1. Retro styling with additional retro cowl? Check
2. Japanese Reliability? Check
3. Kawasaki Green? Fucking check
4. Perfect amount of engine? Check
5. Comfortable rider ergonomics and Retro guages? Check
6. about $12000 MSRP? Fuck it! (or I shall wait a decade..or two)
The bike is inspired by the 1972 Kawasaki Z1 model, and it’s based on the already retro Z900RS seen in the gallery above. True to the café racer ethos, it looks lighter and more agile than the RS. The racing-inspired cowl and the lower, blacked-out handlebars along with the higher seat give the bike a sportier look. Power comes from a 900cc straight-four, which makes 110 horsepower and 73 lb-ft of torque. The Z900RS version of the same engine has more power, and the Café’s unit has been detuned, but Kawasaki claims this has been done to bring peak power 1000 rpm lower in the rev range to make it feel more old-school.
There are three color choices, ranging from Stormcloud Blue to Metallic Graphite Gray and finally the very retro Vintage Lime Green. The two first colors will be launched in Japan on August 1, with the green following a month later. Japanese prices are said to be at $11,499, and the bikes will be sold in the United States, so official U.S. pricing is sure to follow.
Here’s a review on the standard Z900RS. It’s very good.
Other favorites -Triumph Bonneville, Honda Cb1100