This is a great video that you have made. Very informative and the sales agent shows you around the bike very well. Just from watching his presentation makes you feel more informed about the bike prior to purchasing. I'm in the market for a new bike, and after watching this video has leaned me more towards this bike. Thank you for sharing.
So much to love in the bike industry these days . The original was fantastic and I'm sure this one will be better . I'm lucky enough to have two motorcycles but could justify at least ten more . I gotta go talk to my wife 😀
Really like the look of these, had a Z1000 a2 plus a Z1R back in the 70s/80s so know the previous versions well. Bought new one of the last 1250 Bandits in the UK around May this year because for me it was one of very few motor cycles that cater for a pillion passenger properly. I did test ride the latest Z900, a lovely bike to ride with smooth power delivery nice and light and handles beautifully but no good for a pillion. It seems that most of the modern motorcycles are not desighed to incorporate a pillion just the pilot. Now just like you wouldn't buy a tool to do a job that wouldn't do it properly that is why I didn't buy a Z900. Now back to the new Z900RS. As I said earlier this motor cycle looks like it could tick most of the boxes but from what I see it lacks a grab rail, it lacks a main stand and although most modern motorcycles are the same it suffers from a ridiculously tiny front mud guard that is so small any usable fender extender will be huge. I think for me the main problem in the end will be it's price. At £10,200 in the UK (in the brown retro colour) that makes it around £1800 more than a standard Z900 which is the thick end of 2k. Having only paid £6750 for a 1250 new, this makes the new Z900RS a very expensive motorcycle. I hope it does well for Kawasaki because they do manufacture great bikes and it will hopefully carry on the Z1 legend.
That thing needs a little fairing on it, 70's cafe style, other than that I'm amazed. Granted it's still a small bike (I'm 6'10) and a 4 cylinder (I prefer a twin) but for the price and the fact that it's actually about 100lbs lighter than the 70s version but it's cool.
I was tempted to go for a custom paint in Green/ yellow Z style . The lime green Cafe RS will look nice next to my ZX10 SGFA. I can always change my mind later, depends on how long I will keep it .
I'm buying one this spring but whats up with that stupid looking front brake reservoir? It looks like they forgot to make it integral to the brake lever housing and said crap we need a reservoir so lets stick it out in front and run hoses to it. Anyway i like the bike so much i will overlook that detail.
Two questions? How tall is that dude? And why don't they put hinges on motorcycle seats? Hinges would make them so much more practical. Awesome bike, though.
Not to mention that after 2500 miles you gotta get the valves adjusted and that’s about $500..ps they don’t give you anything on trade-in you take a loss😙
What Kawasaki models now use an immobilizer system or transponder key? Anyone know? Nice bike! Looks like Kawasaki is copying Honda's retro CB1100; both bikes look a lot alike. I guess they can't look dissimilar since they are both Universal Japanese Motorcycle's. They both have the same narrow side profile of the seat and rear frame. At least Kawasaki went with a single rear shock.
