What keeps you on a KZ?

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04 Nov 2021 10:46 - 04 Nov 2021 10:47 #857392 by Mikaw
Replied by Mikaw on topic What keeps you on a KZ?

Well said Matt!   Thanks for posting one of my all time favorite videos,  I remember watching it for the first time in the factory early in 1975.  The KZ650 video is pretty cool also.

Mike
Mike, I can’t imagine what a moral boost watching that video must have been. To learn that you work on and build such highly acclaimed machines had to be a great feeling. The list of records broken at the end of that video stands on its own. 

1976 KZ 900 A4 kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/613548-1976-kz-900-a4
1976 KZ 900 B1 LTD
1978 KZ 1000 B2 LTD
1980 KZ 750 E1
Kowledge Speaks, But Wisdom Listens.
Jimi Hendrix.
Last edit: 04 Nov 2021 10:47 by Mikaw.

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04 Nov 2021 10:59 #857393 by DOHC
Replied by DOHC on topic What keeps you on a KZ?

I like that closing shot with the on-board camera.  A bit of wiggle here and there entering the banking at 130mph, then up close to 140 on the straight.  A nice thumbs up to the pit crew at 120+.  That's a serious machine.

'78 Z1-R in blue , '78 Z1-R in black, '78 Z1-R in pieces
My dad's '74 Z1
'00 ZRX1100

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04 Nov 2021 12:00 #857395 by BCScott
Replied by BCScott on topic What keeps you on a KZ?

 
I like that closing shot with the on-board camera.  A bit of wiggle here and there entering the banking at 130mph, then up close to 140 on the straight.  A nice thumbs up to the pit crew at 120+.  That's a serious machine.
I wonder if they could have gone .5mph faster if they left their house keys off of the keychain!

Back in the saddle and loving it! KZ1000A1

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04 Nov 2021 12:47 #857398 by DOHC
Replied by DOHC on topic What keeps you on a KZ?

I wonder if they could have gone .5mph faster if they left their house keys off of the keychain!
It looks like a bottle opener to me.  24 hours is a long time.  What if you get thirsty at 130mph?

One of the records listed is a 1-lap record of 160.199 mph.  I always thought the 160mph speedo was pretty darn optimistic, but it turns out it's just enough.

'78 Z1-R in blue , '78 Z1-R in black, '78 Z1-R in pieces
My dad's '74 Z1
'00 ZRX1100

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04 Nov 2021 12:52 #857399 by Mikaw
Replied by Mikaw on topic What keeps you on a KZ?


 
I like that closing shot with the on-board camera.  A bit of wiggle here and there entering the banking at 130mph, then up close to 140 on the straight.  A nice thumbs up to the pit crew at 120+.  That's a serious machine.
I wonder if they could have gone .5mph faster if they left their house keys off of the keychain!
I did notice that. Funny. 

Truth is they mentioned tire wear as the bottleneck. They had to balance wear against speed. Time to change out more tires would increase lap times. Affecting total distance and average speed. What could have really been achieved it tires were less of a factor. Unless I missed something they broke all those records on the first attempt. All that was completed in 3 days, extremely impressive. 

1976 KZ 900 A4 kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/613548-1976-kz-900-a4
1976 KZ 900 B1 LTD
1978 KZ 1000 B2 LTD
1980 KZ 750 E1
Kowledge Speaks, But Wisdom Listens.
Jimi Hendrix.

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04 Nov 2021 13:10 #857400 by azman857
Replied by azman857 on topic What keeps you on a KZ?
I've always likes the look of the KZ 650 C with the mag wheels and duckbill in the back. Except with a 750 GPz engine and oil cooler.

I don't have a plan and I'm sticken' to it! '77 KZ 650 / 750 GPz custom project in progress

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04 Nov 2021 13:13 #857401 by hardrockminer
Replied by hardrockminer on topic What keeps you on a KZ?
My return to KHI after 40 years was a bit of nostalgia, as I owned a Z1B back in the day.  I told myself that I would buy another one if the opportunity came around, and it did.  As I began to do work on my acquisition I was pleasantly surprised by how thoughtful the designers were when it came to pulling things apart.  They are very easy to work on.  A lot of thought must have gone into how to maintain them....other than the seat....that feels like sitting on a 3/4 inch slab of plywood!

I've owned Yamaha products but never a motorcycle.  I couldn't believe how complicated their snow machine was.  Very well engineered but little consideration for maintenance.
 

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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04 Nov 2021 13:15 #857402 by Nerdy
Replied by Nerdy on topic What keeps you on a KZ?
To paraphrase what Ed said:

 


That was taken after her first bath in a long time.

1979 KZ400 Gifted to a couple of nephews
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R
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04 Nov 2021 14:58 - 05 Nov 2021 11:56 #857407 by gazzz
Replied by gazzz on topic What keeps you on a KZ?
The best answer I could give about my Zephyr 750 is pictures. It is but a short excerpt of our story.  The oldest and the newest photos stand 12 years apart. I do not dare to insert those pictures in the post body because it likely will bury the thread.  
 

Kawasaki KZ650 cafe-racer: in progress

Kawasaki Zephyr 750 (810ccm, 4in4, spoked wheels)
Honda CB815 "Eight Fifteen" cafe-racer
Yamaha XJ "Eight Ball" cafe-racer

www.gazzz-garage.com
Last edit: 05 Nov 2021 11:56 by Street Fighter LTD.
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05 Nov 2021 01:37 #857428 by howardhb
Replied by howardhb on topic What keeps you on a KZ?
I'll just let the picture speak a thousand words...
 

'81 GPz 550 D1
'81 GPz 1100 B1 ELR "Tribute" www.kzrider.com/our-forum/11-projects/61...-elr-tribute?start=0
'82 Yamaha YB100 Fizzie
'79 Suzuki GT200 X5 TWO STROKE TWIN - SMOKER!
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05 Nov 2021 05:53 #857436 by ThatGPzGuy
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic What keeps you on a KZ?

.
 

Ed
Whenever I think about having a KZ650 I have Ed's bike in my mind. Beautiful. 

Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"

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05 Nov 2021 05:59 - 05 Nov 2021 05:59 #857437 by ThatGPzGuy
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic What keeps you on a KZ?

I'll just let the picture speak a thousand words...
 
LOL. It was the same with me except I was on a moped borrowed from a girl I was "seeing" at the time. Every day I parked next to an ELR in the college MC parking lot. Humiliating. 
I have had this since 2007. I have a few  Yammys but will always be a Kawasaki Guy. 
 

Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"
Last edit: 05 Nov 2021 05:59 by ThatGPzGuy.
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