Works for me

chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

About 15kg lighter than my Fazer, but a lot less power. Which is why I thought I'd probably want to liberate a few more ponies. I'd be ok with standard for a while, but I know what I'm like Laughing

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Fisty · Super Spammer Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Karma :

wr6133 · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Dec 2013 Karma :

Looks good, I like that it pulls off the look while having USD forks, monoshock, radial callipers and water cooling.

However they managed proper retro authentic levels of power.... 109BHP. Surely they could have given us more from an IL4, 948cc liquid cooled lump, a GSXR600 manages more and weighs less. With an extra 348cc's I want more power.

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

I like the naked ones.

I've never been a fan of the kwak green so not so enamoured with that but in a nice deep red or black Wub

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MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Pigeon · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Sep 2012 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Shaft · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Dec 2010 Karma :

.Chris. · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Jun 2007 Karma :

They're nice but (without riding either of them) I prefer the Honda CB1100, which contrary to what you might think is also cheaper. Less powerful but the engine is the genuine air-cooled article. Twin shocks as well. Altogether the Honda is a bit more authentic to my mind, whereas the Kawasaki is more of a retro dress-up of modern mechanicals.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Not sure how much they have in common with the ZX9R engine, but I've still got the tuned head giving 143rwhp from one if anyone fancies an upgrade! Razz

chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

I like both the ZRX and the CB1300 aesthetically - they also hark back to when I started out on bikes. Not sure that they're near the top of a "want" list though. A retro look with more modern performance and decent handling (not necessarily at sports bike levels) is what appeals to me.
Back in the day, most people didn't leave their bikes bog stock. As I said, many would do monoshock conversions if they had the money. They would fit a performance exhaust, ditch the airbox for pod filters and upjet to suit - again, many who had the money would take tuning even further. And cosmetic mods were popular too. I always loved the Kawasaki Z650 (the original air cooled IL4), but I'd still modify one today to get the look I loved back then. I'd want to do similar to this 900. I see a bike that has enough of the right elements as a base to work from.

Undoubtedly the suspension will be budget, for example. And as has been discussed, a bit more power wouldn't go amiss. A nicer sounding exhaust. And although I do like the green more than other standard colours, I could also see it in a combination of black and bright red.

It's like my Fazer in that I saw it could be improved, but started as a decent enough bike (although that wasn't actually my motivation for buying my first one - took me a while to find out what could be achieved with it).

Sometimes it's nice to have a bike that's perfect right out of the crate (can anybody name one?), but making it uniquely yours is something that appeals to me, and always has done.

And there's a very personal element to it all for me, too. I can't have a sports bike; haven't been able to ride them since wrecking my FZR1000EXUP and myself back in September of 1991 - that means I've missed out on everything from the first R1s and Blades, never ridden any of them. But there's a part of that I still like the idea of, and maybe for me it starts with a retro look, but with everything upgraded to be the best it can be. So mono shock is what I'd want, as are good brakes, good suspension etc. I don't want retro for retro's sake. Not unless I could afford to own many bikes.
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Bhud · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Oct 2018 Karma :

Having, keeping, maintaining and riding older bikes and classics takes more commitment. They're often more difficult to ride, with uncertain frames and no ABS or rider aids, weaker brakes, thinner tyres, worse shocks and swingarms, etc. They take a bit of time and patience too. The classic bike lot strip down and rebuild bikes asif it's nothing, while the modern-day rider might not even be able to change his oil. They take work and attention, and their owners have more skill and knowledge than millenials with their digi dash displays.

Someone my age chopping up and spraying a CG to make it resemble a BSA Bantam (which only my grandfather would have remembered seeing on the road) would be called a hipster poser. I mean, sure, the CG is a better bike in every way, but trying to project myself as a VMCC dyed-in-the-wool moto autist would ve a wank move.
Someone in their 30s or younger buying one of these retro Kawa muscle bikes must surely be the direct equivalent and cut from the same moto hipster faker cloth. I say this because it's a styling exercise on a modern platform.

chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

Bhud · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Oct 2018 Karma :

chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

Bhud · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Oct 2018 Karma :

I agree. I think it's clear you like this bike because you have fond memories of the old stuff.
I somewhat like it too, because it was a very cool man's bike in all the moto brochures back in the day when the real thing was still new.
Not enough to want one, because it's the idea of what it represented rather than the actual bike.

The idea of what it represents right now to a younger petson who was neither a kid dreaming about bikes in 1987 nor a rider back then? Surely it's got to be a desire to be seen as more competent and experienced than thet are. It's a lot like the Harley thing (in Britain) and the whole allure of American exceptionalism. Except with this gen of retro bikes the 70s and 80s and not the 50s are now thought of as the age of Real Men.

BTTD · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :

chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

It appeals to me purely because I loved the Z1 and it's family and thats the primary market Kwak are aiming at. If it appeals to others because they like the look, that's extra on top of their sales demographic.

The ZRX was a more realistic retro machine but wasn't designed as a blatant copy of one of the companys most successful and iconic products.
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chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

redeem ouzzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2015 Karma :

If we are talking a proper take on the old Z1 this annihilates Kawasaki's own attempt....

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40901100013_8c7644524e_o.jpg
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chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

redeem ouzzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2015 Karma :