Hello Guest User,

Please feel free to have a look around the forum but be aware that as an unregistered guest you can't see all of it and you can't post.

To access these 'Registered Users Only' areas simply register and login.

Z900. 124,000 miles old.

If you've just signed up read the important information in here and start a new topic to introduce yourself. If you've been here a while but never posted introduce yourself too - let us know you're real.
Don't be shy...

Moderators: chrisu, paul doran, Taffus, KeithZ1R

Message
Author
Tony(hank)harper
Regular Poster
Posts: 30
Joined: 23rd Jan 2019
Location: Oswestry

Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#1 PostAuthor: Tony(hank)harper » Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:13 pm

Folks
New to the site but still have the Kustom Kawasaki patch somewhere and my Z900 bought from Hednesford Kawasaki back in 1976.
Bought this bike for rallying so clocked up loads of miles here and abroad. Old timers will know what it meant to do the Elephant rally on a solo two up with camping gear in February. When the Elephant moved to Austria this bike pulled three people and sidecar and it was bloody cold.
She has been in many guises over the years so I make no apologies for the mix of parts. What you see is what it is and the only change I would make would be to go back to the original paint scheme

download/file.php?mode=view&id=10537
Attachments
Z9 2018_1.jpg

User avatar
Ultim8pc
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2130
Joined: 5th Sep 2014
Location: Keighley, West yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#2 PostAuthor: Ultim8pc » Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:07 pm

Welcome!
That's a very tidy (especially for the mileage) and no need to apologise for how it looks, it's your bike!
http://www.airevalleyclassics.co.uk
10% discount code Z1OCTEN
Keyster rebuild kits & carburettor spares - airscrews, jets, needles, starter plungers & gaskets.
Also petrol/ethanol proof float bowl gaskets. IMD pistons preferred seller.

Swirl
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 743
Joined: 9th Feb 2017
Location: Ellesmere Port Cheshire

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#3 PostAuthor: Swirl » Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:30 pm

Alright Hank not turbo'd this one yet :lol:

Philippe
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 1994
Joined: 26th Oct 2017
Location: België

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#4 PostAuthor: Philippe » Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:11 am

Hi Tony
welcome to the club! It's an honest bike and she's looking good for her age and mileage.
That's a keeper, definitely!
Greetings from Belgium
Philippe
the differences between a little boy and an adult man is the price and size of their toys!

User avatar
Andrew_s
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 948
Joined: 5th Dec 2016
Location: Farnham, Surrey

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#5 PostAuthor: Andrew_s » Fri Jan 25, 2019 3:25 pm

That's a very nice UK Z900 - :up you can't beat a bike with history like that!

Any photos from the past?

My Z900 (PRE 2R) also came from Kustom Kawasaki (see sig block) new on 1 August 1976 - our bikes were probably PDI’d by our Pres, Jerry, who worked at Kustom Kawasaki at the time.

Image
Current Bikes:
Phil Churchett's 1976 Z900 A4: PRE 2R https://www.flickr.com/photos/115740825@N05/albums/72157680116996884
1973 XL250 K0 Motosport: UKX 73L
2023 R1250 GSA
Previous Zeds: Z750B1 Twin, Z650B1, Z750E

Tony(hank)harper
Regular Poster
Posts: 30
Joined: 23rd Jan 2019
Location: Oswestry

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#6 PostAuthor: Tony(hank)harper » Fri Jan 25, 2019 8:00 pm

In '76 I was on the Chase rally on a bonnie and got stomped by a Zed so called in at Hednesford Kawasaki and took the demo bike out. A week later here it is complete with the rack that I had fitted. Tank and exhaust were modified early '77 on ice and a more radical change when dropped it on diesel destroying the clocks, headlight and denting the tank on the other side. a year later got hit in the side by a prick who ignored a red light. One day it might go back to original colours but tank has a fair bit of filler in it now.
Last edited by Tony(hank)harper on Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
ANZed
100Club
100Club
Posts: 178
Joined: 9th Dec 2002
Location: SOUTH NORFOLK

