1974 Kawasaki Z1A - quick review after a few weeks

Рет қаралды 8,180

3 ай бұрын

In this video we give you our quick review of the 1974 Kawasaki Z1A. All up we had the bike for a few weeks and we feel that this was enough time to give you our opinion of this bike.
Thank you to The Classic Competition Company for sponsoring this video production.
If you'd like to win this bike or other rare and desirable classics just like it, head over to www.theclassiccompetitioncomp...
For a 15% discount enter CLASSIC15 at the checkout.
// FOR ALL CHANNEL ENQUIRIES (INCLUDING SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING) please contact Alex Rollings - theclassicmotorcyclechannel@gmail.com
// ABOUT THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CHANNEL
The Classic Motorcycle Channel is for people who love classic, modern classic, vintage and antique motorcycles. We are passionate about classic motorcycles and produce high quality motorcycle profile videos, restoration videos, workshop vlogs, restorer profiles and also anything that takes our interest.
The Classic Motorcycle Channel has three KZbin channels:
- main KZbin channel - ‪@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel‬
- second KZbin channel - ‪@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel2‬
- third KZbin channel - ‪@theclassicmotorcyclechannel3‬
//COPYRIGHT
All our photo and video content is original work and copyright to The Classic Motorcycle Channel. We DO NOT give you permission to copy our work for any purpose.
// A BIG THANK YOU TO
- Josh and the team at The Classic Competition Company for asking us to produce this video.
Website: theclassiccompetitioncompany.com
Facebook: @theclassiccompetitioncompany
Instagram: @theclassiccompetitioncompany
- Jo Hart for shooting a lot of the photos and videos of Alex on the bike.
- Merlin for gifting Alex with the Edale jacket to wear in this video.
Website: merlinbikegear.com
Facebook: @merlinbikegear
Instagram: @merlinbikegear
- Alex Rollings for producing the video.
KZbin: ‪@motofilmer‬
Instagram: @motofilmer
// IMAGE CREDITS
- 1978 Kawasaki Z1000 Z1-R - SG2012 - no changes
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
- 1985 Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo - Mr.choppers - no changes
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
- 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R Z-1R - Rainmaker47 - no changes
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
- Kawasaki Z900 1976 - Mick from Northamptonshire, England - no changes
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
- Kawasaki Z900 RS - Tokumeigakarinoaoshima - no changes
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
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Пікірлер: 47

@jeffcarpenter4914 25 күн бұрын

Always loved the completely exposed beautiful engines on these bikes and the size of the bike. Ashamed those good old days went by so fast. Glad to see them being restored and appreciated.

@ralfrainfurth6034 3 ай бұрын

Maybe one of the best looking bikes ever, and a quick bike with a beautiful sound 👌

@naturalforlife6741 3 ай бұрын

Sure brings back memories. Blasting around town on my 76 KZ900 LTD in 1978.

@petemoss8625 3 ай бұрын

What a great bike, I had a z650, and loved it!

@BikerTorque 3 ай бұрын

Love the Z1, in fact I love most Kwaka’s from that era. Nice video, the paint on that bike certainly is gorgeous

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 3 ай бұрын

Right on Ross, yeah, they're lovely eh! We shared your video on our community by the way, Alex

@tommaguzzi1723 3 ай бұрын

My biggest regret was back in 1984 when I bought a BMW instead of the Z1R which was stood next to it in the dealers, it was £200 more which i didn't have but could have borrowed if i really wanted to. I loved the beemer and had it for 15 years but in hindsight i should have taken the Zed.

@mikerider58 3 ай бұрын

I started riding bikes in the 70s and this Kawasaki was King of the road . My battle was was, do l buy a Kawasaki or a Fender Stratocaster, l could afford neither , so l bought a Suzuki TS 100 and a Yamaha guitar 🎸 😆 Love Japanese ❤️

@TheChrysler56 2 ай бұрын

Beautiful 1970’s Kawasaki’s. No need to go like a looney through the bends when you can make pace on the straight. I love these old bruisers.

@simongilbert2704 3 ай бұрын

the styling is one of the best ;;

@SengMony-qi7my Ай бұрын

Sooo beautiful bike ❤️❤️❤️❤️

@stephenmartin1007 3 ай бұрын

As a young boy the Z was the bike that attracted me to motorcycles. Years later I would be the proud owner of a ZR 1100 R (Zephyr) I consider it the grandchild of the original Z. 😊

@BlueMarbleRider 3 ай бұрын

Looks gorgeous and sounds great too. Thanks for the video.

@bradkorando 3 ай бұрын

Fantastic bike and great to hear both your and Dave's opinions. The torque comparison of the 4 cylinder bike to the twins and triples is spot on. The riding experience between them is quite different and I noticed it too when I moved from a Sportster to my 1971 CB750K1. I found little to no need for a tach when riding the Sportster whereas I've come to keep an eye on the revs when I happen to be riding the CB750 in traffic in order to keep it near the powerband. The smoothness of the 4 cylinder is absolutely wonderful. Thanks for presenting this video. I look forward to seeing more like it!

