1973 Kawasaki Z1 hits record $50,000 at Mecum

While we are on the subject of originality, can someone post up a picture of where the carbutetor numbers are ?
I know they are supposed to have a #1470 mark on them, but looking at my original carbs I cannot find a mark anywhere.
edit - I think I have found stamping on the end carb - it has the numbers stamped like this;
147
  3

 

Carbs have numbers on the top flange next to the bracket.

I saw those pipes a couple of weeks ago.  I think they have a DGM number on them, which means they were Z1B pipes.  Z1A pipes were stamped but had no DGM number.

Going off memory they had 1470 , 1472, 1473. “3” being the last version on the Z1, early Z1B. I’ll look it up later today 
 

I agree with blackozvet on the Z1 being bought and paid for by someone who is looking to have a completed bike. An auction is what took place and no different than online parts sites, there are risks in any purchase, especially site unseen. One should understand that if buying in this arena, there will always be some surprises, hopefully bearable. All ( I believe 7 ) bikes were available for viewing prior to the auction. The market, however small, will determine selling prices and like a lottery ticket, it only takes one purchaser. I saw a very low number ( early 73 production run ) Z1 engine sell last week for $6500 which to me is unbelievable as if it was going into a frame of mine, it would be deeply inspected and we're all aware of the costs for NOS gaskets etc. As stated, Mike is a good guy who is doing what most would love to do after retiring from drag racing. Mike is a close friend of a friend of mine and I have been at the track with him, first class individual.
I'd like to know if positions were traded would anyone turn down what Mike experienced?

Kawboy74 wrote:

I agree with blackozvet on the Z1 being bought and paid for by someone who is looking to have a completed bike. An auction is what took place and no different than online parts sites, there are risks in any purchase, especially site unseen. One should understand that if buying in this arena, there will always be some surprises, hopefully bearable. All ( I believe 7 ) bikes were available for viewing prior to the auction. The market, however small, will determine selling prices and like a lottery ticket, it only takes one purchaser. I saw a very low number ( early 73 production run ) Z1 engine sell last week for $6500 which to me is unbelievable as if it was going into a frame of mine, it would be deeply inspected and we're all aware of the costs for NOS gaskets etc. As stated, Mike is a good guy who is doing what most would love to do after retiring from drag racing. Mike is a close friend of a friend of mine and I have been at the track with him, first class individual.
I'd like to know if positions were traded would anyone turn down what Mike experienced?

Yes, the next thing on the agenda is Z1 parts.  As the price of the 72 to 75 series bikes go up, so does the price of parts.  And because of the Japanese obsession with marking parts with month and year of production it means a whole new world of knowing numbers and creating values.
Because you can actually build a Z1 out of parts, and people have done it.  Who is that well known bike guy who built a Z1 entirely out of New Old Stock that he collected over a number of years ?
Funny thing is tho, that the market is well supported for quality aftermarket reproduction parts, and bikes rebuilt using repro parts still command high prices, much to the annoyance of the Kawasaki purists. 

Dave Marsden was the guy who built the bike strictly from parts.  But he had an advantage.  He owned a Kawasaki dealership.

I've already seen inflated prices for original parts.  Someone in Japan has been offering them on Ebay for prices much higher than anything else for about three months.

Purists who are annoyed by high prices for bikes with repro parts should consider that if a bike with that much repro stuff on it went for $50k then a bike with original date coded stuff will sell for that much higher.  The jump in prices has also begun.

hardrockminer wrote:

Dave Marsden was the guy who built the bike strictly from parts.  But he had an advantage.  He owned a Kawasaki dealership.

I've already seen inflated prices for original parts.  Someone in Japan has been offering them on Ebay for prices much higher than anything else for about three months.

Purists who are annoyed by high prices for bikes with repro parts should consider that if a bike with that much repro stuff on it went for $50k then a bike with original date coded stuff will sell for that much higher.  The jump in prices has also begun.

I read the story of how he built the bike and it was quite interesting, but keeping in mind that he used a lifetime of industry experience and collecting to do it.
The Z1 engine sold on ebay for $6500 usd, Z1 pipes on ebay now for $4400 usd, Z1 carbs on ebay now for $1200 and $1400 usd.
There was a guy local to me in Australia selling an early Z1 engine (72 build number) and wanted $10,000 aud for it.
The Z1 price horse has well and truly bolted.
But have we seen a completely original Z1 bike exceed $50k USD - not that I know of, unless it was a private sale with no publicity ? 

I'm not aware of any sales higher than $50k but I know of quite a few bikes that would now probably sell for much more if and when the owners decide to sell.

Remarkable what someone paid for it, considering how much is no longer original; Doremi parts, frame powder coated (a pet hate of mine). Makes you wonder what a genuine original bike would be worth...
Ian

Ian_B wrote:

Remarkable what someone paid for it, considering how much is no longer original; Doremi parts, frame powder coated (a pet hate of mine). Makes you wonder what a genuine original bike would be worth...
Ian

Over the last couple of years (or more) rebuilt bikes have consistently sold for more than original bikes.
I'm guessing it's a generational thing, the Boomers are probably the main buyers, and they have more money than time on their hands.
They don't want a completely original bike that's been sitting for years, they want a bike that's been freshened up, starts and runs and goes without too much drama, because they don't really know how many years of jumping on a motorbike they have left in them.  And they are old enough to know what problems '100% original' can bring.
What they don't want (or don't have the ability to do) is be stuck in the garage for the next 2 years stripping a bike down and rebuilding it.  Gen X'ers are ok with that stuff because they aren't staring down the mortality barrel just yet.
There are 100% original 72/73 bikes that can be started and ridden down the road at any time with complete confidence, but the only time you will see them for sale is when they are pryed out of the owners' cold dead hands.

blackozvet wrote:

Ian_B wrote:

Remarkable what someone paid for it, considering how much is no longer original; Doremi parts, frame powder coated (a pet hate of mine). Makes you wonder what a genuine original bike would be worth...
Ian

Over the last couple of years (or more) rebuilt bikes have consistently sold for more than original bikes.
I'm guessing it's a generational thing, the Boomers are probably the main buyers, and they have more money than time on their hands.
They don't want a completely original bike that's been sitting for years, they want a bike that's been freshened up, starts and runs and goes without too much drama, because they don't really know how many years of jumping on a motorbike they have left in them.  And they are old enough to know what problems '100% original' can bring.
What they don't want (or don't have the ability to do) is be stuck in the garage for the next 2 years stripping a bike down and rebuilding it.  Gen X'ers are ok with that stuff because they aren't staring down the mortality barrel just yet.
There are 100% original 72/73 bikes that can be started and ridden down the road at any time with complete confidence, but the only time you will see them for sale is when they are pryed out of the owners' cold dead hands.

Wow, you really put a lot of faith in Chineseium parts. I’ll take the tried and true OEM any day.