Copenhagen-based custom motorcycle builder WrenchMonkees brings Japanese power to the world of café racers with their Monkee number 2. Although it started life as a Kawasaki Z1000 A, there’s little left of the original bike, not even the engine. This was replaced with that of a Z1000 J model, which was upgraded to around 110-115 hp by fitting a 1075cc Wiseco piston kit.
The café racer image was achieved with the use of a Norton fuel tank and a Ducati Monster headlight while the rest of the body parts, but also the mufflers, LED rear light and even the custom paint wear the WM fingerprint.
We can’t help but think about the uncomfortable riding position, read the specs again and appreciate the fact that it has a big engine as well as a retro look until finally reaching to the conclusion that this may very well be something that our favorite Hollywood star would ride to the studios everyday.
WrenchMonkees clearly has a passion for bringing old classic roadsters back to a new kind of glory by using a few tricks that they have in their sleeves. For instance, this Kawasaki Z1000 A now benefits of 105 hp as a result of installing a 1075cc Wiseco piston kit to the original motor, which is now fed by Z1000 J carburetors and filters air using K&N pieces.
The Copenhagen-based custom builder has the tendency to turn every bike into a café racer and this one looks, sounds and we reckon it performs as one too. Most likely, the sports bike front suspension and custom rear shocks also bring a major contribution to what looks to be a very angry piece of machinery.
Stylistically, the WM fingerprint is left by the all-new tail and seat as well as by the custom paintjob. Ride this bike like you stole it and people will believe you actually did simply because they would have probably done the same thing if they were you.
Kawasaki has recently launched their all-new 2010 Z1000 super naked and while the opinions of fans vary from “aggressive and powerful” to “it could have shown better build quality”, nobody will ever call this motorcycle dulling. Kawasaki claims this is their stripped-down Ninja ZX-10R and while that’s an ostentatious way of putting things, we’ll talk about its most important features and much more after the break. > More
Although it was announced just yesterday – when we published the official pics and gone through some of its details – we can already say the new 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 is the kind of bike you either love or have, but you definitely don’t consider negligible amount. Making sure that it goes directly to your heart is this official video, the easiest way to present the only truly new Kawasaki street bike among the four announced so far. Check it out.
Kawasaki starts the week at full throttle and releases the first photos and info regarding four of their 2010 street models, the Ninja ZX-10R, Z1000, Concours 14 and Versys. We have come to find that they are a bit retained with the upgrades, something that defines their strategy in the uncertain times that we’re traversing.
The best example in this concern is definitely the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, which gets the looks of its middleweight brother, the ZX-6R, and an 18-position Ohlins steering damper. I believe it’s in vain mentioning how much more we were expecting considering the competition in this class, but in the end 200bhp is nothing to laugh at.
At least Kawasaki doesn’t break the “all-new 2010 Z1000” promise and the new bike will be powered by a 1,043cc inline-four engine developing 136bhp and 81lb/ft of torque. The frame is now made of aluminum while the suspension and brakes are new as well and the thing has a dry weight of 436.9lbs (198.2kg). The 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 also looks new, but that doesn’t necessarily mean better. It should make a statement against motorcycles such as the Ducati Streetfighter and MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR, but definitely not at a first glance.
The 2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 gets traction control and a fuel economy mode as well as anti-lock brakes and a much more appealing design.
At the bottom of our list is the new Kawasaki Versys, which gets a new strange headlight and what we dare calling a facelift. Powered by the same 62bhp 649cc parallel-twin, this versatile middleweight motorcycle
should now be an even sweeter ride thanks to the new footpegs with rubber inserts, clearly a nice touch claimed to reduce vibrations.
Expect to read more about each model on this page in the next couple of days.
Turning a 1980s Kawasaki Z 1000 J into a café racer doesn’t sound like the easiest task for custom bike builders and while you’ll normally get only visual changes, in this case we’re talking about a whole different bike. Forget about the classic roadster look of the Kawi Z 1000 J, which came as a response to Honda’s CB900, and let yourself be introduced to this low, aggressive and most likely pretty uncomfortable ride signed by WrenchMonkees.
First and foremost, the original 998cc air-cooled, four-stroke, transverse four-cylinder, DOHC with two valves per cylinder engine now displaces 1170cc thanks to a Wiseco piston kit, which raises the standard engine’s 102 hp to an impressive 140 hp. So that’s what the aggressive looks and Brembo brakes are there to cope with.
No doubt about it, this is a ride meant to stand out. It rolls on 17-inch Excel wheels, features custom paint and a whole bunch of WM components among which the fairing, aluminum tank, seat and tailunit are the most important. For more details, read the specs after the break.
According to MotoRevue, Kawasaki plans to revamp their Z 1000 streetfighter, which will be soon presented.
The bike is supposed to be powered by the latest ZX-10R engine, replacing the one developed from the much older ZX-9R. The extra horsepower and torque sure has to be celebrated with a radical, even sharper design and this rendering by Jérôme Vannesson shows just how the next generation model might look. We can only hope it will do so.
Kawasaki updated the ante in the naked bike arena with the entrance of the Z1000. Beyond its muscular torque delivery and radical styling, the Z1000 dishes out a visceral riding experience. This purpose-built Kawasaki is equally at home in the garages of both practical motorcyclists - simply seeking a smile-producing weekend ride and owners desiring a bike that doesn’t fit the norm. > More
Kawasaki engineers have literally upped the ante in the naked bike arena with the introduction of the newly-redesigned 2007 Z1000. Offering both increased performance and the styling to complement the visceral riding enjoyment it provides, this purpose-built Kawasaki is sure to find a home in the garages of both practical motorcyclists-and those simply seeking a smile-producing weekend ride. > More
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