Could the Kawasaki GPZ900R make a comeback?
A short video has been posted on the Kawasaki YouTube channel showing the retro sports motorcycle as it changed over the years
RETRO-STYLED yet sporty motorcycles are a bit of a thing at the moment. We already have the Kawasaki Z900 RS from Team Green, and then Suzuki have the GSX-S1000 based Katana within the fold.
And it seems that Kawasaki isn’t quite finished with the category of the retro sportsbike yet, if this computer-generated image is anything to go by! It comes courtesy of our friends from Young Machine and is accompanied by a curious video on the Kawasaki YouTube channel – more about that in a minute though.
First off, the image is a computer-generated (CG) jobbie, created by somebody in the Young Machine office or very close to it. It’s not an official Kawasaki leak, but that doesn’t mean it should be discounted. Young Machine seem to have a knack getting these kinds of images just right (remember the first time we covered the ZX-25R?), it’s fairly plausible that the magazine has some info coming in from most of the major Japanese players with this kind of thing.
The second item that makes us think there could be something to this bike, is a strange video posted to the Kawasaki YouTube channel. The video – shown above – gives us a rundown of the GPZ900R, with all the subtle changes that are made to a motorcycle through its production life.
Why else would Kawasaki post the video is they weren’t at least trying to gauge public opinion on a potential revival?
So, what could a Kawasaki GPZ900R in the modern age look like?
Pretty good by all accounts! It’s fairly obvious to deduce that the bike is based around the Z900/Z900 RS models already in the Kawasaki line-up, from the machine has a new fuel tank, retro-styled and fairly accurate GPZ front headlight cowl and of course, that 80’s spec seat!
From there the rendering goes a little bit awry, missing off the fairing sides of the original that flank the front portion of the engine, but we’re splitting hairs really. Overall we think it looks pretty damn sweet!
Do you think the GPZ900R reboot is a welcome return to the Kawasaki line-up? Or should the Z900 RS be enough to satisfy our retro cravings?
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
