Well, unfortunately some of my books talk about the Z650 (KZ650 in the States) but none of the authors deemed the bike important enough to deserve the space needed for its specifications. No wonder, bikes about books tend to talk about ground-breaking bikes, and I have plenty of CB750 books and mentions in some other books.
Now is when all the time that I spent scanning my Classic&Motorcycle Mechanics prove useful. I made a search and found some things. First, to prove my point, there are differences in the specifications.... in different issues of the same magazine! Sure, you will say one is the Z650 and the other is the Z650B1. IF I'm not wrong there was no difference in the engine, but seems that the torque is different. Which one is right? If you convert the units, also wheelbase and other measures change.
Anyway, another article speaks about how good the Z650 was compared with its contemporaries. And finally, in a CB650 article, the comparisons with other bikes in the same range. How trustworthy are those figures? I leave it to your judgment.
In my opinion, the bottom line is that it doesn't matter what the figures what. It doesn't take a genius to say that a Z1 would outrun a CB400F, but with those bikes, only first-hand experience can tell the difference, and if Terry tried both at the time that's something that no reputed magazine or book can take away from him.
mlinder, don't fall on Terry's catch. He is always trying to get somebody into a war of words. I fell once or twice but not anymore.....
He is damn good at making logical statements, and even better at irony!!!!! If you try to find a flaw in his logic you will end up proved wrong, even if you are right...
