Topic: What Motorcycle Have You Been Obsessing About Today?

[DriverJeff]

My BIL picked up one of those (FJR's) a month or so ago for $2500.  Ridden by a 5' woman.  Put $800 into it (fork seals and some other small stuff).  I'd be tempted to fly to NB to pick it up and ride it home if it wouldn't cost more to fly there than the bike would cost to buy.  Would be a fun ride back though.

I was just looking at the Kawis again for shits'n'giggles...always checking the insurance costs 'cause well, ya never know.  And MB's insane.
These two bikes are virtually the same...same power, same chassis (far as I've read/watched anyway)...only real difference being the handlebars, the wee fairing and one being called a "Cafe" model.

This one...$908 to insure for the year:


The Cafe model...$1505 because stupid.

WHAT?!!  That's insanity!  The Cafe is just a styling variation and costs, what, a few hundred bucks more?  The arbitrary nature of Ontario insurance rates is borderline criminal.

[dirtyjeffer]

WHAT?!!  That's insanity!  The Cafe is just a styling variation and costs, what, a few hundred bucks more?  The arbitrary nature of Ontario insurance rates is borderline criminal.

not borderline, it is criminal...the Cafe is just a trim level of the Z900RS series (we talked about liking the SE trim, which is $100 more than the base model for the green/yellow combo)...the Cafe trim is $500 more and you get lower bars and a cafe style front cowl (which is really the only extra thing you are paying for)...engine, brakes, etc are all identical throughout that model series.

[BWII]

WHAT?!!  That's insanity!  The Cafe is just a styling variation and costs, what, a few hundred bucks more?  The arbitrary nature of Ontario insurance rates is borderline criminal.

not borderline, it is criminal...the Cafe is just a trim level of the Z900RS series (we talked about liking the SE trim, which is $100 more than the base model for the green/yellow combo)...the Cafe trim is $500 more and you get lower bars and a cafe style front cowl (which is really the only extra thing you are paying for)...engine, brakes, etc are all identical throughout that model series.

Something just hit me as I was waiting for something to load...it's that they are not 100% identical.  Thought I read/saw/watched somewhere that the Cafe is only 111 HP and the reg non-Cafe one is 125 hp.  I could confirm...but hey, it's more fun tossing out conjecture and having something to discuss, right? 

[dirtyjeffer]

WHAT?!!  That's insanity!  The Cafe is just a styling variation and costs, what, a few hundred bucks more?  The arbitrary nature of Ontario insurance rates is borderline criminal.

not borderline, it is criminal...the Cafe is just a trim level of the Z900RS series (we talked about liking the SE trim, which is $100 more than the base model for the green/yellow combo)...the Cafe trim is $500 more and you get lower bars and a cafe style front cowl (which is really the only extra thing you are paying for)...engine, brakes, etc are all identical throughout that model series.

Something just hit me as I was waiting for something to load...it's that they are not 100% identical.  Thought I read/saw/watched somewhere that the Cafe is only 111 HP and the reg non-Cafe one is 125 hp.  I could confirm...but hey, it's more fun tossing out conjecture and having something to discuss, right? 

no, there shouldn't be any real mechanical differences...just appearance stuff.

i found this online:

The Z900RS Café adds a front cowl, drop-style handlebars, café racer seat, brushed silencer, and a Vintage Lime Green/Ebony paint scheme

[BWII]

You're right...it's the OTHER Z900 that has 125 hp...so many Z's...so so many Z's and Ninjas.  My word they make a lot of variations...
Z900ABS


That one's $1382 for Pleasure...but it's $3200 LESS than the Z900RS Cafe...or $2700-$3000 less then just the RS non-Cafe...

So...if you just got an RS/SE...you pay about $3000 + taxes more for a lesser bike but you save about $475/yr on insurance on a bike that costs more...so 6 yrs of riding to equal out...hmmm...

