The Kawasaki Z1 was codenamed "New York Steak" for a reason
Вставка
- Опубліковано 11 січ 2023
- In the late 60s Honda beat Kawasaki in the race to build the first big, inline 4 sportbike. So Kawasaki went back to the drawing board and released the Kawasaki Z1, codenamed "New York Steak."
📚Check out my Children's Motorcycle Book!
rb.gy/bdh14b
Support the channel!
☕ www.buymeacoffee.com/bartcycle
Subscribe for more Motorcycle content! ➔ tinyurl.com/ybuffutr
📷 INSTAGRAM ➔ / bart.cycle
Disclaimer
Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
I do NOT own some or all of the video materials used in this video. In the case of copyright issues, please contact me at bartcyclebusiness@gmail.com for any further action. - Авто та транспорт
In February of 1974, just before graduating high school, I bought a brand new Z-1. Best motorcycle I ever owned. I was like a Timex " took a licking and kept on ticking ". You could do a complete top end job on the engine and never drop it from the frame. In December of 77, a girl made a left hand turn in front of me and I spent the next 13 months, learning how to walk again. Sure do miss that bike.
I had a girlfriend like that Timex
@@kennypool GFs tend to be like that.
You had to take the engine out of the frame on the CB750 to remove the rocker cover.
@@phil6506 I don't think so. At least not on my 82 650/4.
@@kennypool yours is double over head cam. the CB750 was single.You could adjust the valves but you could not remove the rocker cover, my mistake.
I toured all over the western US on my ‘73 Z1. I still have it, it’s sitting in my garage 30 feet from where I’m sitting now.
My Z1 was relieved of duty by a 1984 750 Turbo (the most beautiful motorcycle ever made) and now my street duties are performed by a strong and lovely GPZ1100. 😊
My friend and neighbor Kent graduated high school in 1974. In 75, he bought a brand new Z1. He kept it immaculate, and still has it. His daily driver became a 76 Datsun pickup, that he drove till it rusted to the ground, around 2010. His high school car was a 68 GTO, which he still has. Kent doesn't sell ANYTHING.
Kent sounds like a lucky guy.
@@manstersr born in the right time to get those things for cheap
Lucky man
He "Still Has" his original Z! and a really "Cool Car" a Pontiac GTO from 68. I Live in the
UK and have seen both, although many years ago. And they both looked "Space Age"
compared with what is on the roads now.
I graduated in '68, had a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere (that my father bought me as a graduation present) that I dropped a hemi engine in and put chrome reverse wheels on it, then I bought a '63 Chevy Impala convertible, white with a 283 and gorgeous red interior (that also had chrome wheels on it when I bought it), and in the late 70s I bought a '75 Z1 900 (mine was brown) and had to sell it because my wife thought it was too dangerous. I wish I'd been more like Kent.
Still got a z1a, bought it mid 90's as I always promised myself one when I could afford one! Never regretted a moment, wonderful machine!
As close to a perfect design as I have ever seen. Flawless.
They were indeed, Albert! From the angled gauges to the teardrop tank and the awesome duck tail. Everything just flowed together beautifully, and being topped off with that 903 cc spectacular engine was icing on the cake. The green '76 KZ 900 I had was the best bike I ever owned.
My first new motorcycle purchase was the 1973 (first year) Kawasaki Z1. I plunked down 2 grand and road home smiling from ear to ear. Yes, I loved this bike. The fastest I ever went on a bike was on this machine at 124mph. I wish I still owned it today.
But *now* you can buy the new Kawasaki Ninja H2 rechip it and see the north side of 2 tons!
You KNOW you want to.
Even if things do get a little strange on a lot of bikes once your at or beyond 170
(Meh ..... Maybe not so much on the H2s, they're built for it)
But in '73 I would have been a deeper envious green than the tank of my CB 350 K4 looking at a Z1
"Road home"?
At a lot of “Powersport “ Shops, they Sell the Latest Incarnation of the Z-1 900, Pretty Close to the Original, in Looks, Except, Now, it’s Liquid Cooled also, and maybe some Abs brakes and a Newer Suspension
My 73 H2 Triple 750 2 Stroke Was Faster Than Anything.
@@MrJonathandcrow I wish I would have had a chance to Ride one of those. Even having a Z1 if someone pulled out on the 750 H2 I would just cruise and let them go. Not anyone else though.👍😁
Own an Oct/72 build, bought the bike from my dad when I was 18. I'm now 58 and being from Canada don't get to ride much. The bike is just an incredible piece..
Love the video. Well done.
