50,000 miles on my '18. True Kawasaki reliability.

Please do this for the next batch of long term bikes you have. Much better than a simple journalists review at launch

spot on, I have put 65,000 km on mine over the last 4 years and I still can't find anything wrong with it.

I've owned one of these for 3 years. The most annoying thing not mentioned is the on/off throttle response at the first few mm - mostly fixed by removing o2 sensor or full fixed by getting a remap. As mentioned, the rear shock is average at best so if you're a spirited rider you'll probably want to replace it. Otherwise, it's a fantastic bike. The engine is wonderful - torquey at low revs and balistic over 6k. The airbox growl and exhaust note/volume is magical. Highly recommended to anyone wanting a "classic" bike feel with modern hardware, gloriously void of 6 axis IMUs and quickshifters (not that there's anything wrong with them - I also have a S1000RR but it scratches a different itch).

I see a lot of commenters here stating that they've sold their zed's I bought this 2 years ago and plan on giving to my son in a couple of years. Love this bike

Hi guys ,great review, my wife bought me the special edition yellow ball last year and the ohlins rear shock is fantastic and easy adjustable for two up riding, I am 70 year's old and have owned over 40 bikes,race reps,and touring bikes and the the kawasaki z900rs se is easily one of the best,I've owned, for looks and handling, I've put a fender extender on the front mudguard, that helps to keep the crap off of the pipes and radiator, this bike is a keeper, thanks for brilliant review. Shakie.

I had a '21 Z900RS in the green/yellow combo. It is the perfect, modern UJM; simply a fantastic bike, great performance, stunning looks. The only thing lacking was cruise control. I use to sit in my garage and just look at it from various angles.

Long term reviews are much more realistic. Engines are broken in a little bit, had the minor corrections done at 1st service, fresh oil in the engine ,clutch and transmission, chains adjusted etc. The driver also adjusts to the bike and discovers both good and bad aspects and isn't rushed to edit his reports. I agree.

One of the best looking bikes ever imo. Gorgeous bike

Your Long Term reviews are fantastic . The guy who ran the 900rs was very special and extremely honest. Keep it up guys.

Fair comment. I've owned a beautiful BMW R9T and Triumph Thruxton R, this bike would fit in the garage with them nicely. These modern classics are special looking and are nicely performing.

Owned mine 2 years, zero issues. Stock apart from Delkevic headers/de cat with stock silencer & ECU flash to get rid of that on/off snatchiness due to fuel cut off. A must do mod that makes a great bike a brilliant bike

Great bikes. 16,000 miles since Aug 2021, it'll do everything, and looks good doing it 🙂

Oops, if memory serves me correctly ( at 72yo it often doesn’t 😂) the original Z1 had four exhaust pipes not two. Absolutely love the latest iteration of the Z900, to my mind it has the perfect balance of old school styling coupled with up to the minute modern day running equipment.

I have owned my z900RS for 4 years and completely agree with pretty much everything you said about this bike except the twin pipe bit. I love the look of the 4-1. The M9RR are also brilliant, the engine is a cracker, budget rear suspension is sorted by installing a K-Tech Razor R and the thing just looks absolutely stunning. I also have a ZH2, and I would not like to be put in the position to pick one over the other. I love them both. Great review.

Most beautiful bike in the world, hands down! It’s missing 3 things to be even better: 1. Centre stand 2. 4 into 4 exhaust 3. Helmet lock

My dad had a blue ‘73 Kawasaki 400 that was my first introduction to motorcycling. The z900rs is reminiscent of it. I love this living with format for bike reviews, it gives so much more insight than regular reviews.

Oh it's a lovely looking thing. I've seen one in white with green and it was bloody stunning. I may be biased with my Versys 1000 but I love Kawa's inline 4.

As far as this bike is concerned, I love my 2022 RS 50th anniversary. The notch throttle was worse until I took slack out of throttle cable, adjusted tge chain and learned to ride it a while. However, what I did was removed the pretty chrome header to keep the front tire sandblast off the pipes. I soon discovered a 2020 Z900 std oem header on eBay. It bolted straight on after rerouting 02 sensor to in front of clutch case from behind. These are 1) equal length. 2) single wall.3) tuned crossover tubes.4) 3 inch longer collector. Even with Cat and 02 left alone i quickly found out WHY the base Z900. Has 125 hp and the RS has 110. Not only was it immediately faster and hit rev limiter instantly most of my off idle throttle response was 90% gone. And it Still looks stunning in the titanium colored stainless pipe and technically STOCK and quiet wo chopping my collectible beauty.

