Ian, you have become one of the very best motorcycle reviewers in the english language world. Your well structured and informative reviews really make it a pleasure to listen and you avoid the cheap commercial arguments that some of your competitors unfortunately have a tendency to use. This independance is a great strength that gives credibility to every review that you do. I wish your business the very best and believe you will continue growing, if you stick to your approach.
This brings back fond memories. My first new bike from a dealer was a 1976 Z900. $2500.00 out the door, Northern Calif. I'm 68 years young now and have had many different rides throughout the years. Still riding today. Thanks, Ian for your reviews.
I had a 1975 Z900, great bike, before the Z900 I had a 1972 H1500 Triple, my brother had the same bike we rode those 2 strokers to CA. From NY Back in 1973 without a problem. Greats time.
My uncle had one also in '76. I was 13 and would ride on the back, and every time he hit the gas my feet would jump up from the pegs and I had to hold onto his jacket for dear life! In 1981 I bought a new KZ750e which was based on the Z900 but smaller. Very nice bike.
I own a 2019 z900RS. The stock tune of the ecu makes riding smoothly very difficult. The snatchy throttle is due to the ecu turning the gas on and off just off idle. I had the ecu flashed and it's now smooth as silk. Love you reviews, very informative.
I suspect you can given the right equipment. However, not all bikes have a flash available commercially. I am NOT an expert, but know just enough to be dangerous. If you search for a specific bike model you may find someone who does it commercially. What it does is remap the bike much like a power commander, but it also controls more parameters. Again, I am no expert, but if you search the internet and do enough reading you to can have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. 8).
That sparkle blue is amazing. I rode a 84' gpz 750 exclusively from 1987 to 2009 as my only motorcycle (never had one problem - just regular maintenance), and the upgraded green version of this 900 with the gpz-ish bikini fairing is like an arrow straight thru my moto-heart.....so glad Kawasaki is making these awesome retro rockets
Honestly, don't worry about the throttle being "touchy". You WILL get used to it, and soon, not notice. I love mine more everytime I ride it! (I've had this great bike for five years.)
I own a ‘22 Z900RS Café and the reported jerkiness of the throttle was tuned out in the ‘21 refresh of the bikes. Super smooth throttle. Easy to modulate, even at high RPM in low gears, a notoriously difficult area to be smooth at. Love my bike so much. :)
It is the best looking bike in its category. Apart from the Triumphs but they're a tad more expensive. Just for the sake of the engine design, it is worth buying over the competition, in my opinion.
@@pappaclutch3266 It's a matter of opinion but when I look at the XSRs engine design, exhaust system, the fuel tank shape and overall architecture I don't see anything that looks better than the ZRS and I usually love the deltabox but I find it looks out of context on that bike 🤷
I own a green/yellow 2021 Z900RS that, as the classic UJM, I've modded into a lightweight ST. It's an outstanding daily rider, offers phenomenal overall power and performance. Wonderful sounding stock exhaust/intake noises too. It is, by far, the prettiest bike made by any manufacturer in many, many years. I can sit and stare at it all day. The only drawbacks of the bike? It's not exceptional for 2-up riding and the stock seat is only good for about 45m stints. RE: throttle snatch- inexcusable for Kawasaki to have designed the bike in this fashion however, a simple reflash from 2 Wheel Dyno Works resolves that for about $235.
I love my 19’ cafe. Akrapovic headers, stock muffler, ecu flash. The bike growls better, and rides better. Great review! Your audio was great even in the wind 👍
I also appreciate the no-nonsense reviews as every other RU-vidr out there tries too hard to be funny. I'm not looking for comedy when I'm about to spend twelve thousand bucks on a bike
I bought a brand new 1976 Kawasaki KZ900 at the dealer when I was 17 (with my mom co-signing) on a 36 month loan. She said if I missed a payment she would take the bike and never loan me money again. I made two payments per month and paid it off in a year and a half. I road that bike more than any I've had since. So cool to see it come back.
I owned a ‘18 version of this bike for a few years and loved it. I ended up getting rid of it because I am more of an adventure type of rider. If you just want to stick to the tar and push it a bit, it’s a fantastic machine. I’d have ended up killing myself on it because it just begs you to ride it faster.
“Reminds me of my youth”. That’s worth spending a bit of money on right there. Ian, another great review. I’m a bit jealous of those twisties at your front door. Safe riding.
Ivan’s tune solves that throttle issue. I love this bike. It’s a real head turner at the streets. I have the Acrapovic exhaust on it which makes the sound more rough. Thank you for your Review. I really like your videos.
