Canadian Kawasaki 2018 Z900RS Café
Full details, specifications and pricing for Kawasaki’s new 2018 Canadian models, including the Ninja H2 SX sport tourer, Z900RS (including the café version) and Ninja 400 are available on Kawasaki Canada’s web site here.
Interesting for any number of reasons, Canadian pricing is perhaps most interesting. The new Ninja 400 starts at $5,799 Canadian, for instance, while the standard Z900RS begins at $12,999 Canadian.
Canadian Kawasaki 2018 Z900RS Café
As expected, the new supercharged sport tourer, the Ninja H2 SX, delivers 200 horsepower and a relatively hefty price tag beginning at $21,899 Canadian. The Z900RS Café (the photos of which dominate this article, just because) is priced at $13,599 Canadian.
We won’t know which of these models will be included in the 2018 U.S. lineup until Kawasaki’s announcement at the New York IMS in early December. Comparing Canadian pricing to anticipated U.S. pricing for these models is not an exact science, but it would be reasonable to expect U.S. pricing to be a similar number of dollars, or less. For example, a 2017 Ninja 300 ABS carries an MSRP of $5,299 in the U.S., and $5,399 in Canada. Other models show a larger price difference (U.S. dollar price being lower, sometimes by $1,000 or more).
Also, for the heck of it, we appended a video of the Z900RS Café at the end of this article.
Canadian Kawasaki 2018 Ninja 400 ABS
Canadian Kawasaki 2018 Ninja H2 SX SE
Canadian Kawasaki 2018 Z900RS Special Edition
Canadian Kawasaki 2018 Z900RS Café
See more of MD’s great photography:
REALLY want to like these bikes…..but they are just not quite RIGHT. Modern performance is there. Bikes appear too tall , with too much space under the rear fender , but that is what you get with it based on what it is. Sure it provides for plenty of travel and more spaced out riding position but the looks are nice but not there…..and with a retro , the proportions are EVERYTHING.
Honda got it spot on with its CB1100 BUT it NEEDS more power . Why they saddled it with less than 100 ponies at the rear tire is odd to me but …..
I have owned a CB1000F (95) which I LOVED (needed more power , otherwise PERFECT). I loved my 919 , with snappy CBR900RR based mill and smaller dimensions though being 6’1″ and 270lbs I liked the size of the “Big One” better. Wish Honda had offered the CB1300F here in the states-as a SIX would have been delicious…… I have not had a ZRX1200 though I LOVE the looks and performance they offer as well as their size….if I come across a low mile used one in Lime Green , I may not pass it up…
Small and light is GREAT but a bit larger and more roomy and stable is great too…..I dont NEED lightning quick turn in on my street bikes any longer ( I have had my share of sport bikes and hypersports over the years as well as musclebikes like 13 Vmax) .
REALLY like Honda’s new CB1000R ….though its not retro. Hope it sports at least 120rwhp ….
Try to find an old Zephyr 1100 (had a 750 and loved it back in early 90’s) ….rare here. They looked GREAT but needed a bit more hp.
Nice move Kawi ….but I wish they were a bit sweeter looking …..and the supercharged sport tourer is just flat unattractive, unfortunately . Liked the H2 but this off shoot is odd …..maybe in the flesh…..
The z900rs is a very nice bike but not for me. I bought a H2SX SE the bike of my dream $25300 retail in Canada. My last two motorcycles were a Ninja 1000 and a ZX 1400.I started riding in 69 so I think this one will probably my last one.I will need all the electronics it has.Quick shift for my old wrists, quick start,no rear slip, ABS and I almost forgot cruise control.The sound of an H2 motor is pure adrenaline to me witch is good for my blood system.
The new Honda isn’t very retro with its electronics package. This Kawasaki is “authentic retro.” I’ve owned both brands but I like this Kawasaki way better!
What electronics package? I have a CB1100 and the only thing electronic it has is ABS and some of them don’t even have that.
How can a watercooled, monoshocked, USD fork I4 be “authentic retro”?
I suspect he’s referring to the new CB1000R, not the CB1100. Otherwise, yeah, this new Kawi is nowhere near as authentically retro as a CB1100 is, top to bottom. Similar to the XSR900, this new Kawi is a thoroughly modern bike sporting a bit of of retro clothing.
