Kawasaki Z1 - The Japanese Legend !
Vložit
- čas přidán 23. 01. 2018
- Kawasaki Z1/900 Super Four/- The revolutionary Japanese motorbike, which in the early 1970s caused a great stir. - Compilation with original engine´s sound and technical description.
Many thanks to all bikers and motorcycle fans who contributed their videos to our motorcycle channel. If you have a motorcycle at home that you built yourself, or an old, interesting or unusual motorcycle that you would like to show, please send me short videos from your camera or mobile phone to: We Transfer - jawatinomoto@gmail.com
I will process your videos and publish them on our motorcycle CZcams channel - Jawa Tino - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Even being 46 years old, this doesn't look old fashioned. It just looks like perfection.
One of the most beautiful motorcycles ever built.
Still after all these years one of the best looking bikes around.
Amen!! Brother!! Love those classic Japanese bikes!
THOSE FOUR SILENCERS WERE JUST AMAZING, THEY MAKE THE BIKE OUT OF THE ORDINARY. BEAUTIFUL MACHINE 🤩
Whoever did that restoration is a MASTER of the arts.
I enjoy riding my VMax but I can honestly say that I’ve never lost my love of the old school air cooled Kawasaki inline 4’s.🏍
Owned a Z1 in 1986. I bought it from a 20 year old still living with his parents in Carmel, California. He crashed it the first time he rode it, breaking the alternator cover and dumping all the oil out. I paid $200. I paid $25 for an alternator cover at a San Jose motorcycle junk yard. Ran great. It was powerful but not as unruly as my previous Kaw 500 two stroke. It would do burn outs with that skinny rear tire but never felt unmanageable.
Owned a cherry ‘72 H2 750 in 1986. King of the road until a friend pulled away from me with his 1986 Honda 750 Nighthawk. Bought it in ‘74 had a lot of fun with it. Nobody wanted to race me in the 70s. I did race a 351 cobra jet, what an awesome sounding engine, that and my 3 cylinder 2 stroke made some pretty music. (Of course I blew his doors off.) Unfortunately I sold it a year later, so now it sits in Jay Lenos garage instead of mine. Dummy me I guess.
Glad ya kept that short😎
I used to love smoking up that back tyre when pulling away.😊
I got a 77 Kz1000 right before my 16th birthday.. don’t know what my dad was thinking but I still miss that bike!
Simply stunning...this one and the CB 750 Four were the beginning of the end for many british and italian makers.
1970s motorcycles were beautiful. I miss that time 😎
videonikkari see the new kawa z 900 rs, or the yamaha xsr 900 😀
Kawasaki z 900 rs model is a fine traditional motorcycle 👍 This Honda is also a great traditional model www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/street/cb1100-rs/overview.html
Yeah I was a spotty teenager back then and used to drool at all those beautiful bikes from the land of the rising Sun.
Out of all those bikes, the only one I ever got to ride was the Suzuki GT750 watercooled triple.(Water Buffallo) or
as we called it the (Kettle) But my favourite bike was the Z1 Kawasaki 900.
I miss that era too. Today's bikes may be fast but they all look the same, and have no character.
Shame because it will probably be in the Junk Yard by now. My Brother had one and owned it from 1986
till the mid 90's and sold it for only £600. Whats that in Oz Dollars? But the bastard who bought it off him
revved it mercilessly and broke the engine in only a short period of time. I wish I had the cash at the time,
and I would have bought it off him, just to save it from this Moronic Riders of today, who thrash heir bikes
mercilessly up and down the Motorway where I live. These bikes bring serious money these days. When
I was a Youth back in the 70's. I lusted after a GT750 or a Kawasaki 900 Z1 But could not afford to buy
either of them. You are lucky to have owned two of those "Kettles" or GT750's as we knew them, or the
"Water Buffallo" in the States. If you still have the other one. Look after it, these are fast appreciating
"Classics" now.