It's very inline with my thoughts about it after 2.5 years ownership. The on/off throttle is indeed noticible. It's very easy to get use to when you just normally riding, but when you use trail braking on twisties or motogymkhana it's very noticable and unwanted "feature". Also brakes ABS is tuned a bit too much on the safe side. As you said the brakes are strong and progressive with a good feel, but once you want to go into a complete sharp stop on a clean surface the ABS doesn't let you to block the front wheel, instead it engages ABS well before it happens. For normal riding it's good, but for something like motogymkhana I would like to have a less intrusive ABS. I would prefer if ABS engages only after the wheel has actually locked.
hey Thanks a lot for a great review. I am a new rider, have a z400 as a learner bike and i love it. learning to ride takes me out of my comfort zones, a life challenge if you will. Retired after 42 years as an aircraft mechanic. When i get more miles under my belt i will certainly get the RS900. this video and so many others on the utube machine have taught me so much about riding. thanks again !
Almost getting to the point where a Gen One or Two Hyabusa will become a classic too. I rode my Gen 2 the other day and people were looking at like it was something out of a movie. I haven't seen another one on the road for a while either. Thanks for the post.
It certainly reminds me of my youth. I'm now 60+ and have a '21 model. The last new bike I purchased was a GPZ900R A2 in '86. This is the bike that got me back on 2 wheels after several decades away. I love it. TBH, I really don't see the throttle as an issue.. I look at it and I smile. I ride it and I smile. Repeat.
I have a 2018 version and I love it. Have taken two weeklong trips, one following the Dutch border, 1600 km in 6 days, and one crossing Belgium and into Luxemburg, which almost ended in a crash. Almost, because I stood up, nothing broken, we fixing the steering handle, repaired a small cooling liquid leak and drove home the next day. Now it’s waiting for the repairs to get it beautiful again 😊
Two days ago, I got the sudden urge to have my next bike be something I could do anything with, so I looked up a T7 review and listened to yours while I drove for work. Since then, I’ve watched your Death Valley trip, your Africa Twin review, and your GSA review. It’s helped cement this plan and given great insight about the weight of an ADV bike and how things change accordingly. You’ve got a great thing going on here, and you seem to buy the bikes you review for long term and thorough testing. Thank you, and keep going.
Great review Ian. My 1st bike was a Kawa H2, but the then new Z1 was the killer machine. It’s nice to see this retro so beautifully executed; definitely makes me want one!
I used to ride an old GS 650 Kat. Toured around Europe on the thing in all weathers. However I eventually moved on to a bike with a decent protective fairing. Much more pleasant riding experience.
Excellent review, especially for non-native English speakers. Super fluent, clear, crystal review. High quality audio, honest expressions and authenticity on your opinions. Really a pleasure to watch and to listen. Great bike by the way, thank your for the video. Best, from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Saw one of these for the first time a couple weeks ago ( while shopping for my adventure bike), it was a beautiful metallic green. At first I thought it was an older bike , the closer I got to it the more impressed I was. I think it would be a great candidate for a custom build, with a Muzzy exhaust of course.
I have a black 2018 Z900RS. I've owned 3 sport bikes before this one. And this bike bodes more confidence while riding aggressively than anything I've ever riden. Super stable, super forgiving. I push this bike so hard in the twisties and it just chews up everything I throw at it. And when I decide to back off and relax, it suddenly becomes a comfortable cruiser. As far as street biased motorcycles go, I cant think of anything that is more all around capable.
I've owned a 2019 RS for about a year and love it. Reflashed, centerstand added, tail tidy, Chic bikini fairing - all worthwhile additions. I think the suspension is very good stock. So good that I question the need for the upgraded SE version. It could use a remote preload adjuster on the rear shock because it's extremely difficult to change the preload because it's in a position that's difficult to access. The engine would be a natural for a quickshifter. Thanks for the great review!
I have a 2022, it’s strangely near prefect. The throttle is a non issue. After watching RU-vidrs complain about it I was shocked how little it actually is a factor. Had way worse sports bikes. Stock tyres are good, but if you run them out like I do you probably want to change them. Not tons of power but the delivery just puts a smile on your face, so much so I questioned why I didn’t buy a road bike (non super) earlier. ABS was a surprise, didn’t expect to like it but it’s very very good! They truly are excellent and something special.
Love your professional reviews! I can confirm from experience that Z900RS is terrific for all-day trips, especially if you avoid continuous speeds over 65 mph, because of the wind. Glad to see you riding that 2022 Z900RS on a road perfect for it, and working it a bit! Intoxicating, is it not?