Broken down:
Z900 ABS w/125 hp cost is $10,399 and $1382 for 1 year insurance (my est. cost - $500 collision & comp ded, $10,000,000 lia) - (a Z650 ABS Supernaked insurance cost is the same...huh...why go little then?)
Z900 RS/SE w/111 hp cost is $13,499 & $908 for same insurance...and the
Z900 RS Cafe cost is $13,899 and $1505 to insure.

[blur911]

You're right...it's the OTHER Z900 that has 125 hp...so many Z's...so so many Z's and Ninjas.  My word they make a lot of variations...
Z900ABS

That one's $1382 for Pleasure...but it's $3200 LESS than the Z900RS Cafe...or $2700-$3000 less then just the RS non-Cafe...

So...if you just got an RS/SE...you pay about $3000 + taxes more for a lesser bike but you save about $475/yr on insurance on a bike that costs more...so 6 yrs of riding to equal out...hmmm...

Broken down:
Z900 ABS w/125 hp cost is $10,399 and $1382 for 1 year insurance (my est. cost - $500 collision & comp ded, $10,000,000 lia) - (a Z650 ABS Supernaked insurance cost is the same...huh...why go little then?)
Z900 RS/SE w/111 hp cost is $13,499 & $908 for same insurance...and the
Z900 RS Cafe cost is $13,899 and $1505 to insure.

I remember getting different prices on my '85 Ninja depending upon what I called it.
It was much cheaper to insure a GPZ900R than a Ninja 900 or a ZX900R

I'd like to take it back to the drag strip one of these years, see if I got faster

[dirtyjeffer]

You're right...it's the OTHER Z900 that has 125 hp...so many Z's...so so many Z's and Ninjas.  My word they make a lot of variations...
Z900ABS


That one's $1382 for Pleasure...but it's $3200 LESS than the Z900RS Cafe...or $2700-$3000 less then just the RS non-Cafe...

So...if you just got an RS/SE...you pay about $3000 + taxes more for a lesser bike but you save about $475/yr on insurance on a bike that costs more...so 6 yrs of riding to equal out...hmmm...

Broken down:
Z900 ABS w/125 hp cost is $10,399 and $1382 for 1 year insurance (my est. cost - $500 collision & comp ded, $10,000,000 lia) - (a Z650 ABS Supernaked insurance cost is the same...huh...why go little then?)
Z900 RS/SE w/111 hp cost is $13,499 & $908 for same insurance...and the
Z900 RS Cafe cost is $13,899 and $1505 to insure.

it's the same engine, so my guess is the RS models are tuned for better TQ down low and a flatter torque curve for more "cruising" style riding...the regular Z900 (sportbike style) is likely tuned for more top end power, so more "sporty", but maybe not as enjoyable as a daily urban commuter (have to wring it out a bit more).

[DriverJeff]

You're right...it's the OTHER Z900 that has 125 hp...so many Z's...so so many Z's and Ninjas.  My word they make a lot of variations...
Z900ABS


That one's $1382 for Pleasure...but it's $3200 LESS than the Z900RS Cafe...or $2700-$3000 less then just the RS non-Cafe...

So...if you just got an RS/SE...you pay about $3000 + taxes more for a lesser bike but you save about $475/yr on insurance on a bike that costs more...so 6 yrs of riding to equal out...hmmm...

Broken down:
Z900 ABS w/125 hp cost is $10,399 and $1382 for 1 year insurance (my est. cost - $500 collision & comp ded, $10,000,000 lia) - (a Z650 ABS Supernaked insurance cost is the same...huh...why go little then?)
Z900 RS/SE w/111 hp cost is $13,499 & $908 for same insurance...and the
Z900 RS Cafe cost is $13,899 and $1505 to insure.

it's the same engine, so my guess is the RS models are tuned for better TQ down low and a flatter torque curve for more "cruising" style riding...the regular Z900 (sportbike style) is likely tuned for more top end power, so more "sporty", but maybe not as enjoyable as a daily urban commuter (have to wring it out a bit more).

