Is the Kawasaki Z900RS set to be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show 2017 is a question on many riders’ lips? Kawasaki Z900RS what? Wait! What?
After the discontinuation of the Kawasaki W800 in May 2016, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that Kawasaki had left the neo-retro/modern-classic motorcycle segment for the foreseeable future. And that’s despite playing an instrumental role in sparking the wave of retro motorcycle design with its W650 model.
Kawasaki Z900RS Rumours
Rumours soon emerged in Sept 2016, about the possibility of Kawasaki jumping back into the sector, with a brand new model, after the motorcycle press caught wind of the trademarking of the term, “Z900RS”.
Japan’s oldest motorcycling magazine Autoby, was convinced of an impending launch and even created the image you see (above), of what the bike might potentially look like. The story was later picked up by MCN who mocked up their own version.
Yet, if you’d placed a bet at the beginning of the year, on Kawasaki launching the retro model this year, the odds might have been pretty low. However, over the last few months, there’s been much speculation and a quiet buzz on various forums, with rumours of a retro bike launch from the marque.
A teaser video posted by Kawasaki, on 5 Sep 2017, put that speculation to rest and heightened the buzz, for the Kawasaki Z900RS.
Likely to be Based on the Kawasaki Z900?
It hasn’t been confirmed yet but the Kawasaki Z900RS’s designation means it’s likely to be based on the Z900’s liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, in-line four. This in turn means that the Z900RS will be going head to head with BMW, Triumph and Yamaha’s top-of-the-range modern classic offerings.
Not only that, the bike will noticeably trump the Thruxton R, R NineT and Yamaha XSR900, at least on power figures alone which are north of 123 hp and 98 Nm of torque for the Z900.
Kawasaki Z900RS Styling?
The Z900RS appears briefly in the teaser video a number of times. Firstly, it’s obscured by the railings of a central reservation. Later it’s seen through a distant drone shot, Then finally there’s a head-on shot.
Craftily, this being a teaser and not a reveal, only the round LED lights of two (presumably), Z900RS bikes are completely visible. Tantalisingly, the bodywork of both bikes remains in the shadows.
Nevertheless, eagle-eyed viewers will have spotted the pristine 70s-era Kawasaki Z1 at the beginning of the video, which is a favourable nod to a clue about the styling of this bike.
You’ll be thrilled to know that the Kawasaki Z900RS, will be launched at the Tokyo Motorshow on October 25th, (press), so hopefully, we’ll start seeing this bike ship at the beginning of 2018 and on the roads by spring, if not earlier.
Update
The Kawasaki Z900RS was indeed launched at the Tokyo Motorshow 2017 and it’s kind of a big deal.
Also, here’s the full version of the Kawasaki Z900RS teaser video shown back in September, before the launch of this most hotly anticipated bike. Get the lowdown on the Kawasaki Z900RS launch and see the full gallery of launch images.
Aside, if you’re interested in the track playing in this video – it has no name but was written by a band called Santero y los Muchachos who appear in the video.
