Freshly launched in Malaysia is the 2018 Kawasaki
Z900RS, its retro take on the Z900 naked sports, at a price of RM 67,900 for the
standard and RM 69,900 for the special edition, including GST but excluding road
tax, insurance and registration. Taking the inline four-cylinder from the Z900,
paultan.org first had a look at the Z900RS and its sportier Z900RS Cafe
sibling, at the EICMA show in Italy, last year.
As a specialised marketing direction from Kawasaki
in the retro segment, the Z900RS’ 948 cc liquid-cooled engine is detuned from
125 hp in Z900 form to 111 hp at 8,500 rpm and 98.5 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm,
with power now concentrated in the mid-range. A slipper clutch, ABS and in the
Z900RS, traction control, is standard equipment.
Handling on the Z900RS has also been revised, the
preload and rebound adjustable forks now coming with a slightly steeper angle
and sharpening the steering response. The RS sports radial-mounted brake
callipers, installed on the 41 mm upside-down forks, versus the axial-mount
units on the Z900, clamping 300 mm discs in front.
Inside the cockpit, the single monochrome LCD panel
of the Z900 is gone, replaced with twin analogue clocks in keeping with the
Z900 RS’ retro styling. A small LCD panel bisects the instruments, displaying
other necessary information and lighting on the Z900RS is LED.
Seating on the Z900RS is a single padded unit in
keeping with its retro looks, compared to the two-piece stepped unit of the
base Z900. The Z900RS comes in two colour options – Matte Black for the
standard, and Orange for the special edition.
Under the seat can be found a 12-volt socket, useful
for charging electronics. ABS is standard equipment, as is traction control and
a slip and assist clutch that lowers lever effort and eliminates rear wheel
spin under heavy downshifting.
Fuel for the Z900RS is carried in a 17-litre tank
very reminiscent of the teardrop units from Kawasaki’s 70s sports bikes. Weight
for the Z900RS is claimed to be 214 kg, wet, and the seat height is set at 800
mm.
Availability of the 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS at
authorised Kawasaki dealers is from March.
