Modern retro bikes are becoming more desirable as time goes on. There’s just something cool about riding around on a bike that makes you feel you’ve travelled back in time, sort of. Quite a few manufacturers are jumping on the time travel train, like Triumph with their twins, BMW with their R nineT range, Ducati with their Scramblers, and the like. But without doubt my favourite one has been the Kawasaki z900RS, and still is after a splendid week of riding it once again.
It was unveiled in 2018 and hasn’t changed since, but doesn’t need to; it is a timeless modern classic for sure. I even had a guy who came up to me and said, “nice restoration job mate”. Can’t blame him and he obviously didn’t spot the radiator for liquid cooling, still, it does resemble a z900 from the 1970s, right?
It just gives you a rather pleasant feel-good factor that the others do not, well not as much as the Zee anyway. The creamy smooth power delivery and the fact that it’s so easy to ride enhance the experience, and it sounds typically Kawasaki with the engine’s mechanical whirr coming from the in-line four-cylinder layout.
948cc is found inside the DOHC, four-valve unit, producing a claimed 110hp@8,500rpm and 98Nm@6,500rpm, more than enough to send the Zee past the 200km/h mark, if your neck muscles can take it that is. The extra wide and high ‘bars do feel like you’re hanging onto the head of a buffalo or similar, so top speed is irrelevant in this case, it’s all about the style folks.
And style it most certainly has. From the beautifully sculptured 17-litre petrol tank, to the sweet side covers with the famous z900 badge and then onto the originally styled ‘duck tail’ poking out from the back of the flat seat, it oozes 70s from every angle. But that’s where it ends because modern attributes abound…
The steel trellis frame combines with the latest KYB 41mm forks with both compression and rebound damping and the horizontally laid rear shock has pre-load and rebound damping adjustment too. Even though it weighs 215kg the z900RS is fun to throw around with a little more effort from the rider than riding the z900 modern day sport option.
If you want to stop quickly 300mm discs with monobloc radial callipers are more than happy to oblige. Basically the chassis is well matched in all areas for the design of the bike. There’s even a slipper-clutch if you fancy stamping down the six-speed gearbox (again a class act), when you feel like excessive and vigorous action. 
It’s more about enjoying the wealth of torque throughout the mid-range delivery though. The crankshaft is actually 12% heavier than the ‘sport’ and higher revving z900 in a quest for this trait and it shows. Even if you decide to bounce the engine into the rev-limiter there’s no discernable rush of power, just a perfect linear power delivery all the way. Oh, the clocks where you see this needle action are also retro styled analogue items with a small computer screen hidden in the middle for, err, modern stuff, including traction control settings.
So with it being so ‘nice’ would you bother customising it you may ask? Well, yes, is the answer. The stainless steel exhaust I would keep though as I’ve heard of people taking out the huge ‘cat’ box and just making a link pipe to the silencer and headers, because the silencer is virtually straight through. I’ve also seen people in the UK fitting fat spoke wheels, which look gorgeous and complement the z900RS nicely. As for the paint, we had the black/red one here but the candy blue/yellow option is the one I’d opt for, go to www.kawasaki.co.za to see it and you choose. 
So how much will it cost you’re probably asking by now? R209,995 is the answer and, in the current world of motorcycling in SA, I think that’s great value for such a class act. If you’re either old or young you’ll enjoy the z900RS because it offers a delicious choice from the usual modern naked bikes and, once again, it’s just such a cool thing to ride and be seen on, need I say more!
Images: Sudoku.
