Topic: Yes, a Z1 & H1- unofficial Kawasaki thread - H2 is now a rider!!!

[Terry in Australia]

No worries Jon, I think my problem is that I just want to buy every bike I see.........

[BLUE71TURBO]

No worries Jon, I think my problem is that I just want to buy every bike I see.........

                 Terry, you, me and everyone here has that disease !   

[nevernoluck]

Here's a crappy pic Steve O

[754]

Why is it there seems to be way more Cb 750on the roadthan Z1/KZ,s..?

 We have a vintage club here in BC the one KZ owner whines about riding 300 miles, rather rade an old wing.. Are the that uncomfortable..?

 I figure any UJM with shocks. Both ends has to be a 600 mile a day bike.. Or even a lot more..

[Stev-o]

Why is it there seems to be way more Cb 750on the roadthan Z1/KZ,s..?

 We have a vintage club here in BC the one KZ owner whines about riding 300 miles, rather rade an old wing.. Are the that uncomfortable..?

 

Frank - there were less than 85,000 Z's made for 3 model years vs a couple hundred thousand CB750.

My Z is very comfortable, but a 'wing is like lounging on the couch! I'd pick the Z.

[754]

Are you talking Z1 thru to end of Kz big fours ?

[RAFster122s]

My daughter went to college in Vermont while living in central Ohio, so she was acustomed to long roadtrips when travelling to and from college. She also spent her last two years of high school in two schools. Her regular high school in the NE suburb we lived in during the afternoons but she drove 22 miles across town every morning and at lunchtime to spend 1/2 the day attending Zoo School @ Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. So, she is not fazed by road trips. Her brother 2 years younger thinks an hour or two in the car is way too long...in a town where it is about 30-45 minutes to most any part unless there is heavy traffic or a traffic jam.
So, some people are travellers and others are not. Less than 10%, if I recall correctly, of the population moves farther than 25 miles from where they grew up...
Until just recently I have lived most of my life between 450 and 2000 miles from where I grew up since I graduated from college and began working in my field of study.
My three siblings live within 2 miles of one another and less than 10 miles from my parents home they grew up in that my mother still lives in today (and my father did until he died earlier this month.)

[Stev-o]

Are you talking Z1 thru to end of Kz big fours ?

No, just the true Z1's....'73-75.  1976 had same motor but was designated KZ900. '77 went up to 1000cc.

[754]

Yeah that is what Ithought..that means there are 2 Z1 for every. KO or earlier 750.. Where are they ?

[Terry in Australia]

Actually, there were over 500,000 CB750's built, (and probably 400,000 of them went to the US.) The Zed's were more popular in Europe, Britain and Oz, because back then Zeds were more expensive then CB750's, so most Americans went for the cheaper option.

When I bought my CB750F new back then, I was shopping for a Z1, but a good used one was still more expensive than a new CB750, so I bought the Honda.

Nowadays, Z1's are far more collectable, so you don't see some young guy buying one at a yard sale for 100 bucks like you still do with CB750's, so there are far fewer on the road. On top of that, so many big Kawasaki engines were dragraced for so many years with 1300, 1400 and even 1500cc kits available, many either went to God at 10,000 RPM, or are still gathering dust in old racers barns.

I know a guy (a friend of Bear's) who is walking around with an oxygen bottle, but still has his Yoshimura kitted Z1 he bought new in 1973 parked in his garage. Needless to say, I want it..........

[Stev-o]

Here's a crappy pic Steve O

Looks good, noluck.  Kerker exhaust?  How's she run??

[nevernoluck]

Yep that's a kerker, runs like chit! Plug 1 is running rich, all others nice brown color. Acts like your choking a warmed up bike at cruising speeds. Put it a little better explanation in my other post. But you put a heavy twist on that throttle she screams down the road without a hiccup!!!!

[Stev-o]

Yep that's a kerker, runs like chit! Plug 1 is running rich, all others nice brown color. Acts like your choking a warmed up bike at cruising speeds. Put it a little better explanation in my other post. But you put a heavy twist on that throttle she screams down the road without a hiccup!!!!

Sounds like a carb issue. Have they been cleaned/rebuilt lately?

[Stev-o]

Rolled the Z bike out of the garage and went for a short 20 mile ride. Running great, oil light blinked when I laid into it but didnt stay on. Did not install trap door yet.

Have everything needed to replace the 16" rear wheel. New DID 18" rim, check. New Avon Roadrider to match front, check. New Bridgestone tube and rim strip, check.
New Buchanans SS spokes, check!





Pulled rear wheel and inspected hub, looks fine.






Cush drive rubbers look fine too, although quite dirty in this area. Bearing on this side looks wrong to me, unlike the other sealed one. Plus, it is oily as opposed to greasy, not sure what to think about this other than new bearings will be ordered.
Thoughts?








The rear brakes worked fine, but never felt right. Shoes are pretty glazed, the Beast will be getting a new pair of shoes!






Will take hub and new parts to my buddies shop, he has a truing stand and tire machine. So much easier with the proper tools.

Anyone need a 16" rim and vintage Bridgestone tire??

[754]

There is a set of alloys already laced with slicks.. Mayhe cheap..front and rear.. Check ebay and craigs section ..wheels or rims..posted yesterday..

[Stev-o]

There is a set of alloys already laced with slicks.. Mayhe cheap..front and rear.. Check ebay and craigs section ..wheels or rims..posted yesterday..

Thanks, I saw them.  This one is staying stock

[Terry in Australia]

Rolled the Z bike out of the garage and went for a short 20 mile ride. Running great, oil light blinked when I laid into it but didnt stay on. Did not install trap door yet.

