THE MITZEL BUILDERS MOTORCYCLE COLLECTION - PRESENTED BY LEE MITZEL In the late ‘60s, the big brains at Kawasaki were working away on a secret project called New York Steak—a sporting motorcycle powered by an air-cooled, 750cc, 4-stroke, inline four. Prototyping was well underway, and the bike’s final form was being hammered out when, in 1969, crosstown rivals Honda unleashed the CB750 and turned the motorcycling world on its ear. Undeterred, but slightly put out, Kawasaki engineers scrapped their plan for a 750cc bike, went back to the drawing board, and in 1972, they unveiled the big- bore, 900cc Z1. Upon its introduction, the Z1 was the most powerful Japanese 4-stroke, 4-cylinder on the market. It was powered by a 903cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke, inline-4 that generated 81 HP at 8,500 RPM. It was a smooth, fast, solidly built, fine handling machine that racked up awards and accolades from both engineering societies and the motoring press. It also sported one of the most recognizable liveries in motorcycle history—a metallic root beer brown and bright orange colorway that even today turns heads and catches eyes. The 903cc wündermill wasn’t the only advanced part of the Z1, either. It had full instrumentation with turn signals, an electric starter and a respectably effective front disc brake. The steering was, by all accounts, accurate, and the suspension was, unlike the Z1’s 2-stroke 750 cousin’s, up to the task of spirited riding with all those horses the engine produced. In 1975, the Z1 got more power, a stiffer frame, better suspension, more effective brakes and some new colorways. This bike was designated the Z1-B, and the line soldiered on with various small upgrades until it was replaced by the KZ1000 in 1977. The Z1 900 featured here, resplendent in sporty yellow over brown livery, is a 1973 model. Part of the Mitzel Builders Motorcycle Collection, this bike has been meticulously cared for throughout its life. Interestingly, it appears to only have half a mile on the odometer. It’s unclear whether or not that’s actual mileage and the bike is essentially new, or if the bike has undergone a thorough enough restoration to receive new gauges. Whatever the case, this Z1 is in fantastic shape and will make a great addition to any collection of ‘70s-era Japanese iron. F231 1973 Kawasaki Z1 900