What a Machine and they Raised the Bar for all motorcycles in the mid 70's
Kawasaki broke so many records back then, that's why it became a LEGEND!
One of my favorite bikes of all time was a 1975 Z1B . What a great machine!
Still have my 78 LTD 1000, bought it in June of 78 ,never gets old riding it.have had many offers for it ,have no desire to let it go,had it since I was a kid
I've been riding a KZ650 as a daily driver for 23 seasons.....can't replicate the feel of the old Kawasaki. *shrug* It's still a satisfying rush giving it a twist. :) I hear you.
That Sir, is absolutely beautiful. Credit to you. Takes me back to my youth.
Thanks!
THE best of the best! Great style, security. THE best Nike ever. Power,looks. I love it!!!
Works of art, the cult of the z1 ❤️👍
Wow . That is stunning had 3 70's Z's , 2 1000's and a z650c2. There is some thing special about these Kawasakis👍🏍🏍🏍
i use to own one back in the late 70s,perfect machine,then and still TOP OF THE BILL
Ah, such sweet memories of my youth. I had a Z1C, in the brown and orange with the long rear wheel mud guard. I loved that bike, warts and all. I wished I had never sold it.
I had a 74 Z1-900B -Kerker exhaust and vance and Hines valves set up . Super fun bike !
Matthew Chamberlain
1974 was the Z1-a
Great video... nothing like the sound of that bike!
My Dad still has his '73 Rootbeer / Orange with 1,700 miles.
That 900 was a beast. I used it in an SCCA Race Car. Awesome performance
Thank you for taking care of Japan‘ｓ bike carefully
Own a new 1974 Z1 900 back in day. Best motorcycle I ever had. 53 miles to the gallon at 70mph and would cruise all day long. Had a car hit me in Dec of 1977 and spent 13 months in the hospital. No more motorcycle. Damn what a sweet ride it was.
My stock 1975 Z1 regularly got 33MPG . Plugs looked perfect. Just saying.
@@rayray7405 My stock ‘72 750 H2 got 15 mpg the way I drove it.
Nice, these old classics really polish up good.
Brings back a lot of good memories. Thanks I needed that. I miss that bike.
Absolutely gorgeous! Just like brand new!
these bikes are truly truly amazing...
Bad ass, my dad had a new one in 1975. Riding it as a 16 year old kid was the most excitement I ever had on a motorcycle. Pure Power and fun.
That is absolutely beautiful man!!! LEGEND!!!
it was a love at first sight. Enjoyed every second of the video. Thanks for posting
They need to go back to this style. I a ZR1 1000 And a LTD 1000 wish I still had them
This has always been my all time favourite motorcycle.
Best bike ever! I still have a ‘76, a ‘74, and ‘a 73. Bought in that order, and the ‘73 being my favorite!
you deserve more likes for owing a zoo of them... :D
i have a early production 72 frame number z1f-00999 plus 2 74's 81 numbers apart 2 75 racebikes and a couple of more 74's that are hotrodded to death and get ridden alot plus a herd of kz's as well
Great bikes. Well put together video. Long live the Z1....
This bike, and the Honda Goldwing, are two of the best motorcycles ever produced IMHO! I've owned both and they were great!
Best bike I ever owned. Lots of great memories.
