Recreating the legendary customs of the 70's! Finned covers with all the details finely tuned!
ARCHI has succeeded in recreating the finned design from the 70's, the heyday of the Z2, for the current Z900RS, which furthers the model's original concept. The highlight is of course the fins, whose design underwent numerous prototypes in pursuit of a sense of unity with the rest of the bike, while also asserting their own presence. It is noteworthy that they are designed to have the same thickness and spacing as the stock cylinder head fins, which creates that sense of unity when installed. In addition, they are bolt-on, easy-fit products, which provide both safety and a dress-up look for the heart of your bike.
Aluminum Finned Dynamo Cover
Part name: Aluminum Finned Dynamo Cover for Z900RS
Part number: 1892411
JAN: 4589641426500
Price: 19,800 JPY (tax included)
Aluminum Finned Clutch Cover Guard
Part name: Aluminum Finned Clutch Cover Guard for Z900RS
Part number: 1892412
JAN: 4589641426517
Price: 23,100 JPY (tax included)
Aluminum Finned Pulsar Cover
Part name: Aluminum Finned Pulsar Cover for Z900RS
Part number: 1892413
JAN: 4589641426524
Price: 20,900 JPY (tax included)
Development Backstory
At the end of 2017, when the Z900RS was introduced, the first thing that came to mind for PMC (a company which produces custom parts for the Z1/Z2 and other classic models) was how to fuse the '70s custom style that was popular with the Z2 into the latest machine. At that time the "ARCHI" brand had not yet been established, but PMC already had an initial plan to produce aluminum finned covers. They first equipped them on their Z1000 MK2 custom which they displayed in 2017. Next, the Green Monster Cafe demo bike exhibited at the 2018 Spring Tokyo Motorcycle Show also sported aluminum finned covers on all the engine parts, and became the center of attention. The covers installed on that bike were made by argon welding 5mm thick aluminum plates one by one to the stock covers, polishing them beautifully, painting them black, and then polishing the fins further. They were completely handmade and required a tremendous amount of time, effort, and cost.
When this current product was first conceived, it was planned to recreate the covers used on the above two custom bikes and make them as replacement parts for the stock covers. However, they ran into four problems...
1. The covers would be difficult to install.
2. They would be very expensive.
3. Since they are a safety-related part, it was necessary to ensure they provided sufficient protection.
4. Adjustment and maintenance would be required after installation.
In order to overcome these four difficulties, around 2021, it was decided to change the design from replacing the original covers to an overguard type.
Common features (points of particular interest)
Identical fin-to-fin spacing to the Z900RS stock engine
In the initial 3D printer prototype stage, the focus was on the beauty of the individual parts, and the spacing of the fins was aligned with that of the cylinder head. (The width of the fin tips was slightly narrower, taking into account the total size.)
However, after trying many patterns while actually installing the parts, they came to the conclusion that the best solution was to have the width and spacing of the polished surfaces of the fins perfectly match the whole bike when installed, rather than just focusing on the appearance of the parts individually. And so, the spacing was redesigned so as not to spoil the uniformity when installed on the Z900RS.
Bringing the texture as close to stock as possible
The texture is made to be as close as possible to the coloring of the stock parts so that nothing looks out of place when installed. The image below is of a prototype, and although it is a little difficult to see, the surface gloss is slightly different. They went through many prototypes before deciding on the exact details, such as the perfect level of gloss.
Keeping the lines parallel to the ground when riding
Although the original plan was for the fins to be at the same angle as the engine fins, that made the bike look off balance, so they were adjusted so that they would be parallel to the ground when the rider is on board.
Tapered sections designed with additional lines
The tapered portion is not finished totally flat, but has fine lines added to enhance the design.
Bolt-on easy fit!
The difficulty of installation, which was one of the problems during development, was solved by making them bolt-on covers. The overguard design also provides a significant advantage in terms of safety.
Positioning of cut and finish of back side
The guard does not cover the entire surface, but rather is cut to enhance the custom look. The top and rear also have a detailed design, often left out on similar products, that ensures this product is unique. In addition, the back of the cover is precisely finished to fit on the stock parts, achieving a flawless form.
