One of my friends just got one of those Kawasaki Z900 bikes and he LOVES IT.

I prefer the Kawasaki

I've been eyeing that FTR 1200 lately. Seems very nice.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
One of my friends just got one of those Kawasaki Z900 bikes and he LOVES IT.

Can you ask him to expand on "Loves it". I'm really curious what his pros and cons are for the bike.

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Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
I tore the streets up back in the day on a KZ-900 with a Kerker header and Cibie halogen headlight.

Back in the day, when I was too young to ride a streetbike, there was a local guy that had a KZ650 with a Kerker. Every night when he got off work around 11pm, I would hear him speed shift that bike. An inline 4 hitting redline, with the appropriate exhaust, makes beautiful music.

I can still hear that song to this day...

Good on you returning to riding (and I am hoping to do the same a few years or so down the road)!

If you are going to have a passenger on occasion it looks like the Kawasaki has a little more room on the saddle.

Make your choice on whichever one ‘moves’ you more over the other.

‘A reason to not buy one or the other’ as your thread is titled -

Would be if the lattice ‘frame’ under the saddle of the Indian were metal / functional, or just molded plastic for ‘looks’.

If it’s a toss-up at that point then pick the one with the most bad-assed snarl at WOT!!

Tough choice.

I LOVE the look of the Indian except for those humungous mufflers. Yep, they're necessary to meet noise and pollution standards, I get that, but damn!

Given an aftermarket exhaust and some other farkles, (and your money...) that'd be my choice.

I'm still in love with my FJ tho. REALLY trying to squeeze one more ride in before hibernation but the damn weather is NOT cooperating.

I owned a GS1100 back when Kawasaki made the KZ1000, and I vote for the Kawasaki. It looks really great, and I am sure it will ride very well. Love the retro colors.

Have you looked at the BMW RnineT Scrambler? I am considering it.

Well I had one of those Kaw’s a ‘76 model, so I am certainly biased. No doubt it would handle and perform quite well.

The Indian has stirred something in me from the first time I saw photo releases.

I would sit them both and decide which fit me at 6’4” that is a real factor.

Both are nice bikes and both are very capable so it's a tough decision which bike to buy. The Kawasaki looks good and the styling appealing but the Indian in my opinion has a bit more appeal and doesn't look like every other bike on the road. I briefly considered the Z900RS but passed because I didn't need a forth bike and couldn't afford insurance on a 4th bike but the price was right. Test ride both, look at maintenance costs, length of warranty, cost to insure, cash rebates/financial incentives from the factory before making a decision. Between the two I'd go with the Indian because I think the styling is more unique than than the Z900. Good luck and ride safe

I just think a single muffler placed traditionally, more along the line of the KZ900 would look better. My hunch is the stacked mufflers are for styling effect, like Harley did with their XR1200. They could get as much volume with a single muffler slightly larger than one of the stacked ones. And why point the things up in the air? KTM does that a lot and it's the one thing I dislike on my 790 Duke. But that's me, maybe most people like mufflers to be more vertical.

I had an Indian Scout and an Indian Springfield and loved them both. Riding a T120 Bonneville now and love it too. I think between the two I'd go for the Kawi just because I'm not sure of Indian's future and from a service standpoint the Z seems better in the future.

Of the two, I'd buy the Kawasaki Z900rs based on looks alone. I haven't ridden either, but the Indian has 20% more torque, bigger brakes, lower seat height (I have short legs), lower center of gravity.

However, I'd rather own a Yamaha than a Kawasaki and Yamaha's retro XSR900 is $2k cheaper. It's 2 less hp but 7.5 more ft lbs of torque.

A friend of mine test rode the Indian. Really liked it.
He ended up buying the Kaw. He got a really good deal on it.
Of the two I bet you could get a good deal on a used kaw that
has been really babied.
Both of us are huge Triumph Street Triple fans.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Of the two, I'd buy the Kawasaki Z900rs based on looks alone. I haven't ridden either, but the Indian has 20% more torque, bigger brakes, lower seat height (I have short legs), lower center of gravity.

However, I'd rather own a Yamaha than a Kawasaki and Yamaha's retro XSR900 is $2k cheaper. It's 2 less hp but 7.5 more ft lbs of torque.

I'm 6'0" 34" inseam (pant size) & can't flat foot the FTR.
Local dealer had a NOS FTR base for just under 10k.

For me, I prefer inline to v-twin & a triple has quite a soundtrack.

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Originally posted by ridewv:
I just think a single muffler placed traditionally, more along the line of the KZ900 would look better. My hunch is the stacked mufflers are for styling effect, like Harley did with their XR1200.

I could enjoy an XR in orange and black. I just don't ride enough to justify a second bike and I still prefer the bagger.

Back in the mid 70s I had a 73 Kaw Z1 900 and I have fond memories so I'd go with the Kaw but I like the Indian, too.

Got rid of my last bike when the kid was born, and due to my stroke I can’t ride one anymore for safety issues...sigh...I miss the freedom of riding though.

I like the looks of the Kawasaki, but am not a fan of the paint...RC Cola Blue and that’s a winner. Don’t like the muffler on the Indian.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
However, I'd rather own a Yamaha than a Kawasaki and Yamaha's retro XSR900 is $2k cheaper.

I strongly looked at and considered a XSR900, but it just doesn't seem retro to me like the two aforementioned bikes do. It gets great reviews and appears to be an excellent bike, but it just doesn't cause my heart rate to jump like the Kawi and Indian do.

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Originally posted by MikeinNC:
I like the looks of the Kawasaki, but am not a fan of the paint...RC Cola Blue and that’s a winner.

In 2017 (I believe) Kawasaki offered the z900RS in metallic Root Beer. That color really harkens back to the 70's Z1. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it.

Torque or (I'm guessing) top end?

If the Kawasaki were a triple the entire question would be moot. As it stands, though, the Kawasaki's shorter wheelbase and lighter weight suggest to me that riding it on a regular basis would be more fun and less effort than would be the case with the Indian.