In February of 1974, just before graduating high school, I bought a brand new Z-1. Best motorcycle I ever owned. I was like a Timex " took a licking and kept on ticking ". You could do a complete top end job on the engine and never drop it from the frame. In December of 77, a girl made a left hand turn in front of me and I spent the next 13 months, learning how to walk again. Sure do miss that bike.

My friend and neighbor Kent graduated high school in 1974. In 75, he bought a brand new Z1. He kept it immaculate, and still has it. His daily driver became a 76 Datsun pickup, that he drove till it rusted to the ground, around 2010. His high school car was a 68 GTO, which he still has. Kent doesn't sell ANYTHING.

My first new motorcycle purchase was the 1973 (first year) Kawasaki Z1. I plunked down 2 grand and road home smiling from ear to ear. Yes, I loved this bike. The fastest I ever went on a bike was on this machine at 124mph. I wish I still owned it today.

Sophomore in high school in 1977 purchased a 1974 KZ900 Z1. Kept that bike until 2003. Got an offer I could not turn down. That bike was insane. My senior year (1979) I shaved the heads, Headers, balanced pistons and rods, mild upgrade DOHC. Larger carbs, Board 30k over. I started off in second gear, First was just insane. Even on dry ground with new tires. I finally put a two tooth up on the front. A local machine shop had to make it for me. (modified one to fit) First could still slide you off that stupid flat seat if you were not careful. IT WAS A TOTAL DEATH TRAP. No suspension, Shty breaks, High speed wobble risk. Only felt safe in a strait line. I still do not know how I survived my high school years on that bike.

I always wanted one. Closest I got was a KZ 1000 I think it was a '77 I had two, not at the same time. Very fast motorcycle for sure. Kawasaki got their revenge.

I had a career as a motorcycle tech for about 20 years, the major part working for a Kawasaki/Suzuki/BSA dealership in Westchester County, N.Y. We had sold a good number of the two stroke models and were amazed at the Z-1 when it arrived and began to soar in sales. As a rider for over 10 years at the time, I was immediately impressed with how lightly the big machine handled at low speeds around the shop. It had such well thought out features such as a chain oiling pump that used heavy gear oil on the chain. This feature was later discontinued but it was well thought out and intended for high speed touring over long distances. They were comfortable, perhaps only rivaled by the BSA Rocket three for that on the road - I'd ridden some CB750s and they were rather stiff by comparison. Thanks for this look at a time when we were surely riding a wave of activity and interest in the sport.

in 1974 at the old age of 21, in the military. with bias ply tires, I put my chest on the tank while on I95 south and dropped the hammer on my Z1A. At 133mph and still accelerating like a freight train I passed a maryland state trooper stopping someone one the side of the road. I let off the throttle sat up and waited for the mirrors to stop vibrating. when they did , sure enough I saw the red lights coming up behind me and just pulled over while he was still two miles behind. I had my helmet off before he arrived. Out of the cruiser comes this big state trooper, who looks and me and says " I never got to clock you, I am not going to write you a ticket, but I just got to know, how fast were you doing?" I told him, he shook his head and got back in the cruiser and left. I never went looking for the top end of my Z1A again.

I’m old and most of my friends, we talked about these bikes as all of us ride them in the day. Nobody in the World builds a Better Production bike than the Japanese ! The Big three Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki horizontal 4cly engines are the Best Motorcycle engines the World. I have gone back. I sold my Road King and my Son bought me a barn find 79 GS750L Suzuki. He cleaned it up went through the carbs ect and I rode around 1-2years and it was a 1/4 mile burner. I told him to look for a old Honda cruiser as in my 60’s I don’t want to race anyone. So we found a 1980 Cb900c 10speed. He has worked on it all winter and now he is at painting. It is one of the Best riding motorcycles you’ve ever ridden. Even the new bikes would be out classed by a bike that was sitting in a body shop since 1986 ! I am more than pleasantly surprised by the way it runs ,it turned out. Unbelievable that a bike that old can be so far ahead. He went through the air-ride. Rebuilt the front ect . Full air ride front and rear. So save so money and get yourself a old Project bike. I couldn’t be more pleased.

In 1980 I bought a low mileage '73 Z1-900 and absolutely loved it! I finally sold it in 1984 when I started riding with a high school buddy who bought an '81 CB900F Super Sport Honda that would beat my poor old Z1 in every aspect. I then bought an '83 GpZ1100 that had scared the new owner off of it and proceeded to leave my buddy and his Honda in my dust! Great memories! I wish I had all of the old car's and motorcycles back that I owned back then and are now collectors items, I'd be rich!

