Kawasaki Z1

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Kawasaki
KAWASAKI Z1.jpg
900 Z1 Super4
Manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Motorcycle Division
Production period 1972 to 1976
class motorcycle
design type Sports Tourer
Motor data
Four-stroke engine , DOHC air-cooled 4-cylinder with 4 carburettors
Displacement  (cm³) 903
Power  (kW / PS ) 58/79 at 8,000 min -1
Torque  ( N m ) 73.5 at 7,000 min -1
Top speed (  km / h) 230 (test value: 217)
transmission 5-speed
drive Chain O-ring from 1975
Dimensions (L × W × H, mm): 2,250 × 820 × 1175
Seat height (cm) 82
Empty weight  (kg) 230 (from 1975: 240)
Previous model -
successor Z 1000

The Kawasaki 900 Z1 or 900 Super4 , later the Kawasaki Z 900 , is a motorcycle with a four-cylinder four - stroke engine that the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki brought onto the market in 1972. For a long time, the machine was a defining feature of the Kawasaki Z series .

technology

  • air-cooled four-cylinder - line engine , transversely mounted, 79 DIN-PS at 8,000 min -1 (Z 900 from 1975: 81 hp at 8,000 min -1 ); US-Version: 82 horsepower at 8,500 min -1
  • 903 cm³ capacity , two overhead camshafts (DOHC) of a single roller chain driven, 2 valves per cylinder via tappets actuated
  • Bore / stroke: 66/66 mm
  • Compression: 8.5: 1
  • 4 Mikuni carburettors Ø 28 mm
  • 4-in-4 exhaust system
  • Tank volume: 16.5 liters of which 3 liters reserve
  • Fuel: Super 95 RON
  • Fuel consumption: approx. 8 l / 100 km
  • Double loop tubular frame in
    front, telescopic fork / rear swing arm with 2 spring legs
  • Kick starter and electric starter
  • Rear wheel drive via single roller chain 3/4 "x 3/8"
  • hydraulically operated front disc brake (one disc Ø 296 mm), drum brake rear (Ø 200 × 35 mm)
  • Front tire size: 3.25-19 4PR / 4.10-19 / 90 H 19
  • Rear tire size: 4.00-18 4PR / 4.25-18 / 90 H 18
  • Weight: 246 kg (from 1975: 256 kg)
  • Payload: 140 kg (from 1975: 130 kg)
  • Top speed : over 210 km / h (according to vehicle registration)
  • Acceleration : 0 - 100 km / h in 4.5 s (according to the brochure)

development

When Honda launched the CB 750, the first mass-produced motorcycle with a transverse 4-cylinder four-stroke engine, in 1969 , the engineers at Kawasaki also had plans for a 750 four-stroke model in the drawer. Until then , Kawasaki had been very successful with three - cylinder two-stroke engines, as in the chronological order of the Kawasaki 500 H1 Mach III , Kawasaki 750 H2 Mach IV , 250 S1 Mach I , 350 S2 Mach II and the 400 S3 Mach II . The star of these fast, but notoriously notorious "rockets" because of their unstable chassis sank and the more economical four-stroke engines found more and more fans.

The first work began in 1967 and went under the code name "NYS", which stood for "New York Steak". After the moderate successes with the W1 , W1S , W1SS , W2 , W2SS , W2TT and W3 on the US market , the aim was to develop a motorcycle with more style and technology. The developers involved were Yukio Ohtsuki, Osamu Tanegashima, Gyoichi Inamura, Toshio Togashi, Norimasa Tada and Akihiko Kyohara, as well as the test drivers Jyo Bito and Norihiko Takahashi. It should be ahead of its time and more than meet the pollutant standards.

The decision was initially to use a four-cylinder engine with two overhead camshafts (DOHC) and a displacement of 750 cc. In 1968 work began on the construction and demonstration models were built. The designers were initially appalled when Honda presented its CB 750 Four at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1968 .

After a while, the decision was made to analyze the market for the competing machine more closely. It was recognized that there was still enough leeway for additional and larger machines on the motorcycle market. It was decided to increase the displacement to 900 cm³. (The 750 cm³ version with 69 hp was to be reserved for the Japanese market as the Z 750-RS ( Z2 ) from 1973 to 1974, the successor was called the Z-750 until 1977 ).

Another 750 for the world market was out of the question for those responsible at Kawasaki - they wanted to clearly differentiate themselves from the competitor Honda. Two machines from the Z1 pre-series were flown to Los Angeles at the beginning of 1972 and subjected to constant stress. A long-distance test from Los Angeles to Daytona and back, with top speed drives on racetracks along the route, was completed. The machines went back to Japan for examination and again to the USA for a further test.

Kawasaki presented the new Kawasaki Z1 Super4 to the international trade press in June 1972 in Japan. With its 82 hp (US version) DOHC engine, the motorcycle was considered a technical milestone. The design was so mature that the engine remained in the Kawasaki model range for twelve years with only minor changes such as the displacement increase to 1000 cc in the successor to the Kawasaki Z 1000 from 1977.

