IS CAFE A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS?
Kawasaki’s lovely looking new Z900RS Cafe retro tackles the UK’s toughest test
Kawasaki’s new Z900RS might have swept the best of its retro rivals to one side this year, but before I’ve even swung a leg over its scooped-out saddle I’m worried this Cafe version could be a huge disappointment. The naked straight-barred Z1 lookalike RS has already beaten Triumph’s Thruxton and BMW R nineT Pure in MCN tests – and that’s no mean feat. But when a manufacturer decides to café racer a bike by throwing on a nose fairing and fitting droopy bars it can sometimes prove to be a complete disaster.
Take BMW‘s R nineT Racer. It’s one of the most beautifullooking machines on sale and is
a blast to ride, but its bars stretch out like a medieval torture rack. A couple of dozen miles draped over it like Superman leave you dreaming about jumping on the next bus home.
So it’s a relief to discover the big Zed’s racy black satin bars are positioned only slightly lower and angled in, so it’s not a big stretch and there’s little weight on your wrists. Essentially the same as its naked sibling, the Cafe is styled to mimic the ’72 Z1. It has more midrange than the modern-styled Z900 (which came out last year) but gets a fruitier exhaust note, four-piston monobloc calipers, three-level traction control and Dunlop’s retro-style GPR-300s. The cosmetics are very different, with a lower-mounted headlight, nose fairing, scalloped seat, dropbars, brushed stainless steel silencer and DOHC engine badges. And you can have any colour you want, as long as it’s Vintage Lime Green.
Its character floods through within a few miles of the start of the MCN250 route, heading west from Oundle to Northampton. A baritone-deep, gurgling airbox roar and throaty exhaust growl accompanies every degree of throttle, but despite the aural drama there are few vibes from the grunty 109bhp inline four. A combination of deep torque and short lower gear ratios let the retro Kwak pull smartly in top from just 20mph. There’s little drama as we pass through Northampton rush hour and head for the M40, via the Super Sausage Café and Silverstone. The Zed is proving smooth, predictable and easy to handle. Wrists, arms and back are still fresh, but by the time we hit the motorway Aching Rear Syndrome (ARS) is already starting to kick in. Time for a break.
A coffee stop at Warwick services lets me drink in the Cafe’s almost nerdy attention to detail as a double
shot of caffeine reignites my senses and a comfortable chair soothes my ARS. Everything looks the part and that white-striped Eddie Lawson green paintjob really tops it off. But the biggest dose of nostalgia comes from that nose cowl, which looks like a bigger version of my old AR80’s. It’s the same colour, but unlike my old 10bhp missile the Cafe doesn’t have green foam grips. Peeling off the motorway towards Stratford, Broadway and into the Cotswolds is my first chance to properly enjoy the Cafe on B-road Britain. Like the standard Z900 and the RS, it reassures and cossets. Just point its green nose where you want to go and the rest obeys with light steering accuracy and that shouty soundtrack.
A pre-lunch highlight is the A44 to Stow-on-the-Wold, where the roads are wider, smoother and faster. The giddying three-lane swoops of Fish Hill are very Route Napoleon-esque and I’m tempted to go back and glide through them again, but we’ve got an MCN250 to do. I need to crack on. With close to 200 miles under our belts a few chinks appear in the Zed’s armour. The brakes have decent power but lack feel, and picking up a closed throttle is snatchy at medium speeds. Suspension balance is decent overall, but fork damping is a little harsh over bumps and when you push-on the rear can get a little wallowy. It’s also jumped out of gear more than a few times, too. By Cirencester, aching hips have joined the ARS party. The Z900RS Cafe is the perfect machine for chunks of the MCN250, but hours in the saddle takes their toll. The taller, more padded seat from the standard RS would be better for long distance. Heading back towards Oundle it’s a greeny blur of back-roads, towns and dual carriageways. On faster stretches the upper reaches of the
‘Best of all, it’s so much more than just another flashy retro’
rev-range reveal an even angrier snarl and more vivid acceleration, but at Steady Eddie speeds it reverts back to its purring, charming self.
The MCN250 has tested every aspect of the impressive Z900RS Cafe. Sure it’s not the comfiest and for the price the suspension is never going to be top-drawer, but it’s a classy piece of kit, involving and easy to ride at any speed.
Best of all, it’s so much more than just another flashy retro and better than the sum of its parts, which is a very neat trick to have pulled off.