was the KZ1000 MK2 availabl in the USA ?????

I was wondering if the 1979 kz1000 mk2 was available in the USA, I think it was also know as the zephyr... also did they make them in 1980 or did the z1r replace the mk2. I'm a bit confused on the kz1000 history and its kind of weird that they made the z1r in 78 and 1980 but not in 1979... Can anyone shed some info on this.>> thanks

Cant help with which model was available in the USA.
But this link may help??? www.hleng-it.dk/rep/Kz%20page.htm

years for the KZ1000 MK ll 1979 and 1980 in the U.s.
the Z1R was made in 1978 and 1980 .
no 79 Z1r due to poor sales........ :huh:

turboking wrote: years for the KZ1000 MK ll 1979 and 1980 in the U.s.
the Z1R was made in 1978 and 1980 .
no 79 Z1r due to poor sales........ :huh:

For the sake of clarity, there actually were KZ1000-D2 (aka 1979 Z1R) produced and sold, but only in Europe and only a very few of them. But Turboking is correct...not ever available in North America.

The Zephyr models were only available in the US in 1992 and 1993 and for a few year longer in Canada. However, they were made through mid-2000 and sold in Japan and Australia(?).

Yea, first was the 1978 Z1R with designation KZ1000D1 available only in the mist blue (silver) paint scheme. I think that helped in the slow sales, then 1979 KZ1000MKII with designation KZ1000A3, or A3A depending on when produced in the run in beautiful red or blue, then the Z1R skipped 1979 and came back in 1980 as the KZ1000D3 with bigger tank in black, and dual exhaust. 1980 MKII returned as KZ1000A4 but didn't say MKII anywhere on the bike, just KZ1000, more widely known as the "standard". Same bodywork as the 79 but also in black. Not too many Z1R or MKII were sold in 1980, most sales back then were the LTD models.
I first saw the MKII in early 1979 and fell in love with that style and a love that will never end. It was/is a nice motorcycle. The 1980 Z1R was also very, very nice. I guess all of them were nice, but those two are my favorite of the series of KZ1000.

Ok,,, that clears everything up for me. Its the missing year of the z1r aka kz1000d that got me all kinds of confused, also the kz1000 mk2 model is rarely covered by most web sites and there is not too much info on those models, I have looked on ebay to see if I can find one but they are never up on ebay just the ltd models. or the 1977-78 kz1000 models but no mk2... Sad...

Strange but I had a 78 KZ1000 LTD MKII and it said it right on the title.


HOGEATER(CHUCK)

LTD had no relation to a MKII. The title may have had errors, but the bike in the picture there has a 1979 or later engine because of the emissions ports on top of the valve cover and may be a MKII engine in a 1978 LTD frame. Hard to say. 1977-1979 1000LTD used the older style KZ1000 engine. The MKII engine was used in the 79-80 KZ1000MKII, and the 79-80 shaft drive, but only in the 1980 LTD, as well as the 80 Z1R.
Don't mean to argue, but just the facts as they are. Normally titles have no mention of LTD, MKII or the like. They go by numbers. KZ1000B is LTD, KZ1000A is standard KZ1000, later turning to MKII, KZ1000E is the shaft drive, KZ1000D is Z1R.

Was a KZ1000B2 titled as a 78
. Thats the way I got it from PO .. Come to think of it ,it was titled by the engine number not frame and I remember when I replaced the head gasket and valve cover gasket I did have to get gaskets for a 79 engine. Maybe it was a late production model. NOW the big ??? Will the jugs and head from a 79 fit the cases of a 78 since the TITLE was on the case number.
This was not a stock engine, the first time I pulled the head I found COPPER gaskets with RC on them. I MIC.d the bore and it was 73mm=1075cc.

Just asking for more KZ knowledge!

HOGEATER(CHUCK)

The 79 head and jugs will fit on a 78. The only thing you gotta look out for is if you have a mk11 motor then you would have to use your same cams or get a diffrent set of cam sprockets. The mk11 motor has a 16 tooth sprocket on the crank. It would have 32 tooth cam sprockets. If its a kz motor then it can all be switched over. The stock kz motor has a 15 tooth center sprocket and 30 tooth cam sprockets.

Hogeater- you have mk11 cases but You will have to look at your sprockets to tell if its has mk11 internals. In 79 they used mk11 cases and kz internals. Dont ask me why, i dunno. But it could be either way.

HOG Eater look as this thread maybe it will help you understand mk11 motors better.

www.kzrider.com/forum/10-new-members/589...ld-but-not-mechanics

MY cam sprockets have 30 teeth , But all this really don't matter since I don't have the KZ any longer. Just mostly for KZ knowledge for later date!!!
Thanks for the info!!


HOGEATER(CHUCK)