Late last year, Kawasaki uploaded a video to its official YouTube channel showing a timeline of the iconic GPZ900R, fueling rumours that a GPZ nameplate revival could be on the horizon.
It may be wishful thinking at this stage, however, BeMoto contributor Kardesign has provided a glimpse at what an all-new GPZ might look like.
The renderings imagine a GPZ1000R, drawing power from Kawasaki’s supercharged H2 engine, however, a more likely candidate for a new GPZ would be the brand’s 948cc naturally-aspirated engine as found in the Z900 naked bike range.
This platform led to the release of the heritage-inspired Z900RS, which harks back to the legendary 1972 Z1, with styling elements like a round headlight, spoke-style cast wheels, and a teardrop tank.
It stands to reason that Kawasaki could pull the same trick and fit the afformentioned platform with 80’s style GPZ design cues, with a square headlight and sharp, angular body elements.
Performance would be strong, too, with outputs of 83kW/98Nm, and modern features like traction control, rider modes and a lightweight trellis frame.
A new GPZ would be a natural rival to Suzuki’s updated Katana, which borrows design cues from the original 1981 GSX1100S Katana with a unique screen, fuel tank, decals, and rectangular headlight.
Though it sports a retro design, the Suzuki Katana is based on the modern GSX-S1000 platform, with power coming from a 110kW/108Nm 999cc four-pot.
See Kawasaki’s rumour-sparking Ninja GPZ900R video here.
Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
