The Legendary Kawasaki Z1--FIRST inline-four SUPERBIKE?

[@user-kf4ce4xc9t]

Kevin Cameron! He is the guru of gurus, as articulate and sensible and entertaining and easy listening and understanding as anyone imaginable. Could listen to him anytime, everywhere, maybe even on anything, bless us all.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

I started mechanicing at a Kawasaki dealership in early 1973. Life was good !

[@fjp3305]

It was great!

[@whalesong999]

We were riding "the wave". I'd started as a Honda/BSA mechanic in '63 and moved to a Kawasaki/Suzuki dealership where I was chief mechanic until changing venues in '79. For sure, it was a most exciting time to be working in motorcycling. I tend to like the products made in that period, retro if you will, they were attractive and relatively easy to keep clean and maintain. We rarely had anyone trek into max performing street bikes, the products were very satisfying.

[@coarsegoldkid]

The 1974 Z1 was my first four stroke in a long line of previous two stroke motorcycles. One being a H1. The stock Z1 was truly a Super bike. In '75 I raced mine at Willow Springs twice in the Cafe Class sporting a Kerker that kept banging the tarmac in turn nine. I'm hear to tell you they did wobble a good bit in 8a and 8b with that tiny swingarm axle and Dunlop K81s. However that bike blew the side covers off of every machine in class between my last position on the grid and turn one. Drag racing experience helped. To my astonishment I got the holeshot into turn one. Full of adrenaline and in the lead I ran off the track entering turn three, if memory serves, at the carousel. By the time I got back on the track I was several bikes back in the pack. By the end of the race I had captured first place. My second race was a clone of the first until I was passed, one on each side, by non-other than Cook Nelson's BMW and Kaz's Honda 400 Four in the Super Cafe Class in turn 8a and b. Scared the heck out of me and wobbled it off into the desert until the tall berm perimeter of the track. Wow! Those were the days. Never did it again. I think the Z1s had an optimistic speedo though because it read 140+ a time or two during my ownership. Somehow I made it out alive and now ride dual sport bikes in the Sierra.

[@wdhewson]

I was in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois when the Z1 came out. Everyone in the bike shop rush outside to see the Z1perform. My jaw dropped as it rush to the horizon and out of sight. I have a 1977 KZ1000 under restoration right now!!

[@Johnnyfreitas1]

I had two friends in high school that had this bike, one was killed on a hit the side of a truck at 140 miles an hour roughly and the other one had zero problems. It was a bad ass bike back then.

[@vikenlink]

Speaking of suspension brakes and tires, I had a 1982 GS1100 Katana which I thought was the coolest looking bike ever, didn’t handle very good with the huge 19 inch front wheel. I ended up getting my hands on a 1985 GSXR750 front end with the inverted shocks and amazing brakes. The 1985 GSXR750’s front end slipped right into the tube frame Katana steering neck….. oh my goodness what a difference in handling braking force and ride quality. The GS1100 Katana turned into an incredible corner carver with braking to live for.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

I like this "milestone motorcycle" series. Please cover more of them.

[@seanwood137]

This is fascinating, rider vs engineering. I've been reading Cameron's stuff since 1975, it's very interesting to hear him speaking. A literal encyclopedia of m/c knowledge, thank you.

[@classiccycleconnection9334]

I currently have a ‘73 Z1 in root beer brown and orange that I occasionally race with AHRMA and do trackdays on. It has a KZ1000 engine in it and numerous modifications. An aftermarket swing arm 1” longer helped the handling but the biggest improvement was a full Race Tech front end rebuild with the emulators, the works. The engine dyno’d at just under 100hp and it’s fun to ride . The engine is built to be happiest at 5k+. Still very rideable and sounds great.

[@wdhewson]

In KC's discussion of shim and bucket valve trains, ...... It should be noted that the great advantage of the bucket is that the side load imposed by cam lobe friction is on the big, sturdy, well lubricated bucket........and not on the valve stem and guide as in the rocker arm design. Hence the chance for great stem and guide longevity for high revving engines.

