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Is this an actual 1972 Z1 test mule or just a silly little paint job

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05 Apr 2023 13:22 - 05 Apr 2023 13:28 #882549 by VirusDumb
While drooling over videos and articles about my dream motorcycle (the Z1 ofc) I remember reading a lot of mentions of Kawsaki painting the test mules in Honda colors and even slapping "HONDA" on them to avoid being noticed by Honda but a few months ago I found this

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I came across this from this video




Is this an actual test mule that survived or a silly little paint job because I think it's ridiculous that honda people won't notice this on the street and go nuts 

Also this image seems to be from here and the only image of this prototype to ever exists so I'm a bit paranoid that it's just a paint job

www.paintworkz.com/customersZ1photos.html
Last edit: 05 Apr 2023 13:28 by VirusDumb.

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05 Apr 2023 14:36 #882551 by BCScott
It's the real deal. It looks like it was taken in the same series as this one, featured in Dave Sheehan's excellent book "The Kawasaki Z1 Story  The Death and Rebirth of the 900 Super 4"   

Back in the saddle and loving it! KZ1000A1
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  • hardrockminer
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05 Apr 2023 17:30 #882554 by hardrockminer
I believe that bike is owned by Greg Walker.  He is one of the finest Z1 restorers in the world.

I have several restored bikes along with a 2006 Goldwing with a sidecar. My wife has a 2019 Suzuki DR 650 for on and off road.
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  • slmjim+Z1BEBE
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  • Enjoy Life! IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!
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05 Apr 2023 19:13 - 06 Apr 2023 05:37 #882556 by slmjim+Z1BEBE

I believe that bike is owned by Greg Walker.  He is one of the finest Z1 restorers in the world.

 
That is indeed Greg Walker's V-bike. The pic is from Mid-Ohio maybe 10 yrs. ago, at the swap meet vendor sites we shared back then with with old time KZR member Roy-b-boy-b.  Our swap sites were next to Jeff Saunders swap site, end of row FF, when he still owned Z1 Enterprises and set up at Mid-Ohio most years.  One of the finest, most polished & well-stocked vendors there has ever been at Mid-Ohio.

Greg's a genuinely nice guy & pleasure to talk to.  He's a walking Z1 encyclopedia..  His V-bike was fascinating to look over closely while he gave an audio tour of the highlights and, the the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between his V-bike test mule and early production Z1's.

Pretty sure we have additional pics of the V-bike taken taken at our site that year.  Can't look this moment but will post when found.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

A biker looks at your engine and chrome.
A Rider looks at your odometer and tags.

1973 ('72 builds) Z1 x2
1974 Z1-A x2
1975 Z1-B x2
1993 CB 750 Nighthawk x2
2009 ST1300A

www.kawasaki-z-classik.com
An enthusiast's forum focused exclusively
on all things Z1, Z2 and KZ900.

Last edit: 06 Apr 2023 05:37 by slmjim+Z1BEBE.
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  • gd4now
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06 Apr 2023 11:03 #882567 by gd4now
Interesting stuff presented here, I thank you for it.  I wanted to add a pic I have found of a 750 4 cylinder from 1970 in what appears to be a test bed for the 4 cylinder 4 stroke machines,  Any way here you go.

1977 KZ650 B1
Pods and Denco header


OLD KAW OWNERS SMILE ALOT

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06 Apr 2023 12:56 - 06 Apr 2023 13:00 #882569 by Injected
I found some more examples on my old PC :


from April 1971


at Daytona? (Honda badges)


very early proto


















 
Last edit: 06 Apr 2023 13:00 by Injected.
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06 Apr 2023 13:17 #882570 by VirusDumb

Interesting stuff presented here, I thank you for it.  I wanted to add a pic I have found of a 750 4 cylinder from 1970 in what appears to be a test bed for the 4 cylinder 4 stroke machines,  Any way here you go.

The engine kind of looks like the MV Agusta 750 s 

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  • Scirocco
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06 Apr 2023 13:19 - 06 Apr 2023 13:22 #882571 by Scirocco
Some pics of my prototype, pre-production bikes and parts details collection.


 
Last edit: 06 Apr 2023 13:22 by Scirocco.
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06 Apr 2023 13:59 #882573 by Scirocco
Kawasaki was the first of the big four who made a batch of 1000 new re-production cyl. heads for the Z1, KZ900 and KZ1000.

 
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  • Scirocco
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06 Apr 2023 14:07 - 06 Apr 2023 14:10 #882574 by Scirocco
Be careful, bike porn pics for junkies. I took some un-boxing pics of a new re-produktion cyl. head at Z-Fever.de.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Last edit: 06 Apr 2023 14:10 by Scirocco.
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  • hardrockminer
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06 Apr 2023 19:45 #882582 by hardrockminer

Interesting stuff presented here, I thank you for it.  I wanted to add a pic I have found of a 750 4 cylinder from 1970 in what appears to be a test bed for the 4 cylinder 4 stroke machines,  Any way here you go.
I think that bike is a styrofoam mockup, not a real machine.  Slmjim can confirm.

I have several restored bikes along with a 2006 Goldwing with a sidecar. My wife has a 2019 Suzuki DR 650 for on and off road.

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06 Apr 2023 22:07 #882583 by VirusDumb
The shape of the tank in the very early model look a lot like the Z1-R
I read somewhere that the designer for the later curvy tank took inspiration from the Bonneville

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