1978 Kawasaki KZ1000 Z1R (Top Speed Test) | Modified |
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 เม.ย. 2019
- The Kawasaki KZ1000 Z1R was introduced in 1978 with a theoretical top speed of 138 mph and was a direct replacement for the previous model, the Kawasaki KZ900. When first released the KZ1000 Z1R was only available in a metallic silver-blue paint and was not very well received by the motorcycle community. Later that year the KZ1000 Z1R was chosen as the motorcycle of the year due to its unique 4-1 exhaust and cast wheels. Stock the KZ1000 Z1R came with 90 hp and a chain driven 5 speed wet clutch transmission. Another notable achievement for this motorcycle was its AMA Superbike Championship win in 1977, ridden by Reg Pridemore.
As you can see in the test video the Z1R pulls insanely hard to 130 mph where it seems to settle down and start steadily making its way to the final top speed. Please note in this test we were running a prototype front fender that was custom made for the bike. After the testing was complete we found the front fender to be counter productive at top speed, and ended up increasing the overall drag coefficient of the bike.
NOTE: We are working on a solution to increase video quality on future motorcycle testing video's! Please bare with us in the mean time. - JB
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Vehicle Specifications:
Make: Kawasaki
Model: KZ1000 Z1R
Year Tested: 1978
Max Power: 177 hp @ N/A rpm
Max Torque: 110 lb-ft @ N/A rpm
Engine: 1428cc
Gearbox: 5-Speed Manual
Drive: RWD
Weight: 441 lbs
Distance Tested: 1 Mile
Date Tested: 3/9/2019
Runway Specifications:
Length: (3.22 Miles) or (5.15 Kilometers)
Width: (300 Feet) or (91.44 Meters)
Elevation Above Sea Level: (8.3 Feet) or (2.53 Meters)
Elevation Change: (0.25 Inches) or (0.635 Centimeters)
Surface Material: Concrete - (15,000 Feet) or (4,572 Meters)
Asphalt - (2,000 Feet) or (609.6 Meters)
Weather Conditions:
10am:
Temp: 23C/73.4F
Dew point: 18C/64.4F
Humidity: 73%
Wind: 00000kt (0 mph)
Surface Temp: 25C/77F
3pm:
Temp: 26C/78.8F
Dew point: 18C/64.4F
Humidity: 61%
Wind: 09008kt (9 MPH)
Wind Direction:southeast
Surface Temp: 33.9C/93F
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This Straight Line Aerodynamic Testing Session took place in Merritt Island, Florida. To learn more visit us at:
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The Kentucky Savage™ - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Hard to believe back in 1999 the first Hayabusa did 194mph right off the showroom floor. I have owned four of those. My first street bike was a KZ 1000. That is what got me into drag racing.
Yeah, the aero is a big help and extra hp. Still the KZ platform is a blast to drive!! Thanks JB
Ran outta gear
Ya, but KZ is natural aspirated. No plowed adder
@@tsc3576 busa is na too.
@@tsc3576 the Hayabusa is also naturally aspirated. No power adder. Not sure what you’re talking about.
Still such a sweet looking bike. It looks right at home in 2020.
Thanks man!!! JB
Agree. It really does!!
kind of feels like cheating when they extend the swingarm like that. It's no longer the bike, but rather a customization.
I love the way a Z1-900 sounds with header megaphone pipe with no baffles.
Damn. That thing is quick to 100.
I can't help but think about Mad Max chasing the Toecutter when I see one of these old Kawasakis. So cool.
As you can imagine, Mad Max is one of my favorites, I have many Z1R'S and lots of KZ's. Thanks for the comment. JB
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF if you ever want to go over there and do a top speed test on a 1st Gen Murcielago stick shift car let me know I will offer mine
@@gumballer133 That would be a very cool car to test, man they sound good!!!
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF Just let me know!
Bubba zanetti .....
