1974 Z1 900 hole in dashboard WHY?

Patton wrote: As published by
DAVE MARSDEN
DECEMBER 1998
[Re: Z1 900 Super Four]

BETWEEN THE TWO METERS WAS AN "IDIOT LIGHT" COVER. THIS HOUSED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE WARNING LIGHT CLUSTER. THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD THREE POSITIONS. OFF, ON AND PARK. ABOVE THE SWITCH WAS A SMALL HOLE. A STICKER ABOVE THIS CLAIMED IT WAS A KEY HOLDER. HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER USED AS SUCH. NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD HAVE LEFT THEIR KEY IN THERE! THEY OBVIOUSLY HAD NEVER HEARD OF BIKE THEFT IN JAPAN!

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Good Fortune!

Patton I thought you were kidding when you mentioned it the first time. It's an anachronism now and I will be searching for a plug.


Okay, here was my take on it. Now keep in mind this is *before* I posted my question above on the board here.

I searched for a light that goes in there. Nothing. I searched for a rubber plug that goes in there. Nothing.

During my search for evidence about the purpose of the hole I found the following picture, then BAM I knew what the hole in the dashboard was for -- it was a driver-aid peep hole so the driver could see through the dashboard to look at an indicator light that plugs into the top of the headlight bucket.

But I wasn't sure; so that's why I posted.

Here's the picture that led me to believe the hole in the dashboard was a see-through porthole for the driver to see a light on the top of the headlight bucket. Now it might sound silly but if Kawasaki is humorous enough to put a hole in the dash for weed and key straps, who am I to second-guess their genius.

Here's the photo that had me convinced I knew why I couldn't find a rubber plug or a light for the top of the Z1 dashboard:

IT'S A PORTHOLE TO SEE THE LITTLE LIGHT ON TOP OF THE HEADLIGHT BUCKET, I
was 99% sure that's why I was having trouble finding what goes into that hole in the dash:


That dang hole has 100% ruined my putting-on-a-pedestal the G_ds who made the Z1.
Dang it man. It's not neat, not crisp, it is unfinished-looking. That hole is
a freaking disaster of Superbike design. Mein gott.

Right off the showroom floor your dealing with
1) buyer's remorse
2) a dang hole in the dashboard
3) the wife when you get home "take it back its got parts missin' on it!"

Dang it man.

More from Dave Marsden:

HEADLAMP:
THE HEADLAMP ON THE Z1 VARIED FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY. THE SHELL HOWEVER WAS THE ALWAYS THE SAME. THIS WAS A SATIN BLACK FINISHED ITEM WITH ONE LARGE HOLE IN THE REAR, TO ALLOW THE WIRING TO RUN THROUGH IT. ON THE TOP OF THE SHELL WAS ANOTHER SMALL HOLE, WHICH WAS PLUGGED WITH A RUBBER BUNG. THIS HOLE WAS TO ALLOW THE FITTING OF THE SPEED WARNING LIGHT OF THE Z2-750 MODEL. THE SHELL WAS ALSO USED ON THE H2-750 TRIPLE AND THIS HOLE HOUSED THE HIGH BEAM WARNING LIGHT ON THIS MODEL.

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I hadn't before heard of a "plug" for the Z1 dash hole, and don't remember off-hand if the hole has a bottom or goes straight through. If straight through, perhaps it would provide a line of sight to the speed warning light.

But then along comes the KZ900 headlight shell with the same small rubber plug, and with a taller dash that has no sight-hole.

Am making a Z1 dash label that says:
Plug This Hole
Don't Look Through

Good Fortune!

wow.

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There is a guy from Germany that makes a plug for this hole. He is a member of the Kawasaki Z1/Z2 Classics forum.

roy-b-boy-b wrote: There is a guy from Germany that makes a plug for this hole. He is a member of the Kawasaki Z1/Z2 Classics forum.

I'll find him. Dang hole is a freaking abomination.
I'm trying to reconcile it with anything else funky that Kawasaki ever did. I can't think of anything funky.

Well, maybe putting a small drum brake on the front wheel of the early H1-500cc triples was funky.


Looks unfinished. I might be able to let it go if someone could post a picture from Japan of someone, like a Kaw factory rep, putting something in that hole. Otherwise, my thinking is, the original intent was to confuse an old enemy who whupped 'em a mere 28 years prior to the first Z1 in '73. "Sneaky hole in the dash, that will get 'em" type of deal.

If someone finds a photo or video or better yet a factory "Z1 roll-out dealer training" video where a Kawasaki factory rep is conducting a class, say, back in November or December 1972 for a bunch of U.S. dealers and the training video shows the Japan factory rep stuffing something in that dang hole, I might be able to let this go.


Otherwise I'm heading over to the Classics forum to find the guy who makes plugs for it. Or I'll make some and put 'em on ebay.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationOkay I'm gonna try this -- I have one of these laying around, maybe it will fit the Z1 dashboard hole -- this is a photo of a NOS Z1 carb end cap, these go on the outside of carb #1 and carb #4 since the throttle shaft runs through the number 2 and 3 carbs only and stops inside carbs 1 and 4:

MIGHT GET LUCKY ON THIS ONE


Even if it bulges out a little it will do for now.

This is the "Key Holder". It was installed on Japanese models, there's a part number for it. Don't know why it wasn't installed on the US bikes. Not available. This is a repop from my German buddy.

Interesting.

Looks like black foam rubber insert with a key-slot?

And bets are open on what newOld_kz1000 will decide to stick in there. :lol:

Good Fortune!

It's rubber. The one in my bike has texture on the face of it. Don't know why, I haven't seen a clear pic of an original one. But I'm assuming it's supposed to have texture. Part number is 92075-007.





#51

Kidkawie wrote: This is the "Key Holder". It was installed on Japanese models, there's a part number for it. Don't know why it wasn't installed on the US bikes. Not available. This is a repop from my German buddy.

How can I get a couple of those?

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configuration

newOld_kz1000 wrote: Okay I'm gonna try this -- I have one of these laying around, maybe it will fit the Z1 dashboard hole -- this is a photo of a NOS Z1 carb end cap, these go on the outside of carb #1 and carb #4 since the throttle shaft runs through the number 2 and 3 carbs only and stops inside carbs 1 and 4:

MIGHT GET LUCKY ON THIS ONE

Even if it bulges out a little it will do for now.

I've just checked back into this thread, impressive bit of rubber there, mein gott. My trick of using a carb rubber end cap will not work because the dashboard hole is too oval'd, not round enough.

There is a business opportunity here.........Z1Enterprises could tackle this one and make a fortune. I'd buy a few myself hint hint.

Kid Kawie got it right. I met a guy in California that had his bike since new. He had that key fob that fit in that hole. I know I took pics of that as it looked pretty interesting. I thought more of you guys would have known about this. Lol