What's it worth?

[Jay1969]

Aren't those A4 cases with the 3700cc capacity on them?

+1 Z1B cases are blank in that area of the upper crank case, just checked mine.

[wilsonsjw11]

It is a donor engine from a later Z900 or LTD model hence the oil capacity on the cases.
Regards
Steve

[shep65]

The plot thickens, cheers chaps.

[rickman CRR]

petrol tank looks like it's a later a4 type?. nice bike

[Jay1969]

You're right, you can see the seam on the edge of the tank, so yes it is A4 or Z1000 tank...

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[shep65]

Wow, what a bitsa!

Tell you what then, first 3K secures

In all seriousness it's good to find out what's what, I doubt I'll be selling though.

Thanks for all the comments.

[chrisNI]

Still looks very smart...Those anomalies make it less saleable so less pressure to sell so more chance you'll keep it. Result

[Steve Cooke]

I have an engine which has had new cases and they where dealer stamped with the original number prefixed by 10, it hasn't affected the performance any.

[Tonka]

Do you have a picture of the frame number?

[shep65]

Not to hand but it's a Z1b frame 'cos I've checked previously.

[johny brando]

Wow, what a bitsa!

Tell you what then, first 3K secures

In all seriousness it's good to find out what's what, I doubt I'll be selling though.

Thanks for all the comments.

I hope you don't sell it as I'm sure you'd regret it...almost the very next day. As then you'll just have another every bike thats a Dime A Dozen ! What you have there is a really nice & sorted
practical machine that 9 out 10 real true motorcyclist would rather have ...remember most of the riders out there now days would not really appreciate or understand a machine like yours let alone be able to build or maintain it ! Their here today gone tomorrow fashion followers & certainly not real motorcyclist & If that stirs a few em up well ..Tuff because it's the truth !
Further more if the Rivet counters ark up stating it ain't this ,that or the other ...doe's it really matter ??? as there actually practical improvements on a very nice package ? It's a lovely bike & so what if it has the later improved on " Z900-A4 engine" which had all the exact same internals as an A or B but benefited ..by having all the factory glitch's addressed ....you know Cylinder head nuts, piston ring , transmission case internal issues , advance & retard unit change ,crankcase breather, barrel dowels etc, etc, O yes it then had 26mm carbs & lost a little top speed but gained bucket full of what you need & use all the time = Torque & mid- range power & carbs that thankfully then stayed in sync. Don't get me wrong I think ( & it's my opinion only ! ) that the A & B is more easy & pleasing on the eye.... but the A4 package was simply a better machine and today there is hardly a bike out that can stand the test of time & still 40 years later hold it 's head like a Zed ! So the Thruxton !!!! save your money it's nice...... but it's a bucket with hole in it. YOUR BIKE IS GOLD & IT WEARS YOUR DNA !!!!!

[johny brando]

You're right, you can see the seam on the edge of the tank, so yes it is A4 or Z1000 tank...

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From 1979 -1983 I ran Enfield Kawasaki Centre in Norf London & in 1980 I ordered and bought BRAND new a Genuine Z1a Tank ( Green with the white & yellow strips ) it took 1 year on back order to arrive.......but i got it ! & I still am using it in it's original paint today and it had the original narrower tank cut out around the Headstock as do all A's & A's but it did/ doe's however have the bottom seam as per that photo .....so it could well be a GENUINE part if it has that narrower cut out gap around the Head Stop this is the only sure fire way to identify what it is .....as your correct in the Z900 tank was a wider tank. Cheers Johny Brando

[Jay1969]

I can assure you it's not an early tank because I have both to compare. The early ones do have a seam of course, but it's underneath out of sight when on the bike.

[chrisNI]

Kawasaki probably stopped making old style tanks with underneath seams during 1975, when they started building z900s they obviously changed the way they made them, but they still had to supply spares for bikes they had built over the previous few years because they were still new bikes, so once the old tanks ran out the tanks supplied by Kawasaki for Z1s, Z1As and Z1Bs would have been newer style tanks with the relevant paint. That's why you could have genuine NOS Kawasaki Z1,A or B tank with a side seam, that's what Kawasaki would have sold you. The part number would have been for the colour not where the seam was they didn't care! Interesting about the narrower cutout pics would be good

I'd have liked to have seen the look on a parts guy's face in your local Kawasaki Centre in 1976 if you refused to take the replacement Z1B tank he'd just ordered in from Japan for you because it hadn't the "correct" welding

[ollie]

That happened to me way back in 82 ,i flipped my old z1 and the tank was beyond repair ,Kawasaki Gloucester ordered me a new tank side panels ,badges plus other items .When it all arrived ,all the parts were great apart from the tank, which was a z900 tank with the big badges and the side seam .I questioned the guys and they disagreed with me ,till i brought in my old tank and watched their faces drop .They tried to get what i wanted ,but like Chris said all the early tanks had been used up and this was the replacement .I eventually found an early tank but it took ages phoning around many breakers etc .This was way before the internet and such like .Damn i'm feeling old now ,time for a sleep