I bought one in 1973, I was 19. It was unbelievable, fast smooth but time marched on. Bikes were evolving so quickly then. I tried to keep up, Yoshimura, Kerker, Lester, Bill Werges. Had it for 10 years but my improvements didn't keep up. If I had left it stock and just put it away, there worth over $10,000 now. Nah, I would still do it all over again.
I can appreciate that. My friend had a nice 650 Kawasaki, (std one of the loudest bikes could hear it about 4 or 5miles) I had an old BSA. He traded for a Z1 900. A small country town and the local bike shop got it in, one of the first in the country. They also obtained a green frame Ducati 750ss. Or any Triumph, BSA, Suzuki etc that people wanted. I didn't get to ride the 750ss but I did the Z1 and it was amazing, you open the gas it goes, change gear, it does it again, and again. I did that same thing with BSA twins, why can't it go as fast? Don Quixote stuff. Usually if you catch up, the goal posts have moved. GSX1100 etc.
It was always a hp race, Kawasaki knew, customers knew. BSA/Triumph could have responded to the 900 with an 860 triple, but they didn't. Kawasaki had sharp directors, all credit to them. The crazy thing is a BSA Thunderbolt from the 1960s has 27mm ports. Take the single carb manifold off and they flow 107-108cfm, with room to flow so much more, yet BSA built the triple so complex and expensive based on a Triumph motor with limited breathing.
I had a 1975 Z1B. Easy to ride, fast as heck, 100% reliable, and a girl magnet. Best bike I ever had.
Great Australian all rounder, you could do anything with these versatile beasts...had various Honda 750's but when the Kwaka 900 came along there was no looking back...bulletproof !!!
I had a career as a motorcycle tech for about 20 years, the major part working for a Kawasaki/Suzuki/BSA dealership in Westchester County, N.Y. We had sold a good number of the two stroke models and were amazed at the Z-1 when it arrived and began to soar in sales. As a rider for over 10 years at the time, I was immediately impressed with how lightly the big machine handled at low speeds around the shop. It had such well thought out features such as a chain oiling pump that used heavy gear oil on the chain. This feature was later discontinued but it was well thought out and intended for high speed touring over long distances. They were comfortable, perhaps only rivaled by the BSA Rocket three for that on the road - I'd ridden some CB750s and they were rather stiff by comparison. Thanks for this look at a time when we were surely riding a wave of activity and interest in the sport.
I had a 76' 900 and I loved it. Put a Kerker header on it and it was amazing. That one change dropped 40 lbs. and added 15hp.
Still think it was and is the best looking bike of all time.
And yes, it was the fastest thing on wheels where I lived. And there were some great cars...428 Mustangs, Z28's, 383/340 Cuda's, etc..
Amazing the cars owned then by hard working High school kids! And bikes! A lot of hard work paid for that KZ...well worth it!
I had the same one for only 9 months, some ass hole stole it. In 1978 I bought a 1000 and enjoyed it for several years then got hit head on by a car, suffered for years from injury's and quit motorcycles regrettably. Those were the best bikes and I think about being on the road with them all the time.
They were relatively cheap then as well. I paid $2,100.00 for the 900 new, $2,600.00 for the 1000. at Marin motorsports in Calif. Those were the days.
@@richard3793always the headache with nice bikes,I found myself waking up at the slightest noise, wasn't until I went on holiday that I realised
@@howwwwwyyyyy I'm guessing while on holiday you had a bike stolen ?
They were really nice machines, some of the color schemes were perfect
An original intact sand-cast engine Honda 750 K model is pretty valuable today to a collector. What I heard was originally they weren't going to build that many, they didn't know if it was going to work or not successfully sales-wise. The Widowmaker Kaws H1 & H2S were fast but they sure didn't handle worth a s***. When I was still in the Navy my good friend Stewart bought a brand new Z1 when they came out in 1973. He let me take it out on the highway I was up to 90 in no time. At that time I was riding a 1948 Harley Panhead. Basically a two-wheeled tractor.
