2018 Kawasaki Z900RS review

You’d be forgiven for thinking this 2018 Z900RS could just be a gimmick, a mildly revised Z900 with just enough ‘70s-spec styling to draw in the riders who used to dream of owning a Z1 back in the day. That line of sceptical thought is understandable, for sure. But wrong.

As I first burbled out of Kawasaki HQ’s carpark, I already knew I was on something special.

I first assumed that was just because I hadn’t ridden an in-line four for a long time – it’s mainly been a diet of twins and triples – and not many manufacturers make a road-focussed inline-four engine like Kawasaki does.

This thing is a torque monster – just what I want from a roadbike. Torque is acceleration, and for road riding I want something that doesn’t punish me for a missed gear or hate me for rolling along in traffic to get to the good bits.

Managing just fine
Engine management technology has given the venerable in-line four configuration a new lease of life, and it’s abundantly clear on the Z900RS. Kawasaki took the engine powering my favourite bike of 2017, the Z900, and pumped more torque into it, and earlier. The max output of 98.5Nm is impressive, but the fact that max torque is almost there from 2000rpm means it is an incredibly punchy motor. The engine is a real surprise, feeling bigger than it is in terms of performance, but without the effects on inertia a big in-line four can have.

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2017 Kawasaki Z900 review

That wave of wheel-lofting torque doesn’t dive off a cliff after the peak is reached around the 6500rpm mark, instead holding power until you choose to shift gear. I found it better to short-shift around 8500rpm rather than keep it pinned to the 10,000rpm redline, though you certainly can do that.

The 948cc engine is based on the revvier Z900, but new cams, compression ratio and a 12 per cent heavier flywheel (which really adds to it feeling like a bigger bike) makes for a different feeling donk. It suits the bike perfectly.

Matched to that excellent torque is a throttle that allows the kind of sensitivity only the good bikes have. Driving out of a bumpy, off camber turn is easier than it should be, thanks to being able to play with the throttle and know what you are getting at the back wheel.

This is the engine most of us should be riding. It’s predictable, fun, sounds great (Kawasaki loves telling you it “tuned” the note – it worked!) and can do anything a roadbike needs to. It’s addictive and as the engine is the heart of a motorcycle, this excellent powerplant sets the tone for the rest of the bike.

The real surprise packet
The engine is magnificent, but I expected that, but what I didn’t plan for was the poise of the chassis. Nimble yet stable, good ground clearance, a spot-on ride position for the kind of riders this bike will attract and festooned with great brakes. The Z900RS s certainly not an all-show, no-go proposition.

Because the ride position offers some girth, I can grip my knees tight as the thing rockets from corner to the next, and because the balance front and rear is so good, the relatively upright position isn’t a thorn in your racer side. The bike just drops onto its side progressively and predictably, sits there without needing to be wrestled, then takes off again full noise on that mesmerising sonic boom of grunt.

That fat-looking seat (in a good way) is as comfortable as it looks and lets you shift your weight fore and aft on long rides. That’s good thing, because long rides are what you will do a lot of on this bike. Seats seem an afterthought on some bikes, but given this machine is a styling exercise, as well as a proper bike in its own right, it has been given its dues in the seat department. There are also points due to Kawasaki for offering a low seat option for smaller riders.

Memories galore
Aethetically, there are plenty of nods to the Z1, and I reckon Kawasaki has done a great job of blending retro with modern. One look at the LED headlight and you now this ain’t no ‘70s bike, but that splash of Jaffa paint certainly brings back faded memories of Z1 advertising pamphlets.

My two favourite retro cues are the headers, which are so ’70s, and the clocks. Those headers would be a bugger to clean after some serious road kays, but it’d be worth breaking out the Scotch-Brite pads to keep them looking shiny, because they look so great.

As for the speedo, I enjoyed being presented with the fact that, if I wanted to, I could push that needle close to the 240km/h mark. Digital speedos offer no potential, it’s either 0km/h, or the speed you are actually travelling. My kids loved that 240km/h sitting there – and so did I.