Thanks for this video, what a beautiful bike. I bought a used 1978 KZ 750 which was a 2 cylinder :( in 1979 and loved riding that bike during my last year in high school. I always wanted the KZ900 but just couldn't afford it back then. I'm still riding today (09-street glide), I never understood Harley guys you couldn't like anything other than Harley. I will say riding back in the 80's was a lot safer than riding today, drivers were sooooo much more courteous to bikers.
I love mine. It is the nicest street bike I have ever had. I have a ECU flash and a Brock four into one. It sounds amazing. I ordered a color matching café fairing from England. It was worth the wait and it’s absolutely beautiful. Over 100 hp at the rear wheel. I think that’s all I will ever need.
Going from a Ducati Monster 696 to this I cant even notice the throttle jerk compared to the Monster hahah. This bike Rides with such class. Absolutely love it.
This WILL be the bike I buy when I pay off my mortgage at the end of the year. Thanks for reviewing it 👍 And I totally agree with you about the analogue display
thanks for the great review! I recently got a 2000 Kawasaki ZR-7 as my first bike, and I absolutely love it. I wasn't much of a kawasaki fan before, so I wasn't aware of the Z900RS, but as soon as I saw one on a local dealer lot, I knew I needed one. In a couple years, once I've grown into my current bike, I'll be getting one, and this review helped solidify that goal.
Yes. I had a Suzuki GSX 1100G back in the early to mid 90s. It had the inline 4 and shaft drive.. About the same power but carbs. And just over 600lbs. This bike has that clunk feel as you open It up, just the same as my GSX1100G did 😂
I have the 2021 Café version. The only upgrade I made was Michelin road 6 Tires over the OEM Dunlap GPR 300. It transformed the motorcycle. The Michelin Road 6 tire completely transformed this machine!!! Confidence inspiring is an understatement. The difference between the Michelin and the OEM rubber is night and day
I love this motorcycle, I had a gpz1100 which was a milder zx1100,I had a centerstand,and rode it all lover,had a big tank and was comfortable and mellow,this bike is very appealing to me,flash ecu and enjoy thank you Ian I enjoyed you enjoying riding it 😀
Thanks Ian, that was a great review of a spectacular retro beast. I particularly love the SE model with Brembo brake and Ohlin suspension. You're right, it does have something indiscernible in quality and aura - maybe simply that it is of the hallowed Z900 family. I'd love one too, only the garage is FULL and wifey would be an issue 😞 keep up the wonderful work and cheers from Sydney Australia.
Love your videos: English pronunctiation, honest review, entertaining, informed, structured and comprehensive. Thanks a lot! By the way, the bike is superb.
What a beautiful bike! IMO one of the most beautiful retro bikes! Love the color though being a Kawasaki don't know if the green color would be more original and traditional and more suited.. Being a Japanese Bike, quality and reliability are guaranteed!
Great review. I recently bought one in the same gorgeous blue paint scheme. Added after market radiator guard and a pyramid front mudguard extension . Induction and exhaust noise is intoxicating. I am absolutely in love with this bike. Only done 1000km on mine and while I acknowledge the throttling at around 3000rpm issue , I have zero problem with Funnily enough for me it adds a touch of character. Mind you , I did own an H2 in my youth so that may colour my opinion.
As usual: Excellent review. Best and most honest assessment of various bikes. I watch and listen to virtually every youtuber and their reviews of all the new models. You are consistently the most comprehensive reviewer. Thank you for sharing your passion.
This motorcycle is the best looking there is. It has got character. Thats how a motorcycle should look like. Rest is just poetry. Will never make any mod to it, Would love to have one in emerald paint.
Good review. I own the ‘19 Cafe ( Retro Lime Green) & two “must dos”are 1) Professional ECU remap 2) Replace tires with a set of top spec. Consider these a part of the bike’s cost. Boom - you’re done. Now it runs like a proper Kawasaki & boy, a fun machine it is!
I am lusting for one of these but my stable is full with dirt and adventure oriented bikes as well. One thing I want to add. When I have checked these out in person; initially I felt it was too small for me. (6’3”). My legs felt cramped. But then last year I sat on another one in a different dealership and I found it fit very well for a sporty bike. The difference I discovered is that it had the taller comfort seat. That inch or whatever it is makes a big difference. One day I will make the room for one of these. Everyone should have at least one cool bike to ride among the dorky dad bikes and dirt bikes. ;)
I have a 2020 and put a 41 tooth rear sprocket on (42 is stock). It seemed to help make the throttle transitions smoother and made 6th gear cursing rpm even better.
