Kaw worship- describe what your bike means to you.

I think there is a broad range of how we feel about our bikes. To some, their bike is just an investment, or a hobby.
Mine is like my child. I ordered some dust boots that go on the choke enrichment shafts. They came in the mail today, and I jumped for joy like an 8 year old kid.
If I had to make a 500 mile trip to get some insignificant part, as long as it is factory- what Kawasaki put on it when it was new, my bike is worthy of such a trip.
I have had my bike for about 2.5 years now, and for various reasons, I have not been able to give it the TLC I wanted to.
Maybe it is because improving my Kawasaki is one thing where I can see results. It is precious to me, and I wish I had a KZ "daddy" to pat me on the head every day if I was taking proper care of my bike.
I mean, I mean, I wish I had an SAE/Kawasaki/ certified and trained guru to babysit my bike when I am not riding it.
I mean I want the old pros, and the fine chicks to gawk at and admire my Kawasaki.
How far would some of you go for your bike?

we'll to tell you the truth ....it's a link to the past...call it a mid life crisis if you like....but when I get on it...espescialy in the presence of old pals...its a time warp back to when we were young and reckless/carefree
no house no wife no bills no nuthin....except chasin a pretty girl....or havin a few laughs...over a few beers....after a night on the bikes....I mean we lived on those old bikes....its a part of me....always gonna be

If I die riding mine I died happy

when i ride my bike, its like an extension of my body!

i'd rather ride a kz than ----

My Z1 has been with me through thick and thin. Two wives have come and gone, two children have come. My youngest child is 18 and ready to leave the house while her 24 year old brother has been gone awhile now. Through it all my bike has been there and never left me. After 25 plus years I will never part with it, never.

My 650 was purchased from my brother who died about a year after I bought his bike so it is now part of my KZ family that I will never let go. Not a bad thought that I will have two KZ's when I pass.

I also have to agree with irishwill as being a link to the past. Very fond memerories of my youth on my Z1

I've owned my 650 for 30 years now, having bought it new. When I throw my leg over it for a ride it's like throwing my leg over the wife. Very familer, comfortable. I know every inch of my bike, it does what I want and unlike the wife... it has never let me down. I love my bike and will NEVER sell her. I'm on my second wife but still on my first bike!

Me I love tinkering, and I have always likeD the Kaw street bikes. Years ago I had a 76 KH500 Mach3 tripple, what a rocket, but don't ask how it handled. Lately I have rescuing KZ's, ones that have been sitting for years that need TLC, and been grinning ever since! Nothing like the low end tork followed by a real mid range punch and a great top end, then the handling is still really good even though out dated, I try not to ride the newer bikes to much because they have such great suspension. Some may hate their Mikuni carbs but I love em, easy to tune, once you get em off of the rubber connectors, all parts easy to get and mostly reasonably priced. Try that with a 25-30 year old Injection system, sure the Injection is great, but can you fix it when stranded on the side of the road? Doubt it!!

Whoa, what a great question....

I learned of the KZ back in the 70's, had my ass handed to me on my 750 super sport by a KZ... Tucked my tail and could only ask, WTF is that gorgeous bike!...

The reply was simple... "Welcome to the KZ, hail the King" where I instantly fell in love and knew one day, I must have one...

Fast forward 30 years... I now have one!

The biggest kick I get out of owning one is where old guys, young guys, you name it come up and go "Whoa, a KZ, King of the road, I had one back in the 70's, what you do to her, those KZ's were so wickedly fast for their time etc..." and you can see it in there eyes, especially the older guys where they're reminiscing their youth on these wonderful old machines.

Or when we go on a group ride... My buds are riding newer bikes and when the old girl gives them a run for the money, they just grin and shake their heads for they just can't believe how fast this old technology still is.

Even with all their new fancy ass 4 valve per cylinder, fuel injected memory mapped fuel system, suspension, 6 speed tranny, the old girl pulls away from them until they hit 6-7Krpm.... :evil:

Now they'll pass me doing a buck 120 but I just laugh for I'm already down the road at the end of the quarter mile by then having a smoke.... Then we all just laugh.... It's as fun for them as it is for me...

Then theirs the freedom factor while on a ride... The raw power just sitting idly by, humming along, waiting for you to twist the throttle opening her up, letting her out of her cage, the pulling force is uncanny, I Grin, the awesome sound of the Kerker coming to life in a finely tuned engine as you hit the power band.... Music to the ears... The KZ Gods grin...

Truly therapeutic! Not much more I can say about it.

OMR

I find much in common with Irishwill, and I have come to realize why I always look forward to riding my bike.
The 2 Hondas I had( check my sig below) were an absolute dreamland for me when I was a young man. I had a lot of pain and confusion going on with my parents, and I could not understand, but when I got on my old CL 175, or later my CM 400, I was free, and I was happy.
Tears are rolling down my cheeks as I write this. I got hooked on hard drugs about 2003, and I got 6 months clean now. I lost everything- drugs can take everything, health, hope, relationships. I am not the same man I was before 2003, and when I get on my Kaw now, it takes me back to that free and happy young man I was. When life was ahead of me. Now I am 46, and the most beautiful, healthy, admirable, thing I got going--- is my 30 year old Kawasaki.

1981jmotor wrote:

I find much in common with Irishwill, and I have come to realize why I always look forward to riding my bike.
The 2 Hondas I had( check my sig below) were an absolute dreamland for me when I was a young man. I had a lot of pain and confusion going on with my parents, and I could not understand, but when I got on my old CL 175, or later my CM 400, I was free, and I was happy.
Tears are rolling down my cheeks as I write this. I got hooked on hard drugs about 2003, and I got 6 months clean now. I lost everything- drugs can take everything, health, hope, relationships. I am not the same man I was before 2003, and when I get on my Kaw now, it takes me back to that free and happy young man I was. When life was ahead of me. Now I am 46, and the most beautiful, healthy, admirable, thing I got going--- is my 30 year old Kawasaki.

Glad to hear you are fighting the demons and staying sober. I have a shirt that says " You will never find a motorcycle in a psychiatrists parking lot" riding is my therapy always has been always will be.

You talking about having your Honda at 14 brings back memerories for me too. I had a 71 CL175 when I was 14. I can still se that funky exhaust under my leg.

What my Kaw means to me...

My bike is the usual things to me, a means to get away, be free of everything, etc. But the biggest thing that my bike gives me is the satisfaction that my more-or-less academic job doesn't give me. I don't fix things for a living, but I love fixing and learning with my hands, and my bike gives me an outlet to do this. The simplicity of the machine has enabled me to fix and maintain it and make it my own, then I can ride around and feel as proud as any father out there.