[@vxe6vxe6]

I bought a basket case Daytona Special RD400 as my first 2 stroke street bike. It was a "race bike", huge RS flatslides, big bore kit, "ported head", LOL! The first time I rode it, SEIZE. Too lean. I fixed that issue, rode it to the rock store, no issues. After a couple hours it would not start. Fouled plugs. LOL! A friend had to go to Thousand Oaks Suzuki to get plugs. Rode it to work the next day, coming down the street where I worked I goosed it in second gear and brought the front end up in a killer power wheelie in front of all the guys. as I was pulling into the parking lot the engine seized. LOL! At that point I broke it loose ad got it running. I took it to the Yamaha shop in Ventura, the owner said NFW he was going to buy that bike from me or trade it in. One of his mechanics saw it and had to have it. I sold it on the spot for $500 and put a down payment on a 1985 RZ350.

[@johnnyrvf]

I own a '76 Z900 LTD which I have spent a lot of time modifying the chassis. I'm 67 and remember the excitement the Z1 evoked on it's launch in the U.K. back in the day. They can be made to be more rideable, in the modern sense, but as Mr. Cameron remarked; they need a fair amount of chassis work to do so!

[@tedecker3792]

I traded in my 71 Mach3 for a 73 Z1 when it first came out. Was a Honda mechanic at the time, and my boss made me park it accross the street from the shop. Rode it 6 years and put over 70k miles on it. No problems ever. Traded it in 79 for a KZ1000ST, the shaft drive version.

[@ianhoyle8459]

I’m just going 😊

[@michaelj.kastner5165]

120-mph-145-mph is an absolute sweet place to be onboard a 2023-ZX-10-RR!!! The 1975-H2-750 is absolutely incredible!!

[@ccrider00]

Hope you dont get cited for going 120-145! Anything over 85 is considered " reckless driving " big fines and suspension of your license for 1 year in calif. 🦍--- just the facts jack!🤔

[@michaeltrivette1728]

I wanted one of these when I was young. Sadly I wasn’t born until 1972 so by the time I came of age they were somewhat more rare. Fast forward to today and I own an Eddie Lawson Replica tribute replica. Also know as a 2020 Z900rs Cafe

[@dukecraig2402]

My buddy had one of those Eddie Lawson tribute bikes, I still don't understand why Kawasaki dropped a gear off of the Ninja it was based on unless maybe they didn't want people going all that fast without the body work.

[@user-nl6st8eu5x]

I had a customer with a Z1R, Clive the Rat Man. he said the bike wiggled at 200 kph. I checked the bike over, saw nothing wrong, went for a test ride, no helmet, t-shirt, jeans... right when I got to 200, it flew into a violent tankslapper. I calmed it down, rode back to the shop, then realized it had an 18" front wheel instead of the 19 that all the base models had. hmm, 1/2" at the axle ~ 1/2 a degree of head angle, not enough trail... aha ! must have been a lot of wrecks from that.

[@paulthompson4367]

Yeah man. I needed me a set of those sweet S&W Street trackers to get that thing to behave. Only problem, it never worked. Haha. One ride on a Suzuki and I was sold.

[@TheZl9000]

@@paulthompson4367 S&W street stroker.

[@dukecraig2402]

I'll bet it turned into a corner better than the base model 19" wheel.

[@tomtaylor6163]

I have a 79 KZ1000E shaft . It’s got a replica Z1R fairing.fork brace, steel brake lines, nice shocks. Great bike

[@stephenbaron5681]

In 1976-79 I had a CB 750F which was my first bike. It was fun but I learned to ride on my roommates Rickman Royal Enfield 750. I sold my bike at the end of college and after a 2 year cross country working trip I came home and my cousin had a 75 Norton that he got in 78 and it scared him so I bought it. A wonderful soulful bike that handled much better than my Honda. I still ride and restore Commandos but I do have oil/air Cooled BMW 1150 and Moto Guzzi 1200. I know water cooling allows for more power but my de-cated Guzzi with Power commander and auto tune makes all the torque and power I can handle. If I had a race track and was 40 years younger a Ducati V4 would be tempting. But to bring it back lightweight and seeing through a motorcycle is also special..

[@MidnightExpressMC]

You guys are nothing but superb 👍👍 At 18 years of age, my third bike was a 1974 Z1, fresh out of the crate and paid for in cash as I saved every paycheck while living at my grandma’s. From Southern California ~ Ride Forever! 🦅

[@darrylmain925]

slowly getting into your videos.. would love too see interlinked photos etc. help some to mentally picture what your talking about.

[@JohnNewton-ev8ch]

I concur!

[@richardkeller4234]

In 1974 i was a 14yr old living in japan on a US navy base and our base store had on display a Z-1 along with a yamaha motorcross500, along with one or two others. It was fun sitting on that Z-1 imagining what could be.

