The Kawasaki KZ1000, also sold as the Z1000, went into production in September 1976 for the 1977 model year. It replaced the KZ900, which had replaced the Z1 of 1972, and with about 83 hp it was one of the fastest production motorcycles of its era.
Kawasaki KZ1000 at a glance
| Maker | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Production | from September 1976, 1977 model year |
| Predecessor | Kawasaki KZ900 (Z900) |
| Engine | inline four-cylinder |
| Power | about 83 hp |
| Transmission | five-speed, one down and four up |
| Bore | 70 mm (66 mm on the KZ900) |
| Frame | conventional duplex cradle |
| Drive | chain, or shaft on the 1979–1980 E1 and E2 |
| Fuel injection | Z1000H of 1980, 1,000 examples |
| Racing version | KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica, 1982 |
| Police models | KZ1000C and KZ1000P, 1982–2005 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the KZ1000.
History of the Kawasaki KZ1000
The KZ1000A1 replaced the KZ900 for 1977 and was, with the Z1 before it, the mainstay of Kawasaki’s big four-cylinder range. Compared with the KZ900 it had a heavier crankshaft for less vibration and smoother acceleration, a larger displacement from a bore increase of 66 to 70 mm, and a rear disc brake. Kawasaki built it in several specifications and assemblies, including chain and shaft drive, and the cruiser version LTD was assembled in Nebraska for the United States and Canada. The frame was a conventional featherbed duplex cradle, barely changed in basic geometry over 30 years of production, though the MkII models of 1979 and 1980 used thicker tubes for more rigidity.
Fuel injection and the J engine
The 1980 Z1000H was the first mass-produced fuel-injected motorcycle in the world and Kawasaki’s first injected model. Based on the KZ1000A3/A4 MkII frame and bodywork, it came in a black, gold and white scheme with gold mag wheels, and only 1,000 were made worldwide in March, April and May 1980 as a test bed for the 1981 GPz1100B1. In the United States the Z1000G “Z-1 Classic”, based on the LTD, used the same injection system. The 1981 Z1000J brought a new J engine of 998 cc, reduced from 1,015 cc to meet the 1,000 cc limit for superbike racing.
Police work
The KZ1000C and KZ1000P were police sub-models: the C was based on the 1977–1980 KZ1000, with C1 to C4 built from 1978 to 1981, and the P, from P1 to P24, was based on the J model and built from 1982 to 2005. They had some technical problems, including electromagnetic interference between radios that disturbed the ignition and a heavy rear equipment rack that affected high-speed handling. Even so, their light weight, comfortable seat, good cornering clearance and strong engine kept them popular with police forces until 2005.
Racing and the Z1-R
The Z1000 won in European, Australian, American and British Superbike racing; Reg Pridmore took the AMA Superbike Championship on a KZ1000 in 1977 and 1978. The Z1000 Z1-R of 1978 was a new top model with a fixed half fairing, black engine finish, four-into-one exhaust and cast wheels, but magazine tests criticised its engine performance and small tank. Readers of the German magazine Motorrad still voted it Motorcycle of the Year for 1977. When rivals proved quicker in quarter-mile tests, Kawasaki answered with the semi-production turbocharged Z1R-TC. Production of the road models ended in 1984 in favour of the liquid-cooled GPZ900R.
Design and features
- 83 hp inline-four: one of the fastest production motorcycles of the late 1970s.
- Heavier crankshaft: smoother than the KZ900, with a 70 mm bore for more capacity.
- First fuel-injected production bike: the Z1000H of 1980, built for three months only.
- Long-lived police version: the KZ1000P stayed in production from 1982 to 2005.
- Racing pedigree: two AMA Superbike titles with Reg Pridmore and a successful career in Australia and Europe.
Kawasaki KZ1000 versions
- KZ1000A (1977 onwards): the standard road bike, chain drive.
- KZ1000E ST/SHAFT (1979–1980): shaft-drive versions.
- Z1000H (1980): fuel injection, 1,000 examples.
- Z1000J (1981): 998 cc J engine for superbike racing rules.
- KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica (1982–1983): 750 built in 1983 with GPz1100 cams and head.
- KZ1000C and KZ1000P: police models, 1978–2005.
The KZ1000 succeeded the Z1 and was replaced in the range by the GPZ900R. More models are in the Kawasaki collection.
Video: Kawasaki KZ1000p California Highway Patrol Police Motorcycle
Video by deanostan1 on YouTube.
Sources
- Kawasaki KZ1000, English Wikipedia: model history, differences, police versions, racing, Z1-R
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