For a few months now I have been hooked on the videos they record at the Café Grand Prix in Tsumagoi, in Gunma prefecture. Japanese bikers from all over the country come to the place to have a snack and talk about what they are most passionate about in general: the world of two wheels. I imagine them these days chatting about one of the latest projects to come out of the AC Sanctuary facilities, this one Kawasaki KZ1000 MkII RCM-692.
It is not the first time that the employees of the legendary establishment record some specimen arriving or leaving its facilities born from the hands and talent of Hiroyuki Nakamura, founder of the brand. The crux of the matter is how, evolution after evolution, for decades, the RCM series continues to maintain undaunted the initial philosophy from which it was born where, cutting-edge craftsmanship and technology come together in communion to give life to these very high-level preparations.
Kawasaki KZ1000 MkII RCM-692: “vintage functionality”
Nakamura himself says that this RCM-692 MK2 is finished with a “style that perfectly embodies the essence of bespoke craftsmanship”. And he is right; You just have to take a quick look at its lines to confirm this idea. Starting from the fact that we are looking at a motorcycle with almost half a century of life, AC Sanctuary once again shows us how full functionality can be achieved in a project. vintage of this type.
To do this, and following their well-known restoration procedure, they completely disassembled the motorcycle to blast the chassis and reinforce it in those parts where a greater degree of rigidity is required. From here begins a titanic task that consists of rebuilding the motorcycle, improving the technical aspect as much as possible, but with one unbreakable rule throughout the process: keeping the essence of the motorcycle original.
In this sense, this KZ1000 MkII RCM-692 includes, among other improvements:
- 17” OZ Racing GP-8R wheels (6” wide rear)
- Sculpture monobloc swingarm made of 7N01 alloy
- Dunlop Q5A Tires
- Daytona RCM Concept Seat
- RCM Concept Handlebar
- Green paint and bronze wheels
- Various component in CNC, etc.
On this occasion, Nakamura’s team has worked hard to rebuild the mechanics. The well-known 1,105 cc air-cooled four-cylinder engine has been completely updated. He explains himself when detailing the changes and improvements made to this engine:
“We have put maximum effort into this engine. The completely rebuilt crankshaft allows the engine to run smoothly and with low vibration”. It also features a new close-ratio 6-speed transmission, Kougay assisted slipper clutch, and a trochoidal oil pump. But this is not all, since the original pistons and valves have been replaced with larger ones and new invoices signed by DINKS.
This, together with the installation of high-performance camshafts, and the machining of many of the engine’s internal components result in superior performance in any rev range. Hiroyuki concludes by explaining, “The RCM-692 MK2 incorporates countless technical and functional improvements. Although almost 50 years have passed since the MK2 was manufactured, this latest serial numbered RCM model, meticulously and painstakingly built, runs incredibly well and smoothly.”
