And now for an important message to all Z-1
freaks: You can come home again.
Sooner or later, everyone hungers for a Z-1. Even
me. I think it's a phase you go through, like wanting a new bicycle, craving
pizza or lusting alter the ash blonde giri in geometry class. Something about
the way t he double overhead cams of Kawasaki's venerable inline tour bang open
their assigned valves has always set my blood to boiling. To me, the motor has
the rhythmic downbeat of a steel foundry. And so, when I finally managed to get
my hands on a Z I several years ago. I was re ally primed tor action, just as we
all are upon confronting a legend for the first time.
Like the copywriters say, riding a Z-1 lor the
first time is like losing your virginity, going into combat and tasting your
first beer all in about seven seconds. Nothing can match the surge ol adolescent
satisfaction you get from putting the motor on true-blue guys on Honda 7.50s and
badass rednecks in '57 Chevies.
Hut alter a while. I realized that riding
around on a Z-1 gets to be like belonging to the Marines. Sure, you inspire a
certain amount of Tear and loathing in the average civilian wimp, but you also
realize that no body but a profootball defensivetackle hopped up on
steroids stands much chance of surviving the experience, -lust one soul chilling
wobble in a fast corner, the bike weaving around like a scorpion in a death
dance, was enough to deflate my enthusiasm for twisty roads. And getting
hammered on the turnpike by the still legged suspension wasn't much fun either.
So 1 chalked up the Z-l experience as part of my dues as a motorcyclist and
moved on to more refined two-wheelers.
That's why, if you're like me, you'll bt glad to
learn that it's time to return to your roots. The Z-l is back. It's improved
somewhat over the past two years, but now it's ready to sit at the head of the
literbike class. Eight years of fine tuning at Akashi have chiseled away the
Z-l's rustic tendencies, and what's left is a plain-spoken motorcycle that
doesn't flinch at freeways or backroads. It also doesn't flinch at the
quarter-mile. Kawasaki now claims that there are 102 ponies locked inside the
Z-l motor. It sounds like it. The hollow bark from the twin exhausts will raise
the hair on the back of your neck.
There's nothing flashy about the new KZ1000J
(never mind the KZ stuff, we knowit's the Z-l). It's supposed to
be Kawasaki's bread-and-butter hyperbike. The styling is less aggressive. It
weighs 37 pounds less. And when you unravel the '81 Z-l's secrets, you find the
same dogged allegiance to fundamental verities that produced the stunning KZ750
and KZ550. Simplicity, light weight and the right kind of power account for the
rejuvenated Z-l. It's a fully realized modern motorcycle instead of a
one-dimensional, high-performance freak. There's no brag to this bike. All it
does is deliver the street-bike goods in world-class fashion. Riders of GSll00Es
and GSl000Es are going to be looking over their shoulders for Z-ls or trying to
catch up, as the case may be.
No matter how modern the whole package might be,
though, the Z-l legend begins with the engine. The '81 bike is no exception.
Kawasaki shrank the KZ1000 engine's bore a half millimeter so the motor would
qualify for the FIM endurance roadracing championship, yet factory data reflects
a 10 percent horsepower increase although at the price of a four percent less
peak torque. When you drop the hammer on this sweetheart of a motorcycle, the
quarter-mile marker appears in only 11.6 seconds. A top speed of 130 mph is only
moments away. The engine revs so willingly that it invites you to twist the
throttle until the cylinder head blows off its locating studs. And when it comes
to throttle response, Kawasaki's reed-valve air injection cleans up emissions so
thoroughly, it permits the kind of precise car-buretion that makes other
EPA-pleasing bikes feel flabby and gutless. Only the need to choke the engine
into life all the time will remind you that this is not a pre-1978 non-EPA
motorcycle.
Kawasaki coaxes more horsepower from its
long-lived four simply by funneling more fuel into the combustion chambers where
a higher compression ratio squeezes more goodness from every drop. Lightweight,
aluminum, 34mm constant-velocity Mikuni carburetors replace last year's 28mm
slide/needle zinc Mikunis as the first part of the horsepower program. Then the
inlet and exhaust ports are 2mm larger than before. The intake valve is 1mm
larger and the exhaust valve is 2mm larger Valve lift is also increased about 10
percent to further improve breathing. And thanks to the constant-velocity carbs
(and leaner jetting), the new Z-l motor's power boost is accompanied by 15
percent better fuel economy
Unlike previous Z-l engines, the 998cc motor
churns out power with Mix Master like equanimity. Two dual-density rubber mounts
at the front of the engine (first used on the 1980 KZ1000 shaftie) eliminate
most of the shake, rattle and roll. At the same time, Kawasaki engineers have
pared the flab from the paunchy motor's internals for a smoother-spinning
power-plant. The crankshaft flywheels have been put on a five-pound diet
(especially the primary-drive-side web extension) and the kickstarter has been
deleted. Increasing the diameter of the generator preserves plenty of flywheel
effect, but now the crankshaft doesn't threaten to abandon ship when you go
after the horsepower on the far side of the tach.
Keeping the ponies corraled inside this
revitalized engine requires some strategic strengthening of the package. The
larger main bearings introduced on last year's KZ1000 engines are part of this
effort. So is the increase in height of the cases in the gearbox area for more
rigidity.
