1973 Z1

[irhobotolo]

I recently bought one of these and dont know much about its past other than it lived in Florida until 18 months ago.I have a few questions for those with more knowledge than me. That will be everyone reading this then.
1. The bike has short stubby black plastic mirrors and the stems look shorter than all the others I have seen. Are these original ?
2. The silencers have the numbers KH900Z1/750Z2DGM132365 stamped on them. Are these original to the bike or later ones ?
3. The steering damper is doing absolutely nothing and turning the knob on the end has no effect. Is it worth keeping it on and can you get an overhaul kit for it ?
4. The tyres are Dunlop Gold Seal , made in Japan. How old are these likely to be as the bike may have been stored. They look almost new but I tend to ride fast and dont want to end up in a ditch if they stopped making them 25 years ago ?
5. The bike has a chain oiler and pump which is doing a great job of lubricating my garage floor after a ride. Is it worth bothering with this as I know that Kawasaki soon abandoned the idea of fitting them. Shall I leave the tank empty or disconnect the pump. Or is it the best thing since sliced bread for getting long chain life ?
6.I have noticed that the front wheel hub is black ? Again is this as it should be for the model ?
7. The front disc has 7S on it. Is this original as it seems to have hardly any wear ?
8.The needles on the clocks have no "red bit" on the end of the pointer like on my Z650B ? Is this right.
9. What is the best Manual for this bike. I have a Haynes one from years ago ?
10. Bits of black paint have peeled off various bits of the engine ? whats best to touch this up and also whats best to clean the black engine with as its pretty grubby.
11. The "blue" on the exhausts has been much reduced since I took this picture after scrubbing with solvol and Tcut but there is still some there. Whats best to use on this and why are they like it ?
12. Where can I get touch up paint as the ducktail has a slight scrape on one corner ?

Please be gentle with me and dont rip the piss out of me for asking questions which may be obvious to those who know the structure of every molecule on these bikes.

[bigmac103]

BlueJob excellent for getting rid blue exhausts, for a while then it comes back!

[z2.john]

Nice bike there
Here's a few answers
1. No
2. Later Z900 ones
3. Bin it
4. Tyres could be original but unlikely. If front is Gold seal F6 then original, more likely a F11. Rear should be K87 but could be new or original as it's still available
6. Yes
7. Possibly. Code is for late 1972. What is your frame number
8. Yes
9. Kawasaki's own

[Davy Doherty]

The tyres might be new made, there is a date of manufacture on the side wall check it out. Take the chain oil pump off and leave the rest on it looks better, John has the rest covered..

[irhobotolo]

BlueJob excellent for getting rid blue exhausts, for a while then it comes back!

Who makes it and where is it available ?

[kev edwards]

every time you remove the blueing you are removing chrome it is best left alone,the chrome and underlaying nickel are not very thick and your pipes will eventually start to rust.

[cra-z1]

Very nice bike. If you do remove the oil pump make sure you do not throw it away or lose it. Or the tank. It is a much desired item for people who are restoring them. It will add to the value if you do decide to sell. many people tossed them away in the 70's. They are getting rare.

[irhobotolo]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it.
I presume that the mirrors should have longer stems ?
I suspected that the pipes may be later than the bike, I assume that they are Kawasaki parts from a later 900 and are Kawasaki original as opposed to the replica ones which are still available from ZPower ?Are they the same as Z1 originals ?
I will leave the chain tank on and take the pump and plumbing off and store it.
Any ideas on the paint as the tail has a mark on the edge which I want to hide ? The guy who imported it insisted the paint is original, Is this the case as I dont have the experience to say yeh or neh ? It certainly looks more than a few years old judging from the "patina of age"
The bike misfires occasionaly mainly when its cold. Could this be condensers ? or timing ?
The frame number is in the 18000s which makes the bike July 73 so the front disc is earlier but still correct for the bike. Is that right ?
The steering damper is junk but I notice that they are still available new. Is it worth replacing it and does the handling or steering benefit ?
Anyone have a Kawasaki service manual they want to sell ?

[hillbilly]

i believe you cant get touch up paint for these,as its a two part spray job.so has to be resprayed completey.ask hutchy.hes the man on paint.

[phil churchett]

Steve, Gov'nors Bridge m/cycles in Atherstone, Warks, had a manual on e-bay recently, priced about £20. I sold one earlier in the year for £25, incl post, they aren't that difficult to get and are about three million times better than the Haynes one.
If you look on Z1Enterprises site, they list all the codes/months/years for the components that are stamped.

[cra-z1]

You will get some stumbling while it is cold, from the early bikes. You could try to balance the carbs. The pipes seem to be a little more blue than I would have thought. Maybe running a little lean. The pipes are off a later model. If I recall the pipes on the early bikes did not have any stamps. I bought a set of pipes from Z1 enterprizes and are of good quality. From what I heard they are made from the original dies but without the Kawasaki stamping.

[haz1]

These guys should be able to help you with the paint you need. I haven't used them but have been in contact with them and they told me they have the colours for the Jaffas.
http://motorbikepaint.co.uk/
All the best

[Andy T]

Hi,

Firstly don't throw any bits of your Z1 away as you will regret it later in life, even the faulty damper. I had missfires at low revs on my Z1-B for years. It was a combination of timing being out, mixture rich, but the main problem was the carbs being out of ballance. The linkage on the four carbs is not great and prone to movement. You need to invest in a crabtune and special adjusting screwdriver. About £60for both, but best money you will spend I promise. http://www.carbtune.com/
You need your tank off so a alternative petrol tank is required. takes a few goes to get it right, but well worth it. I also have a pdf of a workshop manual you can have if you need one.

Andy