Once I save enough for my second bike, I think I'll go for this, the non RS, or the zx6r. I generally prefer the supersport look, but this z900rs has an amazing retro look while being a modern bike.
Hi Ian, I couldn’t consent more to your verdict owning a GS and this beauty - it is a privilege to ride both types of bikes and I am very thankful to my better half for tolerating 😂; btw, I’m puzzled as well by the throttle mapping and thank you for your advise on how to fix it - ride safely and have fun
I have this bike (2018) and have made some sensible upgrades: 1. 16 tooth front sprocket (best bang for your buck, smooths the whole bike out except for 6th gear with is now too tall. This is a more than fair trade off). 2. Ivan Performance Products ECU Flash (no more throttle snatch). 3, Center stand. Get the OEM. Yes its expensive but worth every penny (the bike should have come stock with this to begin with). 4. Seat. I think the stock seat is one of the best in the business...BUT it needs about 700-900 miles to break in before it starts feeling good. That said, as much as I like the stock seat, I recently went with a Corbin "gunfighter" seat,. The jury is still out but Im liking the Corbin just at tad over the stock. I also bought an Akrapovic header but havent installed it yet., Taken together, this is the finest and most exciting motorcycle Ive ever owned in the past 40 years. Its not perfect, no bike is, but its damn close and with a few reasonable mods you will LOVE it!! YMMV!
Ian! Wow what a sweet looking bike Kawasaki nailed it. Just like a early 1980s 750 or 1000cc I knew you were going to say you'd get one, sounds great and love the color. Looking forward to the 300L video!
As a ZRS owner I should say that 1 iseast intrusive and 2 is more for the traction control. 2 is basically good for rain and I leave it in 1 all other times. You can wheelie a little bit in 1 but it is limited how much it'll come up. The throttle is jerky if you let the RPMs stay low but if you keep the RPMs up you don't notice it. Me and my wife have done a few 650 mile days for 3 or so days in a row and the seat is really stiff but we use air hawk pads to fix that. Biggest downside is lack of good aftermarket. There is some but not a lot.
Hello Ian. RU-vid decided I should watch this video 7 months late on this 1st of December 2022. I retired from Kawasaki Motors in June 2020 and had already bought the 2019 Z900 RS Cafe in the awesome racing green color. I chose the Cafe over standard RS because the more forward lean with the lower Cafe bars are way more comfortable at speed which is where I spend most of my time (sport touring). And the bikini fairing makes her a sexy beast indeed. Agree totally on the awesome stock exhaust sound (and it looks the biz too). I love what you said on the road test “Oh, I’ve got to get a bike like this!”. I don’t think you mentioned the overdrive 6th gear but that is a feature that I appreciate the most out on the road. No buzz bomb UJM syndrome here!
As one of the lucky few who bought a 1974 Z1 900 right off the show room floor let me just say you took me back. I'm no wuss, but I actually got choked up. Thanks for the review. I "need" an ADV bike but this beautiful machine may make me think twice.
I would love to own this bike. Don’t think most people know how much of a classic this bike is right out of the door. Guarantee this bike will be sought after in the future.
I test rode this bike at a demo day in Titusville, Florida a few months back. Simply a really, really nice motorcycle. I didn't notice a snatchy throttle during my ride. I got off the bike with a big smile at the end of the ride. The only thing this bike is missing is a windscreen, saddlebags, and my butt in the seat. I sat on this and the cafe model. Then sculpted seat was less comfortable and shorter for the passenger as well. I'd rather buy the headlight nacelle and put it on myself if that was my thoughts about the cafe version. The seats are not interchangeable.
I'm selling my Yamaha Tenere 700 because I decided to go back to riding a naked bike, so I went to my local dealer last month and bought a new Suzuki. While I was in there I had the chance to have a look at the Kawasaki Z900RS, sadly there where no demo bikes available. But, I just fell in love with the bike, it looked fantastic in the flesh and the Candytone Blue and gold colourway was stunning. I'm 6' 2" and on first impressions the bike just seemed to fit me really well, it was also the most comfortable bike I've ever sat on. The weight was low down, it was very well balanced, and it was easy to moved about. The bike just oozed quality and those twin dials looked very classy. I was looking at getting a modern classic for my next bike and had always promised myself a Triumph Speed Twin, but it's not without its faults, but this bike was something else and is now at the top of my list.