I reviewed the Z900RS Cafe a few years ago, and at the time, signed out the Z900RS SE too.  My g/f and I did a multi-day loop through cottage country on them, so I swapped back-to-back a few times.  At the time, it was handlebars, seat and some incidental visual details that differed between them.  The year after, I bought a Z900 (not the retro-style -- the one that looked like an Anime character).  It was a bit more frenetic, but honestly, you'd really need to ride them back to back to notice much difference, or reaaally wring them out.  Both work just fine as daily commuters.  Both work just fine as back-road hooligan bikes.  Honestly, you can't miss with any of them.  Absolutely great machines. 

https://canadamotoguide.com/2018/07/25/test-ride-2018-kawasaki-z900rs-cafe/

and we used the green-and-gold SE as the transport for the mini-series we shot in Japan in autumn '19:

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Into-The-Rising-Sun/0GDRQO1WFGTKG6JV6EUX7J4AZ5

[Jaeger]

I'm officially Z-confused - think I'll stick with the Trident. 

[dirtyjeffer]

I'm officially Z-confused - think I'll stick with the Trident. 

it's pretty common to do with bikes (and cars in some ways)...take a good engine, put it in multiple styles of bikes...so that in-line 4 is used in the "naked street" bikes (Z900RS, Z900RS SE and Z900 RS Cafe)...that engine is also in their "naked sport" bike (Z900)...honda also does it with their 650cc engine used in the CB650R (naked street bike) and CBR650R (sport bike)...it's pretty common to share a powerplant in various versions of a bike to widen the appeal of it (and keeps costs in check).

[Triple Bob]

Some sunday morning old school bike dreaming!
Honda VFR 1200
Honda AfricaTwin XRV 750
Buell XB12
Yamaha MT-01
 

Edit I could go on.
A 90s goldwing with the double wide sidecar for family fun
Ural 2WD just because
XR650L

My wife said we should get a Ural. I said I wouldn't drive anything that made me look like Wallace & Gromit.

[Bubba]

Some sunday morning old school bike dreaming!
Honda VFR 1200
Honda AfricaTwin XRV 750
Buell XB12
Yamaha MT-01
 

Edit I could go on.
A 90s goldwing with the double wide sidecar for family fun
Ural 2WD just because
XR650L

My wife said we should get a Ural. I said I wouldn't drive anything that made me look like Wallace & Gromit.

Why not? 

[Arthur Dent]

From everything I have heard only but a Ural if you enjoy repairing one too

[Triple Bob]

Wallace and gromit are me cool cartoon.  Or playdough i should say.

From everything I have heard only but a Ural if you enjoy repairing one too

I'm assuming you meant 'buy' Arthur. No idea what WP is saying though... 

[BWII]

I really like this one...and they're often not that expensive either.

Probably has some pretty good hustle too.  And, it looks as good without the bags as it does with.  Some others don't look good bagless.

[BWII]

And again we/you get screwed on insurance here in MB.  It's the same bike as an FJ1300 right? (has the same M.O. - it's purpose is no different etc. etc.)
2010 VFR1200 = $1510 w/33% discount, say it falls in the $4-8,000 value range.
2010 FJR1300 = $971 - all else the same.

[TheHire]

I was on the press launch for the VFR800 around 2015 or so. Brilliant, brilliant bike. I'd rock one and it would be a forever kind of bike for me.

[rrocket]

I was on the press launch for the VFR800 around 2015 or so. Brilliant, brilliant bike. I'd rock one and it would be a forever kind of bike for me.

Great bike!!

Spent some seat time on one during a summer...had pipes, so it sounded glorious.

I'm guessing it was pre-2015 even, as the VFR800 hasn't been here for awhile IIRC.

[dirtyjeffer]

i used to have what you can say was it's predecessor...a VF1000 (Honda Interceptor 1000)...back in it's day, it was pretty kick ass.

[rrocket]

Those were cool...