Have everything needed to replace the 16" rear wheel. New DID 18" rim, check. New Avon Roadrider to match front, check. New Bridgestone tube and rim strip, check.
New Buchanans SS spokes, check!





Pulled rear wheel and inspected hub, looks fine.






Cush drive rubbers look fine too, although quite dirty in this area. Bearing on this side looks wrong to me, unlike the other sealed one. Plus, it is oily as opposed to greasy, not sure what to think about this other than new bearings will be ordered.
Thoughts?








The rear brakes worked fine, but never felt right. Shoes are pretty glazed, the Beast will be getting a new pair of shoes!






Will take hub and new parts to my buddies shop, he has a truing stand and tire machine. So much easier with the proper tools.

Anyone need a 16" rim and vintage Bridgestone tire??

Yeah Steve, that bearing's not right, there's no seal on the outside, hence the oil or grease that's been weeping thru. That line in the middle of your brake shoe looks like oil or grease too? the easiest way to remove the hub is to just cut the spokes with a pair of bolt cutters and chuck that old rim and tire. Cheers, Terry.

[Stev-o]

Hey Terry - no, the brake shoe is dry but might have had oil or grease on it at one time? Regardless, new bearings and shoes have been ordered.
Thinking an angle grinder would be the easiest way to cut the spokes.

[Bankerdanny]

Frank - there were less than 85,000 Z's made for 3 model years vs a couple hundred thousand CB750.

My Z is very comfortable, but a 'wing is like lounging on the couch! I'd pick the Z.

Depends on the Wing. An original 75-77 Wire Wheel naked Wing is no more couch like than an SOHC4. They have the same basic seat, the Wing is just bigger and has a smoother engine.

[nevernoluck]

Yep that's a kerker, runs like chit! Plug 1 is running rich, all others nice brown color. Acts like your choking a warmed up bike at cruising speeds. Put it a little better explanation in my other post. But you put a heavy twist on that throttle she screams down the road without a hiccup!!!!

Sounds like a carb issue. Have they been cleaned/rebuilt lately?

Yanked carbs off today, everything clean but 3&4 air screws backed out 3 turns and 1&2 backed out 1 1/2 turns, put all back together run the same. Checked timing of this dyna s and there's the culprit, advanced bout half the range of adjustment. Got that fixed runs nice and smooth. Little disappointed my little cb650 outruns it until fifth gear then the old z pulls away

[Stev-o]

Yep that's a kerker, runs like chit! Plug 1 is running rich, all others nice brown color. Acts like your choking a warmed up bike at cruising speeds. Put it a little better explanation in my other post. But you put a heavy twist on that throttle she screams down the road without a hiccup!!!!

Sounds like a carb issue. Have they been cleaned/rebuilt lately?

 Little disappointed my little cb650 outruns it until fifth gear then the old z pulls away

Something is not right. There is no way the 650 should be faster.

[nevernoluck]

Yep that's a kerker, runs like chit! Plug 1 is running rich, all others nice brown color. Acts like your choking a warmed up bike at cruising speeds. Put it a little better explanation in my other post. But you put a heavy twist on that throttle she screams down the road without a hiccup!!!!

Sounds like a carb issue. Have they been cleaned/rebuilt lately?

 Little disappointed my little cb650 outruns it until fifth gear then the old z pulls away

Something is not right. There is no way the 650 should be faster.

that's what I thought but it happened more than once today, my 650 revs out way faster thru the gears, dunno what else to do the z runs good no miss no sputter

[RAFster122s]

The intake manifold could have a warp causing a leak on #1 or 2-4
It does not make sense for 2-4 to be clean/tan while 4 is rich. Is the idle and mid range circuit screwed up causing the perf issue or can one cylinder pull the perf down that much?
Often one cylinder will pull the corresponding cylinder, is that happening?
Your plugs don't support that though.
Would a leak on 2-4 that is compensated for with more fuel then cause #1 to then be over rich?
is the idle circuit and emulsion tubes clear?
Chasing the holes in the emulsion tube holes with numbered drills with pin vice slowly increasing size until size is determined can ensure all the ports are clear. Sometimes deposits will remain after typical cleaning methods. The cv carbs in my cx500 benefited from this type of cleaning after a good ultrasonic cleaning.

[Godffery]

Yep that's a kerker, runs like chit! Plug 1 is running rich, all others nice brown color. Acts like your choking a warmed up bike at cruising speeds. Put it a little better explanation in my other post. But you put a heavy twist on that throttle she screams down the road without a hiccup!!!!

Sounds like a carb issue. Have they been cleaned/rebuilt lately?

 Little disappointed my little cb650 outruns it until fifth gear then the old z pulls away

Something is not right. There is no way the 650 should be faster.

that's what I thought but it happened more than once today, my 650 revs out way faster thru the gears, dunno what else to do the z runs good no miss no sputter

I can believe it; I have both a KZ650 & the 900, which is MUCH heavier!

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah mate, but you're comparing apples to oranges. The KZ650 was quicker than the CB750 and would crap on a CB650 but there's no way a CB650 could hold off a Z1, the Z1 was a powerhouse and there was nothing that would get near it until the Suzuki GS1000 in 1978.

I'm guessing that Nevernoluck's Z1 is geared a lot higher than his CB650 and that's why the little CB is getting away from his Z1.

incidentally I had an argument with another member here on a similar subject a few years ago, so he bought a KZ650 to  prove me wrong and then he crashed it at warp speed and almost killed himself. He did tell me later that in fact I was right, and the KZ650 was a wickedly fast little bike. Cheers, Terry.