Kawasaki invokes the spirit of ‘72

KAWASAKI HAS FINALLY unveiled the long-awaited retro-themed Z900RS, based on the look of the classic Z1 of 1972.

Tagged a ‘Retro Sport’ thanks to its RS moniker, the new Z900RS has been painstakingly created by Kawasaki’s styling department and factory engineers as an all-new machine sharing some lineage with the four-cylinder water-cooled Z900.

The Z900RS is intended to appeal to riders who are looking for a stylish machine with what Kawasaki describes as kerb appeal while also encouraging people with licences who haven’t currently got a machine to return to two wheels.

The Z900RS has a new chassis and new engine specification, LED headlamp, LED indicators and tail-light, distinctive wheels, and a tuned 4-1 exhaust. Clearly taking its styling cues from the Z1, the new Kawasaki has black and red, black with gold and silver pinstripes or matt green paint schemes and logos in a 1970s vintage typeface, polished cam cap covers on the cylinder head and highlighted cylinder fins.

The Z900RS made its international debut on the Kawasaki stand at the Tokyo International Motor Show on October 25. The price is expected to be between £9,999 and £10,799.