What Made The Kawasaki Z1 Important To Japanese Motorcycle History

While it may not rank with the fastest motorcycles ever built anymore, the Kawasaki Z1 was the best in its class when it was first produced back in 1973. Yvon Duhamel pulled off a record-setting 160.288 mph lap at the Daytona Raceway riding a specially tuned Z1 — making it very clear something was special about Kawasaki's bike. From there, Kawasaki kept upping the ante and improving the formula, but it all started with the Z1. There's no telling what the current age of motorcycles would look like today, not only in Japan but worldwide, if it weren't for this famous model.

Being the fastest motorcycle on the market for a brief moment isn't the only reason the Z1 was so important, but it is a big part. Back in its heyday, the Z1 was called the most modern motorcycle in the world, and it was named Motorcycle News' Machine of the Year from 1973 all the way to 1976.  Even now, more than 50 years later, this is a sought-after bike that can fetch a pretty penny on the used market. Despite debuting more than 50 years ago, touches of Z1 design are still visible in Kawasaki bikes today. 

[Featured image by Manju via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC-BY-SA-3.0]

The Z1 ended up being a perfect storm of affordability, reliability, and the speediest on the market. Tests showed not only was the bike faster than any of its contemporaries, but it was also quieter thanks to the four-stroke engine. Although accelerating up to 135 miles per hour isn't something the average rider was ever going to do, it certainly proved to be a major selling point. Getting 43 miles per gallon was nothing to scoff at, either.

Part of what makes this bike fascinating is that nothing was cutting-edge about it in terms of technology. There wasn't a particular major advancement that led Kawasaki to make the Z1, and future iterations just revised the design until its replacement. Those revisions consistently improved on the Z1's excellence — we ranked the later Z1000 with the 10 best Kawasaki motorcycles ever made. The design of the Z1 and its descendants just had everything in sync: great performance, quiet pipes, and a smooth ride despite the huge top speed and 903cc engine.

The Kawasaki Z1 has stood the test of time and cemented itself as one of the best motorcycles ever made — and Kawasaki is still known as one of the best major motorcycle brands. There's no telling if Kawasaki would be a household name for bikes in the United States if it weren't for the widespread success of the Z1. If you're willing to meet the high asking price, you could pick one up today — but you'll find it'll feel quite dated. This is a heavy bike: At over 500 lbs, it's almost twice the weight of something like the Kawasaki Ninja. 

If you want something modern that attempts to replicate the look, you can check out the Kawasaki Z900RS. It's not a one-to-one recreation, but it's the closest you'll get to reliving the Z1's glory days without having to track down an original and pay an arm and a leg for it. However, the 2024 Z900RS prices start at $12,149, so it's not like you'll be getting much of a discount, but you will be getting a much more modern bike. The line has been going since 2018, so you might be able to save some cash and pick up a used bike.