Kawasaki Bikes Archives - CARS // MOTORBIKES

Kawasaki Z1100R

Over the years, many a motorcyclist has had a special place in their heart for a Kawasaki ‘Z’. None more so than the Z1100R! No flimflam or finery – just straightforward, sit up and beg-style solidity. Highish handlebars, stepped-down seat and anatomically-correct footrests. In other words – a normal riding position. ‘The way bikes used to be’, you might hear it said. And – after a hundred plus miles in the saddle – who could argue?

Not that that should suggest any kind of staidness! There was little sober or solemn about the 1100R. It was, after all, inspired by a US Superbike racer. The one on which Eddie Lawson won consecutive titles in the early Eighties. Hopefully – from a Kawasaki marketing viewpoint – some of the spirit of the race bike rubbed off on the roadster. Certainly, it was far from unknown for an 1100R rider to feel like Eddie Lawson! And – to be fair – the Z’s 140mph top whack was more than enough for most mere mortals. Especially when the high-speed wobble kicked in – on account of the bike’s bikini-type fairing. The R’s 1,089cc engine made 114bhp. Thankfully – with all that power to play with – the bike was blessed with good roadholding. Squat dimensions helped – as did Kayaba remote-reservoir rear shocks.

Albeit in a no-frills way, the Z1100R was still a stylish motorcycle. Few paintjobs are as emotive as those of Kawasaki’s ‘green meanies’. Of course, green bikes are considered unlucky by some. That said, owners of spanking-new 1100Rs were obviously prepared to take a chance. For the superstitious, though, other colours were also available. Launched in ’84, the Z might be said to have straddled classic and race-rep. To wit, comfortable ergonomics – plus searing speed and cute handling. Fans would argue, then, that with a lime-green Kawasaki Z1100R, you got the lot. Now, that can hardly be considered unlucky!

Kawasaki H1

Kawasaki built its first bike – a 125cc two-stroke – in 1960. From the outset, Kawasaki was synonymous with high-performance sports bikes. Bikes like the H1, for instance. Technically, it was released at the tail-end of the Sixties. But, it is one of those machines which make lovers of Seventies superbikes come over all misty-eyed. That was the decade in which the H1 was most often seen – being ridden hell for leather – along the highways and byways of Britain. And, indeed, other locales – usually in the same high-spirited fashion. It was what two-strokes were made for, basically. And, if the H1’s handling was a tad imprecise – at least as compared with bikes of today – hey, it only added to the fun!

The H1’s 500cc three-cylinder engine output 60bhp. The ‘stroker’ motor screamed all the way to a top speed of 120mph. It did so in a way that induced mile-wide eyes – and smiles – in those brought up on a strict ‘Brit bike’ diet. Heck, the sound alone was worth the asking price! The H1’s slimmed-down weight of 383lb only added to its searing acceleration. Revs peaked at 7,500rpm – with a noticeable surge as they hit the power band.

Kawasaki’s first forays into motorcycle manufacture had been influenced by BSA. By the time of the H1, though, the Japanese giant had forged its own style. Middleweight though it was, the H1 passed muster among the big Seventies ‘muscle bikes’. Naked aggression more than made up for its diminutive dimensions. The Kawasaki H1 hurled bodies and souls into two-stroke hyperdrive. Some ’70s bikers never fully recovered!

Kawasaki ZZR1100

The Kawasaki ZZR1100 was a serious superbike. 176mph flat-out testified to that. Its 1,052cc, 16-valve, in-line four engine produced 145bhp. It needed to – the ZZR weighed in at a portly 603lb, wet. From 1990 to ’95, the ZZR was the world’s fastest production motorcycle – succeeding Kawasaki’s ZX-10, in that regard. It took the Super Blackbird to restore Honda to the top of the speed heap.

The high-grade performance stats were due, in no small part, to ‘ram-air’ technology. The faster the ZZR travelled, the more air was forced through its ducted fairing, to the motor. More air meant more combustion – which, in turn, meant more power. If it was not an exponential increase – it sure as heck felt like it!

For all of its brain-warp acceleration, the ZZR was a forgiving beast, at heart. Sold as a sports-tourer, its chassis came supremely well-equipped. Both frame and suspension were solid, yet flexible. With the right settings dialled in, the ZZR was as safe as your riding skills. That a bike as explosive as the ZZR1100 could be considered an all-rounder said it all about Kawasaki engineering!