Z 1 is one of the best motorcycles ever build , cheers :)
I rode the Z1 a lot even though it wasn't mine, then I became a police officer five years later and eventually made it onto the motor squad. At the time I was riding a Police Harley. A real pig, but fun to cruise on and it had a nice exhaust note. But in 1977 the city went with the new Kawasaki Police 1000 and OMG, the motor guys thought we died and went to heaven. Now that was an enforcement bike and made the Harley feel like a bucket of bolts. So much faster and better handling, there was nothing better at the time. The motor must have been a relative of the KZ900 and the 1000 powerplant hung around for years after, it was that reliable. In all fairness to the Harley, they have improved since that era, but let's face it, they had what, about a 50 or 60-year head start on Kawasaki, Honda, etc. I believe Harley's improvement curve was like a snail, whereas the other manufacturers came out of the blocks firing on all pistons. If I didn't have to chase people at high speed, the Harley was OK, but the Police 1000 Kawasaki was so much faster and safer, no comparison. Today's Harleys are a different breed of cat and ten years ago I broke down and bought a used tribute to police Harley Road King. I've been a sportbike rider since I was a teenager and never thought I would own a Harley, but the uniform dark blue color of the bike caught my eye so I bought it. I had fun upgrading it, but after three chain case gaskets blew, one when I was in the middle of Death Valley, Ca. on a road trip, I was done with the brand. I wanted to do more touring so a buddy on the DV ride, also a Harley owner decided to buy a Honda Goldwing and I followed suit. Never looked back and I still own a Ducati Superbike 999R for those times when I get a wild hair to rail in the foothills.
Just think, the Z1 was a rocket back in the early 70s, producing 82HP. Today, top sportbikes, superbikes that is are commonly rated at 200HP and higher, they are also lighter as well. Back when I rode the ZI 900 Kawasaki, I thought it was the fastest thing on two wheels, scary fast at times. Now it would probably feel like a slug, well, not quite.
Looks just as beautiful now as it did the first time I saw one in the dealer's showroom back in the 70s. An all time classic beauty. It caused one hell of a stir when it came out.
The mighty Z1 was my fave bike of all time, and still is.
And for us peasants herein the UK, alot of money.
Certainly a beautiful bike. My next-door neighbor had both the Honda 750 and the Z1 Kawasaki. He was nice enough to let me ride either one any time I wanted and he even willed them to me if he did not survive a colon cancer operation. Fortunately, he did survive and told me he willed them to me because I talked him into getting the operation, I couldn't believe he was considering not to. When the spec said top speed was 135 mph, I can attest I reached that speed at the bottom of hgwy 17 going into Los Gatos from Santa Cruz, Ca. I laid down on the tank because of wind blast and then shut down after the speedo showed 135mph. It was a great bike and strange how it seemed so much faster than the reported 82hp compared to modern bikes that is.
Cranked er' up to 9,000 and the left mirror decided to part company but man what a ride. Loved the Kawasakis 900's
Man!! That is lovely. Had 2 of them.
THis gave me goose bumps..... thanks for the share!!!
It’s like the girl from highschool that I never got. Can’t get her out of my head. She set the standards for all future girls (and bikes).
Thanks for sharing.
I'd pay a premium price if Japan would bring them back. They were so comfortable to ride for mile after mile and they looked so good.
Amen to that.
I’ll sign up for one as well. If they refuse to remake the Z900, I can settle for a Z1300. I miss that calm and stable six-shooter as well.
Hahahah yep...Those girls still come to mind ....The ones with perfect hair and meticulously pressed tight jeans...How are they coming with that time machine concept I wonder 🤔
Great machine! Strong and reliable motor! Piece of Motorcycle History! First real Superbyke! Z1 forever! First one able to beat the original H2! Greetings from Brazil!
Whoever restored that blue Z1B at the beginning of this video is a genius. (Perfectionist) It's the best I've ever seen. I've owned my own A4 now for 40 years but it's nothing compared to this. Although mine is actually used on the road. It's difficult trying to keep them pristine especially in the UK !!!
Yeah well if the weather doesn't rot them, the morons with a heavy throttle hand will here in the UK.
Not with all that wet, and rusty road shit. And please don't leave it outside, put in a garage if you have one.
Hey, they don't need to be perfect. Still a Z9 and that's everything!
