Icon’s penchant for intriguing custom projects often involving old bikes is old news, but the latest machine added to the roster is really newsworthy. There are a lot of riders who don’t know that all the Kawasaki Ninja madness started back in 1984, with a bike called GPZ900R, which later became the Ninja that kicked off a new era. A rare presence in the western markets, the initial GPZ900R fell in the hands of Icon and was transformed into the Old Ghost, a bike which sets the streets on fire just like it used to 30 year ago.
The old Kawasaki received an extended swingarm manufactured by Roaring Toyz and an Ohlins TTX rear shock absorber to match the new stance of the superbike and provide present-day race-grade damping and road contact. New billet wheels replaced the stock ones and Avon tires were mounted on them, with a Regina racing grade chain transferring the power from the upgraded engine to the rear hub.
A Wiseco big bore kit was used to add more nerve to the old GPZ900R, with K&N high-performance filters used to provide better air flow, especially since the exhaust was upgraded to a Racefit one. A dry break tank was also installed for easy and quick fill-ups and a solid racer look, while a new bodywork stressed out the mean nature of the (no longer) green beast, and the single projector headlight in the front cowl added a dash of old-school endurance racing vibe.
The Old Ghost is most likely more nervous than the stock GPZ900R, and would effortlessly compete with other machines in the segment. Too bad this is a one-off build, but with the recipe sketched out by Icon, maybe other old Ninjas could relive their youth’s glory. Here’s how the Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja 30th Anniversary looks like, the grand-grand-son of the Old Ghost.
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