[@SpiritintheSky.]

This channel is so interesting and intelligent I've subscribed. I very much look forward to watching many more. Thank you in anticipation.

[@tedecker3792]

I bought one of the very first Z1s in 73, I remember its sweet spot was 100mph. College was 200 miles away, a two hour trip when you knew where the highway patrol hung out.

[@JohnCunningham-sy5ug]

I wish I could go back in time and keep the toys I sold off. Oh heck I still have memories. Yes the big Kawasaki Z1 was really cool.😊

[@Jerry-ff3ry]

In Nov 72 I bought a tomato orange and brown Z1. I was wrenching at the local Kawasaki dealer. I learned how to be risk avererse rider on this bike. I rode until 2016 having only one injury ( one of those dumb mistakes we all make) never having an accident with an animate or inanimate object. Previous to the Z1 were a Mustang Pony, T110C, a B50, and a couple dirt bikes I put the model numbers in for you sleuths. The Z1 was stolen in 74 and not recovered. I still somtimes weep. Around 75, Kawasaki came out with improved swing arm bushings eliminating rubber band flex Those stories here of 135/140 mph speeds on a stock Z1 were down a Utah mine shaft, with a tail wind. I asembled, seviced many Z1s and dreaded triples. Speedometers were wildly optomistic. BTW I have a pristine 73 Z1 maintenane and sevice manuel. Please excuse spelling and grammer mistakes. I'm old.

[@juanmontoya6622]

Bubba Zanetti, Toe Cutter and Goose approve of the message.

[@LBrawn]

😂

[@dukecraig2402]

Long live the Night Rider!!!

[@barryward8098]

HI I am from New Zealand and rode a 1978 Kawasaki Z1r for 70000 klms, loved that bike then got a 2005 Z1000 and it covered 110000 lbs. Love the show.

[@josesanleandro4695]

Dear friends, I am a new follower of your channel and I I just wanted to say that I greatly enjoy it. I loved the episode about the Butler & Smith BMW's and the Kawasaki Z's, that I am watching now. Thank you for your excellent work, looking forward to seeing and hearing much more from you and best regards from La Línea de la Concepción in Spain!

[@CHRnorton]

It's a great tribute to the Norton Commando when you gentlemen mention the Commando so often in your talks. My streetable Commandos in the late 1980s and into the early 2000s with the great riders Yvon DuHamel, Todd Henning , Jerry Wood and a host of other great racers really put the hammer down on all comers beating up on some of AHRMA's best big bikes. It's amazing what a legend can do on a trackable bike in street trim and oddly enough most all of them had raced a Commando in their career. They don't call em Commandos fer nothing.

[@ccrider00]

Had a kaw 67 COMMANDER 650 W 2 SS--- AND a 68 W 1 commander with a adjustable main jet 40 mm carb. < up from 32 mm carb stock > geared 1 tooth bigger at the counter shaft sprocket for highway cruising than the w 2, could do 124 mph flat out thou w 2 could best it thru 1/4 mile.👍 Had a couple norton commandos and I thought the Kaws ran much better! < higher reving offer square motor- bore + stroke- 74×72mm. Norton commando bore + stroke-- 73 × 89 mm. Norton's were known for THROWING RODS cause that long stroke -- only big english 750 cc twin was Royal endfield with bore+ stroke 71×93 mm < 736 cc > Norton-- 745 cc Kaw w1+2-- 624 cc Royal Endfield interceptor was quite rare-- ( had a 66 ) Kaw 650 redline STARTED at 7.25 grand❗😱 Missed a shift a few times to 9 grand and didn't hurt a thing, Would of destroyed a Norton + R.E. most likely with longer rod stroke. I knew a motor cycle mech.that sold Norton commandos that hated the things. Allways blowing up < ESPECIALLY the hotter combat versons.> Those engines were HARD to work on with those DEEP Allen cyl. bolts. My favorite norton model was the n 15 CS model ( 64-67 ) 750 cc < street scrambler > candy apple red most the time tho they did have blue and green also. It was set up " old school " Had a center stand and of corse a side stand, you sat down IN the bike unlike the commando on top of the bike. N 15 had the best styled GAS TANKS I've ever seen on a bike❗ Allthough the R.E.750 was able to record a 13.66 et.in 65 AND cycle world called it king kong back then [ quickest they EVER had.] The 750 norton was HOT ON IT'S HEELS so to speak and when the COMBAT commando came out road tests ( cycle mag ) did a 12.69 1/4 e.t. Making IT the King Kong of 2 cyl. Vertical twins all time. 🧙‍♂️--- hey remember the dual engine norton dragster called { HOGSLAYER } top fuel. Beat ALL the big name top FULE drag bikes back in the 70 's 🤚👳‍♂️🤙😖