Good sensible review. Thanks guys. I bought my Z900RS Cafe new in 2018 and love it. I agree with pretty much all your comments except for the salt on roads issue, we don't get that in Australia. These bikes are keepers.

The Z1 had a 4 into 4 exhaust, not 4 into 2. I have a brand new Z 900 RS SE on order for march 1st delivery in yellow ball. Accessories full chrome grab rail and kawasaki stencilled rad grill in silver. Got a private reg of K900 and my 3 initials ready to fit to it.

Very good Video, I have owned the Z900 naked for 5 years now and was thinking about one of these but wasn't sure, I am now. Thank you for tipping the balance for me. I have done all the sporty stuff and want a slower pace. I have now made up my mind with your help. Thank you. Gonna be an expensive weekend!!

Extremely favorable review. Have the same bike, same color in the states. Have a regular '22 Z900 and an RS. I enjoy people complimenting the bike. The Z doesn't get the love that the RS gets. Not much to complain about. Excellent power, brakes, handling. Tires suck, but easily replaceable. Fit and finish are superb. Blacked out some of the silvery bits and all those stickers had to go.My brother rides it most of the time. Enjoy looking at it in the next lane.

I owned a 1974 Z1 bought new. Nothing compared at the time, there simply didn’t exist any challenger to the Z1’s throne at the time. Brilliant ownership experience, but contemporary hardware like chains and tires were at their limits with what the Z1 offered in power and performance. Sold it on after 8 years, but before that point spent plenty on performance upgrades. Every time I see one of these new Z900RS Kawasakis I know I have to have another, but for the sake of domestic relations I’m at the “limit” already with two bikes per the wife, so maybe after a couple of years on Aprilia’s Tuono 660 Factory I can slot the Kawasaki into the lineup. So many great bikes and so little time. 😮Great review.

Love these long term honest reviews. That kwak is a real beauty...they really are a genuine nod to the original Z1 and yet so modern too. They look gorgeous.

Great job with the long term reports. Picking up on many things that a simple test ride wouldn't.

This bike actually made me cry with emotion and memories

Simon is a good chap, speaks a lot of sense. Kawasaki chains always rust, it's not your fault Michael.😄

Use GT85 in the ignition barrel, there's teflon in it that's absent with WD40. You can also spray it onto some kitchen roll to clean your drive chain before wiping it off and lubricating it with gear oil or lube of your choice. It won't harm the O or X rings. I also use it for hinges and on the blades of my hair clippers. Handy stuff indeed !

Buy a Z900RS SE. It comes with an Ohlins rear shock, upgraded forks, and Brembo front brakes with SS braided lines. I have a 2023 and it's great, but I'm sure it will be better once I replace the tires. I will probably go to Michelin Road 6.

I had a good look at the Z900RS when I bought my last bike and fell in love with it, absolutely gorgeous, especially the in Candy Tone Blue with the gold stripe, it's one for the future! The Z900RS SE is nice as well, my only gripe is the price, so I'd probably go for a low mileage second-hand one, unless Kawasaki are doing some fantastic deals on a new one, but Kawasaki never seem to lower the price! 👍

I absolutely love this bike. Just turned 40, but really like the retro vibe. I have a little Yamaha XSR125 Legacy at the moment, but looking to do my test within the next couple years. I will be looking at this if the biking gods allow as my next purchase.

Test rode one in September and sorely tempted but didn’t have the colours I wanted. Went completely off piste and bought a Guzzi V7 850 special and no rusty chain issues but much less oomph. 👍🏻

Great review. I love my z900rs, 9000 trouble free miles!

I got a 2019 Jaffa with 6800kms on it absolutely love it. The standard rear tyre didn't last long have since changed it to a Pirelli GT for my style of riding its been fantastic!! Also own a 1973 z900 it's something about these bikes that just make you feel alive when riding either one. Excellent review guys.

Another great run through on the test fleet. Certainly the only good Japanese retro by miles, but it's got usable real world power which is what your tester loved. Crack on 👍🏻

Brilliant review guys. Really helpful. I'm putting my ST1100 and my Bandit 650S up for sale next month in order to get one of these and this review really helped a lot. Cheers!

Beautiful machine. It looks fast standing still. The color matching wind screen is very nice. A very svelte and stylish package and I like the cut of her jib.

I have the 50th Anniversary model & love it! My older brother had an original one back in the day which I loved. Perfect combo of retro & new to me!

