What Kawasaki's would you like in your Garage

There are those who think that if you want to ride a Cruiser then you have to have a Harley. Then there are those who know the truth! The Vulcan gives you a great ride, looks great, is reliable, and gives you everything that a Harley cant. Specifications DIMENSIONS Overall length 2405 mm / 95,7 in – VN900C Custom 2465 mm / 97,0 in – VN900B Classic, VN900D Classic LT Overall width 894 mm / 35,2 in – VN900C Custom 1006 mm / 39,6 in – VN900B Classic, VN900D Classic LT Overall height 1120 mm / 44,1 in – VN900C Custom 1064 mm / 41,9 in – VN900B Classic 1480 mm / 58,3 in – VN900D Classic LT Seat height 685 mm / 27,0 in – VN900C Custom 680 mm / 26,8 in – VN900B Classic, VN900D Classic LT Wheelbase 1646 mm / 64,8 in Ground clearance 140 mm / 5,5 in – VN900C Custom 135 mm / 5,3 in – VN900B Classic, VN900D Classic LT Dry weight Curb (wet) weight 277 kg / 610,8 lbs – VN900C Custom 281 kg / 619,6 lbs – VN900B Classic 298 kg / 657,1 lbs – VN900D Classic LT FRAME Type Double cradle, high-tensile steel Front suspension, travel Telescopic fork 41 mm, 150 mm / 5,9 in Rear suspension, travel Swingarm Uni-trak with mono-shock, 104 mm / 4,1 in Adjustment: spring pre-load, 7-way Front tire size 80/90-21M/C 48H – VN900C Custom 130/90-16M/C 67H – VN900B Classic, VN900D Classic LT Rear tire size 180/70-15M/C 76H Front brake Single disc, 300 mm, 2-piston caliper Rear brake Single disc, 270 mm, 2-piston caliper Fuel capacity 20,0 l / 5,3 US gal Trail 183 mm / 7,2 in – VN900C Custom 160 mm / 6,3 in – VN900B Classic, VN900D Classic LT Fuel economy 4,1 l / 100 km ENGINE Type Liquid-cooled 4-stroke Cylinder arrangement 2-cylinders, V-twin Bore & Stroke 88,0 x 74,2 mm Displacement 903 cm³ (55,1 cu in) Compression ratio 9.5:1 Valve train Chain driven SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Max. power 50,0 hp (37 kW) / 5700 rpm – VN900 (2006-2012) 48,0 hp (35 kW) / 5700 rpm – VN900 (2013+) Max. torque 82 Nm (8,4 kgf*m) / 3700 rpm – VN900 (2006-2012) 78 Nm (8,0 kgf*m) / 3700 rpm – VN900 (2013+) 0 to 100 km/h 5,92 sec Top speed 169 km/h (105 mph) CARBURETION SYSTEM Type Injection, 2x 34 mm ID DRIVE TRAIN Clutch Wet, multi-plate Transmission 5-speed Final drive Belt Primary reduction 2.184 Final reduction 2.063 Gear ratio I II III IV V 2.786 1.889 1.360 1.107 0.963 ELECTRICAL Ignition Transistorized Alternator Three-phase AC, 32A at 5000 rpm Battery capacity 12V-10Ah These are the numbers for the early Vulcan 900 but they have not changed much. Vulcans are not my particular cup of tea but I can certainly see the appeal. Not everyone wants to travel on a missile.