[@drgallup]

An RD400 is a great choice as a first street bike! I bought my '77 brand new in '78 for less than $1,000. As a new engineering grad it was my sole motorized transportation. What's not a good idea is riding it like a dirt bike, wheeling away from every stop light and jumping railroad tracks. I never got one of the big liter bikes of the day. My next was a '81 RD350LC I bought in Canada. Then when Honda stood the industry on it's head with the '83 VF750F interceptor which I immediately bought on first sight. It wasn't until '06 that I got a "big" bike but by then they handled well.

[@paulthompson4367]

Ah yes, so many fond memories here. My 75 Z-1, Personality and performance, along with iffy handling. My 78 Z1-R, The absolute worst handling bike I ever owned, ever. 1979 CBX Gloriously sexy, but flawed and an overall pain to live with. Dropping the exhaust along with unbolting the upper engine hanger plates to drop the engine forward in order to get the carbs out. Clutch rattle, because of out of synch carbs. (see the previous sentence) Yes, so, so many great memories.

[@ccrider8483]

Back in the day I had an H1, a CB 750 Honda, and then a Z1 900. All three were unique bikes with various strengths and differences in approach to performance. Of the three the Z1 has left me most impressed. It was very high quality, well engineered, and delightfully free revving.

[@ccrider00]

@@ccrider8483 that was my favorite bike until I bought a 79 G.S.1100 Suzuki. Easy valve adjustment < adjustable rocker screw+nut like they should be, not this nuckelhead design bucket+shin trip ( kaw) That can pop out at high revs. hard to take out+put in < u need a special tool 👎> Then you have to measure the shim to get the right size to put back in 😖🤮😩🖕🏻 Suzuki did it right with the GS1100 👍🎯👌🤔 The GS was lighter, handled way better, didn't speed wobble at 85-90 like the kaw Z-1, and was quicker+faster than the Z-1 GS-- 11.75 et Z-1-- 12.39 Almost 1/2 a second thru 1/4 E.T. of course the G.S. came out 5 or 6 yrs. later than the Z-1 BUT my all time favorite was the 79 kaw. KZ 1300 120 hp tho it weighed around 650 lbs that bike was a dream to ride. I mean were talking smoooootheeeee. And it handled great even with shaft drive- had no effect whatsoever unlike the Yamaha 1100 shaft drive which had it all over the place👎😖☠ And that big red did 11.79 quarter mile +over 140 top speed. My favorite all time bike❗🎯👍 That's { big zed-- not big red} 🥳👍👌🎯

[@robbie2awesome]

Really fascinating, thanks so much.

[@brankog7]

Hey guys! Cheers from Aus, really enjoying your videos

[@dogpaw775]

using a Norton / Triumph twin as a state of the market comparison !. they may not have been in production but it is worthy of note that there was no mention that the Z1 was the first production machine to pip the top end performance of the Vincent Black Shadow.

[@mattrohr1266]

The first Z1 did just look good, it was the sexiest thing with two wheels I had ever seen. And I was 14 years old. If you put a Honda 750 next to it, it looks 10 years newer and better in every way.

[@michaelbrown5495]

I was at Ontario Motor speedway in 1977 and watched Reg pridmore on a BMW and Ducati super sports and the kawasaki Z1 was being modified by racecrafters and Yoshimura was racing at Suzuki GS 750 stroked to 869cc and it was still close because the 4 cylinders would catch them on the staightaways and the European bikes would pass them back in the curves and even saw a Sputhe Harley Davidson sportster win a class and an snowmobile engineed bike win one too and it was an AFM club race awesome memories and sights

[@vxe6vxe6]

This was an awesome "article". LOL! Nothing better than a ZX9 engine in a ZX7 frame - Unless it was an FZR1000 engine in a 1985 FZ750 "Captain America" bike! Thanks for letting me borrow it Bob F, I wish I would of had the money to buy it from you when you sold it!