On what planet is the CB1000R considered retro?
The planet on which “The Jetsons” takes place?
Otherwise, I’m not sure why he would refer to the CB1100 as a “new Honda,” plus it is almost completely free of electronics. I figure he must be talking about Honda’s only new standard, the electronics-intensive CB1000R.
The new Honda retro offerings look better.
To be decided at dealers in the near future.
Panigales are far more gorgeous than R1s and R6s, but guess which ones sell better.
Maybe it’s your eye?
If you refer to unit sales, average price differences are so great between the 2 brands you mention that such comparison is only misleading and of no good use.
What is useful is to compare brand growth in either unit sales or gross dollars. Over the past 10 years I would wager that Ducati has at least doubled Yamaha’s performance in both metrics.
Of all private motor vehicle brands, I would wager Ferrari has outperformed all others in the above metrics since 2007, yet Fiat likely sells as many vehicles in a few hours as Ferrari does annually.
And yes, this is the result of central bank activity, whereby virtually all economic growth has occurred in the top few percent. Probably the best example of this is last week’s all time record art sale (a painting) approaching a half billion USD. A few days prior the auction house speculated how great would the sale @ a measly $200M!!!
comparing brand growth is useless. If they sold 1 unit in 2016 and 2 in 2017 that’s 100% growth. Looks good on paper but they still only sold 2 of them.
The bigger you are the harder it is to show substantial growth, the smaller you are the easier it is to say your sales are exploding.
percentage wise
I refer that what is attractive to you has not been attractive to others.
In the side views above the tail sections of the Z900 bikes look a little off but watching the bikes in the video I could see it all come together. I would enjoy riding any of them or just viewing in my garage. Yamaha needs to understand that you can’t just bolt a few retro items like lights on to a modern frame. A modern retro must be designed from the ground up as Kawasaki did here.
Kawasaki has retro down right…sure wish Yamaha would’ve done something more appealing than their XSR line. They are hideous, and there is not a thing retro about them…there is no direct visual lineage to their 70’s XS’s. Just my opinion.
Retro awesome with a side of TMNT!
I tried to find this in the earlier Z test but is it my understanding the Z900 is made in Thailand? If so, the price difference could be more fluff on the RS for sure, but could it also be country of manufacture? It would cost more to produce in Japan. Not a big fan of going to a third world country to get the price down. Biggest roadblock for me with Triumph Bonnevilles is the fact the engine comes out of Thailand and the price is still too high. If the Z900RS comes in the U.S. and its made somewhere other than Japan, I won’t buy it. Made in Japan? I will give it a very hard look and certainly consider it.
The entire motorcycle comes out of Thailand with the Bonneville. Has since 2006. It’s not been an issue from a longevity/QC perspective. They’ve all been very durable bikes.
Is there something in a Japanese worker’s hands that makes a bike magically work better than if it were assembled by a Thai person? The Big 4 are pretty stringent with their quality control processes. When they set up a factory to build motorcycles outside of Japan, the track record so far has been pretty decent from a quality control perspective.
Slightly related, but tangential : I’ve had several made-in-USA Fender instruments. ’57 Reissue P-Bass from the late ’90s, American Deluxe Jazz Bass V, American Standard Stratocaster… all good instruments. Now, I have a Chinese-built Ibanez hollow-body. From a finish and quality standpoint, it’s better than any Fender I’d ever owned. That Japanese company operating in China gets things done just fine… they excel in doing so, actually.
Have a 2010 Honda Elite 110 scooter made in China. Rock solid. No problems in 6000 miles.
I priced the 900 cafe here in Fredericton N.B. $16,200 out the door. Good luck with that KAWASUCKI! Still riding my 1984 KZ750 for the season I guess. I am gonna wait till they are marked down in a few years due to lack of sales. ZRX all the way!
The dealer I work at (in Canada) has pre-sold every Z900RS it could get. It’s a gorgeous motorcycle in person. You are right. You will be waiting awhile before you are going to get one, but it won’t be because of a lack of sales (not for the first couple of years anyway)
Ditto. IMO the RS is less likely to appear for resale than the average bike. Owners shall have the supreme luxury of the names and contact info of several persons including dealers wanting to buy their bike. RS appearing for sale shall be auctioned, with sale prices bottom feeders (you know who you are) won’t touch.