I had a Z900 (1975 ?) in the U.K. I bought the bike in 1977 for 600 U.K pounds. If I remember correctly they made 80hp and around 135 mph was the top speed. My Z900 was the same colours as the one at 11.15 in the video.
in 1974 at the old age of 21, in the military. with bias ply tires, I put my chest on the tank while on I95 south and dropped the hammer on my Z1A. At 133mph and still accelerating like a freight train I passed a maryland state trooper stopping someone one the side of the road. I let off the throttle sat up and waited for the mirrors to stop vibrating. when they did , sure enough I saw the red lights coming up behind me and just pulled over while he was still two miles behind. I had my helmet off before he arrived. Out of the cruiser comes this big state trooper, who looks and me and says " I never got to clock you, I am not going to write you a ticket, but I just got to know, how fast were you doing?" I told him, he shook his head and got back in the cruiser and left. I never went looking for the top end of my Z1A again.
whew! the force was with you (and your Z's cast iron suspension)
Bought a 1977 kz1000 used in 1982 my first big street bike at 19 years old, loved It with such fond memories, and continued my love for powerful street bikes.😎💖🔥💯
Yep I had a 1974 Z1 in 1976. Great fun to ride a work on. It had a Kerker 4-1. You could take the take the baffle out and it would sound like a jet. To be less obnoxious the trick was to wrap the baffle with steel wool which toned it down. When you ride it you could see the red hot pieces fly out the exhaust. Had to change the jets on it and tune the carbs which wasn’t too bad it you had the mercury vacuum tool to synchronize the carbs. According to the speedo I got it to 140mph a couple times.
Idiot that I was I sold it when I got married.
I never had the opportunity to own a Z1, but being known as a good motorcycle tuner, I did get to ride several. Awesome bike is an understatement. I'm a Harley guy but would love to have a Z. I liked the cruiser inspired Z 900 (and later Z 1000) LTD. Odd we don't see any coverage on the LTD.
What's more Gary, is "you don't see any LTD's" !!
Bought a brand new 1975 Z1B. It was a marvelous bike. The guy I sold it to in 1976 still has it. And it's in great shape for a bike that age.
Actually the most beautiful bike ever built
I always wanted one. Closest I got was a KZ 1000 I think it was a '77 I had two, not at the same time. Very fast motorcycle for sure. Kawasaki got their revenge.
Interesting to note that Yamaha eventually came up with their own four-stroke multi-cylinder 750. But it was a departure from the chase in Japan, being a triple. Quite a risk, given that seemingly rule #1 was "four cylinders." Pretty quickly they bumped the size to 850. It was their 1100 that entered the market as a four. Also Yamaha went with shaft drive for their 750/850 and 1100.
I remember pretty quickly the M/C exhaust people, Kerker, made a big splash with their 4 /3 into 1 and 4/3 into 2 tuned header exhaust systems for the new breed of Japanese big bikes. These made an lovely howl at full throttle.
The scene from "Mad Max", where the guy is doing "doughnuts", then pulls into a screaming wheelie; THAT was a Z-1. Badass.
The CB750 didn't become "defunct", as you put it, until Honda went to liquid cooling. The CB750 had a long career as a Universal Japanese Motorcycle into the 1980's. The GS750 was a similarly great bike. They work well they are smooth and very reliable. Two of the best ever.
At the time in Japan, you couldn't own a bike larger than a 750. It was almost impossible to get a license for anything over a 400. They made a 750cc Z1 for the home market but these were rare. Always amazed me that all this design effort went into products for foreign markets.
A world market
The 750 version was the Z2
My brother currently owns a Z2 . Found it in a barn. Got it running and ride able.
That's nice. Focusing on your domestic production leaves you in the resource trap
I meant middle income trap
I've owned well over 100 bikes and the Z1 was the only one I purchased as brand new. I paid $1000 along with trading in my Yamaha 500 twin. In the 70's this was the ultimate bike. Mine was a 1975 Z1 and in that period it was the best of the best in my view. BTW the Z1 means this bike could do everything from 1 to Z It was designed to be a great all around town bike but also fast and usable for long distance riding - the Swiss Army Bike. Yes it was a real success
Trikes
Still is up there, best looking bike ever
Damn! Where do you find all this awesome vintage footage? Kudos to you for collecting it and putting it together. Excellent work! You and Ryan F9 do it best.👍👏👏👏👏👏
He was there recording all of it back then.
😂@@staples138
My neighbor and I pulled a 75 Z1 out of his buddy's dad's garage about 5 years ago. It was a true barn find and he paid 500 dollars for it with a title. Unreal! He got it running but hasn't done much with it since.
The Zed 1 - 900 is one of the best bikes ever made.
Like most all 70's Kawasaki motorcycle, these had a frame flex problem. Many were recalled to have frame gussets welded in and a steering damper installed. I worked at a Honda/Kawasaki dealership back then in Manchester CT.
I was a motorcycle mechanic in a Kawasaki / Suzuki dealership in the late 70s early 80s.
The KZ1000 and GS1100 where the bikes everyone wanted. I always liked the Kawasaki Z1R.
