Inspired by the legendary Z1 superbike from the early ’70s, Kawasaki’s new-for-2018 Z900RS is a perfect blend of retro styling and modern performance. (Photos by Drew Ruiz)
These days retro bikes are everywhere you look. Instagram is full of millennials with tattoos and trucker hats showing off their old Honda CB-turned-café racers (there are more than 2.5 million posts tagged with #caferacer). Triumph has been making its ?modern classic? Bonnevilles since 2001, but in recent years other manufacturers have jumped on the new-bike-that-looks-old bandwagon. There are BMW R nineTs, Ducati Scramblers, Honda?s CB1100, Moto Guzzi V7s and V9s, Royal Enfield?s Continental GT and Interceptor, Suzuki?s VanVan 200 and Yamaha?s XSR models. (Of course, as far as American-made V-twins are concerned, classic styling has always been the name of the game.) Read our 2018 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black first ride review
Like the original Z1, the 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS has a teardrop tank, a round headlight, bullet shaped analog gauges and a bench seat. The optional Candytone Brown/Candytone Orange paint is a must-have $200 upgrade.
Arriving fashionably late to the retro party is the Kawasaki Z900RS, a new-for-2018 model based on the Z900 sport standard that pays homage to the company?s legendary 1973 Z1, a 903cc superbike designed to beat Honda?s groundbreaking CB750. To prove its mettle, the Z1?codenamed ?New York Steak? during development because it was full of flavor and packed ...