Kawasaki ZRX1200

1970s styling and ’90s grunt combine to make something special

WANT A PROPER motorbike, not an over-complicated racetrack refugee or an overloaded overlander wannabe? Well, how about a ZRX1200R or S? Simple, reliable, powerful, practical - what’s not to like? The bikini-faired R looks enough like an old Kawasaki Z1R or GPZ1100 to create a feeling of nostalgia for anyone who got into bikes when a superbike was like any other but bigger and maybe with a little headlamp fairing.

However, under the skin, it’s a lot more modern. Based on the older ZRX1100, the 1200 got a lot of small but important modifications. The Zz-r1100-based engine got extra capacity (up to 1164cc from 1052cc) thanks to increases in bore and stroke, with plated aluminium bores for less friction and better cooling. There were new camshafts, a better gearbox action, an improved clutch, a new, lighter crankshaft, and an all-new stainless exhaust system. Most important of all was power. Kawasaki resisted the urge to stifle their big retro, so there was a claimed 123bhp (a real 112 or so) to challenge your shoulder muscles, especially on the R. If you wanted more comfort, the half-faired S made a sensible budget tourer, though the R always had a more visceral appeal and continued for years after the S was quietly dropped. Owners love these and tend to pamper them, so they can make great used buys.