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#7 PostAuthor: ANZed » Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:20 pm

Would be nice to see a few history photos of this bike as you’ve been together some 46 years And 120,000 miles I’m sure you’ll have some great memories.
A bit of maintanance and evolutionary history would be nice as well.
Welcome to the club Hank
Last edited by ANZed on Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Tony(hank)harper
Regular Poster
Posts: 30
Joined: 23rd Jan 2019
Location: Oswestry

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#8 PostAuthor: Tony(hank)harper » Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:12 pm

here's a couple of pics.
one is the Paaseitreffen in Holland 1977 and shows exhaust still in one piece.
The other is extreme. I had been to the Elefantreffen at the Nurbugring on the Z but the rally was cancelled for the following year. However my German mates found out that it was to be held at the Salzburgring Austria in February '78. We knew the snow would be bad so three of us went on this home made lashup and raised £500 for Shrewsbury hospital. Rider is Klaus bloke in sidecar is camel and I'm the ugly bugger pillion I think it was 2k round trip.
last pic was 1979 just back from Elefantreffen Austria again. cut the sidecar down to make a box.
IMG_0005.jpg

IMG_0003 (2).jpg

IMG_0012.jpg

Swirl
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 743
Joined: 9th Feb 2017
Location: Ellesmere Port Cheshire

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#9 PostAuthor: Swirl » Sat Jan 26, 2019 12:23 am

Cool pics Hank,

User avatar
Andrew_s
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 948
Joined: 5th Dec 2016
Location: Farnham, Surrey

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#10 PostAuthor: Andrew_s » Sat Jan 26, 2019 12:08 pm

Excellent set of photos, it's great to capture memories like that - wish I'd taken more photos in the 70s and 80s!
Current Bikes:
Phil Churchett's 1976 Z900 A4: PRE 2R https://www.flickr.com/photos/115740825@N05/albums/72157680116996884
1973 XL250 K0 Motosport: UKX 73L
2023 R1250 GSA
Previous Zeds: Z750B1 Twin, Z650B1, Z750E

samspoons
100Club
100Club
Posts: 199
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: STOKE ON TRENT

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#11 PostAuthor: samspoons » Sat Jan 26, 2019 2:01 pm

Great story still got my original a4 that i bought when i was 19, unfortunately mines in boxs :cry:

User avatar
000zeds
ZedHead
ZedHead
Posts: 1200
Joined: 30th Dec 2005
Location: Kent

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#12 PostAuthor: 000zeds » Sat Jan 26, 2019 3:31 pm

I was a member of Kustom Kawasaki Z1 owners club for many years and attended 3 rallies in the 80s ran by the club
:beer :beer :beer
Zeds-R-Us

User avatar
Gonzo
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 525
Joined: 27th Mar 2017
Location: Surrey / Hants border

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#13 PostAuthor: Gonzo » Sun Jan 27, 2019 6:40 pm

It's great to see old photo' s of past (and in your case present Zeds) and, as Andrew S says, I wish I had taken more back then. I'm guessing the Suzuki jacket worn in the photo is homage to the late, great Barry Sheene?
1978 Z1000A2
Previous Zeds:
1975 Z1B
1982 Z650F3

Tony(hank)harper
Regular Poster
Posts: 30
Joined: 23rd Jan 2019
Location: Oswestry

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#14 PostAuthor: Tony(hank)harper » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:49 pm

The chap in the Suzuki leathers is a mate 'stick' from Telford who rode a GSX1100 and used my bike to pack his luggage.
Realised that this was the Mollentreffen in Holland. It was a popular rally for us cos the weather was always good, the locals excellent and the also the ride out.

garyd
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2267
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: West of London

Re: Z900. 124,000 miles old.

#15 PostAuthor: garyd » Sat Feb 02, 2019 7:22 am

Good to have you here, a true Zed rider.


Return to “New Here?”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests