or as our transatlantic cousins might say, Zeee, but English isn’t their strong point…
Ribbing aside, when I buy a bike, I have a set of things I need to satisfy that have developed over the years based upon my needs. A full fairing to keep the weather at bay, a set of hard luggage to carry all the stuff I need and no final drive chains as I really don’t want to be messing about with a chain in filthy weather when I have other things to be thinking about.
So, I broke all my rules and bought this:
Okay, so why? Well, I could say that it’s such a beautiful machine that it caught my eye and bewitched me such that all my practical considerations were abandoned. That would be true enough. I haven’t bought it for all-weather or riding for work – I’ve insured it for SD&P excluding commuting. I’ve bought it for hooning around on nice days. So none of my ordinary considerations apply. Besides, I recall the Z1 when it was first brought out and this is the echo of that earlier bike and that earlier time. The big Zeds weren’t really on my radar at that time. I couldn’t afford one and I was more into my British and European bikes. But I did admire the big Kwackers. And a back to basics naked bike has always had an appeal for me, but I could never really justify the purchase. If this year has taught me anything, though, it is that life is short and fragile, so perhaps I should do something simply because I want to.
When the bike school purchase fell through, my prospective partner said something along the lines of: perhaps we should stop doing what is right and do things purely for ourselves. The big Zed is pure hedonism, pure, unadulterated selfish self-indulgence. For myself.
And it’s a cracking bike. It has the flavour of a nineteen seventies machine without the er, nineteen seventies handling and braking, which is precisely what I want.
Which is interesting, because this guy reckons that all the reasons for my buying it are all the reasons not to buy it.
It’s all opinions of course, although if you feel inclined to listen to a 10 minute whinge, you might start to wonder if he had bothered to do any research – because the chassis is very much not the same as the Z900 and all of the questions he poses have been answered by the Kawasaki design team – and they did not set out to create a replica of the old Z1, they set out to create a modern bike that pays homage to it. And where did all the crap about ageing hipsters trying to look cool in front of young women come from? I have never bought a bike to look cool. I buy bikes to please me and no one else. The video could have been much shorter. He could simply have said – “tried it, not for me” and left it at that.
Which brings me to a point raised here and elsewhere where this bike is being discussed – that it’s overpriced. When I first saw it, my immediate reaction was that this is a ten grand bike and I was spot on. If it is overpriced, why are they selling like hotcakes and if you want the candy brown one, there’s a three-month waiting list? I didn’t want the candy brown one, because I like black bikes. So, er, back to my point, the market has spoken. Just because you don’t want to pay that price, it doesn’t follow that it is overpriced. Personally, I think they got it right given the technology on board.
Some folk are saying that they prefer to wait until it hits the used bike market, which is fair enough. Personally, I’ll take the hit on depreciation rather than buy secondhand and inherit the bodges from some cretin that thinks he is either a mechanic or electrician and has damaged the machine in the process. The last time I bought a used bike, I spent nearly a grand rectifying such a bodge. It being electrical, it wasn’t immediately obvious, but it involved a replacement ignition unit.
And this bike? My God, what a lovely piece of machinery it is. Aesthetically pleasing, goes like the proverbial and what a wonderful noise it makes. So, yeah, I’ll forgive the chain drive…
I’d sooner have that than one of the Triumphs that ape the 1970’s Bonnevilles. That’s nifty, that is!
I had to look twice because I thought someone had taken an original Z1 and modified the frame to give it a more modern suspension and upgraded the brakes. The engine cylinders are the giveaway though.
What else are you going to do with your money? Have the best gravestone in the graveyard? Sod that for a game of soldiers. Run it round the block till the wheels drop off and enjoy every minute. >};o)
@LR
Welcome to Kawasaki land, glad you finally succumbed. Looks nice. It’s a ZXnnnxn ?
Is that exhaust OE?
After I bought first Kawa and it lived upto or exceeded reviews I’ve stuck with them and never been disappointed. As all maintenance is DIY sticking with one make helps.
Chain lube – PJ1 Blue (O-Ring safe) or Scot-Oiler
Even for “looning around”, I’d fit a bikini fairing – but then it’s colder in Scotland.
Easy mod, swap a few wires so first click on lights is headlight, second is tail & instruments.
Have fun.
P
It a stock Z900RS straight out of the showroom. Everything is standard. It’s Kawasaki’s homage to the Z1.
You’d probably like the cafe racer version as it comes with a a bikini fairing. I deliberately went for the naked version with this one.
Z1 – I have an Airfix model, silver of course.
The ZX was to identify exact model, eg ZX900RA2
Hmm, I probably would like the cafe racer version on the few days it’s warm in Scotland..Collected a new 600 Bandit bikini in Newcastle for a mate one August. 3/4 way through 130 mile ride back to Scotland destination I was off bike doing exercises at side of road. Damned cold and windy here.
I will stick with the ZZR – the fast & comfortable ballistic sofa.
Head Light:
Add a relay & wiring and fit a 100W or 150W main beam H4. LED/HID equiv maybe.
Looning: put a switch in rear & brake light earth wire.
Heated jacket and heated grips. I’ve not got cold on a bike since 1996 😉
LOL, beat you.
I installed (USA Sourced) heated grips on GPz550H1 in 1982
Still cold when roads are ice or it’s snowing.
Do consider headlight upgrade, when only one night & looning/fast can be difficult.
I’ve not ridden it at night yet. It has LED lighting, so will be interesting. The heated jacket (mine is Gerbing) stops you getting cold at all. The R1200RT has a heated seat…
But . . but . . . where are the cylinders? There should be one sticking out each side . . .
Heh! I like to keep people on their toes.
A little indulgence goes a long way. Good move. Enjoy it while you can.
I took my riding license back in 1983 on a Kawazaki Z750. The other bike in the school was a CX500 which I always tried to avoid! I remember hanging behind the other student and then opening the throttle like a lunatic. Good times. Looks like a great bike you have there.
I think that to be properly retro it needs to have four tailpipes. I can remember how impressive the early Kawasakis and Hondas looked with those when I was a teenager with a 125. I know they are probably impractical for modern bikes but I still think that they look great. I saw a Honda CBX with six pipes on it once.
They made a decision not to go for the four into four. Firstly because of the increased weight and secondly, what did owners do? They put aftermarket four into one sets on…
Although I quite like the original four into four, I like this better and by God, does it make a nice noise.
I think that owners replaced knackered four pipe systems with four into ones mainly because of the horrifying price of replacing the four pipe system. Four into ones are lighter, less expensive and, I think, work more efficiently so are the obvious logical choice. Four pipes just look so spectacular.
Regarding sound, my Triumph had a three into two and I loved the sound of the triple.
Well, yes. In the eighties and nineties, an exhaust had a lifespan of a couple of years if you were lucky. These days, there’s no reason to replace the stock system. People do but there’s no need to and I won’t be doing so.
I’ve got the original! Modified of course, anything to stop the think strying to spit me off in the bends. I bought a 2003 Z1000 when they were launched and was very impressed. I only sold it to part sponsot the move to France. I’ve read lots of positive reviews about this latest bike but as I say, the original is good enough for me as I don’t need maga horsepower anymore. Lovely bike and congrats on the purchase.
Sometimes a manufacturer hits the sweet spot with a bike. This is an example. I just couldn’t let it pass me by.