∙Highly presentable. ∙Low mileage. ∙Fully restored a few years ago.
The Background
Way back in 1976, Kawasaki was putting the final touches on its next big-bore challenger, the soon-to-be-released KZ1000. Until then, the top-of-the-line was the KZ900, essentially a dressed up Z1…only better.
In the late 1960’s, Kawasaki was in the kitchen cooking up what it dubbed their ‘New York Steak’ project. They couldn’t have known, however, that their featured dish — a 4-stroke, 4-cylinder big-bore motorcycle — was about to be upstaged by the Honda CB750.
Kawasaki’s research indicated the market was hungry for a reliable, large-capacity motorcycle capable of high performance that, when asked, could also be a decent touring machine.
Although Kawasaki’s forte was mostly confined to 2-stroke engine development, 4-stroke technology wasn’t new to the company as it produced its first 4-stroke, a single-cylinder 148cc motorcycle engine, in 1953.
Ben Inamura, an engineer Kawasaki inherited with its acquisition of Meguro, was responsible for engine development. Apparently, he was simply instructed to build an engine ‘that works’, whatever its capacity. Honda’s introduction of the CB750 helped underscore the fact Kawasaki’s new 4-cylinder engine would have to be larger than 750cc. In this case, it was 903cc.
By the time 1976 rolled around, the Z1 became the KZ900, which was essentially the same machine as the Z1, but the KZ900’s most notable change was its bank of carburettors.
NUX 627P received its first registration in January 1976. In 2013 it was imported to the UK with the current owner acquiring the Kawasaki in November 2017.
Fully restored to its original condition, this fine example of big-bore 70’s motorcycling is in pristine condition and presents to an extraordinarily high standard. With a little over 12,000 miles on the clock, the bike will offer its new owner many more years in the saddle.
The owner reports that the motorbike fires up on the first (electric) request and settles into a gentle burble at idle. The bike feels and runs like new and has been subject to very little use since purchase.
Even before the supercharged 200bhp Ninja H2, Kawasaki offered some pretty powerful motorcycles...including tourers and cruisers.
Today, the idea of a ‘power’ or ‘muscle-cruiser’ isn’t that unusual. Harley-Davidson, Ducati, and (arguably) Triumph offer bikes that fall into those categories, but the 1976 Kawasaki KZ900 can rightly lay claim as the first of its ilk.
In NUX 627P, the new owner will acquire one of the finest, fully-restored, original examples available in the UK today. To be sure, there aren’t many of them left.
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1976 Kawasaki KZ900
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