So have they fixed the snatchy throttle on the newer bikes? It was terrible on my 2018 Jaffa when I bought it new, but ECU flash fixes it. Still got the bike though and I doubt I’ll sell it. Done nearly 30,000 kms on it so it’s just about due for valve clearance check. I’ve also got the genuine Kawasaki heated grips and I don’t think they are all that good, and I’m in Australia! So I’ve got heated gloves and jacket as well. I haven’t changed the exhaust either, because I think the sound is perfect, not too noisy and not too quiet, plus it’s 100% legal. All in all I think your tester summed the bike up perfectly. I’m surprised he hasn’t bought one actually.

love the enthusiasm of the owner. lovely looking bike.

For a 'classic bike fanatic', there's at least two howlers about the original Z1 and Z 900, and as someone else pointed out, this 'fanatic' didn't do enough miles to warrant being given a longterm test bike. Tune in next week for Gladys, the cleaner, and her long-term review of the Panigale 🙂.

This looks like a worthy upgrade to my CB650R, I LOVE IT! But yeh, I mean the 650 pulls pretty well in 6th from as far down as 40mph (solid, but not what I'd call "fast"), so I can imagine this beauty would be even better!

Absolutely love mine. It's the bike that got me back in the saddle after around 30 years away. My last new bike purchase was a GPZ900R in 1986! I grin when I look at it and laugh whilst I'm riding it. What more could I ask for?

I would fit the old KAWASAKI badges, the rear chrome bar, a fender extender on the front mudguard, the heated grips, tyres, and a exhaust header to release more of that beautiful sound.

Love these long term reviews

Neevessy really love this bike..I can feel it

I had a 2018 Jaffa bought with 11,000 miles on it. Beautiful bike, absolute looker. However, I seem to be the only person the planet that just didn't gel with riding it. The throttle response was so jerky, even after a re-map that I found and bumps in the road made it hard to hold a constant speed. It was Jeckyll and Hyde stuff. I also found the front end a bit chattery, had the suspension set up but still didn't get on with it. Sold it in the end for £200 less than I bought it! Bought a 1998 VFR800, much happier but I'm definitely in the minority. Everyone seems to love them unconditionally. He's right about the clock though, bloody nightmare to change the time. 😂

True Retro was the ZRX1200R, that with a few choice mods, has been and always will be the nicest Kawasaki Retro..

I manage to pick up a 2nd hand 19 plate jaffa with only 450 clocked! Love it to bits does everything you could want unless you want to ride over 100 every where! Everyone always goes on about the throttle being snatchy and I know what they mean as mine was terrible however you don't need to spend loads of money on remaps,sensor delete's or sprockets! Just adjust the throttle cables which is what I did and it's fine now it's still very very slight but you can get along fine and it's not as bad as on off as an sv I used to have.

I still have 15 months until I can get a new bike. But at the moment this is what I will be getting for sure. ( Unless something truly amazing comes to the market for less money in the mean time) I may even try and scrape up the extra cash for the RS SE version. such an amazing bike...

Really enjoying, these long term reviews, well done.

Hi, great long term review, I have one in the brown/orange Colour. I bought it new in 2019 & I've done 21k miles on it, as for the Exhaust, Delkavic do a 4 into 4 system, not cheap at £1800! though, but it does look good.

If anyone steals his ride, I am comming personally all the way from New zealand to hunt them down, He totally loves his ride and its lovely to hear it. Enjoy the ride. I am also a big fan of the RS

I have the 2022 same color love mine brilliant motorcycle Kawasaki hit a home run

Good review this guy obviously just loves this bike as do i.that screen he's put on looks crap tho in my opinion

There is an after market exhaust that looks like the Z1 but i think it looks horrible on the Z900RS, just doesn't suit it

Amazing bike I absolutely loved mine I was a fool and regret letting it go miss it so much...de-cat,re-map suspension set up,Michelin Road 5 tyres, jell seat, kawasaki retro badges,kawasaki heated grips, jaffa paint work gorgeous .......somebody somewhere got a fantastic bike.

hey. listen. This bike is nearly perfect. Rear wheel HP is about 98 stock but for little money it can be right around 120 Rear Wheel. Free flow headers, K&N, center baffle removal from airbox lid, All short stack velocity tubes inside airbox, Ivan Tune ECU flash and finally Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II tires (they stick like glue) and setting up the suspension for your weight. Not only does this add significant and proven power, it removes the crappy throttle response as stock and makes this thing a smooth pulling machine. once set up it runs like a totally different bike, same great looks with much improved handling over a really good start

Great review, I wonder how it would compare with a ZRX1200R, another Kawasaki retro that was likely ahead of it's time.

