For Sale: 1973 Kawasaki Motorcycle in St. Louis, Missouri

1973 Kawasaki Z1 900  900cc DOHC, air-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine Five-speed manual transmission Orange-and-brown paint Full duplex cradle Front telescopic, rear swing arm suspension 11.5-inch front disc brake, 7.9-inch rear drum brake 4.8-gallon fuel tank 59-inch wheelbase Has key start and a kickstand 1973 Machine of the Year Award winner by Motorcycle News (UK publication) Comes with Kawasaki owner's manual, parts list and shop manual Ready to sample some "New York Steak?" MotoeXotica Classic Cars presents a Japanese original, a 1973 Kawasaki Z1 motorcycle. Marketed variously as the Z900, 900 Z1 or 900 S4 ("Super Four"), the Z1 was the first of Kawasaki's Z models, noted for combining elements available previously on numerous motorcycles into a single motorcycle. Its original 900cc, DOHC, air-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine runs great and starts with just the twist of a key and the push of a button. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The bike in the accompanying images is a 1973 Z1 900 that is in beautiful condition. We have the original buyer's order and agreement that shows the original purchase date of June 18, 1974 from Strathroy Small Engines in Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. The bike retains its original engine (Z1E08169) as shown on the original bill of sale. When bike was imported to the United States in September 2004, its speedometer/odometer was changed to show MPH versus KPH and odometer miles over kilometers. Prior to the changeover, the bike had been driven about 3,053 miles (4,931 km). The orange-and-brown paint on the bike is in great condition with no imperfections to note. The emblems are all original and correct for the bike, too. Both stainless steel fenders look great, with no damage or pitting on either one. The seat is in good condition, with no rips, tears or wear. The bike is a rocket on the road and a blast to drive. Its brakes work as they should and the bike shifts with no problems. The motor is very clean with no scrapes to either side. The exhaust has some minor pitting, which is evident in the photos. The Kawasaki Z1 is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, carbureted, chain-drive, two passenger motorcycle introduced in 1972. Following Honda's 1969 CB750, the Z1 helped popularize the in-line, cross-frame four-cylinder, a format that became well known as the Universal Japanese Motorcycle or UJM. The Kawasaki Z1 was developed under the project code, "New York Steak." In the late 1960s, Kawasaki, already an established manufacturer of two-stroke motorcycles, began prototyping a 750 cc four-cylinder four-stroke sports motorcycle, working with McFarlane Design in 1969 to develop the bike's overall appearance. When Honda introduced the CB750 to the market first, Kawasaki postponed the Z1's release until its displacement could be increased to 903 cc and the motorcycle could be marketed in the 1000cc-class. Z1 production began in 1972 as the most powerful Japanese four-cylinder four-stroke ever marketed. In 1972, the Z1 set the world FIM and AMA record for 24-hour endurance. Beating the old record by 19.54 mph at Daytona for 2,631 miles with an average speed of 109.64 mph. Also at this time at Daytona, a one-off Z1 ridden by Yvon Duhamel that was tuned by Yoshimura set a one lap record of 160.288 mph. The Z1 featured full instrumentation and an electric start, produced 82 bhp and had a maximum speed of  approximately 130 mph. It met with positive reviews from the motorcycle press, who praised its smoothness, damped vibration, easy-starting (kick-start and electric were both available), straight-line stability, linear acceleration, steering accuracy and handling. The Z1 was awarded the MCN 'Machine of the Year' accolade each year from 1973 to 1976 (an award resulting from a readers' opinion-poll run by UK weekly publication Motorcycle News). The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan includes the 1972 Z1 as one of their 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology. Motorcycle comes with Kawasaki owner's manual, parts list and shop manual. Current mileage on the odometer shows 3 miles plus the 3,053 miles tallied before the speedometer changeover, so total mileage is 3,056. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt Arkansas title. VIN: Z1F07973 Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.