A friend of a friend of mine had one. he was a little older than me ..I was 17 at the time.I never rode it but it sure much faster than my little CB 500 four. I just remember the massive burn outs he would do with that thing....Ahhh the 70s Great times. Great work Bart love your channel.
CB500 four, those are harder to find nowadays. Great bike in it's own right ✌️
I had a 1973 Z1 and I rode it everywhere. It was so smooth with no vibration. 140 mph on a closed portion of I-10 was a fast ride. It was the fastest thing around. I rode it on trips everywhere. I got more women on it because they liked it and wanted a ride. I now own a Z1000 and a Concours. The Kawasaki in-line 4 is hard to beat.
140mph on that flex Kawa? The motor was up to that pity bout the frame! Yur a brave one bru😜
I still have my 74 Z-1 (bought 6 mos. old in 75), a 1969 Z/28 DZ 302, and a bulletproof 2009 Concours 1400 with 135,000 smiling miles😎
I saw a good one on a flying 1/4 mile - it did 128mph not 140mph.
Your channel is my favorite for motorcycle stuff 👍😄👍 would you be able to do a video on the GPZ at some point in the future? It’s such a cool, iconic bike and it’s the Top Gun bike!
While working for the Army in Texas between enlistments Winter 75 - 76, I had the privilege of using my Army buddy's Z1 as a daily rider. It was the first bike I rode past 120mph on. Mind boggling for sure.
i used to have a 77 KZ 1000, i customized it a lot. it was a beautiful bike, painted it aqua marine blue metalic. it was great, then moved on to an 85 eliminator 900, then a 95 v-max, the a 98 zx-11, then a 2007 R1, then a zx-12R. now im down to 2007 ninja 650.
In 1986 I bought my first Kawasaki 1973 H1 500 Triple from my Pop that owned a motorcycle repair shop for over 35yrs at that time. I Next bought a '74 Z1900 (best ever and the fastest model compared to the KZ's) and after that I got a '76 KH400 triple. after I sold the KH400 I bought a '78 KZ1000 A1 and then I got a '76 KZ900 and a '77 KZ900LTD which I didn't really like the wheels, those were Enki Mags, so I traded the LTD for a '74 H2 750 and then I found a disassembled '78 Z!R-1000. After putting the Z!R back together (top end was rebuilt) I sold it to get another '76 KH500. I always really liked the Triples but had to work on em constantly. After some time I sold the KH500 for a '70 Triumph Bonneville 650 T120RV 5spd.. or maybe that was the next one a '71 Trumpet 650 Bonneville. After some more time I ended up buying another '76 KZ900. next I sold the '71 Triumph for a '75 Norton Commando 850 MKII I think it was. This was a super good Brit machine and was my long lost love. Only I didn't know that till after I sold it to a neighbor who wouldn't sell it back to me some time later. Over these last few decades I've managed to have, at last count 26 Kawasaki's and a few (4) British motorcycles. My last Kawasaki was the 2001 ZRX1200R (Best bike I ever owned) and just recently sold it for a '66 Triumph T100-SC 500cc twin Scrambler. Over the last few years I've owned a '92 HD Fat Boy EVO custom (POS) and finally got a project in the T100SC. I've only owned one Honda (my Pop's favorite) '67 CL90cc which I sold after my Dad passed. He was never very happy about me owning so many Kawasaki's as he always wanted me to ride Honda's. Well I liked the Kawasaki's much better and it really shows that he didn't always know what was a better bike. for me at least. Since I've gotten older I really miss those early 90's days when you could still go out and find a good used Z1900 or Triple's for way less than today's prices. If I'd only knew what the market was going to do I'd have kept most of the Kawasaki's and never owned the Honda CL90. But who can foresee the future when it comes to the motorcycle market. If my Pop had lived another 10yrs we (He) could've cleaned up as he had a Lot, I mean a LOT of old 60's 70's & 80's motorcycles in his storage but most of them were Honda's that nobody wanted in the early 90's up into the 2000's. I am sad now. R.I.P Pop (Dad) sorry I wasn't more into the Honda's and thinking of the future of this crazy world. Thanks for reading and Awesome job on this Kawasaki Z1900 History lesson. KAWASAKI Team Green. 'Let the Good Times Roll' ... with KAWASAKI.
Love your stuff Bart. I've got an XT - now there's a story you could tell! Better than I can for sure.
