortable Seating Position
The Z900RS comes with a pure naked styled bike sitting position. It is a comfortable upright position with zero forward-leaning. This neutral sitting position is ideal since it is relaxed and provides great visibility without losing the sporty feel. The foot controls are lower and slightly more forward than the standard Z900 to decrease knee bend.
Though the 31.5-inch seat height might be too high, an optional low seat is available to help the shorter riders flat-foot while aboard the Z900RS.
7 That Statement Front Cowl
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Of all the features of the Z900RS, the front cowl is the biggest retro statement that invokes a genuine throwback feel and combines with this modern chassis to give a truly unique look. Also, it oozes class and a high-quality feel, thanks to Kawasaki using high-grade coating and a clean fit-and-finish. The iconic teardrop fuel tank complements this look.
The compact front cowl has other functions besides the killer looks, since it acts as a compact fairing that helps deflect wind away from the rider.
6 Better Than The Z900?
You might be asking, is the Kawasaki Z900RS worth the $2,500 premium you pay over the Z900? It is hard to justify the price difference, but we think the Z900RS is worth every penny, and it goes beyond the stylish looks. First off, the Z900RS comes with an additional compression adjustment over the Z900 that helps take away the jackhammer effect from the handlebars. Also, while it has the same 300mm semi-floating disc brakes as the Z900, its dual radial monobloc calipers offer a better stopping feel.
Also, the Z900RS proves to be an economic power source if you ride with an easy twist on the throttle. An estimated 50mpg for the close to 1000cc bike makes it good value versus rivals.
5 Generous Seating Space For A Pillion
Being a pillion is far from easy, and it can be a nerve-wracking experience for some. Sometimes it is due to the rider pushing too hard and disregarding their passenger, who holds on to dear life with every twist. Other times, it's due to the size of the rear seat, especially on sporty bikes, which come with a tiny seat and no sissy bars to hold the pillion in place. But pillions will love the generous and flat rear sitting space on the Z900RS.
However, there are no grab rails or luggage anchor points, although Kawasaki provides an aftermarket accessory that comes with a chromed grab rail.
4 Quick, Light And Stable Ride
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Before hopping onto the Kawasaki Z900RS, one might imagine the rough and unrefined yet fun ride of retro bikes. But despite its looks, the Z900RS rides like a modern bike and will do everything you ask of it. It is quick, light, stable and handles very well with smooth power delivery. This result in a delightful riding experience.
The Z900RS ride is much gentler than what you will find on the Z900. Kawasaki has also provided premium tires with high-quality Dunlop Sportmax rubber that gets heated up quick regardless of pavement conditions, which provides more confidence to the rider.
3 An Ideal Commuting Bike
The Kawasaki Z900 RS would make for an ideal commuting ride for several reasons. First off, it has plenty of torque even in low revs, meaning you won't need to work the gearbox hard, and if you have to, the ultra-lightweight cable clutch ensures a super-slick shifting experience. Also, the bike stops as effortlessly as it accelerates.
The Z900RS is easy to maneuver through traffic with its lean frame enabling it to split between cars. Also, with the smooth power delivery, you can comfortably move around town at low revs and low speeds.
2 Good Reliability And Build Quality
Japanese bikes have built a reputation for being cold and efficient machines that are reliable, predictable and of solid build quality. This is especially true when you compare these bikes to European bikes that tend to be a tad too problematic. The Kawasaki Z900RS is no different, as it has no issues besides the normal wear and tear. Kawasaki has a hang of building the big fours, which is evident with this bike.
One other key strength with the Z900RS is the paint finish, which is top quality; it is deep and lustrous.
1 It Sounds Awesome
Having a satisfying exhaust note is part of the factors that complete the motorcycling experience. Nothing beats a bike that sounds as good as it looks. Z900RS has a terrific soundtrack, even with the stock exhaust.
Probably four pipes would have given the bike a bigger nod to the classic Z1 bikes, but then that would come at an unnecessary weight cost. But the single pipe on this bike has been tuned to sing a good tune. Also, the polished headers conjure enough memories of the good old days.