Rumours abound for Kawasaki Z1100 RS model
Sure, the Z900RS looks cool and is fun to ride, but wouldn’t it be nice to have more power?
This may be a case of wishful thinking, but according to German moto magazine Motorrad, the iconic Kawasaki Zephyr is set to be reborn in the form of a Z1100 RS model.
Retro-loving riders have long been pining for a full-fat RS - an ‘all the power’ take on Team Green’s popular Z900RS and Z650RS models.
Motorrad claims it has spotted a “ZRT10GT” model designation in US homologation documents. Usually, such a claim refers to documents from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), whose long-standing tradition of transparency has provided countless scoops for moto-journalists over the years.
However, in searching the database myself, I am unable to find any reference to a “ZRT10GT” model. One recent document confirms the presence of a ZR1100HT model, which most industry watchers assume will be a fire-breathing naked stylistically similar to the existing Z900 and Z650. We told you about that one back in May.
But Motorrad is a pretty well-respected mag. If they say they’ve spotted a ZRT10GT somewhere, who are we to question it?
Motorrad points out that the designation is similar to the one used by Kawasaki for its Zephyr models (ZRT10A, ZRT10B, and ZRT10C) in the 1990s. Interestingly, the Zephyr was also a retro-styled model, harkening back to Kawasaki’s late-70s.early-80s glory days. So, if the ZRT10GT actually exists and turns out to be an RS model, what we have here is a case of the snake eating itself.
It is the perfect motorcycle for this period in history where seemingly all content is just an AI version of previous AI versions of past things.
One assumes that, like the Zephyr 1100 of old - and existing RS models - the Z1100RS would be built around an existing platform. In this case: the 1099cc inline four powerplant that drives the Ninja1100 SX and Versys 1100 models. In both those cases, the engine churns out peak power outputs of around 134 bhp and 83 lb-ft of torque.
Do you need that much wallop on an easy-breezy retro? Maybe not. Precedent suggests that Kawasaki would ease the power output somewhat. For example: the same engine that delivers roughly 122 bhp in the Z900 is tamed to 109 bhp in the Z900RS.
You’ll find plenty of AI videos “confirming” the existence of the Z1100RS online, but outside of Motorrad reliable info is hard to find. If such a bike exists, we likely won’t see it until at least this year’s EICMA.
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