I remember when these came out. They changed licensing requirements in many places by precipitating CC limitations for beginners. They were a game changer. Their 2-stroke stablemates probably had a bigger role in this. Then Suzuki brought out one that handled safely for another milestone. No doubt it’s a beautiful looking thing! 👍🏻 About to go for a spin on my Triumph T140 Bonneville. 😁
We need licensing restrictions for the new super bikes. It boggles my mind that someone with no experience on a bike can go buy a bike that's faster than most muscle cars and some exotics. Even a 600 these days are capable of 150mph. Go to a liter bike and they are dangerous mochines. Definitely not beginner bikes. I went from a RD-250 to a XZ550 (Vision) to a VFR700f2 Interceptor to a GSX1300r Hayabusa. A logical progression in my opinion and each bike I rode for about ten years before moving up.
I’m a massive fan of this bike, and Japanese bikes of this era 👍
The CB750 was the iconic bike that ripped open a new era of motorcycling. Like everyone here, wish I hadn’t sold my 1970 CB750 to a Marine Corps buddy back then. Great job here on telling this story of what Kawasaki was always good at: hitting back with something a bit more powerful! Thanks! My first bike was a new Kawasaki G3SS, $340 out the door in 1969. They advertised it as “The 90cc with 125 power!”
May 1973, upstate New York, three of us are going back home from College for Memorial Day weekend. I am riding my Honda CB-750 Four escorted by another CB-750 and a Suzuki GT-750 Water Cooled up, cruising down the I-87 Interstate highway, carefree as can be (the draft had ended and my number was 143!). Our engines are "humming" at ~80 mph when some single light (motorcycle) is catching up with us from behind. Proud as peacocks and with our feeling of invincibility, common among the male specie of that generation, we opened up a "little" bit, innocuously... our pursuer is still gaining on us! We were passing 100 mph + when our companion joined up on us. We all smiled at one another, admired our respective steeds (motorcyclists were a family back then). He was riding a Kawasaki Z-1, the first time I saw one on the road. After a few miles of mutual contemplation, our friend waved at us and left us behind as if from a rolling start. We tried to keep up but his reserve power was ... impressive and despite having some power left 100 mph is not that comfortable without fairings... Wow, we were impressed. Thank you for the video, Ciao, L
Had a 1977KZ 900 ! I had 4th oversize jets in the carburetor velocity stacks and exhaust was straight pipes cut off right underneath the engine. I had 6 inch Harley Davidson chrome extensions on the end of those straight pipes with no baffles with a 45° downturn on the pipe. I put a 17 two sprocket on the front. It would do 160 miles an hour and when I let off the gas breathe fire out on the ground. That was one mean son of a gun. Went through three rear tires, two front tires and three chains in 13,000 miles ! Six 6500 hole shots, baby.😊
Hi, Great Video about the Z1 900. I owned one back in 1979 and it was Incredible. I was the King of the Road, and the Girls Loved it. I sold it when I went into the Military. That was a Fun Decade. Even the Dirt Bikes we’re getting bigger and faster. Thanks for bringing back the Memories of the Z1 900, I wish I still had it.👍👍
This is one of your best videos. I like how you said the fuel tank on this era of bike is like the cornerstone of its style. Well said. I have never rode a Z1, but I purchased one about a month ago, it arrives next week. Can’t wait to ride it. Will go nicely with my 1970 CB750, 1972 H2, 1979 CBX, and 1983 Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo.
Keep up the good work, good work = lots of research.
My mate has one of these. He's had it for about 20 years, now. The engine is a work of art.
His has been rebuilt and tuned up and it goes like a rocket. It has also been very reliable.
It's also really comfortable. But the handling is woeful. Even at low speed, the thing is a death trap. That said, it's still an awesome bike to ride, for some reason.
Had the first Z1 in my state, traded a MachIII for it. Rode it for 6 years and 70,000 miles. 100mph was its sweet spot. I loved that bike!
I also traded my Mach 111 for a 75 Z1B in 1976 when I was 20. I never came across another rider with a Z1 900, I seemed to be the only one around at that time. ave a 75 Z1B in the garage now sitting alongside my Triumph Rocket 3R and still love it.
I bought a 1973 Z1 900 in 1982 and sold it in 1986. What an amazing machine, which supported me having an amazing time. Never had a problem with it. So extremely durable, fast and good lookin!
I graduated in ‘74….the Kawasaki Z-1 900 was a legend. We heard stories of 5 gear wheelies at 60mph….how when shifting through the gears it was hard to keep the front end on the ground so much so that Kawasaki had to move the motor forward the second year of production…….I don’t know if any of that was true but made for great conversation between 17 and 18 year olds on a Friday night cruise!
Well done. I was riding the triple two strokes in the day, but had a number of rides on 900's. They were a blast, just as the triples were, but they had torque!
The Kawasaki 500 triple was scary fast. I loved it.
I am 67.