Great video 👍 Anybody that knows racing or Kawasaki motorcycles or has owned one knows the engines were almost bulletproof! Thanks
Thank You!!!!
Dennis Murray X-PIPE, still have two of them. Best pipe for a Zed, they make the engine sound angry :-)
Gorgeous bike - my favorite bike of all time. You did a great job, and the sound is perfect!
Thank You very much, this bike is a blast to ride and a great street bike!!
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 good 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 Camaro of one iteration or another 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 stand 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.
Man those are some awesome memories created by some awesome motorcycles! Thanks for the great comment - JB
Hmmm... nice. My stock ‘78 KZ 1000 (well, it was rejetted with a Kerker, lowered 2”) would just touch 140 on a similar long straight run in fall of 1979. Am finishing an injected ‘80 1075 now. Looking forward to seeing what it will do.
140 mph is fast!!!, Since this run I hit 171 mph, you will fight real hard for every mph after 140 mph, it gets a lot harder on the no faring bikes. Also the factory speedos on the KZ's read about 5 plus mph high above about 125 mph. Thanks JB
Had an 80 LTD 1000 back in the day,loved it.
GREAT BIKES!!!
Gorgeous bike..
I've had several pumped up kz's and gs's Im on a zx14 these days, I miss the old school stuff built to the hilt , it was so much fun..
Thank you! While I really like riding the newer Busa's , its tough to beat the feel of an old school KZ! - JB
Love the classic bikes, great site JB unlike no other!!!
Thank you!!!
Oh man always loved the sound of those bikes.
Pure music!!!
Insane how fast these bikes can go being a classic.
In fairness it is highly modified
Good run. Great top speed. Congrats!
THANK YOU, IT IS A LITTLE FASTER NOW. I MAY RUN THAT BAD BOY AGAIN IN 2020 JB
Nice; from a 75’ Z1b owner. Mine has a place of honor in my garage.
awesome!!!!
I had one and built a turbo system back in 80. Stock gearing did 160mph easy.
Very impressive, bike was mint!
Thanks!!! JB
I enjoyed watching this. One of two of my favorite bikes of that era. The Z1 and the Suzuki GS1000. Both excellent platforms to build on.
Arguably the best!!
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF I had a GS1000. The Z1 was the only bike that would give me a good run on the track.
In a straight line the Honda CBX could scream, but it could not handle tight curves.
@@samueladams1775 Yeah, the CBX was a bit top heavy, the Suzuki's were a fantastic platform!!
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF you have to admit that CBX had a beautiful sound. But there was no way to make it handle good. The engine for its day put out a lot of horsepower. A friend of mine made a drag bike out of a CBX engine. He made his own 6 into 1 exhaust and did his own engine work. Pretty radical for back then.
@@samueladams1775 They sound amazing, there wasn't a lot of aftermarket pats available except a turbo kit from ATP. They were a bitch to work on and to do a full rebuild is like doing 2.5 KZ 1000 engines!!! but they are cool as hell
My friend was killed on one. They were fast. That turbo would kick in and it was a monster. Kicked in going through the tunnel in lake Tahoe came out the otherside on the guard rail.
Sorry to hear that, I have a KZ turbo as well, just need to put it back together.
my dream bike. that thing is perfect
Thanks, I have done more to her and she is faster now. JB
and technology just making them faster than ever before
Thank you
Cundalini wants his hand back! reminds me of Mad Max!
hahahaha, most awesome movie ever!!!!, probably why I ride and race these bad boys for the last 40 years.... thanks for the comment JB
you should do that again in a longer road,love this channel btw
The bike was pretty much done around 3/4 mile
Wow. I will restore my kz1000 too and i will post it on my video. Thanks
GREAT BIKES!!!
Badass bike buddy
Thanks!!!, I am proud of that little KZ
That has to be the nicest z i have seen very slick looking 👌
THANK YOU!!!, THAT IS MY BABY JB
What mods are done to it ? It can fairly rip its way up to topspeed .
