Kawasaki has taken the wraps off the Z900RS at the ongoing Tokyo Motor Show. The past year was ripe with talks about a motorcycle which could evoke the memories of the legendary Kawasaki Z1. Also, the Z900RS is the one and only retro-themed model in the Kawasaki portfolio as of now. The Z900RS looks classy with the old-school round headlamp and the twin-pod instrument gauge. The kicker is the tear-drop shaped fuel tank, which almost seems to be lifted from the Z1 itself. The bodywork is minimal which kind of adds a charm to the looks of the Z900RS.
(Kawasaki Z900RS)Keeping the old-world charm intact, the Z900RS gets a bunch of modern tech. but more on that in a bit. The engine on the Z900RS is the same 948 cc 4-cylinder engine as on the manic Z900. But the boffins at Kawasaki have toned down the power from 123 bhp to 110 bhp at 8,500 rpm. The max torque figures stand at 72.53 Nm at 6,500 rpm. It is 97.9 Nm on the Z900 RS. The frame on the Z900RS has also been re-worked, mainly to accommodate the fuel tank and give it a retro look and feel. Coming to the gizmos, the Z900RS gets some exotic stuff such as traction control, LED lights all over, radial-mounted brake callipers and also slip-assist clutch as well. The traction control itself has two modes and can be switched off as well. None of these features offered yet on the Z900.
(Kawasaki Z900RS)Also Read: 2017 Tokyo Motor Preview
Coming to the instrumentation, the twin pods have old-school analogue gauges for speed and RPM. There is an LCD screen between the two pods which offers all sorts of information as well. The handlebar is flatter, higher and wider than the one on the Z900. The footpegs too are lower and set forward on the Z900RS as compared to the Z900. Which means the riding position will be upright and comfortable.
(Kawasaki Z900RS Cafe Racer)The Z900RS gets the same 41 mm USD forks which are adjustable. At the rear is a monoshock, which could be adjusted for rebound and pre-load. The Z900RS gets radial-mounted brake callipers along with 300 mm twin discs. And of course, there is ABS on offer as well. The bike will have 17-inch wheels on both ends, which could be fitted with a variety of tyres, Kawasaki says. The kerb weight is 215 kg and the bike will be available globally in five colours, which are Candytone Brown, Candytone Orange, Metallic Spark Black, Metallic Matte Covert Green and Flat Ebony.
There is no word on whether Kawasaki will get the Z900RS to India at the moment. Undoubtedly, we too would love to see the Z900RS on Indian roads.