As a previous owner of a 2011 Ninja 1000 I have this to say about this bike. I'd rather have the Ninja 1000. Reviews of this bike state that it is snatchy around town with a harsh on off feel in slow cornering. The Ninja 1000 never suffered that and I am sick of companies saying they had to do so and so and such and such to meet EPA blah, blah, blah. Get Over It and do it right. While this new 900 I do like some of the basics like the motor, the exhaust, the gauges (sort-of like). I think the stock tires are crap. They should be Road IV's. The bike, for a flagship model at this price, should have come with the optional centerstand. The gauges... Chrome trim rings I can do without, as I can also do without that matte silver crap plastics on the front fender and some of those matching side bits. Go chrome or go black. Don't mix it up. It makes no sense to call it retro using crappy looking brushed aluminum bits. Nice chrome hand rail and then you see the crappy brushed aluminum pieces. I mean, they went so far as to give this thing an awesome chrome belly pan. The wheels I like as I also like the adjustability of the front suspension. They should have completed the thought process with a fully adjustable rear shock. The seat. While they all make them in a retro style they are all hard as a brick. Same as the Honda CB1100. Begging for aftermarket. I'm sure the engineers would say they were going for performance and a super soft, COMFORTABLE seat like the original just wasn't in their brain pans at the time... You suck. At least have the option. I'm sure the mounting holes for the hand rail is going to spout tons of luggage options in the hard case variety, so at least I appreciate that. Kawasaki could have saved money forgoing ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL... Another thing a classic purist like myself has done without all my life and no harm done there leaving it out as an option to people that just must have. Different pricing for different colors... REALLY? Front turn signals... Not at all retro. You may like them but to me they detract from the styling. I don't mind you went LED but those thin strips you call turn signals don't give me a boner. Neither do the rear sets. I would have done an integrated rear tail/turn signal unit under the seat, while putting the front signals wrapped around the headlight with the wiring in the headlight housing. If I had to chose, I'd wait for the Cafe version to come out, but again, I would have liked to have seen the bars like from a Ninja 1000 - clip-ons, above triple tree. All they did was give you a blacked out version of the same bar and turned them down some. That took a lot of thinking... (raised brow)? And yeah, the lime green color... FUGLY as hell. Red with white, white with red, a ghost black version would have been nice in either the KZ900 or the Cafe version. Raised price tag and still no centerstand on the Cafe model?... Start thinking about the commuter people. Not the poser. Did I miss anything? They surely did, but the rest of you can continue to salivate over this bike like it's God's heavenly creation to sell them. This is a parts bin special people. As such, would I buy one? Yeah, when I see the price drop to about $8,500 US when they sit on showroom floors like the Honda Interceptor 1200 and the Honda CB1100. Aren't you supposed to learn from history so you don't repeat the same mistakes? If you think I'm crazy to think this bike will drop in price, let me tell you this. When I bought my 2011 Ninja 1000 brand new I paid $8,299 for it! Retail was $10,999. With that drop in price I bought the (then only options) Giving side cases and the heated grips. I still rode out the door at $10,240! That's still under MSRP! And that's what the bike was worth to me back then. And remember, the inline fours have no soul. They're sewing machines. Smooth and dependable as hell, but no real character... In other words bland. But bland with good performance is a commuter's dream bike. I can see this KZ900 on sale for $8,500-$8,750 USD. I might snatch one then so I can afford the centerstand and some of the other farkles they tease you with in some of their videos. Think I'm nuts? Wait and then tell me at the end of the year. Oh, I do appreciate that they went with a mono shock rear. Dual shocks do really suck in back unless you like a softer ride. And I don't need the slipper assist crap. Why not go with a hydraulic clutch instead? That's MY RANT... Listen or ignore it as usual Kawasaki, like all the other manufacturers that think they have it nailed down and cool, you really don't.
I'm also one that thinks $18k is way overpriced, which is a shame. if Kawasaki priced them at a fair price, they could sell heaps more of them and dealers would benefit from increased sales and ongoing servicing. There are a lot of people who want this kind of classic 'old school' style but not at such a premium over its 'boy racer' cousin the Z1000, which it basically is, apart from the styling. Looks like I'm sticking with my mid-2000 Honda for a while longer.
This is not the same suspension as the Z900 as they mention in the video. Suspension is better and has more adjustment abillity than Z900. Also the brakes are of better components on the RS.
Midnight Rider ,, im confused ,nothing new their, but i read Aud 18000 then i read 13000, then someone talks about it shows Aud 10,000 on the web site ,,,which is it ,your selling it, Mate im in the philippines looking for a retro bike ,, and its like getting blood froma stone ,, and thats just getting a price never mind about get a Bike ,, my choices are the z900,, triumph T100, or a new Honda CB 400sf , So whats the Aussie price on the Road , thank you
Love the look of this bike . Unfortunately Kawasaki make another great bike for the shorter rider. Would need risers and dropped pegs etc etc for 6'2" plus guys to ride with comfort The bikes they make that fit big guys are either cruisers or butt ugly such as the KLRs
Price way over the top and will kill sales. $14,000 drive away is about it when compared to the Z900 at under $12,000. Bad marketing ploy when you consider the limited market.