@@gerwheelz3154 big bore, carbs and cams. She is faster now since I made some gearing changes.
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF would love to see some more vids of her in action . You have earned another sub now 👍
@@gerwheelz3154 Awesome I do appreciate your watching. I will do another run in the future,probably in the fall. Thanks JB
Building a motor with 1075 pistons, mild cams,HD springs, 1974 zed one cases and crank. Crank is 5 pounds lighter than later models. Won’t be the fastest thing around but I’ve ridden Stock Zed ones and KZs for the last 45 years and will appreciate the extra bump in power. I’ve gone 175 on a red Italian bike, to put things into perspective.
Awesome!!, That is a great engine size. I have since hit 171 mph on this bike. Not much top end but she consistently runs 9.7's and 9.8's in the 1/4. I love the zeds and all the air cooled stuff. Keep the zeds alive!!
I once had an 1105 Yoshimura engined Z1. Z1 crank, KZ1000 cases and cylinder block. 73mm bore×66mm stroke, with Pop Y cams, GPZ 1100 intake and exhaust valves, 29mm smoothbore Mikunis. It whupped a LOT of GS 1100, GS 1,000, just about anything it ran up against. Sold it in 1995. 😒😥😥😥😭
Andrew's made an overdrive 5th gear for the early KZ's, which would fit any of them through 1980.
WOW- my KZ1000 never did that! (I just 'used to' just miss the car bumpers when I got on the HWY!
Thank you for having the balls to ride it like you stole it!!!
Thank You for watching!!!, I do love racing some bikes!!
Holy shit that thing is fast for a 40 year old motorcycle.
Thanks, been 172 mph since this video
Memories
I remember I had a 1982 I always loved the sound ,we would race on Sundays at an old airport strip. I wish I could find one at this day it would be hard to find I'm sure.
I have a few for sale
I loved the sound it was just a good well built bike and still today I see people still own them in 2020 . Mine had tear drop tank dark black with white letter tires it I would spend half a day washing , getting the crome to shine I was always showing it off. It brings back the time.
@@dewaynemorrismorris5740 AWESOME!!!, THEY ARE A BLAST TO RIDE
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF I hear you, I'm sure today they most likely out of my price. It would be great though.
What mods on that engine and frame?
It would be nice with a no shake camera setup.
Maybe special software can remove it?
I can remember doing this on my 84 GPZ750 TURBO but the turbo bike just keeps climbing. I had to watch the redline, where this bike just didn’t have to power to push anymore.
This bike has since this video gone 171 mph in the standing mile, I have owned a couple gpz 750's and they would never go 160 mph lol unless heavily modified!!! lol
Whoaa!
H2R next please
Nice kwaka
Thanks!!
When i was 15 I had a '78 KZ200, always pushing its top speed, feet on the back pegs, wondering what another 50-60 mph would feel like. 😂
that motor was singing!!
would be interesting to install a modern day full front race fairing and see the difference in performance.
I took mine about 160 before I panicked on Hwy 95 in North Miami back in the day.
Awesome, back in the Superbike Mike days!!!
the good ol' days!
Yes they were!!!
Awesome 😜 👌👌👌what did you do the motor? Is that six or five speed
Thanks, the motor specs are in the write up above(1428 cc)and the trans is a 5 speed. I have hit 170 since this video. JB
What was the RPM at 160. Mine would go to about 10K in high gear with stock gearing. Had a 1980 Z1R 1200 cc ported head 33mm carbs. My speedo only went to 100 mph and I would bury that going into 4th gear.
I will have to dig up some notes to see. Since this run I went 170 mph on this bike, rpm's are around 10,500 based on memory. Thanks JB
Sweet
Thanks JB
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF Do you still ride it on the streets it looks purty road worthy?