This is a great documentary !
In my country, in the early 70s,there were only 3 Z900 Kawasakis, imported by private owners.
Later on, there were no more than 5 KZ1000s.........sold by the Kawasaki dealer.
Up to today, the general population do not like motorcycles. Since I started riding in 1972, motorcycles and everything related to them have been very expensive up to today.
Most sportbikes in our country have been privately imported.
While I never rode the Z900, I did ride a friend's KZ1000, in the later 70s.
Trinidad & Tobago.
West Indies.
I never fully realized how fortunate I've been. I owned a 1974 Z900 around 1983, i think I paid $1500 and then purchased a 1971 Cuda with a 383 in 1992 for $500. I eventually sold the Kawi and bought a Suzuki Gs1000e then sold that for a 1986 Gsxr1100. I kept the Cuda until 2 years ago when i sold it to my son. wonderful memories.
My first Japanese bike and still favorite of all time. I owned a few and drag raced them but this was in the late 90s, they could still be found in good condition and parts were plentiful.
My first street bike was a 1979 Kawasaki KZ750 twin. 5sp. It was deemed a dinosaur when it was built. I liked that bike, a lot.
Great video! I think going from one to two overhead cams was what really made the Kawasakit so amazing.
And putting the DOHC on the engine
The Z1 was a motorcycle that I've always admired Never got one or even to ride one But I did get the chance to repaint one with specail graphics The owner was very pleased as I was to do the work.
I owned a green KZ900, and later the KZ1000. LOVED both of them.
Great video thanks. Can still remember the distinctive sound of the z1 back in the day. I rode British and Italian but the z1 was just as beautiful and had enviable power. Btw I was probably at one of those 6 hour races on Oz back then. Keep these videos coming, they're well appreciated.
Twice I purchased Z-1's in California and sold them in North Carolina. The first one was in the mid-80s and I'd just turned 20. The bike was repainted and nothing but black and chrome, the handle bars had been replaced with something off of a small dirt bike. It had a 4 into 1 straight pipe for exhaust and some tiny turn signals tucked in against the frame. The metal portion of the rear fender was removed so the plate had to be mounted on an L-bracket off the side of the bike. In other words it was cut down to the bare essentials, including the loss of that bulky breather box in exchange for individual K&N air intakes. I took the scenic route from So. Cal to Denver (out the top of Cali. around and down) and then pulled a 72 hour cannonball (not counting 8 hours of sleep in Topeka) to the Eastern Continental Divide. What a ride!
Later, in the early 90's my Z-1 was fully dressed with faring and tape deck, sissy bar and highway pegs. I took the long way all the way that time. Both bikes were sold cheap in North Carolina back then, another of my big mistakes. I've corrected that mistake today by throwing my leg over my big ole' Vulcan Nomad whenever the mood strikes. Long Live Kawasaki!
Bought my '74 Z1 used (only 2000 miles) from a co-worker of my fathers in 1975. The bike scared him so he sold it (to a 19 year old kid, me). I still have that (Root Beer Brown) Z1. It's not the oldest bike in my garage but it certainly has the most memories. Others include '88 R100GS, '04 KTM 950 Adventure S, '53 Harley Hummer, '06 Yamaha TW200 (which seems to be getting the most riding time these days) and an '03 KTM RFS 450 EXC. I turn 70 this year and look ahead to many more years of 2 wheel therapy.
Sophomore in high school in 1977 purchased a 1974 KZ900 Z1. Kept that bike until 2003. Got an offer I could not turn down. That bike was insane. My senior year (1979) I shaved the heads, Headers, balanced pistons and rods, mild upgrade DOHC. Larger carbs, Board 30k over. I started off in second gear, First was just insane. Even on dry ground with new tires. I finally put a two tooth up on the front. A local machine shop had to make it for me. (modified one to fit) First could still slide you off that stupid flat seat if you were not careful. IT WAS A TOTAL DEATH TRAP. No suspension, Shty breaks, High speed wobble risk. Only felt safe in a strait line. I still do not know how I survived my high school years on that bike.