[@86AW11]

I had a 74 Z1 about 1987. Fantastic sounding bike and looked awesome. At 60mph and above on any sort of turn the frame developed a hinge and it wallowed all over the place. My 1977 KZ1000 did not exhibit this trait, but was so stuff and strictly suspended it was nearly ar bad at the other end of the spectrum.

[@tomkarnes69]

Wanted one but couldn't afford it so I got a used 500 two stroke instead, loved every screaming minute

[@smokinrz4063]

Owned or rode all the air cooled 4s of the 70s and 80s. Drag racing was everything and corners were boring. Then, for reasons I couldn’t understand, my buddy bought a new cbr 600 F1. One ride and I hooked on twisties and track days for the next 20 years 😁

[@larrydugan1441]

I bought a Z1B when they came out. If I remember correctly I paid 2400 dollars for it. I lived the brown and orange paint. I loved that bike. The frame was a bit wobbly at high speed.

[@ccrider00]

I had the origional orange + metallic brown with black engine with an 1105 Wisco big bore cylin. on it. < allways thought the blue with gold stripes was best looking of first edition ( 73-75) Yes they DID have a speed wobble 85-90 mph. You had to back off or power thru it quick as you could or it got much worse.🤚👳‍♂️🤔

[@markpavletich747]

Not many designs can exhibit a 24 hour endurance racing engine that makes 50% more power than standard,or drag bikes that exhibit up to over 500% more power than standard. A true classic design.

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

I rode a 73 Kaw Z1 many years ago. At 135mph the bike felt scary due to frame flex and some wobble. At age 74 I now ride a 23 900 retro. At 135 it feels so much more stable but I still loved the old Z1.

[@kyleklintok7730]

In 1973, six professional riders and racers, flogged a bone stock Z1 around Taladega for 24 hours straight doing 140mph on the straights. TWENTY FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT. 2600 Miles. Not one of them said anything about a wobble or frame flex. Maybe it was your particular bike.

[@ccrider00]

​@@kyleklintok7730no your wrong about not having a bad wobble. I owned a 73 black engine 1' st model. 85- 90 a wicked wobble would start. You would either back it omg--- or power past it real quick like or wobble grew much worse. < 85-90 mph > 73-75 z-1's were known for this wobble. You mentioned " well they did 140 mph for 24 hr at talagedy to set a record " that's all fine + dandy " that doesn't mean they didn't have a wicked wobble at 85-90. They simply POWERED past this speed real quick like. 😮

[@guylr7390]

Attractive to customers and profitable to the manufacturers. I uncrated and setup one of the first ones in our area and found it impressive while still retaining the traditional Kawasaki hinge in the middle. It did come though on the promise the CB750 had made but not delivered on by being really fast for the day.

[@donaldhipple4921]

I bought a Z1 in 1973, one of the first in the state. Despite its monsterish power it was very linear and easy to use. Still one of the most beautiful bikes I have owned. Unfortunately I also had a RD350 and the Z1 failed every comparison to the RD in handling and braking. Fork kits, swingarm, fork brace, shocks, Lester wheels didn't improve the handling as much as it degraded the ride. After the compression dropped to 80 psi due to what I found was that the ring gaps had all lined up, I did a full Yoshimura kit with the aforementioned exhaust system. It was faster but not as much fun to ride as a street bike. Which led me to buy a Yamaha XS11 in 1980 which despite its weight handled, braked and rode better. Then I put on a Blake turbo kit, that was Fun. But while it was a good looking bike it wasn't beautiful like my Z1.

[@JohnNewton-ev8ch]

Please chat about the CBX and Kawasaki six cylinder bikes.

[@chriscadman6379]

In the late 80s early 90s us Canadians would come down to race the U.S. with our tuned RZ/RG500s and piss off the 600 riders.

[@888jackflash]

The early Suzuki GSF1200's had excellent frame geometry, as it turns out. I've had three, and once the suspension is upgraded, Superman comes out of the Phonebooth. Bike is exceptionally stable on the track, for an old steel-framed bike

[@bernibeckmann9753]

I guess people need to know I rode a 1975 Z1-B for 13 years deep into the GSXR era. I had the full frame bracing etc. Oddly, I have no desire to own one today and am not particularly nostalgic about it. You see the sport bike 'tards on the road today? That was me in the 1970' and 1980's. No thanks!