@@romesyoutubechannel5356 daily when the weather is decent
The KZ1000 was introduced in 1976 as a replacement for the KZ900. It was a half-year introduction. 1977 was the first full year. The KZ1000 Z1R was actually an offshoot of the standard KZ1000, it was NOT a replacement for the KZ900. Your description is off.
Wow, you have a lot of time on your hands!! You are correct sir,however the descriptions here are not a bible for authentication purposes but a general overview for the vehicle being tested. Thanks JB
Strong run!!! you aren't a small Guy either. You should try a Bubble shield to see if it creates any aero. Might get 180 on a Kz which would be insane
I did try a Z1R faring and believe it or not it ran 3 mph slower, however it was a lot nicer on me!!. Since this video I hit 171 mph after I made some sprocket changes. Thanks for the great comment, Johnny Bohmer
Big Block-X-Pipe”!! Whoo!
Good eye my man!!!, thanks JB
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF Was the Trans/Or Sprockets changed’?! (To get Such a Ninja” type Top Speed)
@@victorthompson2993 Yes, the sprockets were changed. The rear sprocket was a bit to tall on this run and made it hard to tach out 5th, since then I have gone 171 mph with another sprocket change. The bike has a good bit of motor work as well. Thanks JB
Had a brand new one in my day!Regret selling it!
So you had it camed an other mods,like what?? I have a 77 an 78.Awesome run!
cams, 1428cc These are great bikes!!!
He probably used a Falicon crank, Crower rods, Wiseco pistons, full floating pins with Teflon buttons, dyna 2000 electronic ignition and coils, Barnett clutch, 40mm flatslides, undercut transmission, Web or Yoshimura cams, shim under bucket valve train so it doesn’t spit a shim, etc etc. There’s a boat load of mods you can do to an ole Z to make it fast and reliable. Start by removing the electric starter and associated gears behind the side cover and making the bike lighter, Schmitz racing makes a nipple that goes in the hole and you run clear tubing to a breather. Do your homework, I didn’t have the internet when I built my 1078cc widow maker and had to make lots of phone calls but I worked at a bike shop that specialized in Kawasaki’s, my teacher was Joe Hooper.
Looks like the swing arm is extended a bit. (???)
Fast. With a good faring, it will go a lot faster.
Yes, it would be considerably faster, probably 10 MPH or better as long as you can keep the engine from overheating. Since this video, this bike has run 171 MPH in the same configuration that it is in this video. Thanks for the great comment.
- Johnny
The Speedo said 161mph but at the end it said it went 160?
the final run was 161
Is that front end from a newer sport bike?
Yes it is, ZX11 good eye!!
My uncle almost died on one of these back in the 80s. high speed wobble.
They were famous for that
My old Z1R was like that too, very sensitive to tyres. Tried pirelli phantoms, good grip on corners but on the verge of a tank slapper at 120 & tyre life was only about a thousand miles, thats the front & rear !
Avon tyres were a bit better but you had to be wary. Found the best way to calm a tankslapper on one of these was to take the weight off your arse and basically put most of your weight on the footpegs. Kept me alive after a few high speed runs. Oh and dont even think of shutting off the throttle in a high speed corner........
With the standard pipe and intake plumbing it struggled to get to 125 mph.
Fitted a harris race pipe, set of k&ns and the thing was hell of a lot faster. Saw a whisker under 150 mph on the flat several times. Yes i know the speedo was prob optimistic but that must have been at least a genuine 130 plus mph !
Wish i still had that bike...............
I’ve been lsr but ,we weren’t allowed to do a burnout.
Almost as fast as an R6!
That's without a fairing on it. I bet if you put a well made fairing designed for that bike it would do about 180mph or at least high 170s.
Ponch and Jon could have used this!
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FUN TO SEE!!!
bolt on windjammer and that's just about what they would have looked like still kz1000
Worth a few bucks today..
Finally a motorcycle. Next time do a bmw s1000rr.