I had a 74 Brown with Gold. We put a 1013 kit in it and raised the compression by two points. Web cams and I already had the big Mikunis. I go up two teeth on the rear sprocket and put a Yoshimiro pipe on it. I weighed 140 pounds. Nobody could catch me. I ran a 10.33. I almost killed myself on it. I sold my H! to get it. I would still like the H1 back. It had Bridgeport jugs and Wirgess pipes. I sold it to a friend and it broke a record in California for 500 cc stock and ran 11.9. Crazy little bike. Hit 6500 and hold on for your life. It was clocked on the LIE at 129 mph. My friend was riding it. He didn't get away. He got arrested.
did going up 2 teeth on the rear slightly reduce top speed and increase acceleration or did you mean the front sprocket?
Lord have mercy on my pitiful soul ...how beautiful is that ..?
That 4 cylinder engine scream, actually defined motorcycling of the 70's and 80's
Loved the vid... that takes me back to my youth. Thank you for that.
Stunning, can you imagine the reaction to these way back then ....
I remember clearly. I have posted earlier in the thread. It changed my life, really, It made me fall in love with motorbikes and that passion is as strong today as it was as a young teenager dreaming of having my own Z1
I loved. From my timeline. Missed that o yes the Yamaha 1000 night special. Beatifull bikes
70s/80s best time ever for Japanese bikes from the fs1e to the z1300 and all in between ✌🏻
This is the most beautiful bike of all. Better looking than any other motor cycle ever made imo.
Amazing! If that we’re my bike I’d have it in the living room as an ornament.
I certainly would not be revving the nuts off it like this guy did.
jason backes lol my US Navy boyfriend who was stationed in West Wales UK in 1975 had a Kawasaki 900 exactly like this he worked on it in the kitchen of his rented farmhouse lol beaut machine.
Then he was one "Lucky Guy" these bikes were for people like me, the bike of our "Dreams" and he owned one! I see them one You-tube now being abused and completely neglected and for me, an ageing ex-biker, it really pisses me off to see these once "Legendary" bikes being treated in this way. These are now "Classics" and in good original condition, sell for mega money.
Porn for men !
@MDS It looks to me that he keeps this bike in first class condition. The Z1 was the performance bike of that period. It deserves to be ridden hard occasionally. What is the point otherwise. It is like classic race cars, many of them race. It is what they are made for. Nothing sadder than seeing a performance machine in a museum or being ridden at a snails pace.
This was THE big bike aspired to by many during the days of my motorcycling novitiate. It took over the reign from the legendary Honda 750, by then evolved to the K4. I rode one, but though cheaper than Italian, I never bought a Z1 despite their impressive motor and power. Japanese street frame design and suspension then weren't conducive to high speed handling, particularly high speed cornering like they are today, and the Z1's handling was no a match for its stunning engine performance. I bought a Ducati 860GTS instead, which I ultimately came to regret when when the big end failed and motor disintegrated at just 27,000km on the odo, and then a 750SS Desmo. After I blew that up too along with splitting the barrel and cylinder on my 450 Desmo, twice, all operated within Desmo RPM spec limitations and filled with the correct grade of Penzoil mineral oil, it became clear Italian metallurgy of the day was as bad as Japanese frame design of the day. Went back to Jap bikes and never broke another motor.
You and some of my friends mate. In those days you had a choice. Brit machinery, leaking oil like crazy and broke down often but alway repairable, Italian mostly terminal, Japanese, bucking bronco around the bends. I went the bronco route and loved every moment.
I got a 74 z1A from canada and i live in perth western Australia , they look awesome and have that 70s sound and they go like a rocket , ive had 6 of em from z1A to z1R , who cares if they flex , i love em
First one looks like it just came off the assembly line, from the factory.. In fact, it looks even better. Amazing work.
I bought a burgundy Z1 new in 1974. Best bike I ever had.
Me too, ($A1,845 new) although it was great it wasn't the best bike I ever had. That award went jointly to my old Hayabusa & my present BMW K1300R.
Carlton Overbay My '74 Z1 was stolen in 1978 so I bought a new KZ1000 in 1978
Now you now how to ride an old school legend!
Kawasaki Z1 and the Honda CB 750 four were the best and most beautiful bikes built. Everything was perfect...well almost everything.