Thanks gentlemen! Great to watch as always !

Thanks! Nice and authentic review...can't get enough of this bike.

Z900rs and xsr900 are all you need as a road rider

Beautiful! If other pipes it needs the Z1000 4-1-4 ones, the only right ones!

Superb video, I really enjoyed this installment. The Z900RS is on my shortlist for a new bike once the spring arrives here and the dealers start allowing demo rides again.

this convinced me to buy one ! just have to wait for ther next batch to arrive

I had the original z when l was in the forces based in Colchester, rode to stoke on trent most wk ends never missed a beat. Wish l had it now...l paid £1200 brand new back then!! Great bike.

2,800 miles is long-term? My 2021 has just under 15k miles now and I'm going to get the valves adjusted soon. Love it!

Love these bikes ,I had suzuki water-cooled 750 when the original Z900 was around the the GS 1000 brilliant bikes , I own a sx1000 absolutely love it ,nothing on the market that I really like in the price range of the sx or the new ninja, I've had the same issues with the chain no real problems with it stretching or needing adjustment regularly, However, from around 400 miles new, the chain looked old , You only have to wash the bike an dry the bike if you don't put something on to protect the Chain it will have corrosion showing with in a few days , otherwise 😀 , would love to see the 2 pipes no the one ,centre Stand and grab rail should be standard,

All that salt on the road at the moment is a nightmare. I know it is needed in the winter but in some places where I live it is just overkill! They really put a layer of salt on the road, I could taste the salt in my mouth last week when riding to work, that bad. I didn't need to put salt on my spuds when I was served diner in the evening.

What a great format for reviews! On any new motorcycle I'll return from that first good ride with some items to address, but this baby had the longest list! An ECU reflash (w/ 16T counter sprocket) and shock upgrade (Öhlins) were the most urgent, along with Metzeler M7RR tires. These items tremendously improved ridability and enjoyment! Later mods were LSL superbike bars to get me more forward over the front end, and Dymag UP7X wheels. It's an absolute gorgeous machine, and as you say, even tricks oldtimers who owned the originals!

I had a 73 Z1 900 back in the late 70's. Raw power but kinda buzzy motor. Horrible seat. Worthless automatic chain oiler. 92 HP. I now ride the 1200 ZRX.

I had a 1977 KZ-1000 LTD and I'd like to have a contemporary bike that is as much like my old one as possible.

The best looking and sounding retro by far.

Very nice long term review. Absolutely gorgeous bike. Kawasaki forever!

Love my Z900RS café

I thought UK retro market is dominated by Triumph Bonneville, Royal Enfield, BSA, or Nortons, all of which features a 270-degree twin with torpedo exhaust. Glad the UJM (universal Japanese Motorcycle) with "out-of-dated" inline four setting still gained some standing point among those retro market.

Owner of a Zed 1k debut year ('03) bought new. My 20 year old 40k mile stock exhaust is spotless. First thing on this and most new bikes is the rot that starts immediately under the collector/bread box. Despite having almost identical displacement, the top end hit on the Z9RS seems tame in comparison. Stock suspension still hanging in there. Read down and the retro has nasty choppy fueling. The '03 was Kwacker's redeux EFI which happens to be flawless.

Really informative, straight forward and useful interview! I think if a person was inclined toward a test ride, this piece would put you on board. Thanks for all the information!

Best screen I've seen on one of these. *Chef's kiss*. Bike looks too good for that center stand. Poor thing needs a tail tidy too and I'm not super into those. But this bike... it's just so gd beautiful you have to lean into the aesthetic aspect don't you?

Winddscreen comes whit full colors??? Where can i buy this?

A side stand interlock no start if down are a great idea. On extremely rare occasion if left down the side stand could prevent left turn on critical turn unless it snaps up to allow lean. Salt on that machine is a heart breaking experience. It corrodes metal at a horrendous clip.

Top video guys. I love the sound of 4 cylinders engine and I totally agree I prefer the exhaust pipes it makes it look more balanced

Is this bike a bit talker then the 650 version?