[@tedecker3792]

The stock pipes rusted out at the bottom after two years. Since everyone started putting headers on them, I made a deal with the dealer. He told people he would put a header on for free in exchange for the new stock pipes. I’d buy the header and the dealer would give the set of stock pipes. Headers ran around $150 while stock pipes were $100 (x4). Win/win!

[@GTMarmot]

Great podcast

[@HAL9000-su1mz]

Looked at a Z-1R the moment they came out ('78 IIRC). Corporate Kawi had long before set their sights on big HP. I noted that the centerstand was more heavily gusseted than the swingarm. The early Japanese fours fit P.J. O'Rourke's description of "Big, dirty fun"

[@my.motorrad]

My first bike was a 1978 Kz1000. I wish I still had it.

[@jakecoye738]

Built a Z1-R race bike for WERA vintage. Won many races, rugged engine.

[@ZonkerRoberts]

Ah yes, the "Angel of Death" Kaw! 🙂

[@jakecoye738]

​@@ZonkerRoberts Good times, great memories

[@dukecraig2402]

​@@ZonkerRoberts The angel of death Kaw was my buddy's 79 KZ1300 with a Mr Turbo kit on it, 1979 brakes, 1979 tires and 1979 suspension with that kind of power equalled the most evil motorcycle you'd ever ride, that thing was just dying to put you in the hospital or the morgue, and as if it wasn't silly fast enough he put a nitrous bottle on it, just to give it a little shot at WOT to spool up the turbo fast to compensate for turbo lag, it was like riding a CR500 that had 3 engine's on it, he had a wheelie bar made for it and won a lot of trophies at drag strips with that thing.

[@dereksmith5019]

I would like to hear a discussion on coil springs verses hair springs .

[@cpuuk]

"Fast" Freddie Spencer & "Steady" Eddie Lawson, so named for a reason ;-)

[@paulblouin6955]

I met a guy with a few turbo Kawasaki Z1R at Donut Derilicts. He had built,a turbo injected Honda 350 four and had land speed record placks from that faired a d unfaired. I think he had something to do with the turbo Z1Rs. He had a few. Having a LSR plaque is pretty cool

[@dukecraig2402]

My buddy had a 79 KZ1300 with a Mr Turbo kit on it and a specially ground cam for a turbo, and if that wasn't enough he had a nitrous bottle on it just to give it a little shot at WOT to compensate for turbo lag, all that power on 1979 tires, 1979 brakes and 1979 suspension made it the most evil thing you'd ever ride, to describe it's power as explosive would be an understatement, atomic would be a better way of putting it, about the best way I can describe it is it was like riding a CR500 that had 3 engine's on it.

[@theseasonedrider]

Code named “New York Steak” during development.

[@peterston4039]

It was an amazing bike then, sound, engine, speed. But once you tried cornering it, the frame would flex like banana peels under load. But on the straights, get out of the way….. at the time. Egli built a frame for this engine that was state of the art and now you had a weapon

[@markwillis1665]

I had a 2003 ZX 9 in Galaxy Silver. She was BEAUTIFUL and I miss her so much! I lost her in 2017 when an inattentive rat slid his car into the back of her and punted me over the bars. 🤬🤬🤬

[@clayman4575]

Maybe I missed it, but why no mention of Byron Farnsworth? I believe he had a lot to do with the bikes development..

[@douglasgrosch228]

Kawasaki i think best manufacture out there thru yrs.. period

[@bananabrooks3836]

Google: 'Murray Walker talks about wobble and weave'' an illuminating Dunlop Tyres film.

[@bradwilliams5242]

What about mk11 crank for Eddie Lawson and the street bikes that had it and the big block turbo guys that stole them😮

[@dukecraig2402]

Do an episode on the KZ1300.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

The Z1R also had a close ratio trans.

[@eddy2121]

Same exact gearbox as standard KZ.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

@@eddy2121 My bad. For some reason I thought the Z1R had the racing trans that Kawasaki offered but in digging around it turns out you can't use the kickstarter with the CR trans.

[@seldomseen7835]

Guys. Sorry the 750 GT Ducati pedant from Australian. But my recollection is the Kawasaki 900 or kwacka 9 as it’s known here was before the Z1 pronounced Zed 1 for the metric crowd. Love your work very interested in intake and exhaust flow and anti reversion. Wobbels the mad Aussie.

[@presstodelete1165]

If Baba had made the Fireblade 903cc the World would have understood.

[@garthlundquist3623]

Boeing Starliner: creative desperation!

