This beautiful Kawasaki Z900A5 looks quite original at first glance, but look further and you will see that it’s been updated and improved in key areas. But, in essence, it looks like a Z900A rather than the final year of Z900, the A5. I have put some miles, and had some great adventures, on this classic Japanese motorcycle.
One night I rode, with my then girlfriend, about one hundred miles to Burnham-on-Sea near Bristol. We got caught in the most incredible downpour after Exeter and decided to push on rather than return home. I had only bought the bike two days prior, so was unfamiliar with its shortcomings, which needed attention. The sun went down, our leathers were drenched, as we had left our waterproofs at home, because it had been one of the few gorgeous sunny days of spring 2012. After a while, the indicators gave up, then the main beam on the headlight, so we had to ride with the high beam on.
The rain became even more torrential and we just realised that we had to laugh or cry. The former ensued, as we passed lorries on the M5 throwing sheets of water over our heavy leathers, which just adhered more to us like hefty wet blankets. Then the bike developed a misfire and would not run properly under about eighty miles an hour, so we had to gun it to Burnham. The high beam then decided to pack up and we were riding in the dark, at no less than eighty miles an hour being hooted by everyone we passed (as if we didn’t know we had no headlight), with only a back light for illumination. We arrived at the party completely drenched like we have never been soaked before in our lives, but we were smiling at the pure adventure and with the adrenalin.
Once I got the bike home, a few days later in daylight, it turned out that the rain was so heavy the headlight had filled up with water, so I made an invisible gasket to avoid future bulb drenchings. The bike not running properly was due to the K and N air filters filling up with water, so a stainless, polished, water shield was fabricated. the indicator relay had just worked loose, probably because the last owner had not pushed it home in the first place, because it never happened again.
The point of this story is that if this Kawasaki Z900 were in completely standard trim, I would have had far greater levels of anxiety over being caught in such a downpour. Would the standard exhaust, the wheel rims, spokes, headlight rim and all of the fastenings start corroding over the weekend? Fortunately, this is no ordinary Z900. The exhausts were replicas and made from thicker steel and with heavier chrome than the standard pipes. They were also designed without the inherent flaw of water condensing from the inside of the pipes due to heat from the exhaust gases, so they don’t rot from inside out. The wheels were built using ally rims and stainless spokes, the headlight is aftermarket and all fastenings stainless steel, so corrosion is never a great worry.
Some other great features of this classic motorcycle are rear disc brake from a Kawasaki Z1000, twin front discs, braided steel brake hoses and Kawasaki GPZ1100 callipers, which make this beast stop, unlike a standard Z. A large box section rear swing arm, upgraded rear shock absorbers, wider wheel rim, fatter rear tyre and modern rear tyre all keeps the back end under control. A sixteen inch front wheel with a wider rim and modern front tyre make cornering a joy. Being a Z900A5 it had the later braced frame, which is more rigid than early Z900s. Finally, the front forks had been pushed through the fork yokes, lowering the front end by about an inch and a half. It also had the original air box removed and replaced by K and N filters and a stunning 1970s style aftermarket saddle. The carbs are jetted up to allow a more free flow of fuel and air to match the air filters.
The result is that this Kawasaki Z900 goes like stink, stops like a modern motorcycle and handles beautifully, unlike a standard Z. It is also practical to ride without causing anxiety over deterioration associated with wet weather that I would suffer with a standard classic motorcycle. This motorcycle has retained spirit of the Kawasaki Z900, has all the character of one yet does not come with the shortcomings of the original. It still turns heads and pulls crowds everywhere. I love standard classic motorcycles, but they do have their shortcomings, as you will see in my blog on my website at Honda CB750K0. To Buy Sandcast or die cast?
The next time I restore a Z900, it will be an A5 done to the same specification as this machine, but with a 1972 Z1 900 green and yellow paint scheme. Until then, I am about to restore a Z900A5 for another client. Once underway I will post pictures of the process and finished project.
These alternative investments are fun, safer than money in the bank, especially in light of the state of banking with impending crisis always threatening. These motorcycles are a great, fun and safe way to invest, especially in a zero interest environment. So whether you go for a bog standard motorcycle or an updated machine based onb the original depends on you. It depends on whether you want to ride your motorcycle and is ==f so, how hard do you want to ride it? Make your choice and enjoy your emerging market classic motorcycle.
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