I kind of like the Z900RS Café, but I prefer the more angular look of the early 80s KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica bikes:
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery/Kawasaki%20Z1000R%2083%20%204.jpg
You’re in luck ZRX prices are about to drop in the next 6 months.
I tried one of those when they first came out. It’s a bit too cramped for my legs — and it still wasn’t quite right looks-wise. I ended up on a Suzuki Bandit 1200 which, although not as good looking, after some easy mods and upgrades, was a torque monster.
Like a lot of members here (I bet), I kept returning to this page to drool on the RS images. Till now I went back and forth between the RS and the look of the earlier ELR (God I should have bought the ELR I coveted back in the day…the recession had struck and the dealer was anxious).
I now firmly favor the RS. It grew on me fast. The overall presentation is darn near impossible to fault.
Suzuki would be absolutely insane not to release a GS1000S Wes Cooley replica. Limit the production numbers so you don’t pass one every day, and they would pre-sale every unit within a few weeks, well before production.
Honda could do a Bol d’Or. If Yamaha had a successful 750 or open class production based race bike of that era, I can’t recall the model. Of course there’s the RD series and V4 500 2-strokes, but not sure how that translates to an open class 4-stroke.
Kawasaki absolutely nailed this one. I presume the RS is likely to own every performance metric among retro bikes, yes? I can’t imagine Triumph’s 1200 touching the 900, even in roll on contest.
Like Doc says – you have to see these things in person, even moving down the road to really get a feel for the look / styling.
Am I the only one put off by the polished rims on the Z900RS Special Edition. They kind of look like white walls. Very off putting.
if i were to hazard a guess, i’d say the idea is to give a “first glance” silhouette of chrome rims…
it’s that’s what you would see if that were an actual Z1 and the year was 1972.
They look alot like the Lester Mags I put on my 77 KZ 1000A
2018 US models will be shown on their website Dec 1st. Why Kawi USA is weeks behind the rest of the world, I have no idea. But I expect all these to be available in the US. The z900 cafe looks nice, and I put a deposit on an H2 SX a couple weeks ago. The dealer had no idea what I was talking about (of course), but gladly took my deposit.
Your dealer probably doesn’t even know if Kawasaki will send them an H2 SX then. The premier dealers will get them first. But I get it, if you wait to find out, you may get sniped.
.
As a Ninja 1000 owner since ’11, I’d love to have one. The N1k doesn’t exactly stir the emotions but it’s perfectly fine for daily commutes. I’m not touring like I used to though unfortunately so can’t justify getting in line for one. Maybe next year.
Love that Cafe. Looks like I’ll be selling my old Sportster and Roadstar when its paid off to fund one.
I have two vintage Kaws (early 80’s) and a ZRX1200R. The Z900 Special Edition looks good. Not getting good vibes from the Cafe Racer version. Tank looks bulbous and the fairing and its curved stripe just look out of place.
Think I’ll stick with my real vintage bikes for now.
Just stare at the 2018 Ninja H2 SX SE for a few moments and you’ll begin to appreciate the proportions of the 2018 Z900RS Café – especially being a ZRX1200R owner and all.
That curved stripe looks rather cartoonish on this bike. I think the designers weren’t around back in the 70’s and have no feel for how a performance bike should look. Fail.
For you, not for me.
They’d better bring that 900 cafe or else –
Just checked the USA website. Five bikes under cloaks. There is hope. Still resentful that they make us wait to see, especially when we get left out of different models so often. I wish they didn’t have to to that, but I’m sure it has to do with what their marketing people tell them to do. I’m sure they’re gauging reactions to the bikes in the US, and there’s almost certainly a lot riding on whether a certain bike will sell in a market this big.
I have read they filed with CARB, so it is coming. No reason to go through that process if it is not coming.
The “retro” styling is so much more appealing than the post modern junk that has plagued Suzuki and Kawasaki for the past several years. I don’t know what they were smoking.
