Z1 Kawasaki | Grease n Gasoline

The Z1 Kawasaki was a motorcycle introduced in 1972 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It has sometimes been described as the world’s first superbike. The Z1, along with Honda’s CB750 from 1969, introduced the four-cylinder, across the frame, disc-braked layout to a wider public. The Z1 was groundbreaking in that it combined many different elements which previous motorcycles had used into one performance package.

Kawasaki Z1 – 40th Birthday

History

The Z1 Kawasaki was developed in strict secrecy under the project name “New York Steak”. Some years previously, Kawasaki, already an established manufacturer of two-stroke motorcycles, decided to make a 750cc 4-cylinder 4-stroke sports motorcycle; they were beaten to the market place by the Honda CB750. Apparently, the bosses at Kawasaki disapproved and ordered their designers to come up with something better.

Kawasaki Z1 – 40th Birthday

Stone was an Australian film that featured several Z1s ridden by a post-Vietnam veteran’s outlaw biker gang.

Design changes
The basic design of the Z1 remained relatively unchanged until 1975, when the 903cc “Z1-B” was introduced, with changes including power output, improved suspension, a stiffer frame, deleted automatic chain oiler, revised styling (essentially paint scheme and side cover nomenclature), and improved braking.

Kawasaki Z1 – 40th Birthday

It’s forty years since Kawasaki astonished the motorcycling world by showing the 903cc Z1 superbike at the 1972 Cologne Show. Some special activities are being planned for the 2012 Cologne Intermot show to commemorate the event.

The 82 bhp 903cc four-cylinder machine changed the world of motorcycling, beginning the horsepower war between the leading sports bike manufacturers that has seen horsepower increase by 150% and weight fall by 20% in the ensuing four decades.
Whatsmore, it did so at a very affordable US$1895 and was one of the key motorcycles which established the reputation of reliability and performance for Japanese motorcycles
The Kawasaki 900 was originally developed as a 750 by Kawasaki designer Gyoichi Inamura and his team in the late sixties, but the surprise appearance of the Honda CB750 in 1969 meant that Kawasaki elected to wait and further develop its motorcycle as it did not wish to be seen doing a “me too”, and the engine was subsequently enlarged to 900cc.

Kawasaki Z1 – 40th Birthday

HONDA CB750-Kawasaki Z1 – 40th Birthday

A decade after the Z1 was launched, I attended the launch of the “next” Kawasaki 900, the GPZ900R at Laguna Seca in California,

Modern Kawasaki 4 CYL

Kawasaki intends to tour an exhibit of historic motorcycles from the Z series around Europe over the coming year, culminating in a special exhibition in October during the Intermot show in Germany.

ARTICLE BY:Gizmag

List of Kawasaki motorcycles
Special purpose

Kawasaki police motorcycles
Cruiser

Vulcan 2000
Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Classic/Classic LT/Nomad/Voyager
Vulcan 1600 Nomad
Vulcan 1600 Classic
Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak
Vulcan 1500 Drifter
Vulcan 900 Classic
Vulcan 800 Classic
Vulcan 800 Drifter
Eliminator
Vulcan 700
Vulcan 750
Vulcan 500 LTD
Vulcan 400 Classic – similar to the VN1600 and the VN800.
Vulcan 400 Drifter

Dual purpose

KLR250
KLX250S
KLX400SR
KLE500
KLR650
KLX650C
Super Sherpa (KL250G/H)

Off road

KDX50
KDX80
KDX125
KDX175
KDX200
KDX220
KDX250
KDX400
KDX420
KDX450
KLX110
KLX125
KLX125L
KLX140L
KLX250
KLX300R
KLX400R
KLX450R
KLX650R
KMX 125/200
KT250
KX60
KX65
KX80
KX85
KX100
KX125
KX250
KX500
KX250F
KX450F
Streetbikes

A1 Samurai 250 (1967–1971)
A7 Avenger 350 (1967–1971)
B85 & B85M 125 (1965)
D1 100 (1966–1969)
Eliminator 125
ER-5
Fury 125
H1 Mach III 500 (1969–1975)
H2 Mach IV 750 (1971–1975)
KH500 (1976 only)
S1 Mach I 250 (1971–1975)
S2 Mach II 350 (1971–1975)
Versys
Z750
Z1000
ZRX1200R
ZZR250
ZZR400
ZZR600
ZZR1100
ZZR1200
ZZR1400

Ninja Sportsbikes
Ninja 250R (A.K.A. EX250, GPZ 250, ZZ-R250) (Production year: 1986-present)
Ninja 400R (A.K.A. EX400, (Production year: 2011-present)
Ninja 500R (A.K.A. EX500, GPZ500S, ZZ-R500) (Production year: 1987–2009)
Ninja 650R (A.K.A ER-6F EX650R) (Production year: 2006-present)
Ninja ZX-150RR (A.K.A. KR150, KR150K, KRR150, Ninja 150 RR) (Production year: 1996–present)
Ninja ZX-6R and 6RR (Production year: 1995-present)
Ninja ZX-750 F2 (Production year: 1988 Special Edition)
Ninja 1000 (A.K.A Z1000Sx) (Production year: 2011-present)
Ninja ZX-10R (Production year: 2004-present)
Ninja ZX-12R
ZZR1400 (ZX-14 in U.S) (Production year: 2006-present)
Sport-Touring
ZG-1000 Concours / GTR1000
Concours 14 / 1400GTR
Voyager 1700 (reintroduced in 2009)