@ujmrider Ай бұрын

I had a restored 78 KZ 1000 in 2006-07. It was a wicked thing waiting to hurt me, and it did. Not enough to go to hospital fortunately. The handling was awful compared to a 1983 CB1100f I had a few years earlier, or even my 76 CB750 supersport. The Kaw felt like it had a lot of flex in the frame on big fast curves. Fine in a straight line. Otherwise I loved the sound of the Kerker that was on it.

@JohnB998 2 ай бұрын

US Spec Bikes had short rear mudguard, side reflectors on forks and rear shocks and no passenger grab strap etc.

@gm16v149 3 ай бұрын

I actually owned a Ducati 750S back in 1974, but had a ride on a friend’s Z1 and was impressed with the power but not the handling and brakes. Now I’ve got a 2018 Z900RS Jaffa I bought new, and I’d have to say it is so much better in power (110 HP), handling and brakes. You’re expect that after 50 years though. The looks of the Z900RS have grown on me too, it is superbly made. However with all the electronics and wiring, I wonder if it will last as long as the original, simpler Z1.

@lincolnreeder 3 ай бұрын

La plus belle des Z1🥰🥰🧡👍👍👍

@TheBezaleel 3 ай бұрын

Very nice, but the GPZ750 turbo was also something special, had one for two years.

@paulbiddulph7620 3 ай бұрын

Great review, I remember the Z1 when they first came out in the 1970s. I love your channel and I also would like to see more 70s 80s and 90s bikes featured along side the older bikes, plus the retro classic bikes. I own a 1978 Honda CX500 which I have restored, a 2012 Triumph Bonneville T100 and a modern 2012 Suzuki DL650 VStrom. Keep up the great work.

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 3 ай бұрын

Hey Paul, thanks for your nice comments, yeah, we're looking to feature more of what you want in the channel this year! Alex

@michaelarchangel1163 3 ай бұрын

The 1976 Z900 had two teeth less on the rear sprocket for a slightly less busy feel in top gear. Mine was written off and rebuilt as a Rickman cafe racer.

@jamesweber4938 3 ай бұрын

I had a 1975 Z900 for a year. 600 quid from Doug Hacking's store in Bolton.

@rover100bunson 3 ай бұрын

Neighbour owned a z1000h fuel injected in black.,that was an amazing machine,maybe a zephyr is the closest affordable way of getting the z look now

@chrisharding9710 3 ай бұрын

I’d don’t think I could express how much I love these bikes. I’d probably have a heart attack if I won it.

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 3 ай бұрын

Haha, fingers cross (you win in, not the other thing), Alex

@stonecold2653 3 ай бұрын

Great Bike i love it! Be great to see a Kawasaki Ballington 250. I'm sure you would like that bike. Got my ticket and fingers crossed for the draw. Great content thanks.

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 3 ай бұрын

How can we get one of those Ballingtons I wonder! Alex

@stonecold2653 3 ай бұрын

@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel ill keep my eye out for you guys.

@The9meister 3 ай бұрын

Great video, you should also try the z650, little brother to the z900, another brilliant Kawasaki.

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 3 ай бұрын

Good shout. I'll keep my eye out for one I can 'borrow' :) Alex

@markcoulton4244 3 ай бұрын

Never, ever did a Z1 wear a black and silver number plate. These bikes were super modern and no one would have dreamt of such a thing. This of course applies to all new vehicles registered once the new reflective plates were launched in the 1960s. Where on earth has this craze amongst classic bike owners come from. I expect that they are often owned by people too young to have been there in the day. Beautiful bike by the way. 😊

@user-rv8ri2bb3z 3 ай бұрын

I agree with your comment about the number plate issue and would take this thought further. As an owner of one of these machines back in the seventies and eighties I cannot remember ever seeing one on the roads back then in standard trim unless it was being ridden home from the dealers for the first time. As a minimum the 4 in to 4 exhaust would be long gone, the lower clock housings would be chromed, a second front disc would be added and the long rear mudguard would have been converted in to what is now considered as a tail tidy. I find this a very strange phenomenon that these bikes are restored back to almost factory standard as that is not how they were used in everyday life. By the way I covered over 100k miles on mine including towing a trailer and all it had was regular servicing. Do I miss it? Not at all.

@colinhall8998 3 ай бұрын

I’ve got a black number on mine, it’s to let prick Audi drivers know it’s a classic bike. They see the four exhaust pipes and want a piece of you

@bruceleong9534 3 ай бұрын

The green and yellow Z1A has one of my all time favourite paint jobs. Originally, the Z1A had a single front disc whereas the one in your video obviously has twin discs. Like Dave, I too prefer the low down torque of a twin (Speed Twin in my case), especially now that I’m getting older.

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 3 ай бұрын

From my research the UK spec ones had a twin disc but not every market got those Bruce, Alex

@bruceleong9534 3 ай бұрын

Right, Australian Z1s left the showroom with a single disc but some owners did a twin disc upgrade. Thanks for another lovely video Alex.

@stevegray5709 3 ай бұрын

All I can say is I bought my Z1A (green and yellow as in video) brand new in September 1974 from Pegasus Kawasaki Reading. It most definitely had a single front disc. Loved it and kept it for around 13 years after too many British disappointments.

@bruceleong9534 3 ай бұрын

You’re a lucky man Steve. I rode an air cooled RD350 back then and although it wasn’t a Z1 I loved thrashing that bike up and down the local mountain range near Cairns in the north of Australia.