In 76 I bought one of these and here are my experiences. Could do 110 in third. At 8500 in fourth it was almost doing 130. Unless you really had your hand in it, or had a passenger all the time, it consistently got 40MPG, street or highway. While I heard of CB750's breaking their inadequate 530 drive chain, the 630 on this never had a whimper, and I pushed this thing hard quite frequently (max the throttle and dump the clutch, never lift from the throttle when speed shifting). As you, and others, have mentioned, this thing was indestructible. After coming out of the muscle car era running push rod, mostly stock, 4 barrel 4 speed cars this thing seemed like an Indy car, double overhead cams, roller crank, a carb and exhaust for every cylinder. Being 19 when I bought this I have no idea why I'm alive, and truly believe that if I had one of the 150+ HP bikes of today back then I would have been dead in a week :) If you did the basic maintenance on a regular basis it was thoroughly reliable. An couple of interesting anecdotes, at Bike Week one year leaving the Boot Hill Saloon at closing time, and it was cold for Florida, there was a guy a few bikes down with a Harley. As usual he was being obnoxious and making fun of my Kawasucki. He was trying to get his bike kick started, I got all my gear on, remember it's cold, pulled the choke, hit the start button and drove off, for all I know he's still trying to start that thing. Same trip, one of the guys in our group had an AMF Harley that broke down 5 times, in typical Harley Head fashion on the last night he bought a T-Shirt that said "I'd rather push my Harley than ride a rice burner" well he did. It was tough to not get into knock down drag out fights back then when you had a Jap bike, but the revenge was reliability. I miss that bike, wished I could have kept it.
In the 70s I owned a 750 h2 and a 900 z1. The h2 was quicker until 5th gear then the z1 would eat it up. I miss both those bikes
When I was 16 I saw and heard the first one in Italy during holidays 4 in one exhaust with a long screaming wheely in front of our restaurant, a little bit later watched Mad Max 1 and since then I get goose bumps if I see or hear one of the beauties. My all time favourite.
You should do a Story on the Old Kawasaki Eliminator 900. They were incredible Bikes also, and the First to have a Big Back Tire. They were super fast also.
I have a 1975 Z1900 with 11k original miles and its still tight. No smoke! No joke.
Love my Kaw!
the cb 750 is why the Z-1 is here . i was 12 years old it was glorious .
I bought a new 75 Z1. I made a lot of money drag racing it. I was 19 when I bought it and it's still a competitive bike. I just wish I never sold it.
RIP Stormin Norman Devine
I never had a Z1, In 1976 I bought my 1st bike, a '68 Kawasaki A7SS, then a '69 Sportster followed by a '79 KZ750 then it finally happened in 1984 I bought an '82 KZ1100 and I fell in love. The KZ1100 had shaft drive, air suspension front and back and a comfy seat. I installed a set of cams and while it didn't like life below 3000 RPM's it was my first "touring" bike, with a plexiglass shield it took me all over the U.S. without a complaint. I now have a Goldwing and a different '82 KZ1100 but without the cams it's not the same, I wish I still had my first one.
In 82 bought a out of the crate GPZ . With the new mono shock system and air assist fork forks. What a handling machine!
I worked at a bike shop in the late 70’s, early 80’s and had a Z1R, basically a cosmetically modified Z1, great bike. The speedo went to 240 km/h, the best I got out of it was 235 km/h. It was wonderful to be young and feel indestructible!
Cheers Bart, really enjoy these historical retrospectives.
I've had the pleasure of owning 2 Z1's, a '73, and a '74. They were an absolute blast to ride, nothing on the road could touch them. Unfortunately life's obligations necessitated the bikes go away, but 50 years later I'm still riding Kawasakis, but Vulcan V twins now. I still miss my Z1,no other bike I've owned can match the thrill of twisting that throttle.
I had a new '77 Z1-R with the coffin shaped gas tank and the little fairing. It almost killed me and I am fortunate to still be kicking.
I put the second 600 miles on a brand new 1973 Z1 . I rode it from North Carolina to Delaware thru the Chesapeake Tunnel, awesome trip ! The owner was driving my 1973 Datsun 610 which had a 1,000.00 $ engine, and we ran ran mostly about 85 mph .
I bought a brand new Z1 in 1974. I came from a 1972 750 2 stroke triple I bought new. That damn triple was always trying to hurt me. The Z1 was a dream. Never did anything to cause concerns.
Had a 1974 put a full race fairing on it. Ported heads, kerker exhaust, 1013, cam, clip ons. It ran 160 mph not bad for back then. Great times on it with Jack O'Malley Orient Express Motorcycles.
One of the earliest sport bikes 😆 Jack had a Rickman Metesse.
I owned it's little brother, the KZ650c and it was a great bike. My wife and I put 25k miles on it and I loved tinkering with it. The shop manual was extremely detailed and well done. I installed air shocks made for the KZ900 with no problem and that was great for changing from 1 to 2 up riders. Loads of other mods as well. Never dumped it. Sold it when I needed the cash (family comes first). But it was a great bike....also, I didn't own the common blue color scheme. I had the Silver and it was beautiful.
