My Z1R

So, these threads on "do you own your dream bike" and "what got you into KZs" got me thinking. I told this to Solumruss a few months back and we got a good laugh; but this is a true story on how I ended up with my Z1R and a damn good buddy, to boot.

I was a college student in the early 80s working at a hospital trying to make ends meet. There was a girl that I worked with and I'd try to impress her with my "Wanna go for a ride on my Z-1?" line (hey, she was hot, and shall we say round in all the right places). Anyway, one day she tells me more about my Z-1 than I knew, and lovingly (she was a couple years older...hey, older women, ya know!) informs me that her boyfriend/finace has a Z-1 drag-bike and a Z1R streetbike.
I was pretty stunned. First off, how does someone with boobs like that know that much about motorcycles; and WTF is this "R" on the end of a Z-1. What do I do, I can't tell her that I don't know what a Z1R is, that'd blow my 'cool'...but this is bikes, ya know, and I gotta know. Ewwwwww...girls/bikes...girls/bikes...*ugh* wtf am I gonna do?!

Well, we all know that motorcycles win out; so, I bowed-out and asked her (a girl...hot one too...*ugh*!!!) what a Z1R was. She was all chatty then, told me about Z1Rs and described it to me (smart bitch is a doctor now...who knew). I still couldn't get my mind around it; couldn't visualize it. So she says that her fiance and her are going out riding with 'the boys' that night and to just come over at 9:00 and she'd introduce me to her fiance.
This was my "in" as this group was THE group of motorcyclists to be riding with back-in-the-day; and I wanted to meet 'em, but on the cool, and not like some dork college kid who can't find his ass in closet with a flash-light. I was stoked. So, I showed up a little early, not wanting to miss the ride with 'the boys'.

Well, a little early was 8:30 and I found out that she said 9:00 and gave me the directions b/c this was her fiance's house and he didn't get home from work until 9:00. Naturally, she has a key, and we go into the house...kept his bike in the living room...rough neighborhood. And wow, there it was in all it's '78 blue glory with a chrome Kerker, 29mms, and K&Ns (kind of a lot, back in the day). I was stunned; it was the coolest bike that I'd ever seen (maybe still). I asked Sal if I could set on it and she said, sure just don't scratch it, plus Dan won't be home for 20 minutes or so, just make sure to be off it when he gets there. (A very reasonable request).

(You can see it comin', can't you!:ohmy: ) So, I sat on my very first Z1R...got the feel of it for a few seconds...then grabbed the bars and sat it up. That thing felt perfect. Sally came in from the kitchen with a couple beers and said something about 'what do you think'?

Then the door opened and in stepped Dan, with a college kid setting on his Z1R, taking one of his beers from his fiance, ...all right there in his front room.:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Words just can't explain how I felt right then...bet Dan could say the same thing.

I won't keep you in suspense. 25 years later and we're still close buds; Sally packed-up and left him 8 years later...and we've both got our Z1Rs. Lots of stories in the in-between-years...but that's for another post.

The moral of the story is: The Z1R is one of my all-time favorite bikes.

-KR

I've always liked the Z1Rs.

I saw one last Summer ride by the end of my street. I was going the other way and my youngest son was at home alone so I had to get there. I wanted to turn around and follow the guy. We just moved to this area, so finding other bikers has been a priority. And another Kawi classic would be great. Actually I saw a kz650C3 in the neighbourhood last Summer as well. Gotta track down these Kawi riders.

I just bought a Z1R front wheel off ebay. A '78 18" model. Will be going on my 650 next Winter.

One day I'll find me a complete Z1R.

Oh Bad Kaw, where's the picture of your Z1R?
Gotta have one in this thread.

Great story Thanks! Sooooo she's a doctor huh? Ahem...er....JK! Sometimes it takes a weird situation to make good friends. Ya both got the same tastes in wimmen and bikes. Can be good and can be bad!!:woohoo: :woohoo:

Great story, BadKaw. Even Hollywood couldn't come up with a script like that. Ahhhhh.....riding with the "boys".....what we all strove for, back in the day.....

H2Rick, yeah man, those were the days in the mid-80s. I guess time makes things seem cooler than they probalby were, but for me the Z1R still has some unquantifiable 'cool' factor. Dude, back in the day there was a built 81 GS1100 and a built '84 GS1150 and my buddy Dan's built KZ, all were friends and all ran 10.-ohs on their streetbikes. That was flyin' back then...those guys seemed so untouchable...and the "hot chicks" were all over 'em! Haaaaaaa!

Locozuna, yeah, ol' Sal is a doctor, had 2 kids, still looks ... um ... 'round in all the right places' heh, heh, heh. Caught up with her about 3 years ago. Time catches everyone, but she's still got "it". She asked me about Dan, too!

rstnick, I'll post up pics asap...with my plans...I know, can't leave well enough alone. Right now it's all stock...BONE stock...took massive effort to get it that way, and then it just didn't thrill me anymore. So, now I've got a 1260 motor, crank is welded (off my old '75 Z-1 of all things!), tranny is under-cut, and I've got a Karata-glide lock-up for it...I need to have the head done and it's ready to bolt it. Got inverted suspension and wide 17"s ready for it off a '92 Yamaha FZR1000, and an out-board bearing support plate to space the counter-shaft sprocket out and support it with that 1260 pushing stuff in a hurry. The head is going to slow me down...I think it'll probably run me a grand...ouch...but hey, it needs to be done.
Pics asap, I promise.

PS> Get this, I've got a new/old stock Kosman close-ration transmission for the thing...can't decide if I want to run it in there or not...I'm not a big 'close ratio' fan for streetbikes...doubt if I run it, but who knows!

-KR

Glad you guys liked it...yeah, H2Rick is right, you can't make stuff like that up...life is hilarious!