On March 13-15, 1973, Kawasaki rolled its Z1 900 onto Daytona International Speedway’s banked observe to show the brand new mannequin’s efficiency and sturdiness. Pumping out 81 horsepower and 54.2 lb-ft of torque, the grand-daddy of all Zs had the primary half lined. However, Team Green billed the Z1 as a “touring” bike, so the air-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, 903cc inline-four did not simply have to be highly effective, it additionally wanted to go the space.
To illustrate the Z’s sporty and smart sides, the producer turned to Yoshimura to prep three race-ready items and Canadian racer Yvon Duhamel to guide the cost. As all velocity and endurance makes an attempt go, not every little thing went to plan, however the group achieved utter success regardless of the percentages.
During the 1973 24-Hour World Record at Daytona, the Z1 900 set a brand new AMA closed course one-lap report of 160.199 mph. The squad additionally squashed world information with a 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) absolute velocity of 150.845 mph and a 100-kilometer (62.1 miles) velocity report of 141.439 mph.
In all, the Z set 52 World and American information, breaking all U.S. 300- to 2,500-mile velocity information and all 2- to 24-hour velocity information. Of course, the one which mattered most, the World 24-hour velocity endurance report, proved that the Z1 might go sooner, additional, and longer with a complete of two,630.4 miles at 109.602 mph.
Some could dismiss the record-setting runs as a product of their time, however some producers are nonetheless hanging their hats on endurance. As Kawasaki celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the Z sequence, the classic documentary places the historic vary in perspective.
Today, the neo-retro primarily based on the Z1, the Z900RS, generates over 100 horsepower and backs that up with 72.3 lb-ft of torque. The Z vary has come a good distance in these 50 years, however that didn’t cease Kawasaki from honoring the influence of the Z1 900 with a restricted fiftieth Anniversary Z900RS trim. The Z1 will all the time be a legend, and Kawasaki is making certain that legacy lives on for one more half-century.
Source: www.rideapart.com