The Z900RS has been one of the most talked about bikes of the last 12 months. Having seen it in the flesh it is certainly a handsome beast. The tail section and paint job harking back to the legendary Z1. Here in the Philippines I have seen several so it would appear to have impressed some. It has plenty of power, good handling and retro looks. All the test seem to be full of praise except for a snatchy throttle. This seems to be an increasingly common issue with newer bikes and is down to meeting Euro emission regulations. There are many Z1 details apart from the Tail and paint, there are also the dials, the mirrors, the fake fins, the alloys that look like spokes, the seat but elsewhere the bike has all the latest electronic aids that are now considered mandatory. I also really like the Z900RS Cafe but I am not sure that it will be sold here in the Philippines. Shame!! Specifications: Kawasaki Z900RS Engine 948cc liquid-cooled DOHC four-cylinder (Z1 was 903cc air-cooled) Power 110bhp (82kW) @ 8,500rpm (Z1 made 81bhp) Torque 72.6lb-ft (98.5Nm) @ 6,500rpm (Z1 made 54.2lb-ft) Bore x stroke 73.4x56.0mm (Z1 was 66x66mm) Frame Tubular diamond with extruded aluminium swingarm Front suspension Fully adjustable fork Rear suspension Single shock adjustable for rebound damping and preload (Z1 had twin shocks) Front brakes 2x267mm discs with radially-mounted four-piston Monobloc calipers and radial master cylinder (Z1 had one 290mm disc with a single-piston caliper, but the option of a second disc and caliper on the right, though the master cylinder had to also be replaced for it to work properly) Rear brake 216mm disc and single-piston caliper (Z1 had a 200mm drum) Tyres: 120/70 ZR17 front, 180/55 ZR17 rear (Z1 had a 19” front and 18” rear wheel) Seat height 835mm Tank size 17litres (Z1 was 18litres) Kerb weight 215kg (Z1 was 246kg)

A bike men rode, a fearsome reputation both for it performance and its ability to dump riders on its backside. Here was a bike that along with the Mach 2 started a long tradition of Kawasaki performance bikes. Engine: Air-cooled, two-stroke, transverse three-cylinder, Engine capacity: 748 cc (45.65 cubic inches) Bore x Stroke: 71 x 63 mm Compression Ratio: 7.3:1 Induction: 3x 30 mm Mikuni carbs Starting and ignition: Kick start battery and coil Max Power: 74 hp (55 kW) @ 6800 rpm Max Torque: 7.9 kg-m @ 6500 rpm Transmission: 5-speed, chain drive. Frame: Double tubular steel cradle Front: Suspension: Telescopic hydraulic forks Rear Suspension: Dual shocks, Swing arm Brakes: Single disc (front) Drum brake (rear) Dry-Weight 205 kg (423 pounds) Fuel Capacity: 17 liters (4.49 gallons) The H-2 was comparison tested by Cycle magazine in 1973 against the Ducati 750 , the Honda CB750, the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1000, the Kawasaki Z1 , the Triumph Trident 750, and the Norton Commando 750. The competition consisted of acceleration, braking distance, and road race course lap-times. Each test was run several times including 10 attempts at a fastest road course time. The H2 was the fastest accelerating machine, posting the fastest 1/4 mile run on a drag strip. Experts were surprised at the other results. Despite an uncomfortable feel and slight front wheel hop under hard braking and not giving the sensation of stopping particularly fast it had the shortest stopping distance and highest braking G load of all the bikes. On the road course, despite what had been heard and written about its ill handling, frame flexing and the supposed tendency to speed wobble exiting high speed turns, it was tied for the fastest lap time with the Kawasaki Z-1 to the tenth of a second. Overall the Kawasaki H-2 750 had the lowest ET, second-highest quarter-mile speed, the fastest lap time, the strongest braking force, the highest torque and horsepower readings on the dynamometer, the highest power-to-weight ratio, the lowest price and scored by points for performance was by far the least expensive per unit displacement [1] In 1975 Cycle World tested the H2 Mach IV's quarter mile at 13.06 seconds 99.55 mph (160.21 km/h), with a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.3 seconds, 0 to 100 mph time of 13.2 seconds, and a top speed of 110 mph (180 km/h). [2] (1) Cycle Magazine 1973, Superbikes 1973 (2) Cycle World Test: Kawasaki Mach IV H2 750; Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty", Cycle World , Newport Beach, California: Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. , pp. 44–49, March 1975, ISSN 0011-4286 A picture of an H2 at the Kobi Kawasaki Museam Japan