That is a magnificent machine! Polished and so clean. Beautiful.
I have the 2018 version. Love it!
I bought one of these after selling my 750 H2 widow maker. Loved the Z1 and it just happened to be the same brown color as the one in this video.
An 18yo friend of mine's parents bought him one... shouldn't have to say more , but , 17 days later , station wagon going about 70 meets Z1 going about 90. My parents immediately put a halt on my plans for an RD350! In hindsight I probably would have ended up like Benny! There were\are very few young ( 18-25yrs ) people with the proper amount of maturity and experience to be turned loose with high performance equipment like these. There was a time when most younger riders couldn't get insurance for anything over 750cc at any price. Thanks for the review , brought back a lot of memories!
I had a '75' Z1B back in the day. Yoshimura chrome exhaust, jetting, a 7 way steering damper and a 630 O-ring chain with slightly lower final drive gearing. It looked great, sounded amazing, turned alot of heads and never left me stranded. Still have a 1980 Z1 Classic. Good bikes.
Let the good times roll.
@Danny Dan The 70s I remember gas was like 3 bucks a gallon and had to wait in line to get it. 27 cents was maybe early 60s late 50s
Had Kwaka H2 at the time. After a while my buddy bought a Z1. Impressive, beautiful and big. I swopped bikes for a bit. Boy that Z1 felt big. More like a two wheeled truck. So different to the H2 yet similar performance.
Wow for sure!,. I'm loving it!
What a bike, truly a legend, I miss this nostalgia so much.
Check out the new one looks just as good
I've been restoring a 1982 GPZ 1100. Factory digital fuel injection.
I'm an upright rider, I like power, triple discs and mags.
you are on the wrong video. This is the kawi 900
キレイにしてるな〜 ZⅡは憧れの名車、ZⅠなんて憧れの憧れ、雲の上の存在だよ
Wow. That bike is pristine.
The legend of super bike' z900 the best motcycles ever built 👍
Nice video. I owned two of them. A 1974 Z-1 and a 1980 KZ-1000 LTD. I still know when one is going down the street. Totally unique sound...
What was unique about them to produce a totally unique sound?
yea nice i hav a 2008 z1ooo took the baffles out sounds like a f1 racer goes like 1 to frm nz reliable and go hard
@john thonig I bought a 1974 Z1 Orange/ Brown color shown at end of video paid $2495. The dealer only had one and the color and price were non negotiable.. I bought it ! Incredible machine.
I have to tell you it scared me back in those days... !
In 1975 my friend had the 1973 Rootbeer Z1 900 and I had the 1972 Blue H2 750 2 stroke - crazy memories !
Work of Art. Simply beautiful bike!
Oh she’s a beauty!!
I had a 73 z1-900. Miss it
My friend had one brand new back in the day. The fastest bike at the time. The didn't need all that plastic crap. You can see how beautiful the bike is .Thanks for the ride nice video.
I also like the naked look of bikes in the 70's and spent lots of time on them riding all year round back and forth across Europe. The top speeds were taken laying flat on the tank and riding at high speed was an endurance feat. You also developed neck muscles that would rival the Hulk. The "plastic crap" you talk about allows me to travel at any speed I wish without shattering me. I dont need to lay on the tank to achieve that high speed. These classics are great and I would love to have a Z1 in the stable however, they are not in the same league as todays bikes.
Looks like brand sparkling new! Congratulations!
I'm old enough to remember The TriCycle Kawi ads from '69 or so. This was a step up. btw, loved the tire smoke.
I had the 73. A real rocket in those days.
JAWA TINO : Always an awesome job. 👍👍
Nasser Monteiro sampaio Thanks!
The ultimate Z900 movie. The Aussie flick “ STONE”.
If Kawa made this exact bike today, it'd sell like mad. Just a beauty. Kawa is reproducing this paint scheme on the 2022 K900RS and it's outstanding.