Most of the general upgrading takes place in the
transmission, however. By increasing the final drive ratio (numerically) and
reducing the internal ratios, Kawasaki has retained almost identical overall
ratios to 1980. But because the new gears spin faster they have to transmit less
torque, which makes them effectively stronger. The gearbox's output shaft also
has been strengthened, another plate added to the clutch and the Enuma chain
upgraded.
Of course, no one has ever questioned Kawasaki's
ability to build plenty of horsepower into its engines. Being able to uncork all
that power without getting bucked into the bushes has been another thing,
though. And wonderfully enough, the new Z-l whistles into corners with both ends
of the bike working in harmony. It strokes up and down on its air-spring fork
and shocks with adjustable rebound damping much like a Suzuki. The Bridgestone
tires grip the pavement the way a hyperbike's paws should. The steering exhibits
the same quickness of previous Z-ls, but now you can use it to change your path
to an apex without the bike wriggling in protest.
Once the fork is dialed to 13 psi and the shocks
jacked to position No. 4 for both the seven-position preload and five position
damping, the Z-l will even attack racetracks without hesitation The crucible of
Willow Springs Raceway's Turn Eight, a full bore, top-gear right-hander, failed
to uncover any flaws in the J model KZ1000 but for a little rear-end impreci
sion. If you deliberately upset this bike it bobbles more than a GS1000, but up
until that point the handling is world-class, a fine balance of quick responses
and highspeed cornering stability.
General upgrading of the Kawasaki's frame
accounts for much of this sure-footedness. The frame is configured almost the
same, but only the engine cradle is identical. Everywhere else, the diameter of
the frame tubes has been increased while the wall thickness has been reduced,
adding strength while reducing weight. Moreover, the steering head the weak
point of the previous frame- -has finally been bolstered by comprehensive gusset
-ing. Two cross-braces add to the rigidity of the top tubes. Other significant
details include tapered-roller steering head bearings, needle bearings in the
swingarm pivot, aluminum rather than iron triple clamps and larger diameter fork
tubes.
In terms of dimensions, the chassis now has an
inch-longer wheelbase, 1.5 degrees more rake and 0.47 inches more trail, slowing
the handling somewhat. A slight reduction in front weight distribution due to
the 15 pounds trimmed from the engine and the 18 pounds dieted from the chassis
(by Kawasaki's count) preserves the light touch to the Z-l's steering, though.
All of these changes would be for naught if the
bike proved as painful to live with as previous KZl000s, so Kawasaki
concentrated on getting the bike's comfort quotient correct. The result is the
most comfortable Kawasaki I've ever ridden. Basically, the bike smothers bumps
because the suspension is very soft. With the fork set to seven psi and the
shocks at No. 1 on preload and damping, the Z-l pitches on the Interstate and
squats noticeably on acceleration. Still, even though the shocks occasionally
bottom out across large bumps, Kawasaki should be congratulated for calibrating
a suspension for one-up riding instead of making you live with a bike set up for
500KZ pound loads as usual. The suspension's responsiveness to small inputs is
heightened by a reduction in unsprung weight, fore and aft, thanks to a decrease
in brake rotor diameter and caliper weight (though at the cost of a slightly
spongy brake feel). The fork also carries two anti-stiction bushings in the
current fashion, one at the top of the slider, the other at the bottom of the
fork tube.
The riding position and all its components show
the same appreciation for rider comfort. The attractive seat has dual-density
foam to insulate you from road harshness but its softness tends to lock you into
one position. The low handlebar lets you lean forward slightly into the wind,
and a barback at the triple clamp insures you won't have to lean far. The
electrically powered instruments have luminescent numerals and are highly
readable. The location of the odometer and tripmeter in the center of the dash
lets the speedo be more legible, unfortunately the odometer is slightly tilted
away from you so you can't read it. A nice touch is the presence of two
turnsignal lights, although the tumsignal switch itself is notchy and clumsy to
operate. Meanwhile, the halogen headlight produces a bright beam with a good
sharp cutoff. The throttle pull is lighter. The grips are heaven. The shift
lever rides in ball bearings to lighten shifting effort, although the action is
clunky. Finally, the gas gauge's needle is sufficiently damped to be fairly
accurate, and it holds its position when you switch off the ignition.
It's this overall commitment to intelligent
detailing that makes the Z-l so impressive. In the past, the big Kawasaki has
been something like early Ferraris built to go like a bat out of hell in a
straight line and not much else. But this Z-l can take you in any direction on
your personal road-map and inspire confidence in your own ability as well as the
motorcycle's. Unfortunately, the Z-l runs the risk of being overlooked, since
the fuel-injected GPzllOO should siphon off the sporting audience while everyday
riders will cling to the KZ1000 LTD. There might not be a place for
bread-and-butter bikes in this country any more.
Even so, I've decided that there's got to be a
place for a plain-and-simple, no-brag-just-speed motorcycle that gives you your
money's worth every time you climb aboard. It's more than a matter of 102
ponies, too. You see, I still get the same adolescent rush every time I fire up
this bike's engine, but I'm also pleased that I can ride anywhere at 50 mpg or
130 mph with equal confidence.
The measure of this motorcycle's accomplishment
is the fact that it sums up the lessons of the Seventies—comfort, good handling
and a good power-to-weight ratio—so we can live with the Z-l's distinctive speed
thrills for the Eighties. For a few years, I thought I'd have to give up my Z-l
roots for good. Now I don't have to. •