I’d still rather have the “base” Z900 than any of these. On top of the fact that in Canada, the RS models will be $3300-$4000 more expensive… which means they’ll likely be very nearly that much more expensive here. For what? Forks sound a bit better, and radial-mount brakes, and with a detuned engine. That’s still leaving a HECK of a mark-up for a round headlight and ’70s bodywork…
Kawasaki US website reveal December 1.
Asking price for new “900” in Canada is certainly high, major detractor. However, Canadian motorcycle market is tiny when compared with the US and even more so with European one. This is the reason for higher Canadian process, otherwise makers could as well chuck it and go. My guess is that there is no more than couple hundreds of new models sold each year. Used motorcycles market is apparently lot larger.
However, the biggest hurdle for Canadian riders are astronomical and steadily growing insurance premiums. This was one reason, partly for this and in connection with reduced income in retirement I had to scale down form Honda 919 to CB500X. Not to say I am not happy with new choice though. But consider, riding season is just barely 6 months, while you still pay for insurance thru the non-riding season. It kills the sport.
GPZ 900. Is it?
it would be an epic fail if the retro cafe does not come to the states kawasaki…….
The cafe is very nice and the target obvious. Kawasaki Canada should have great sales with it.
The Cafe version is a whopping $4,300 more than the standard Z900! I am disappointed, I had imagined that it might be just a $1,000-1,500 premium.
Its simple. Kawi is trying to attract the new, young rider with the cheap 900 and knows it can get more $$ for the RS from more ‘seasoned’ riders. Expect the gap to narrow under real-world sales conditions…
Good catch Dirck. Kawasaki’s U.K. website is also updated with the full line of 2018 models, including pricing of the Z900RS and the H2GT. Kawasaki USA is strangely silent on any new models. Also, the Long Beach international motorcycle show this weekend is not scheduled to have any truly new Kawasaki models on display (Z900RS, H2SX, etc), while the first major U.K. show this weekend has all the new Kawasaki models. What’s the reason for the silence Kawasaki USA? The Long Beach show supports the largest motorcycle market in the USA (SOCAL), and to not have the full range of 2018 models on display is a significant missed marketing and sales opportunity. In July, Kawasaki personnel and a pair of 2018 Ninja 400s were caught by a Minneapolis news crew filming a commercial, yet 4 months later Kawasaki is still keeping the Ninja 400 existence a secret. Forcing potential consumers to learn about your product by visiting other official Kawasaki country websites, and delaying seeing the product in the flesh, especially in today’s challenging motorcycle market, is a significant squandering of opportunity, goodwill, and common sense.
Please don’t do that.
They should offer the 400 like this too, I prefer small standards so I’m mainly stuck buying old bikes anyway.
The 400 should be a Z400 retro.
Does the RS have the same rear suspension as the crap on the Z900 that is currently being recalled. Probably no mention of that on Kaws Canadian website.
As a cheap Canadian I do like the bikes but not at that price. I agree with fellow Americans they should be around the $10,000 mark. Our used bike market is amazing, lots of amazing bikes with little mileage due to our winters for half price or less. I agree, I will wait until they start showing up in the used market. Bikes are things people get bored with quickly as the next greatest one is always just a season away.
Hmmm…I have a splendid 2004 Triumph Sprint RS with custom paint, GSXR USD forks, Ohlins shock… I love this motorcycle and will keep it forever. I disagree that people get bored with them quickly. I think if you find a motorcycle that works well and you’ve spent some time and money to make your own, you bond.
That’s why you see lots of late model low mileage bikes farkled to death going cheap. It also why you see people bragging that they’ve had 50,60,70 80 motorcycles.People DO get bored easily. Motorcyclists are transients always looking for the next great motorcycle they think is going to make them happy. They buy it, they farkle the snot out of it, then they decide something else would make them even happier and start the process all over again. I don’t think that’s news to anybody.
The guy that rides the same bike for 10-15 years..that’s the rare motorcyclist.
re: “Motorcyclists are transients”
hobos, vagabonds, wanderers, earth walkers like Caine in Kung Fu.