Ohh You are harsh, I thought bikes were meant for all riders!! If ya enjoy it ride it...That would not leave many bikes for the big fellas to ride if that was the case...Ha ha ha !!
Is that the bike or Aussie? You would be correct if you talking about me..Ha ha ha.. Bike rides so nice and i think if it was lighter would be to unstable..Nice bike though..
haaa haaaaa . I have short legs and cant reach the ground without being on tip toes , I'd buy one if it wasnt so high , its so beautiful and the engine is awesome.
The abbreviated front fender and smallish front wheel may be trendy but fall short of this being as versatile and classic as the original. Also, too expensive compared to the cost of the '73 version related to the economy, at least my opinion.
scottkarana - I'll concede to your view of the price but I'm looking at the state of economic disparity that I don't feel was as prevalent back in the day. I stand by the other details, though. Just my view having been there as a service manager and mechanic when the original came onto the market.
whalesong999 The “smallish front wheel” is not “trendy”, It’s science. It’s a major factor among a list of factors that allow today’s street bikes to be so much safer and stuck to the pavement.
Rider Mak - There may be some truth to that but I'd be more willing to accept if I could actually see some 'science' that would support going from the 19" front wheel to the 17". It looks to me as a means to help bring the overall height of the machine a little bit and pinch down some on the cost of the wheel and tire. I can understand the technology of the front forks being better and that would be the greater advantage of the new 900 over the original classic. I hope there is science that have inspired the changes I see. I was quite fond of the '73 model - it felt light to handle at slow speeds and to me it looked better. I do think there is trendiness in some of what's happening with the styling and the front fender looks virtually useless but somehow more appealing in today's marketplace.
Rider Mak - I found some comments on the web pertaining to the current 17" front wheel selections and saw some answers that relate to the quicker handling of the 17" over the 19". Not much science needed to make the case for that, totally understand. To me, though, the bike isn't as good looking as the original and from what I remember about riding these on the street, there was nothing to complain about with the original specs. I really do see this as trends taking place - there may be some sound science when we get down to the nitty-gritty but I see this mostly as a sales point to those interested with the specs being up-to-date as race bikes would be. Performance in actual street use would be very difficult to quantify as any better. But, hey, I'm not riding one so each to their own.
Nice looking bike...but not a retro or even close...very disappointed in that. It is a modern bike with a touch of Z1. Even though I am a fan of the Z1900, I'd have to say that Honda did a much better job on creating a true retro with their 1100. Looks as though a bunch of 30 something engineers were involved on this ride. It needed a motor that looks a little like the original. If they brought this motor out without telling us what it went to or reminded us of...nobody would have know. It needed the original retro shock setup and wire wheels too...Honda managed it. A big fail on the retro pitch...nice job on the good looking modern sport bike pitch with a hint of Z1
Sorry I only got three minutes into this video before it became too painful to watch. Firstly the guy laying on the floor,.... what the hell was he staring at? But, honestly the sales guy, sorry mate but how uninspiring. We know it's not an old motorcycle, we know it's not an old motorcycle made to look like a new on (how does that even work with fresh off the factory floor mass produced products ??? ). We know it's a new motorcycle made to look a bit like an old one. Everyone does them, even Kawasaki themselves with their W800. OK, the rest of the video may have been magic, but 3 minutes was enough for me.
Typical full of shit salesman, yeah we've sold a few already there selling fast I've only got two left, I ordered four I've only been allowed two, then he realised what he'd said.. Nice bike though..😜
