1974 Kawasaki Z1A 900

Here is a video for all you old geezers out there (me included). Took a ride on my 1974 Kawasaki Z1A 900. It was quite the bike in it's day. One of the fastest Japanese bikes for it's time. Compared to bikes nowadays the center of gravity is pretty high and you better have plenty of room to stop. It rides like a lumber wagon compared to my street bike. But get on this thing and the memories start coming back. After about 5000 RPM hold on to your hat.

[mgwaala]

West Bend here. Nice video! I have a Z1A as well. Was my daily rider until about 19 years ago. Then I went the bagger route. Decided to freshen it up and put some miles on again. All new body set, cleaned the carbs, tires, bleeding brakes. Hopefully, all in time for warmer weather. And thanks for the carb syncing video. Very informative.

[richardestenson]

My Dad still has his which looks exactly like your Z1 except his is a '73 and has 1, 700 miles. Fun bike to ride... tuck your legs in and hold on tight! Thanks for sharing your bike.

[Toadydo]

Love it ! One of my favorite bikes that I have yet to own.

[paulh.]

Nice ride, and this way the bike might last a century!

[queenslander]

Great video mate, brings back good memories,
but it’s a crying shame those baffles are in on the best sounding bike in history
, then I realised you’ve got a 4 into 1 on it .

[mr.nobody]

My dad had one of them years before I was born. Bought it brand new.

Broke his neck on the fuckin thing. Said he hit loose gravel, then a telephone pole, then his boots touched his helmet.

Back on it in 3 weeks with a neck brace doin wheelies and shit.



My dad wrecked a lot of them rice rockets. He said the first time you crack that throttle open, you realize "this is the correct way to ride. Every bike. Everywhere."

He hit a bridge too fast one time, and suddenly found himself flying over the other side and laid it down in a ditch.


He thought it would be fun to go through a red light on one wheel. Cop didn't think that was a good idea but, my dad was in the Navy and the time, and getting sent out to sea like a week later.

Rode one right up inside of a bar in a rain storm another time. He said back in those days around Pittsburgh, you could get away with that kinda shit if they knew who you were, and as long as you had your Steelers shirt on.

My mom told me she almost fell off several times because my genius dad would do wheelies without a sissy bar, and it was all she could do to hold on.

Bikes scare the shit out of me because of those stories lol

[waynegto]

Very nice bike. I had one same colour in 1974, and then a number of Zed's since. I am 65yrs old now and still have two Z1's. Don't ride them as much as I would like to, just finding the time is hard.

[lucascady]

My Uncle Howard has a collection of these bike's! When I was a teenager in the 90's he told me they were the fastest production bike's ever made at the time, what's the true spec's on these bike's?

[douglassmith]

Are you running it in? My Rickman CR 900 (1015) sweet spot is around 7, 500 rpm

[artbunger]

Give it some revs! We all want to hear it.

[jonathanmoore]

Gave a thumbs up cause it’s a kwaka but painfully slow

[elijahacosta]

What the hell haha. As you started getting closer to clairemont I was like this looks like my neighborhood haha because it is. My grandpa has a 1975 z1 900 and its been sitting in a pole shed for about 15 years since it last, kinda ran (i was 6 at the time) but I want to surprise him and get it running right again. Since we're in the same town haha, Do you know anyone with the knowledge that could help me?

[meyou-gwsk]

twist it in the corner, it was built to take anything you through at it, i know my old kz was

[bobbypresley]

great bike although the Z1B of 1975 was better due to the duel twin independent exhaust pipes.

[gustavopinhidalgo]

Hermosa moto ! No fue diseñada para andar tan despacio !

[simonodell]

It does have a throttle doesn't it ?

[davidatkinson]

Put a pipe and drag bars and ruled Miami in 1975. Would destroy even big build Hondas with ease. Ran like a sewing machine next to my 60 Panhead.

[stingray]

Wish I could find a nice original one. Super bad bike in its day.

[andrewsentell]

I would of love to here it in higher rpm u drive pretty dam slow