The Zed 1 - 900 is one of the best bikes ever made.

I toured all over the western US on my ‘73 Z1. I still have it, it’s sitting in my garage 30 feet from where I’m sitting now.

Still got a z1a, bought it mid 90's as I always promised myself one when I could afford one! Never regretted a moment, wonderful machine!

Own an Oct/72 build, bought the bike from my dad when I was 18. I'm now 58 and being from Canada don't get to ride much. The bike is just an incredible piece..

As close to a perfect design as I have ever seen. Flawless.

I bought one in 1973, I was 19. It was unbelievable, fast smooth but time marched on. Bikes were evolving so quickly then. I tried to keep up, Yoshimura, Kerker, Lester, Bill Werges. Had it for 10 years but my improvements didn't keep up. If I had left it stock and just put it away, there worth over $10,000 now. Nah, I would still do it all over again.

I had a 76' 900 and I loved it. Put a Kerker header on it and it was amazing. That one change dropped 40 lbs. and added 15hp.

The CB750 didn't become "defunct", as you put it, until Honda went to liquid cooling. The CB750 had a long career as a Universal Japanese Motorcycle into the 1980's. The GS750 was a similarly great bike. They work well they are smooth and very reliable. Two of the best ever.

In 1986 I bought my first Kawasaki 1973 H1 500 Triple from my Pop that owned a motorcycle repair shop for over 35yrs at that time. I Next bought a '74 Z1900 (best ever and the fastest model compared to the KZ's) and after that I got a '76 KH400 triple. after I sold the KH400 I bought a '78 KZ1000 A1 and then I got a '76 KZ900 and a '77 KZ900LTD which I didn't really like the wheels, those were Enki Mags, so I traded the LTD for a '74 H2 750 and then I found a disassembled '78 Z!R-1000. After putting the Z!R back together (top end was rebuilt) I sold it to get another '76 KH500. I always really liked the Triples but had to work on em constantly. After some time I sold the KH500 for a '70 Triumph Bonneville 650 T120RV 5spd.. or maybe that was the next one a '71 Trumpet 650 Bonneville. After some more time I ended up buying another '76 KZ900. next I sold the '71 Triumph for a '75 Norton Commando 850 MKII I think it was. This was a super good Brit machine and was my long lost love. Only I didn't know that till after I sold it to a neighbor who wouldn't sell it back to me some time later. Over these last few decades I've managed to have, at last count 26 Kawasaki's and a few (4) British motorcycles. My last Kawasaki was the 2001 ZRX1200R (Best bike I ever owned) and just recently sold it for a '66 Triumph T100-SC 500cc twin Scrambler. Over the last few years I've owned a '92 HD Fat Boy EVO custom (POS) and finally got a project in the T100SC. I've only owned one Honda (my Pop's favorite) '67 CL90cc which I sold after my Dad passed. He was never very happy about me owning so many Kawasaki's as he always wanted me to ride Honda's. Well I liked the Kawasaki's much better and it really shows that he didn't always know what was a better bike. for me at least. Since I've gotten older I really miss those early 90's days when you could still go out and find a good used Z1900 or Triple's for way less than today's prices. If I'd only knew what the market was going to do I'd have kept most of the Kawasaki's and never owned the Honda CL90. But who can foresee the future when it comes to the motorcycle market. If my Pop had lived another 10yrs we (He) could've cleaned up as he had a Lot, I mean a LOT of old 60's 70's & 80's motorcycles in his storage but most of them were Honda's that nobody wanted in the early 90's up into the 2000's. I am sad now. R.I.P Pop (Dad) sorry I wasn't more into the Honda's and thinking of the future of this crazy world. Thanks for reading and Awesome job on this Kawasaki Z1900 History lesson. KAWASAKI Team Green. 'Let the Good Times Roll' ... with KAWASAKI.

An original intact sand-cast engine Honda 750 K model is pretty valuable today to a collector. What I heard was originally they weren't going to build that many, they didn't know if it was going to work or not successfully sales-wise. The Widowmaker Kaws H1 & H2S were fast but they sure didn't handle worth a s***. When I was still in the Navy my good friend Stewart bought a brand new Z1 when they came out in 1973. He let me take it out on the highway I was up to 90 in no time. At that time I was riding a 1948 Harley Panhead. Basically a two-wheeled tractor.

Actually the most beautiful bike ever built