[@dereksmith5019]

A.M.C. gearbox appeared in 1957.

[@user-vt9uh7pt4j]

Had the ZIR 1000 in 86. Only paid 1700$. Thrashed it. Soon after Rebuilt top end at bike shop in Brisbane 1100$. There were faster bikes ZlR. beautiful looking bikes

[@browngreen933]

The first "super bike" happened when somebody first mounted a gasoline engine to a two-wheeled pedal bicycle. Think about it. EVERYTHING since is just refinement. 😅

[@calanmacleod3948]

Honda in line 4? Before the Z1.

[@paulblouin6955]

Cycle Magazine 1970 Superbike Shootout. Oit quick by todays atandards but the term was iut there. Something new is this: Japanese bikes like CB750 got slower and slower from inception. That doesn't seem to be the case today.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

The W1 was inherited from the takeover of Meguro.

[@ccrider00]

Meguro copied b.s.a. A-7 500 cc vertical twin ❗👌🎯👍🥴😖🤔

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

@@ccrider00 Yes. The Japanese firms that copied German bikes became successful motorcycle manufacturers. The firms that copied British bikes failed.

[@ccrider00]

@@truthboomertruthbomber5125 they didn't fail--- they became much more succesful than " firms " that copied Dufus German designs " BMW "👎🤮. The co.'s that were succesful all went to inline 4's. 2 cyl motor- cycles became a thing of the past with the exception being H.D.

[@tonypate9174]

"in line four" would the old farts care for a 50/50 or phone a friend but not one with a Ace or Henderson locked away never mind a FN or Nimbus ...may give a pass to any Flying brick BMW...Zeds or Zees a fine UJM ..but a a inline four ? Not matter how many time see/hear it....TRANSVERSE ask a MD not a Dealer Tec Dude ...unless a Nobby Clarke with a "E" one.

[@chriscadman6379]

Zed one sir, it is Zed one.

[@larsholst6216]

NOT first inline four superbike.

[@michaeltrivette1728]

That’s like saying the Model A isn’t the first car. Yes we know the model A wasn’t the first. But it’s the first one that counted.

[@larsholst6216]

It's just a copy of the MV Agusta in-line 4 and before that, the Gilera in-line four from the 50s. Considered the worlds FIRST superbike.

[@paulblouin6955]

Collecting old magazines, the first 11 second street bike was the Dunstall Norton 810, which was in third gear at the end. 1971 A decade to the next bike running in the 11, although it was a mass produced bike which the Dunstall wasn't. In the 70s a guy at work was commuting on a Dunstall 810. They were out there. I had put together a Cafe Atlas, and dreamed of the Dunstall.

[@nockianlifter661]

@@larsholst6216weren’t they just race bikes ?

[@larsholst6216]

@@nockianlifter661 : Nope.

[@Single698]

Well mark, i love the shows very interesting and if your choice of fun is messing around with british bikes and cars then you’re mad. The estern europeans use to laugh at our cars and when you were selling a car to them they would look underneath and say oh no oil patch on the floor and look at you with your grin and they say it must be out of oil then because every british car leaked oil if it had oil in it. I like that headset you’re wearing but if they are pistons then i think you may have trouble with the crank or big end bearings, lol 😂

[@danmoore3224]

H 1 500 in 1969 made Honda do an early release on the 1971 750 & why it is called the pree k1 model. 1974 Z 1 gave us twin overhead cams with shims & 12,000 rpm no problem not 8,500 & now 22,000 rpm

[@dougb4956]

You are dreaming about a 1974 z1 spinning 12,000 rpms. No Superbike has ever come close to 22,000 rpms.

[@ccrider00]

Suzuki fingered it all out and did away with shims that could " spit out " at high rpm's like the Z-1 was known for (not good) Suzuki 4 valve per cylinder Valves were adjusted with rocker and threaded screw { a MUCH better arrangement. GS 1100👍👌🎯 } No .ore " spitting out b.s. shims at high revs anymore---- and putting them in + measuring the shims-- Suzuki GS 1100 got it right !👍👌🎯 GS more powerful-- no wobbles, handled better + lighter than Z-1! Huge improvement over Z-1. I've owned both, my Z-1 had a 1105 cc kit on it. But the G.S. 1100 ( 1075 cc ) way way more fun + enjoyable to take on a ride, handled great thru the turns also.👍👌🎯👳‍♂️🤚