1975 KAWASAKI Z1 900 - SURVIVOR REVIEW

[@pbdaytona]

I heard one of these start up when we were camping in Paris in 1972 or 1973.Changed my life forever!

[@mach1954]

My friend has got both the Z1A and a Z1B . Iconic bikes !! 😎😎😎😎😎

[@spotsterjon74cu]

Nice to see such a beautiful original bike, they don’t come like that very often. Thanks

[@paunixon]

I was 8 in 73. Always wanted one. Still haven't managed it, but am incredibly happy with my Z900RS which is a nod to the original. Love it. Cheers.

[@PetesClassicCycle]

That's awesome! I love the new Z900RS!

[@timneal5617]

I have that same bike in blue, Its turning green, apparently when they painted them the blue bikes got brown for a base and the brown got blue for the base. 14k miles, bought from original owner, friend. Put the new pipes on it and electronic ignition. Could not be happier.

[@PetesClassicCycle]

That's awesome!! Unfortunate about the colour change. Most go through that change Unless they were stored out of the sun etc

[@milojanis4901]

They were a deep red when new, not brown. Exposure to the sun eventually turned the red ones green. This is a really nice bike, but somebody ruined the tank somehow. Full of dents and dings. Tank is the only thing that's keeping this from being an 8 or 9 out of 10. The seat is showing damage on the side, also. If those 2 things were replaced, and the rest of the bike was polished and shined up, this would be a 10 out of 10 in condition. Beautiful......

[@The9meister]

On ya Pete, popped your cherry on a kawasaki Z900, a real motorbike, good video.

[@buttonboy63]

Where on earth did you find this beauty? Hope you can bring it to the Spring Show next April.

[@billbalyx8799]

Had a 1976 KZ900, loved it, wish I still had it

[@PetesClassicCycle]

They are great bikes

[@BreakStuffClub]

That clutch cable though..

[@markhalbish1026]

Nice bike Pete. That’s quite the find.

[@PetesClassicCycle]

Thanks mark

[@HobbitHomes263]

This era of Kawasaki was exciting tines for stock bike performance. I had a 76 KZ650 that was a blow torch for speed but the suspnsion geometry sucekd for high speed cornering or when approaching top speed. Really poor swingarm that would start to walk at fairly low cornering speeds.. Enjoy the throttle but slo the hell down for corners

[@ronaldvalverde-p3u]

I had a 1975 Z1 900 , it was a amazing motorcycle .

[@PetesClassicCycle]

Awesome! I really wish this was my bike to keep. One day I'll have one

[@Ironbear1122]

I had a '75 900Z1 exactly like this in the same colors. The only difference was mine had just over 3.5k miles on it when I bought it and I added a sissy bar with a backrest and a two level seat that lowered the driver because I didn't find the stock seat all that comfortable. I saw it sitting at Central Cycle in Denver one early summer day in '78 after I'd just started working in their parts department and it was love at first sight, so I bought it. I've been up on two wheels since I was 14 years old, first on a Cushman Scooter that my dad bought be for my paper route, and I've owned and ridden British bikes (a BSA 650 Lightening first and then a Triumph 650) and I had a Harley chopper and two Kawasaki's, the latest of which was a custom built Southwest Edition Vulcan Classic 1500, but the Z1 was hands down the best handling and fastest bike I've ever owned.

[@PetesClassicCycle]

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like you've got Kawasaki in your blood

[@Ironbear1122]

@@PetesClassicCycle I definitely love them, and motorcycles in general. Mine drew a little blood when I hit a Datsun pickup broadside too. That's too long of a story to post here but I had my wife on the back and we were both saved from serious injury by the grace of God other than my scraped elbow when I landed on the pavement. After the damage repaired at a local bike shop she made me sell it, but she's gone now and I'd be riding a 900 now if they were a little more affordable.

[@thostroke246]

Very good motorcycle . My friend had one once .

[@milojanis4901]

Owned one brand new in July, 1975. Same color. Had the dealer install a luggage rack and sissy bar, with pad. $2,525.00 OTD. Best bike I ever owned.......

[@PetesClassicCycle]

That's awesome! I wish I was around back then to have experienced these bikes new.

[@krystalstarrett6760]

I had a 1975 Z 1, 5 years. Great bike, wish I had it back. Now have a 1982 Kawasaki LTD KZ 1000. It's ok.

[@HelevaGoodCountry]

Nice looking survivor. I have stories about a Z1 ack in the day I can share

[@PetesClassicCycle]

I'd love to hear them next time we're together

[@Kumaneko5545]

so cool❣️🐼👍

[@bobbypresley3555]

Z1 900 king of Motorcycles

[@lpm2134]

This is z1 or z1b

[@PetesClassicCycle]

Z1B to be technical. They are ALL z1 though

[@queenslander954]

Z1B .. the B was for Bodacious Beast,

[@PetesClassicCycle]

But the original dealer brochure just says Z1 900.... 😄 I understand the different model codes for the various years.

[@spaceghost8995]

Those 4 into 4 mufflers are NOT the classic 900 throaty roar. There are much better pipe setups on these.

[@PetesClassicCycle]

I agree that they're not the "best sounding" pipe....BUT if you're doing a proper restoration you can't beat the timeless design

[@spaceghost8995]

@@PetesClassicCycle It is a beautiful bike. I remember the Yamaha XS1100 came along and bested the power of the Kawasaki but it never sounded as good as the Kawi!

[@kkiwi54]

4 cyl bikes back then sounded so much better than modern. Btw I did terrorise and old lady on my Z1 - she was standing right behind when I started it and she nearly jumped out of her skin ;)

[@Jake-ty4bs]

that is what we called in America a z1 a you can tell by the carb's 75 and half's were z1 b had smaller carb's z1a were 28 mm other's were 26 mm carb's flat top's . very nice old survivor . i still have my 73 it's been in the family since 74

[@peterhoulis1184]

I sold my z1 a year ago , i dont miss it cause im building my dream bike a 77 z1000a madmax toecutters bike , see you on the road scragg

[@PetesClassicCycle]

Super cool!!! The Toe Cutter and Goose Bikes are on my list of builds before I die

[@Jake-ty4bs]

sorry the 28s were flat top's not the 26s