Both brilliant, just different. Congrats.

Thanks. I still love the Z900RS, I wish I could afford both. @@mrmark8603

😂😂 well played sir. For about 25% more you get nearly double the HP. I still would like to have an RS though.

Got to say that’s the only bike that that has me tempted to swap my zzr for

@@alanbenn9938 huge difference !!

My kinda guy

This guy gets it

owned a GPZ 900R from 1987 to 97, never let me down..

I have a Yamaha and I kinda agree, but I am no Yamaha fun. Just love all brands, all bikes, all kinds... rode this one, can check it. Drop by, you may like my content mate.

Wasn't it Triumph Bonneville?

Zephyr definitely.

Absolutely agree, 100%!

Great. The Z900RS you are gonna keep, It hope. :) Rode it. Drop by, you may like my content. Cheers.

I did exactly the same, bought my 99 ELR zrx new and only changed the can and rode it for yrs and got the 23 cafe and I love it even though it's not quite what these new super bikes are capable of

I wish they'd produced the SE with the 1975 blue paintwork. I think the gold parts would be even prettier.

@@ThirtyYearstoolateAgreed. The yellow doesn’t really do the gold bits justice. Even a black one with gold body striping would look stunning.

Agreed. @@user-kl4sq7db9m

The reason Kawasaki made the changes you refer to (Z900 vs Z900RS) is because of the intended target market. If you overlay the HP/TQ graphs from the 2 bikes you will easily see why they did what they did. Their design criteria was ease of riding and usable power idle to 7k. That's why 6th is such an overdrive. Ease of riding. Double wall exhaust was to prevent tarnishing. All for the 'ownership experience'. Same with the tuned sound. K spent a lot of time getting the stock sound to be what it is. I have 52,000 miles on my Z900RS and still absolutely love it. One side note - I had my Z900RS flashed when she was ~ 12 days old. Peak HP on the dyno didn't change (100 WHP) but area under the curve improved markedly and the stock governor on fourth, fifth n sixth was removed. I did it for the drivability improvement, stock Zeds are known for twitchy poor throttle response. I could have lived with it but why, my local dyno shop is a renowned ECU flash/tuner shop so it was a no brainer for me. The difference was night and day, literally, a whole other bike. Changed the riding experience dramatically for the better. Definitely lowered the 0-100 mph time noticeably. Vroom Vrooom.

@@archibaldcunningham2569 Yeah I understand the target market. I just don't believe the RS would have suffered with the same identical power, torque, transmission ratios as the Z. The Z bikes have always been sort of a hot rod motorcycle from the earliest old school through today. Back in time, they never considered a round headlight or classic styling to be a sedate definition like it is today, where only the alien insect looking versions get the full zoot. Yes I understand the RS model runs a big fatter torque under the Z900 peak torque, yet I don't know it's significant enough as compared to the fat mid range of the Z900. Brock's performance has exhaust and tuning for the RS model that nets about 115 wheel hp, and removes all the regulation ECU nannies holding back the throttle. I also understand about the exhaust headers, which is meaningful, if the I.D. wasn't so small to restrict flow. Brock's has a header with a significantly larger ID and also higher grade stainless thin-wall. It's expensive though, as any small shop R&D is. He also offers BST CF wheels for it. While I prefer the spaciousness of the RS model (seat, bars, pegs) and the styling, I would go with the Z900 and modify the ergonomics to be more comfortable, running 125+ wheel HP. As a side-bar, the new GSX-S1000 is a beautiful machine, just went on a demo a few weeks back. It has also been plagued with ridiculous transmission ratios since 2015 release. Same ratios as the K5 GSX-R. Really limits its potential. 1st gear is ridiculously tall. 6th gear runs about 4500 rpm at just over 60 mph. With a big long-stroke 1L engine like that, it makes zero sense. Z900 ratios seem to me to be just about perfect from 1st through 6th (not the RS version).

Been on a demo ride with the RS? In a world of motorcycle engines, the RS will be an entirely different experience over a 45° air-cooled Vtwin.

@@exothermal.sprocket tried a variety of different bikes, 1 cylinder supermoto (been riding one for 2-3 years), 170hp V-Twin of the KTM Superduke, 3 cylinder of Triumph (one of my absolute favorites), inline four 600 and 1000cc and the boxer of BMW. The 1203cc V-Twin combined with the short wheel base and the engine sound of the Buell are just a different experience. Top speed is lacking (the fastest i did once was 220kmh) but that's not the purpose of it. It's a blast to ride through the alps

@@dusty111 Glad you sample a lot of different things. I too like triples, currently own one but want to updated it. MT-09 of the last gen.

@@exothermal.sprocket i haven't tested the MT09 yet but i'm sure it's a great bike considering it's the bigger version of the MT07. Except for the engine, the inline 2 of the MT07 is fun too but a little low on HP. My current take is at least 100hp with bikes in the ~200kg category. Supermotos are an exception, these things would kill you with that amount of power.

@@dusty111 I've also ridden the MT-07. I assure you the MT-09 is a different animal altogether. I've not been on a Triumph triple. I've heard some journalists say the Triumph triple produces more vibration than the CP3 Yamaha engine. Cannot confirm.

If only kawi would put a tiny amount of effort and money into putting a 270 crank into the 650. It would turn the whole franchise around.

​@@lovelessissimoyes because a little bit of sound difference is going to make up for a lack of power.

Don't know why everyone seems so obsessed with the 270 crank... I have two bikes, one with a 270 crank and the other with a 180. The 270 has better traction but with almost all bikes these days getting traction controI, it gets a bit irrelevant... and in terms of sound, I prefer the 180 sound. 🙄 Now if Kawasaki makes the Z400RS with the new inline 4 from the ZX-4RR... that will be a completly different story and more inline with the "family heritage". 😁

@@TheAsheybabe89 Correct.

@@MacAlex007 Do you have a kawasaki parallel twin with a 180 crank?

That's why everybody has one

The clutch is a highlight on this bike. It’s very light, and I have problems in my hands, so it works great for me.

"why do they fit a cable clutch rather than hydraulic..?". What does that even mean? The clutch action is excellent. If you're going to criticize something, the lack of a QS would be valid. As slipper clutches go, this one is very smooth, light and takes a licking with no complaints.

that would be great for us asians. what's your height?

164cm @@ak-47821

I've had both. The new kicks butt on the old.

You want a single disk front brake, perhaps 😁

Ha, no. But seriously we need to take the rose tinted glasses off here, the modern bike has nothing in common with the 70’s original.

@@jfro5867 That’s what makes it great, just the simple styling cues and colours. Plus it rides very well and has fantastic build quality.

It’s a good looking bike, of that there’s no doubt 👍

Calm down, 32°C in September. Same variety of weather we've always had. All's good on planet Earth.

😂😂😂 yup ! 👍😉

Yeah but they rarely go wrong, especially the Kwackas. I’ve had four of them now over 100,000 km’s combined ( some not new with km’s already logged ) and not had 1 single electrical or mechanical issue. The biggest job for most will be eventually changing the spark plugs, valves rarely get out of clearance as well if you follow the forums.