Talkback: Kawasaki celebrates 40 years of Z series

Latest Posts | New Discussions | Hot Threads | Forum Topics
Help | Settings | Followed Threads
reply
Related Article
Kawasaki celebrates 40 years of Z series
40th anniversary celebrations of Kawasaki's iconic Z1
7 messages
scotsman418
17/04/2012 at 12:36
I've owned two Zephyr 550's both of year 1991 and the 1st one I ridden in the Highlands and while my friend owned the other one at the time my gear box had jammed, but we doubled up on his except one dark night while riding back to the Hostel on a lonely stretch of road a Deer jumped across our path and broke off a quarter of the front mudguard with it's shit spread across the rest of it, but miracously we were still upright and moving forward. There was a Hunting Lodge along the way we stopped to get a hot drink to get your wits together, and the manager of the place rubbed his hands together and said "Looks like we will be stocking up on veal in the morning!". True story and they are tough little bikes if maintained properly!
scotsman418
17/04/2012 at 12:49
I've owned two Zephyr 550's both of year 1991 and the 1st one I ridden in the Highlands and while my friend owned the other one at the time my gear box had jammed, but we doubled up on his except one dark night while riding back to the Hostel on a lonely stretch of road a Deer jumped across our path and broke off a quarter of the front mudguard with it's shit spread across the rest of it, but miracously we were still upright and moving forward. There was a Hunting Lodge along the way we stopped to get a hot drink to get your wits together, and the manager of the place rubbed his hands together and said "Looks like we will be stocking up on veal in the morning!". True story and they are tough little bikes if maintained properly!
Stu Tomlinson
17/04/2012 at 14:17
owned quite a few Z's over the last 20 years , including a z200, z250 twin,gpz305 z440 ltd, z500, a z550D1, 3x Gt550's, z650b1, z750 twin, a 81 GPz1100, us import kz100G1 EFI and a z1000J

the big twins are the best bikes I ever owned and miss the last 2 in the list still!!!
motowolf
18/04/2012 at 14:06
Compared to the old BSA copy twins they started with,the Z's were light years ahead and continue to be at the cutting edge of motorcycle design and reliability.Top bikes!!
200Bob
19/04/2012 at 13:36
I remember trying the original Z900 when it was first launched, it put my little Honda CB500/4 into the shade and no mistake. Since then among the dozens of bikes I have owned have been several Kawasaki Z's of various types, perhaps the most interesting was the GPz900R. I am lucky enough to know Mike Grainger who supplied the TT winning bike to Geoff Johnson in 1984. Mike kindly let me try it, still with it's race numbers, IOM stickers and squashed insects on it - and I ordered one on the spot.

We, the riders, always win in the competition between manufacturers to produce the top bike. Kawasaki's long line of Z series machines is a case in point.
Raving Nutter
21/04/2012 at 09:56
1976 just run-in the z900. I was on the M61 heading towards Preston. Flat out, chin on the tank. 135mph on the clock. I decided that was it - must slow down. I backed off the throttle gently and the bars started to shake, the front end started to weave. Back on the throttle flat out again and it calmed down. It took me nearly 2 miles to get the thing below 100 mph and to stop shaking.
I don't do things like that anymore because I don't want to die yet.
Other bikes FZR100EXUP tuned by V&M Rochdale, (BMW K100 brick worst bike ever).
Current bike - rice pudding VN1700.
whyhaveone
23/04/2012 at 22:49
1977 - Z650, clip-ons, bad noisy exhaust, oiled air filter, air shocks that never stayed up very long so had to send them back. What happened to air shocks? Put back to stock (and it looked much better) to trade in (1980 ish) on a Z1000 MkII.

Loved the big Z1000, though I think that the Z650 handled better. After too many years without a bike I'm now on an ER6n, quicker and better handling than both - does not sound as good though, I loved the Zed carb whistle!
Your say
Terms and Conditions | Code of Conduct
email image
7 messages
Forum Jump