Owned a 1978 Z1000 followed by an 1981( one of the last) Z1Rs both purchased new. Whilst this bike has been manufactured in the "style of" the old late 70s machine, there are a number of reasons why I haven't purchased one. Firstly, this bike is shorter in the wheelbase, which immediately becomes obvious when you look how much shorter the seat is compared to the earlier bike, giving you much less room for a pillion ( in my case the wife). Secondly, the seat height is much higher than the original, so if, like me, you are shorter in the leg, I would struggle. Thirdly, whilst you can get a Kawasaki centre stand it just looks horrible coming on the outside of the exhaust and I would not buy a large motorcycle without a proper centre stand. Fourthly, the front mudguard is a chocolate teapot at controlling mud because it's just a styling exercise. Finally, this bike is notorious for having a snatchy throttle which would completely spoil the ride/machine for me. The Z900 RS SE in gold to be fair looks great, but all the above stops me from buying one.

If only Kawasaki put as much attention to detail into the Z650.

Fantastic video, stunning looking motorcycle!

I owned the original z900 (not the original Z1 unfortunately) back in 1978 and had it for 5 years. I have had a lot of bikes, and I mean a lot, and this was the best bike I ever owned. My only gripe was the atrocious handling. That bend in the middle feeling was awful. I snapped two steering dampers lol. My mate had the Honda CB900 and it ran rings around it in handling. Otherwise a fantastic bike. The new one hopefully sorts that out. I would buy one of these in a heart beat but sadly lost the use of my right arm in a crash on my Ducati 998 :/ I would prefer 4 into 2 exhaust pipes as I personaly like the symetrical look.

I LOVE my Z900 RS SE. solves the rear shock issue and better brakes. Love the yellow ball color and gold wheels as well. Apparently super rare. Glad I had the chance to buy one. Thanks @kawasakiusa

I got the rust off my chain using a squirt of ACF50 on a rag. That followed by a proper clean and lube seems to have sorted it, at least for now. But it does look like I've overlubed the sh!t out of it now, though it's not flinging off.

I have moaned about previous LT reviews (cinematography and presenting style) but this one is a cracker... One point, are you not supposed to use Graphite dust on locks and keys? Works for me on my Kawasakis.

This is a good retro for 2023 but the best Japanese retro of recent times has to be the Honda CB1100EX - twin pipes, hidden centre stand, twin shocks…exceptional. Sadly EURO5 killed it. The 4 into 1 exhaust on the Z900RS is less about cost and more about EURO5!

I have a 2019 Cafe and the ignition is sticky af. I've bent two keys. The Ninja 400 I had was similar.

Another RS review, another set of unoriginal posts bemoaning the hack of original exhausts and twin shocks. 😂 Isn't it great that we can choose between faux replicas like the WD800, Enfields, BSAs, Triumphs etc, even bikes with faux carbs, whilst for those that want a modern looking bike that simply pays homage to an old great also have a choice. This bike sells in buckets because of what it is, not what it's not.

I have the 2023 Café in black and gold on order. Excited!

Had one of these for four years now, agree on all points except the seat and some other minor issues - I am 6 foot 1 as well and the seat is terrible - it is hard, pushes you forward but also keeps you in the wind - very uncomfortable. I had to have it remade completely. The riding position is still not optimal but having had the foot pegs lowered a bit, the ride is better for someone my height. It is a great bike otherwise, just comfort could have been alot better. It was a long time ago but I recall riding a Z1 in 1974 and it was very comfortable. Hence, today's machine has way, way, way better performance, it handles, has real brakes, lots of power and torques, suspension is great, etc. etc. but the seating position is bad. Kawaski need to allow you to more easily swap out the handle bars for something more cafe specific. The bars are fixed in the sense that they have pin points that match the fittings to the bars, which means it is hard to swap the bars out for something more appropriate. This is the biggest weakness of this bike, not good for long haul rides, fuel economy is crap as well. I have to carry fuel for longer rides, 17 litres is no where near enough. Was getting less than 13 klm per litre on some outback stretches, compared to my mate on a BMS 1250 GS who was getting 20 klm per litre. Suffers wind really badly. Hence, bike looks good, rides well in town, take it anywhere else and it struggles.

It's a brilliant bike, it just needs a better shock, and better tires. The stock shock is horrible if you want to ride it hard. The shock oil overheats in about 20 minutes and loses whatever rebound damping it had...

I have a 2021 standard Z900, I agree, the OEM tyres are awful. The throttle is a little snatchy especially in sport mode. the RS is pretty, but I'm happy with mine .. mines also green....the one thing missing from the RS... Spoked wheels..

I do have street twin 900 but my eyes on this one thanks for honest rewiev 👍🏻

So evocative of the original. I want one. Maybe an SE, but I don't know the difference(s)... It could be an idea to briefly compare the specs of closely related models.