I will put that on the list, thanks JB
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF please do bikes that are not electronically limited
@@zainbunga3002 none of the bikes we test are electronically limited.
It's not about speed but at that time it was the beauty of the bike tear drop tank, white letter tires black in color the engine was cool to look at .during that time yes that it had a Lot of power I know I tested mine surprised I'm still living. But during it's time a beautiful bike.
177 rwhp? Wow, hang on!
Fun bike for sure!!
171 Horsepower and 1428cc? Is that right?
all dyno's read different, this bike made 177 hp on a bike dyno. It is safe to say this Z1R makes about 170 hp.
I've got a 1988 KZ1000. It's a bit physically larger, the engine is the J model so the displacement is slightly smaller... Also the oil capacity is 1 liter higher than the J model would normally have, to help keep it from overheating when doing high speeds for a long time.
I can't get it to go over 105, but that's probably because the engine is old, tired, has 60k miles on it, probably has a leaky piston ring, and so many other things wrong with it. I'm saving up to get it overhauled with a Wiseco 1075 piston kit. I'd go for the 1105 but I'd rather do that in another 60000 miles than to get to another 60000 and have nowhere to go.
I've owned several of these bikes, including a brand new 1975 Z1B. I put 57,560 miles on it stock. It would still do 115+. Something more than "old" is wrong if you can't get more than 105mph out of it. I eventually turned that bike into an 1105cc Yoshimura with Pop Y cams, 73mm pistons,, undercut gears, 29mm smoothbores, welded Z1 crank in KZ 1000 cases, KZ 1000 cylinder block, etc. I sold it in 1995, when, after doing almost 150mph, it blew a seam out of my favorite jacket!!!😍🤣🤣🤣
@@milojanis4901 I'm getting some serious clatter from the engine under load during acceleration. Only while both under load and accelerating at the same time. I'm thinking it's they cam chain adjuster needing to be replaced. I have two extra engine cases just in case something bad happens.
Why warm up the back tire on a speed test.
still has traction issues
Sweet regear it should do 170
It will go 170 plus now, I was still dialing in. Thanks JB
Looks like the speedo is showing fast 161mph LOL. Also Reg Pridmore won on a Kawasaki Z1000 A1 not a Z1R.
Yoshimura built the engine for Pridmore, that bike was a beast and the BMWs didn’t stand a chance of chasing him down
Wheres the turbo? Never saw a Z1R that wasn't silver, or had no turbo. Nice bike, tho......
The turbo Z1R's were TC models, 250 of them were silver/blue and 239 were black with moly graphics. They made many many non turbo Z1R's. This bike was never a turbo bike. Thanks for watching!! JB
I am coming for ya on a 75 z1 900
That is a AWESOME bike you have there!!!
Stock w headers and velocity stacks, you'll get 137 or so. And be smiling.
great ,, but why that music ,, is BETTER THE CONCERT FROM THAT ENGINES .. .. THE SOUND .. cheers ..
The engine sounds like a flat twin, but I could be wrong.
Hello, the engine is a inline 4
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF I think he's pulling your leg lol, well either that or mentally disabled !!
Wow I'm surprised he lived i could tell on take off the dude can't ride for shit God bless his inexperienced ass. The bike absolutely beautiful i had one back in the day sure miss it watching this video.
HAHAHAHA, I love it when a dude talks shit then mentions the "one he used to have back in the day", if you had one I would gladly race you, im VERY sure you have never been in the 9's at the track on a legit no bar street KZ. Yet another big keyboard talker!!! LOL, thanks for the compliment though. JB
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF
Exactly.
I had a modded mid-low 10's KZ1000 street bike years ago, and leaving soft then rolling into the throttle is the only way to keep the front end down without bars.
Would love to see how this beast would launch on bars.
