Kawasaki Z1 - The Japanese Legend ! 

Amen!! Brother!! Love those classic Japanese bikes!

THOSE FOUR SILENCERS WERE JUST AMAZING, THEY MAKE THE BIKE OUT OF THE ORDINARY. BEAUTIFUL MACHINE 🤩

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.

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'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.

Kawasaki broke so many records back then, that's why it became a LEGEND!

Matthew Chamberlain 1974 was the Z1-a

Thanks!

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.

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 🤔

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!

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

did going up 2 teeth on the rear slightly reduce top speed and increase acceleration or did you mean the front sprocket?

The mighty Z1 was my fave bike of all time, and still is.

And for us peasants herein the UK, alot of money.

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.

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.

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 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.

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... !

Nasser Monteiro sampaio Thanks!

you are on the wrong video. This is the kawi 900

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

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

My 1982 Kawasaki Kz750e could do 130mph, so I would think that 900 could do a little better.

ukfan4sure1 You are correct it was the kawasaki 750 h1 and h2 triple 2 strokes

Actually it was the '72 Kawasaki H2 750 that was given that moniker by a magazine tester. I owned a '72 H2...if you want to read my story about my encounter with a badass Z1 it is below.

They called up a chopper on me...but I got away. Hid in neighbor's garage ...door was open...lol

The real and first Widow Maker was my first bike in 1972 Kawasaki 750cc H2 Two strokes was infernal fast bike in that time not any bike can pass her. my maxim speed 220 kph going to the beach in a four hours trip, I traveled all my country in her include the Los Andes Venezuela Colombia High Mountain If you get and accident here nobody can rescue you very deep precipices. well here Im with my beautiful memories, still some time I dream wit her Love for ever.

FUCKING things look brand new

Night Ryder

@Warren552011 NO WAY.... NO WAY?? I'm the only fellow around who liked the original madmax for the bikes and the toecutter. Thank you so very much for the movie tip. :D

@Warren552011,, Stone is a fabulous movie. The race between the Norton Commando and Kawasaki Z1 is epic. The brawl in front of the pub is great also. The pub, the Forth & Clyde in Balmain, was a known biker hangout at the time. It's still there but no longer a pub.

@Warren552011,, the Ducati was in the opening shot of the pub. It stuck out like dog's balls. Looks like the Ducati has the handlebars turned down to lower them and look like clipons. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bdD5ScrYE-s.html

Nothing sounds better to me than inline 4 with a header, the old bikes on mad max rocked, I ride a 2001 zrx1200, Kawasaki is king!

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

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.

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

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

I lived at Sunflower and Fairview Santa Ana 73-76 had an apt there near corner.My wife worked at. Orange Coast College

Cool story bro

@john thonig Chips pulled him over and said: we got the same engine sound...

@john thonig !!!

@john thonig Just a little bit smaller 10%

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