Don’t forget Jules (“The path of the righteous man…”)
That will be me then…Mr “Rare Motorcyclist”. Bought my Guzzi in 2004, its been a great bike and taken me all over the UK and into a nice bit of Europe, see no need to change and don’t have the desire to. I make my own interest.
I’ve had my wee-strom for 5 years now and could easily ride it another 5… You are not as rare as you think. Its mostly these spoiled baby-boomers who brag about their 40+ bikes…
So how is it that you identify as both a Canadian and a American?
North American
The gap between Z900 and Z900RS pricing is huge, like nearly $4,000. Sure the RS definitely has some upgrades over the 900 (radial mount calipers, traction control, higher quality finishes and other components), but are there $4,000 worth? OK, $3,200 between the Z900ABS and Z900RS. The RS SE model (orange/brown) is another few hundred bucks.
Z900ABS: $9,799
Z900RS: $12,999
The H2SX pricing is not unreasonable, but I really can’t see myself spending that kind of money on a bike anytime soon.
Modern day ELR. Like what I see so far. Seeing it in the flesh will be the deciding factor. If Honda could bring out a CB900F Spencer replica in silver, I’d be all over it. Suzuki could bring out a Cooley replica for the lovers of Suzuki. Not sure what Yamaha could hang their hat on. This could be the start of something. Modern bikes with a hint of classic style. Sure it won’t happen but a guy can dream.
The 400 sure appears to be a good deal. I live in the Sierra foothills so narrow, winding roads are just outside my door. The 400 would surely be a lot of fun.
I rode a 250 in the hills around Stafford Springs CT. It was amazing. Perfect.
RS too much money, S/B under $10,000. Good luck.
Is that Canuck café model a nod to Yvonne Duhamel? That would be a nice thing to do. He was badass!
Wait a minute, the price on the Ninja 400 on the Canadian website can’t be correct. 5.999 Cadian comes out to a tad bit over $4,700 in U.S. dollars. How can that possibly be correct?
Rarely is the pricing of the same product in two different markets merely a matter of straight currency conversion.
Going back to high school Econ class, a product’s price is set where the supply and demand curves meet (or where the seller predicts they will meet). Different markets are…well…different, and they will have different supply and demand curves due to differences in consumer preferences, different regulatory constraints, different labor costs within the supply chain, etc, etc. Pricing disparities between two countries (even those in close proximity) are common.
I agree, but this isn’t comparing U.K. to U.S. prices. Canada and the U.S. wouldn’t have that much of a price difference. It seems fishy to me.
Put the foot pegs/controls where they belong, near the crank, and I would buy a Z900RS SE.
Close but no cigar. Very close.
Maybe on a bicycle
Near the crank? Sir, you’re in the wrong aisle. This isn’t a cruiser…
Crotch rocket placement of feet under arse is not sensible for the street, any more than feet foward cruiser. Dirt bikes demand control under all conditions of operation, which in the real world of street riding can save that arse, that rocket riders are so pround to display airbourne. Also check out the original Z9.
the Zed Cafe and Honda’s CB are literally duking it out for world supremacy. the Honda design is cleaner but the Zed engine (even with less displacement) is sure to have more character. pick your poison.
one glass of Kawasaki Koolaid, please!
Nope, don’t like the look of that fairing. The stripe is not right and the opening for the headlight looks to large. The standard model looks better. A different color without the stripe might look fine but not this one.
Yes, you are correct. Seat is a bit clunky too. Could be fixed though. And where are the wire wheels? I think I liked this concept version of the cafe racer better but closer to the iconic brown/orange paint instead of green.
https://auto.ndtv.com/news/kawasaki-z900rs-may-be-launched-in-two-variants-1762424
I’m OK with the stripe, it has the 70’s vibe for sure. The large headlight looks purposeful. I think the old Yamaha SECA had a big light also. That seat doesn’t seem to go with the theme of this bike though. not sure why it sticks out to me as it isn’t offensive, just too rounded?
Maybe if we wait long enough, the 80’s style will come back and we’ll see rectangular headlights again.
I actually liked the fairing as soon as I saw it. I’m sure they had several drawings of the stripe. That was the least of my concerns. The seat looks wonky but at least a passenger could be somewhat comfortable back there.
Agreed on both the fairing and the stripe. And what’s with that seat strap?
