1978 Kawasaki Z1R 1000

MAIL:
Kaplan Cycles LLC
200 West Main St. STE 4
Vernon, CT 06066

[muhammadtauseefrazzaq]

The original Mad Max bike The one Bubba and Johnny were riding, what a piece machinery awesome simply Awesome.

[StevanSmith-fl]

I bought a brand new Z1-R in 1978, I've owned many bikes, but this was my all time favorite! Thanks for bringing back the memories & bikes of that great era!

[victorgonza]

Man I thought you were going to ride it, beautiful machine, it wants to be restored.

[roguewarr]

May be you don't remember the 70, s, but I do, and owned 1-Z1-900 B and 2 KZ 1000's and a short time on a H2 Triple (75) .Still to this day I miss that era .Those were the best years to ride . Thanks for showing the great bikes of the past

[j.crawford]

I had a 1978 Z1-R (stock). I was the second owner and I remember the guy I bought it from made me stand along the highway while he negotiated a very well known set of "S" turns on the outskirts of Trenton, NJ. The Z was not known as a great handling bike but he went through waaaay faster than I would even think about. The bike was eager to please you and went where it was pointed. A good launch would deliver a knockout boulevard kill shot. An unfortunate kid in a hot Camaro learned the hard way. When we got to the next traffic light his chin was on his chest. My all time Kodak moment with this bike happened during a trip to the Dairy Queen. I went into the ice cream shoppe and came out to find a drop dead blonde sitting on my bike. She wanted to go for a ride. Let's be honest...The Z1-R was stunning. The paint, wheels and little fairing were perfect.
A Japanese superbike icon for sure.

[sonnyseabury]

That is one gorgeous vintage sportbike. Too bad it doesn't run, because I was looking forward to seeing you ride it, and cut up a little one it. Always loved this bike.

[damienoregan]

Looks like the best project bike alive.

[rzmod]

im same age as ken..this was the big dog back in the day 🤘

[richardwoodhouse]

I remember seeing one off these at a petrol station when they were new when I was on my z650 and I thought it looked like a space ship, I never saw one again in person but when I see pictures or videos I always remember first sighting, so it must be special.

[CaffeineThrottle]

I seen 1 once in a little shop in West Virginia panhandle, I was on a brand new 1984 Kawasaki 900 Ninja.Almost bought the Z1R for a stable mate.It just said don't F with me. Timeless design.👋💀

[quader]

Let's go Kaplan America. 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[sir-onworld]

🐝🏁 One of the best old Kawasaki very fast bike 👍

[moremoney]

In 79 as a 25yr old single guy, I bought a new leftover 78 Z1R from my small local dealer sitting in his showroom for a discounted price of $2800. I kept it in my living room and my cat slept on it. I sold it to a friend a year later with 1k miles and it was spotless. Been trying to track it down, but the friend who bought it can’t remember who he sold it too.

[noelwellstead]

I bought one of these at the age of 18 when they were 2 years old, I saw it at a servo and put a hold on it drove up the road and sold my car to buy the bike. Had it two years and it was stollen off the sidewalk in Vic Park by a bloke I knew but could not prove. The police picked it up in Sydney two years later and it was returned to me in tatters. I carted it around with me for a few years and then got married. Got home one day to find my bike was gone, my x wife had sold it for $500. 32 years later I bought another one for $10k and doing a ground up resto can not wait to get on it for another ride

[grinch]

If you remember in Top Gun: Maverick, his Kawasaki when they showed the don't go 55 sticking in the rear, it had the aged patina a motorcycle from the 80s would exactly have.

[richardmorris]

Justin this is not a widowmaker, that is a Kawasaki 500mark 3.

[danielcapalbo]

The 1980 Z1R was nice too but I think the 78 model is a little more desirable.

[spookydog]

get it running leave the beauty marks earned it

[michaeljkasnter]

Someone probably tried to steal it, or lost the keys. I would be %100 all in if someone would restore it for me? Ken Jr knows how to get ahold of me. It’s absolutely stunning looking the way it is!!! I struggle with why Manufacturers don’t just redo popular bikes from the 70’s. The style and dimensions/colors are already there, you would save a fortune on RD!! Come on Kawasaki make more vintage bikes!!!(The Z-900-RS should have been better, but the bean counters stripped it out to where parts look cheap!! These old 70’s motorcycles nothing looks cheap!!!!

[richardmorris]

I still want the LTD1000 you had on a month ago but im talking myself out of it.