1979 Kawasaki KZ1300

Lot details
Registration No: Un-Reg
Frame No: JKAKZAA18ZA014
Engine No: KZT30AE014964
cc: 1286

The late 1970's were marked by a power struggle between the four Japanese manufacturers. Kawasaki's Z900/Z1 dohc four had spent the majority of the decade at the head of the performance league, challenged only by the likes of Ducati, Laverda and Moto Guzzi in terms of outright speed, if not value for money, reliability and availability. However, as the decade closed their position was under threat. Increasingly tight emission laws in the US had forced Suzuki to move to four stroke production initially with the GS750 quickly followed by the GS1000, both of which were (remarkably) similar to their rival Kawasaki models both in performance and design. Likewise, Yamaha had been forced to use their considerable four stroke experience, gained as consultants to the likes of Toyota in the four wheeled world, to produce the XS1100 which majored on torque and the sleeping giant, Honda, had woken up and were gleefully announcing the imminent release of their (self proclaimed) "mechanical" tour de force, the CBX.
Kawasaki needed a response and delivered it in 1979 with the Z1300, a motorcycle that looked as if it had been designed with a marker pen instead of a fine liner. Here was a machine that out torqued the Yamaha, could hide a Suzuki in its tyre smoke with a twitch of the right hand and technically made the CBX look like a moped. It quite simply was bigger, more powerful (120bhp) and more complex than its rivals or anything that had come before and consequently stunned the motorcycle world. The liquid cooled across the frame, twin cam six was housed in a traditional frame with twin rear shocks and telescopic forks. Shaft drive was employed to transmit the power and twin 260mm discs helped slow the monster down. Fuelled and ready to go the big Zed easily tipped the scales at over 700lbs, could achieve 130mph plus and destroy a rear tyre in 3000 miles. It was also exceptional at covering vast distances at high speed two up with luggage and prompted discussions about voluntary power limits and weight lifting training programmes in parliaments and bars around the world.
This example dates from 1979, and has had only one owner from new. It is offered in original condition with a recorded 15379 kilometres on the clock and affords the opportunity to acquire an example of the machine that redefined the phrase "superbike".