I loved my Kz650c, it was quick nimble comfortable and could brake a lot harder than the 900s and 750s.
I acquired a ZL900A1 '85 vintage. Got it last summer , got it running road it all fall...WOW!
Resto mod in my kitchen all winter!
An interesting detail I read long ago about the Z1 was that Kawasaki took a lot of basic engine measurements from what had been one of the fastest early '60s bikes, the Horex Imperator 450. Those were SOHC 450 cc twins from Germany that could more than match a 650 British pushrod twin.
The Last Horex became the Yamaha XS 650. Because Horex would Not build IT the Design engineer / mechanic resigned & took his Design to Yamaha.greetings from Berlin Germony
Anything is possible, but that seems like a bit of a stretch, particularly since the Z1 was originally designed as a 750.
Bought one Z1B in '73. Had to haul it CKD from Miami, FL to São Paulo, Brazil, by airfreight. Took a while to assemble 'cause it was practically unknown. It was a spooky joy to ride and it stood so untill I sold it to get married. Unforgettable!
I had 3 of them over the years. Bullet proof! I remember one of the bike mags renting a racetrack for a day. They rode one of these flat out, non stop for 24 hours. Averaging 109 mph. And shredding tires left and right. I also remember Kaw taking 3 prototypes, fitting them with Honda 750 gas tanks, and beating them across the US. I drag raced them, and toured cross country several times.
I had a Z1 900 in 1986 I took a little ride from Atlanta Georgia to Longview Washington I on my 73 Z1 900
I remember seeing my first z900. I was on a old matchless and slowly came up behind the z. I pulled out to the side to get a better look but it took of. Saw it the next day in a car park. Nice.
As a teenager in the 1970's I remember thinking to myself that the Z1 was more power than I would ever want and that it was too bulky and heavy. I lived in the NC mountains and handling twisty roads was more important to me. Those inline fours seemed really wide compared to the V-twins and parallel twins I had seen growing up. I never did develop a fondness for the inline 4's, but now, close to 50 years later, the Z1 doesn't seem that big to me anymore. I still prefer lighter, slimmer motorcycles and I am still fine with under 80hp, but that amount of power really does not seem excessive like it once did.
It was a icon and still is ........ Beautiful in every way
In Japan at the time there was a cc limit of 750 on motorcycles and 2600 for cars in their home market. Somes zeds were sent to USA and legaly sent back to Japan for sale to get around the restriction. I had a 1976 Z900A4 which was like the Z1 but had double disk front brake, and ugly hazard light switch and smaller carbs. I put the Z1 carbs on a yoshi 1100 big bore kit and I trianglelated the frame near the coils where they flexed and sometimes cracked and koni rear shocks. Wish I still had it.
In the mid 80’s I was on a road trip and not impressed with the range of my pretend Harley (Yamaha xv750) so swapped it for a green Kwaka z900 which turned into a decade long obsession with this model. One my first ride I spent 6 hrs in the “zone” doing 100mph+ riding home at night from an interstate trip in freezing temps. It was a surreal otherworldly experience that I will never forget. Frankly, I’m surprised I’m still alive.
Nearest I came to owning one was the ‘Top Trumps’ equivalent card set, in the ‘70s, where you could buy playing cards with different bikes on them. The Kawasaki Z1 card had all the best numbers!
In 74 or 5 a neighbor of mine had one. Highly modified with a displacement of 1400 something. Big cams sounded like a Harley on high idle. Probably won't ever forget that childhood memory
Such good videos! The '73 Zed One is Gorgeous!
Tell me you're Canadian, without telling me you're Canadian! EH? Whattya say ABOOT that? 😂😉
@@jeffrykopis5468 'Luv'n your comment.
Great job here. Love these bikes. I had a 78 Kaw 650 and later a K1000. Wish I would have gotten one of these. Like your videos, and subscribed a while ago. Keep going.
I've never been on a Z1 but I do have a 2022 Z900RS Cafe. Older folks give me compliments on it all the time...now I understand why...thanks to your video.
Cool paint job especially in root beer brown but that big radiator totally spoils the look IMO
I loved my '80 Z1-R. I got to enjoy it for three years before it was stolen. I replaced it with a Goldwing as I was getting older and needed the trunk space. I'm still riding and have owned a lot of motorcycles.
Had a 72 H2 and 74 Z1 very fond memories H2 was quicker and scarier but both incredible, wish I had them back! 70s Rocked❤
Nicest looking bike ever made in my opinion 👌👌
Great video Bart I had a 77 900 Kawasaki loved that bike. You took me back to those times again your batten a 1000 thanks man