Don't think so. Guys my age (yours too?) who always wanted one but were too young or too broke. After that, people would insist on modern braking, handling, and fuel injection.
nice bike, old bike, wounderful, best regards from Germany
Hi Albert und hier ist meine Z get.google.com/albumarchive/110964805944709538530/album/AF1QipNMaosbldEqSedXpN3k8nnH2YYDzQ7VXBRDBUhH/AF1QipMC0VnJvibbyzCv_7BSWzqlHYYdozjgf9RZGUu6?authKey=CKvjjObph7D0YA
Micha S Einfach geil die Z1, meine Vater hat ne ZL900 ist auch sehr geil
Still have my 76 Z1 in the garage!
I had a 74. Miss it
Survived a 74 -- wet spaghetti frame & all. Absolute monster after a bore to1099, a Kerker track only equal length balanced header, and a stage 3 Mikuni kit. Hunted 750 Honda's just to give 'em a chance. And got my ass handed to me once by a TRUE MANIAC on an RD350. Best times of our INVINCIBLE YOUTH !!!
Mine was the same year as the blue one, 1975, except mine was burgundy. This video makes me miss it. Those were the days!
when motors out performed their frames...good times!
Lost my spleen to a 78 KZ1000 , I agree.
And we loved it because they all flexed. The forks would also. We just treated it as normal. Great fun! I had two GT750's and a Honda CBX 1000 during those days
"let the good times roll", Kawasaki's slogan in the early '70s.
"Change of underwear not included" LOL
Not in a tank slapper
That's the look I grew up with so to me, that's what a bike should look like. All of these new transformers-bikes just don't do it for me.
Sir Tristan says you sweetheart.
@Sir Tristan "passed" stupid
When I was 21 years old I had a motorcycle of these and enjoyed it for 6 years and I have good memories now I am 67 years old and now I have a Yamaha facer 600 less displacement and more hp. congratulations on the video Angel from Spain
wow, amazing, this guy know what he do, respect dude !*****
That was Awesome !!
I had five z900 starting and 7475 77 at a GPZ 1100 I also had a 900 that we put twin turbos on with 185 horsepower that ran in the 08 is a great super bikes we fix the framing and suspension they were Rockets Miss every one of them my 75 had twin four-barrel Weber's On It some fun
Stunning bike, I hope you keep it in the house!
FUCKING things look brand new
When Venezuela was a rich country in the 70s in the city of Caracas was one of the best-selling bikes at that time I had a Honda 750cc motorcycle and sold it to buy the Kawasaki 900cc was a very fast motorcycle for its time I put an exhaust pipe 4 en1 was very beautiful the sound the problem of this motorcycle Kawasaki was his engine was very delicate for five years gave me many problems with the engine after I sold it and I bought a Ducati 900cc ss that also had engine problems In those days the engines of these bikes were not like those of today.
At this moment I live in Spain and I have a Yamaha Facer fz6 that has 98 hp and weighs very little now I am 66 years old and I still enjoy motorcycles after many years. Greetings to all
My father had the first year model. It was the first road bike I ever drove. I was 15 when I started riding it on my own. AWESOME machine.
She"s a beauty.
I think that the Kawasaki 900 Z1 was the best bike ever to come out of Japan. It has a classic look to it that never seems toage. It was a dream of mine to own one back in the day, but they were very expensive. These bikes sell for mega money these days, so to those of you out there with well looked after ones, cherish these pieces of Motorcycle history.
Sam bailey
We do, thank you
They sold for a couple thousand dollars when they first came out...
@@retiredguyadventures6211 Paid $1895 for my 1974 and got to uncrate it myself
This is the perfect model... even down to the twin front discs... ❤
What a blast ! . . on the cusp of my 67th bday ! That is the exact '74 KZ900 I bought at 20 yr old ! ! Fastest thing available on 2 wheels! WooHoo ! Damn, kinda miss that machine. Thanx for the memories-burnouts&twist the wick! !