Um, the color is actually brown and orange.
Hate to beat a dead horse here but the Z900 needs 18″ hoops.
Screw the lack of tire choices.
Why? So it’ll handle like an old bike too?
…and bias-ply tires with lots of tread blocks, wire spoke wheels with tubes, carburetors, single-piston brakes, and “standard” forks (preferably 37mm or smaller).
Don’t forget the steel fenders, and allen screws that rust the first time it rains…
And really, if you want to go honest retro, don’t you want a 19″ front wheel? Come on, now…
Allen screws? No real retro’s use JIS screws that get chewed up and rust the first time they’re touched with a Phillips screwdriver.
Sir: How dare you steal the characters from my keyboard!
Yes, dual 18s, F and R. +1″ diameter adds only 1/2″ of radius/air space between the inner rim and sprocket/brake rotors, but it’s just enough to make the bike look lighter on its feet, more like it’s flying even when parked.
I studied up close several classic bikes with dual 18s and/or dual 19s, and it finally dawned on me how much this improved the cosmetic design: Norton Commando, Triumph X (can’t recall the year/model), and Moto Guzzi’s original V7 Sport. My late friend/pro machinist at work owned and painstakingly restored all the above, including an original Norton John Player Special (an even better car collection.)
Circa late ’15-16 Dirck posted a nice little article Re. a highly modified Suzuki DR-Z400. IIRC it was originally an S model, possibly an SM. The mods were very tasteful, including dual 18″ spokes w/alloy rims, which added to the cosmetic look. If someone finds it, please post the URL.
After reading all or most of the comments, I have to say that overall I like both the Kawi models, likely the RS better. Re. the spirited comments here Re. the RS: In an old Andy Griffith episode, Deputy Barney Fife calls a restaurant in Mt. Pilate to make reservations to impress his new girl friend (in real life Don Knotts was a lady’s man). Barney tells the restaurant guy to “Put your best red wine on ice.” Silence while Barney listens to the reply, obviously correcting Barney that red wine is served at room temp, to which Barney replies, undaunted at the rebuke, “Well, it’s a matter of taste.” (James Roday, playing Shawn Spencer in Psyche, gives homage to Knott’s genius, with his ubiquitous line when busted saying something stupid, “I’ve heard it both ways.”)
IMO the new RS mimics the mid-late 60s Kawis more than the early 70s and the Eddie Lawson Replica. At first I thought I would prefer more of the ELR vibe, as some have stated, but I’m already getting used to this older look including the stripe. Again, dual 18s would be an improvement and look more classic, and maybe a flat seat, even if the seat had a slight rise toward the rear.
I would bet one of the reasons they did not do the ELR look is that Kawi already had several years of 1100 and 1200cc bikes mimicking the original.
Here it is, you lazy bum! http://www.motorcycledaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/093016top-i.jpg
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2016/09/stunning-conversion-of-suzuki-single-by-australian-customizer/
The cosmetic design is strong with this one, even if I would prefer more power than the stock motor. Tell me the dual 18″ wheels aren’t sweet!
That’s amazing. I check out Bike EXIF all the time.
I shore dooo like that Special Edition …
If I was in the mood to buy a retro bike, I think Kawasaki has done a better job of styling than the other Japanese companies with the exception of the Honda CB1100.
when will they be available in the usa ?
Drop a handful of Pick-up-stix. Draw an outside line around the mess, add 2 wheels. Viola, Ninja bodywork.
hmmm, viola is a musical instrument. Voila is the proper exclamatory 😉
how ’bout a 400, 500, or 600 SE for us old, wimpy riders?
Seriously? You must be thinking Yamahas FZ family.
re: “viola is a musical instrument”
she’s my dental hygienist, always on about flossing.
Now all we need are tons of new riders to buy the RS as garage queens so I can pick one up on the cheap in 3 years on C-list…
it’s me or the black and red z900 it’s the most spiritual one? like in be your other half, hand on er throttle discovering how beautiful life is…
The green does it for me. OMG. Beautiful.
The 900s, especially the cafe racer, are sweet. The Ninjas, meh, it’s already been done, boring angle line exercises to excess.
+1