In between the traditional clocks, the small digital display offers helpful stats such as a mildly inaccurate fuel gauge, gear position, ambient and engine temperature, and the traction control setting. It’s super easy to navigate between them all, and turning the traction off is three quick bar-mounted toggle pushes away, with no lag.

Flaws are few on this machine, mine mostly limited to a gearbox that doesn’t shift as sweetly as I like them to, though it was a reasonably fresh unit I was testing, and I suspect the gearbox would free up with more than the 1800-odd kilometres it had once I gave it back. I really like the adjustable clutch and brake levers and the fit and finish on this bike is top notch, though I expect that from Kawasaki these days. Even its cheaper bikes hold up well to the magnifying glass inspection.

Just looking at this bike from side on, you can see the wires are hidden, there are no ugly, inexplicable bits hanging anywhere and everything is neat and tidy. There are no twin shocks, of course, and the bike doesn’t try to pretend it’s an exact replica of the Z1 before it; more a modern interpretation. It works.

2018 KAWASAKI Z900 SPECS AND PRICING

Because this bike is so good, I can’t wait to ride the Café Racer variant. It promises a different feel, thanks in part to a very different ride position and nose fairing, but if it’s anywhere near this thing fun-wise, it will be winner, too.

I had worried Kawasaki had missed the boat when it first presented this model, because riders who owned and loved the Z1 are close to beyond their riding years, but instead I found myself on a bike that offers so much to so many others, I just know it will hit the mark. At 44, I know what the Z1 was and its importance to motorcycling in general, so I get the history and the way it ties into this new model from Kawasaki.

Multiple offerings
This bike offers three ways to enjoy it. One, you could just look at it, glazing over the fact it’s now a monoshock chassis and there are very obvious differences to the original bike, but the blend of retro and modern is spot on.

Two: ride it. It’s a really fun bike to fire up, whether you are a hot-headed young bloke, or a meandering old fella, this bike can do the lot. It won’t be easy to fit a rack to, for tourers, but its ride position, fuel range (over 300km if you are gentle), torque-bandit engine and fat seat mean it can travel big kays in comfort.

Three: talk about it. This bike is a real conversation starter; I was bailed up numerous times by those wanting to know what year model it was and to tell me they either had a mate who had the original, or that they did.

However you choose to enjoy your Z900RS, enjoy it you will. Its $17,900 (rideaway) price tag is on the money. This bike could signal a comeback for the inline-four, it’s that good, and I am sure other manufacturers are looking hard at how well this bike is already selling. Imagine if Honda brought back its CBX-six…

As for this bike’s competition, there is no easy answer. Other retros, such as Triumph’s range, are aimed at different specs and while Yamaha’s XSR900 is along a similar vein, but its price tag is much less and it is a triple, so not apples with apples.

Whether you are an old bloke looking to re-gather your youth, or a fresh rider wanting a bike that does everything with finesse and looks to burn, the 2018 Z900RS is worth a test ride. This year is young, but this is my favourite bike of the year thus far, just because it delivers on its intended purpose so well and keeps that promise to a fair sticker price (remember, that $17,900 is a rideaway price). Would I own one? Yep, no doubt.

Not only does it paint and various styling cues hark back to superbikes of the mid-seventies – love that ducktail – Kawasaki has also bestowed the beast with superb performance and handling, capped off with modern niceties like fuel injection, ABS and multi-mode traction control.

I really wanted the Z900RS to live up to the hype and, happily, it does. It's motorcycling in its purest form, and it's a heap of fun – there's plenty of poke, the fuelling is spot on and it handles beautifully. What's not to like?

Well, the price tag is a good couple of grand more than that of its archrival, Yamaha's XSR900, and that too is also a superb ride. Here at Bikesales we can't wait to put those two head to head – and check out the gorgeous Kawasaki Z900RS Café, while we're at it… -- Rod Chapman