@@MrAlaska66 Sorry for the late reply, I have run 9.70's on this bike as it sits and that is with no air shifter or drag race specialty clutch. The bike is 100% street-able and I've topped it out at 171 MPH. I've often thought about putting a wheelie bar on the bike but the vintage bike class that I run, you cannot use a wheelie bar, air shifter etc. I am quite sure that with a bar, this bike would go in the 8.90's or better and with a lighter rider, possibly 8.50's. Thanks for the comment - Johnny Bohmer
o
That’s one angry sounding mosquito
yes sir and faster now, been 172 mph but it felt like my head was going to come off without any wind protection LOL !!!
Ok thats why all the faired sport bikes over 150 need a fairing to go much faster
Wear your tire down to the cord then do a top end test run-Brillant!!!
I guessed 160
I call bill shit on the hp tq and weight it was very slow for those figures.
I am guessing you have never been over 160 on a fully naked bike, I have busa's that runs 220 plus in the 9/10's but it makes well over 225 hp NA. it takes a lot more hp to get a fully naked no fairing, no front fender bike over 150 mph, this bike has gone 172 mph in the standing mile, it also runs 9.55 -9.8 in the 1/4 mile just as you see it, no wheelie bar, no air shifter and only 61' wheelbase. Remember this is a 45 year old air cooled bike. Thanks for the comment JB
That not a mile it is far longer than that. The bike is at between120mph and 150 mph for 9 seconds @120mph alone that is 0.3 of a mile let alone the bike is accelerating to 150mph. Then from 150mph to 161mph and back to 150mph it takes 16 seconds again at 150mph alone that is 0.7 of a mile that's without taking into consideration the bike is accelerating up and 161mph so that's the mile gone in 25 seconds. The entire time the bike is seen from the start to shutting off is 30seconds so there are 5 seconds of distance unaccounted for that take place from the bike at the start until it reaches 120mph. Unless of course a mile is longer in America.LOL
It's a Kawasaki. They can get going so fast they disappear for a while.
@@senatorjosephmccarthy2720 ''WARP SPEED COMMANDER''
maybe could have got a smoother start, but what do I know ?...''nothing'' he replies lol
The runway is all concrete with small grooves and makes a good launch pretty tough, this bike routinely does 1.55/ 1.6 sixty foot times at the dragstrip and has ran 9.70 with me @ 220 lbs, keep in mind this bike races in the vintage class, no air shifter, 62" wheel base max, no two step, no delay box and no clutch assistance. All this makes a hard launch a bit more difficult. Thanks JB
@@JohnnyBohmerProvingGroundsSLF Tell me about it, I have a '76 Z900, '77 Z1000, '82 Gpz750, '87 ZL1000 Eliminator and an old 1971 Harley XLH Ironhead Sporster, I'm used to having no modern comforts, the only comfort I have is a seat, I wasn't knocking the run, just seemed to launch twice like it stuttered for half a second, didn't seem to be tire slip, not sure the cause, you watch the launch again you'll see what I mean, like a carb glitch.
@@Z1Hellrider I was trying to slip the clutch enough so the bike wouldn't wheelie or flip, this bike goes straight up if you dump the clutch, I do see what your saying. Thanks for the comment. JB
Wtf is that helmet from the 70's !???
Wtf 160mph for that old thing
Pretty good for no aero!!. Thanks JB
These bikes were so nice to ride. Not much of a rider
That’s a nice bike but a 600 can do that. All said and done labor and money it’s not impressive.
This is basically a 1/4 mile drag bike that is streetable. Your 600 would be lucky to run in the 11's at a real dragstrip, the bike in the video routinely runs mid 9's in the 1/4 @ 138 mph. So your 600 isn't so impressive... JB
Mine was faster... Bought a second hand racer in 89 for only $500. I didn't have to go to the funeral either.
blah blah blah, line it up and ill wax your ass 1/4 or 1 mile
could use a lighter rider!
Lol highly modified
a little...
Maybe a lighter rider could go faster...
Lose some weight and you'll go faster!