Hi Ian, great review of a great bike. You looked like you were really enjoying yourself on the Z900RS. I bought my Cafe in 2018 and fell in love from the moment I threw my leg over the seat. It was like meeting an old girlfriend! (I am 62 and owned a few Z900's back in the 70s and 80s). My Z900RS Cafe does everything I want straight out of the box. No need for any mods now! Yes the fueling is a bit off, but you know what, I just ride around that. Poorly tuned carburetors were worse in the old days and that beautifully tuned exhaust system is the business, (without any issues from law enforcement). Love your reviews, keep it pure mate. Greg - Australia.
I rented one of these in Europe. I rode comfortably all day on back country roads throughout the Netherlands and Germany. I’m considering buying one now…
i own a 2020 pineapple , the green one , i love it , mine is stock standard , but i did put a 16 tooth front sprocket on it which tamed the throttle a bit . i have nearly 18,000 kms on it and have noticed that the seat is more comfortable now !! this one is a keeper !!
Ian, what a great review, as always... I can perfectly understand your feelings, and that is why I added last year a Ducati Scrambler 800 to my adventure, dual sports and sport tourer, set of bikes... 🙃
Great review. I owned and loved my z900rs but sold it to make room for my Norden 901😊. I got completely comfortable with the throttle and was pretty smooth with it but always warned anyone riding it for the first time.
As an owner of an original Z1, this retro bike is near perfection. I have zero knowledge of the bike’s actual rid ability. If I was to buy a retro naked this would probably be it.
I’ve just taken one for a test ride and they are fantastic You did not mention that you can get a smaller seat for it from Kawasaki that makes a massive difference if you are a bit short in the leg 😁
Yeah, mee too. I LOVE this bike, but I have two bouncy adventure bikes and two massive touring bikes crammed into my garage. Dernit! Thanks, great impressions, S
I think Kawasaki did what Chevy wishes they could of done for the Camaro ! I grew up with bikes that looked like this and I think this Kawasaki is gorgeous!
Iam so glad the “Japanese” brands went back to upright non cruiser standard bikes….. I stopped riding yrs back but have every spring gotten “the itch” …along with money issues the lack of option of this type of bike made me less ancy over the years, I rode more or less every year from 1986- 2002 ….now that I’ve found out the zrx wasn’t the last Japanese upright with some “oomph “I’m now getting “itchy “ again lol. Such a gorgeous bike .
Inline 4's can definitely sound good and unique depending on the engine and exhaust setup, but as far as riding, I'd tend to agree they typically have little character that differentiates them from one another unless they're something like the R1's cross plane or a high revving 1000cc with tons of power in the upper RPM range. Beyond that, they all sort of feel the same when compared to v-twins, and V4's. With the exception of supersports, all other i4 bikes have felt very similar and somewhat boring in their power delivery.
Love the video! Love the retro rippers! 👍 Funny thing for me is when I got into street riding in 80s (been a So Cal daily rider since late 80s) I always digged the sportbikes and not into the prominent UJM's Cafe style. Relative to the time, into the late 80s and into 90s when the sportbikes really came into their own, all I owned and cared for was ZX's, GSXR's, FZR's, CBR's, etc. I stayed a "sportbike only" guy over the following years until recently when I began to also let HDs and ADVs in my garage around 2015. Funny nowadays I prefer these retro bikes vs sportbikes. I always felt Kawi has had awesome intake growls. I had a few ZX's back in the 90's with their Ram Air setups (90 ZX6 & 93 ZX7) and their growls were always fantastic!
I am new to your channel, but I do like your say it as it is review. You don't forget to make mention of the not so favourable with the highlights of the bikes I have seen you review. Keep up the great entertaining and informative work. Thanks
Why is it taking Kawasaki soooo long to fix this snatchy throttle problem. I understand your explanation but other manufacturers seem to be overcoming this emissions issue albeit slowly. Thanks for uploading!
You got it right about this bikes purpose. I own the cafe and love it. I did have the ecu flash and what a difference. Makes it that much more enjoyable riding.
I can tell you this Ian, flashed ECU, Sprint Filter, Brock’s Velocity stacks, and any de-cat pipe and this bike wakes up and turns into something absolutely different from stock. It is a total savage beast.
My Tenere 660Z had the same issue with the jerky throttle, without playing with the clutch all the time. So I installed PoweCommander and tuned it to linear power. Now it's 60% better and with just a touch of clutch every now and then, it is pretty smooth (esp for a one cylinder).
