Weird headlamp brackets?

[steve452]

Just about to fit the headlamp shell now my brightwork's back from the platers and came across this anomaly which I hadn't noticed before. The left bracket seems to be normal but the right has an extra plate welded on to it! Both brackets are the originals that came with the bike when I bought it new in 1975 and nobody has played with it since. It was in pieces in my Mum's flat for 35 years, so unless we had a burglar call with welding equipment who decided not to steal anything it was original fitted equipment. Anybody any idea what this extra plate does or why the two brackets are different? I'm going to attempt to fit the grommet through the extra plate although a tight fit and wondered if this was correct? Kawasaki certainly do move in mysterious ways

[chrisNI]

I've a pair in the garage that were the originals new on my Z1000A1 and they're both like that with the extra tab. If those are definitely original maybe during 1974/1975 production Kawasaki decided to add the mod and your bike got one of each...

[tlc]

I remember contemporary road tests complaining about blowing headlamp bulbs. Sometimes lasting only a few hours. I think the temporary fix was to remove the bracket under the headlamp bowl but this would cause the headlamp to droop downwards in use.
Maybe this was a factory mod to alleviate the droop?
This would not be the first time Kawasaki had done a mod without telling customers, then come out with a mod from the factory.

[garyd]

When Kawasaki changed models their parts bin didn't keep in sink....so oftern new models had some bits from the previous bike...and vice versa.

So that may have been a 'newer design 'coz they had run out of R/H brakets for your model.

Back in the day, When we trashed these bikes, I can remember stipping Z1A paint off...only to find Z1 paint underneath.

[Philippe]

Hi Steve
don't worry about the extra plate. Kawasaki decided to strenghten the brackets and to use harder rubbers. That way they could remove the headlamp bracket underneath because this caused the blowing of the light bulb.
As tlc mentioned allready, the harder rubbers were needed to prevent the light bowl from dropping down.
They were introduced during the production of the Z1B.
So nothing to worry about, just Kawasaki deciding that they needed to upgrade the bike.
GrtZ
Philippe

[chrisu]

I remember contemporary road tests complaining about blowing headlamp bulbs. Sometimes lasting only a few hours. I think the temporary fix was to remove the bracket under the headlamp bowl but this would cause the headlamp to droop downwards in use.
Maybe this was a factory mod to alleviate the droop?
This would not be the first time Kawasaki had done a mod without telling customers, then come out with a mod from the factory.

and yet on later bikes they put the bracket under the headlamp bowl back....

[steve452]

Many thanks to all. As you can now see from pic I managed to get the whole shenanigan together (technical term there). I can't for the life of me remember whether the front harness block connectors join to the main loom connectors inside the headlamp shell so I've done it anyway. Will find out when the wiring I've ordered arrived so I can make up the tails for the City light. Time will tell