Models no longer in production

A1 Samurai 250cc
A7 Avenger 350cc
B7 Pet (Step-Thru)
B8 125cc (1962–1965)
Kawasaki B8M Red-Tank Furore 125cc 1962–1965)
C2SS & C2TR (1964–1968)
G1M 100cc (1967)
G31M Centurion (1970–1971)
Kawasaki G4TR (197?-197?)
F11M 250cc (1967)
F21M “Green Streak” (1968–1971)
F3 Bushwhacker 175cc (1968–1970)
F4 Sidewinder 250cc (1969–1970)
F5 Bighorn 350cc (1970–1971)
F6 Enduro 125cc (1971–1974)
F7 Enduro 175cc (1971–1975)
F8 Bison 250cc (1971–1972)
F81M “Green Streak” 250cc (1971)
F9 Bighorn 350cc (1971–1975)
Ninja ZXR 250 / ZX-2R (produced: 1988–1999)
Ninja ZXR 400 (produced: 1991–1999)
Ninja ZXR 750 / ZX-7 (L model [zx7] street; M model [zx7r] race 93-95) (produced: 1984–1995)
Ninja ZX-7R / ZX-7RR (J model [ZX7] street; K model [ZX7R] race 91-92)(produced: 1996–2003)
Ninja ZX-9R (produced: 1994–2003)
Ninja 1000R (produced: 1986–1987)
Ninja ZX-10 / ZZR-1000 (produced: 1988–1990)
Ninja ZX-11 / ZZR 1100 (produced: 1990–2001)
ZZR1200 / ZZ-R1200 (produced: 2002 – 2005)
GPz750 (produced: 1983–1987)
GPZ1100B1/B2 (produced: 1981–1982)
GPZ1100E (produced: 1995–1996)
GPZ250R (Released in Japan only) (produced:1985-?)
GPZ305 (produced 1983–1994)
GPz750 Turbo (produced: 1983–1985)
Ninja GPZ900R (produced: 1984–2003)
Ninja 600R AKA: GPz600R, GPX600R, ZX600A-C (produced: 1985–1997)
ZX600A Website with Specs.
454 LTD (produced: 1985–1990)
Kawasaki S1 Mach I 250cc (produced: 1972) (a two-stroke triple)
Kawasaki S2 Mach II 350cc (produced: 1972) (a two-stroke triple)
S3 400 (a two-stroke triple)
Kawasaki H1 Mach III 500cc (produced: 1968–1972) (a two-stroke triple)
Kawasaki H2 Mach IV 750cc (a two-stroke
KR250
AR125
ZG1200 Voyager XII (Four)
ZN1300 Voyager XIII (Six)
KE100 (produced 1976–2001)
KL250A1/A2/A3/A4 (produced: 1978–1981)
KR-1/KR-1S/KR-1R (produced: 1989)
KH250/400/500 (See article)
Z500/Z550 (A.K.A. KZ500, KZ550, GPz550) (produced: 1979–1985)
Z750B (Twin) (produced: 1976–1978)
Z1/KZ900 (produced: 1972–1976; Z900 sold in North America as KZ900)
Z1R (factory production cafe racer 1015cc four-cylinder; produced 1978–1980)
Z750RS Z2 (produced: 1973–1978)
KZ750L3 (produced: 1983)
KZ750L4 (produced: 1984)
KZ200 (produced: 1980–1984)
KZ305CSR
KZ400/Z400 (produced: 1974–1984)
KZ440/Z440
KZ350
Z650 (produced: 1976–1983; sold in North America as KZ650)
KZ1300 (Six cylinder)
ZL900A Eliminator (produced 1985–1986)
ZL600A Eliminator (produced 1986 only ??)
ZN700LTD (produced 1984–1985)
ZR-7 (produced: 1991–2003)
ZEPHYR 750 (produced: 1991–2003)
ZR-1100
KSR II
W650 (produced: 1999- 2007 )
Voyager
ZZR1100 (produced: 1990–2002)
KZ-1000 (various configurations; produced 1977–1980)
KZ-1100 (various configurations; produced 1981–1983)
AE 50 (produced: circa 1981–1982)
KZ900 A4 (produced: ca 1976)

ATV / Quad

KFX 50
KFX 80
KFX 400
KFX 450R
KFX 700
Prairie 3604X4
Prairie 400
Prairie 700
Brute Force 650
Brute Force 750
Bayou 220
Bayou 250
KLF 300
KLF 400

Road racing motorcycles

Ninja ZX-RR
KR250
KR350
KR500
KR750
KR1000
KR-2
KR-3
A1R
A7R
H1-R
H1-RW
H2-R
X-09
F5-R
602S