In Europe, the machine was presented in September 1972 at the IFMA in Cologne. The German model had 79 PS (at 8,000 rpm -1 ). In the brochure a maximum speed of over 230 km / h was specified. In a test carried out by the magazine “Motorrad” (issue 4/76) in early 1976 with the 81 hp Kawasaki Z 900, a top speed of 217.2 km / h (solo long lying) and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in Measured 3.5 s (with pillion passenger : 202.6 km / h and 5.0 s). Franz-Josef Schermer's test report on the performance of what was then the fastest production motorcycle at the time was titled “Frankenstein's Daughter”.

The first "big bike"

The Kawasaki Z1 was the first "big bike" to be mass-produced and defined the standards of a new motorcycle class. The machine was offered in Germany in 1972 for 7,200 DM including 11%  sales tax , which today corresponds to approx. 11,700 euros. It was only 600 DM more expensive than the 12 HP weaker Honda CB 750 Four.

In spite of the fact that the price had already increased by 1300 DM in 1974 due to the good sales figures, it was still significantly cheaper in spring 1975 at 8,500 DM (11,400 euros) E.g. the 76 hp Benelli 750 Sei with a six-cylinder engine (9,690 DM / 13,000 euros) or the Laverda 1000 with a three-cylinder engine and 78 hp, which is available for 9,000 DM (12,100 euros) .

The frame numbers of the first series from 1972 ranged up to approximately Z1F-05200, the 73er model up to Z1F-20000, 74er Z1A to Z1F-47500, 75er Z1B to Z1F-85700.

Model versions

  • 1972 - 1973 Z1 / 900 Super4 1st color: tank and side cover in dark red and a curved tank surface in red, as well as 2nd color: tank, side cover and rump in dark brown (diamond brown) and a curved tank surface in yellow. Motor painted black.
  • 1974 Z1A 1st color: tank, side cover and rump in dark red and wide + narrow stripes in orange + narrow stripes in white, and 2nd color: tank, side cover and rump in dark green and wide + narrow stripes in yellow + narrow stripes in white .
  • 1975 Z1B Color: tank, side cover and rump in dark brown (diamond brown) and stripes in gold + white. Now with O-ring drive chain.
  • 1976 Z900 A4 Color: tank, side cover and rump in dark green and narrow stripes in green + gold

Model upgrade and succession

The improved successor model, the Kawasaki Z 900 , presented at the end of 1975 also cost 8,500 DM, but had more stable frame tubes (wall thickness 2.3 instead of 1.8 mm) and a stronger brake at the front (two discs Ø 296 mm - previously one disc Ø 200 mm), which noticeably improved driving safety. The revised engine made two HP more (81 HP). In 1977 the displacement was increased to 1015 cm³ by drilling and the designation was changed to Kawasaki Z 1000 (A1).

The typical design with the distinctive drop tank was retained until the “Z 1000 A2”, which was on the market from 1978. Only at the end of 1978 was the zeitgeist satisfied with the Z 1000 Z1-R and Kawasaki's motorcycles also got rough edges.

This change in design prompted Kawasaki in 1991 to build the "ZR 550/750/1100 Zephyr " models, which optically followed the lines of the original and were also part of the German range for about 10 years. In Japan there is still a "Zephyr X 400", which also bears the tank decor of the first Z1 and has a 4-in-1 exhaust system.

Since 2002, Kawasaki has been building a 1000 series again under the legendary name, namely the Kawasaki Z 1000 . From 2016 the name Z 900 was revived and initially the Z900 was launched as a model. For the 2018 model year, Kawasaki has launched a variant with the Z 900 RS, which has a lot of optical borrowings from the original 900 Z1 / Z 900.

scene

With the rise of the Internet, the “Classic Z-Scene” has not only experienced a real boom in Germany. This has resulted in various forums where interested parties can exchange information, parts and screwdriver tips. In 2008 eight Z-meetings took place in Germany alone.

literature

  • The motorcycle : Kawasaki 900 Super4 - the bomb of the "Heavy Industries" , driving report in issue 4/73 of February 24, 1973, Motor-Presse-Verlag Stuttgart
  • The motorcycle: exchange of blows - comparison BMW R 90 / Kawasaki 900 Z1 , issue 1/74 from January 12, 1974, Motor-Presse-Verlag Stuttgart
  • The motorcycle: Test Kawasaki Z 900 , issue 4/76 of February 21, 1976, Motor-Presse-Verlag Stuttgart

Web links

Commons : Z1  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Book: KAWASAKI-Sunrise to Z1 , 'King of the road'-Z1, pages 113–116, English
  2. ↑ a b c d The figure was based on the template: Inflation determined, rounded to 100 EUR and applies to the previous January.
  3. ↑ Töff magazine https://www.toeff-magazin.ch/test-kawasaki-z900rs