80lb difference between 900 and 1000?

This has been confusing me for quite a while now. I have two bikes, one is a 1976 KZ900-A4 and the other is a 1977 KZ1000 LTD (KZ1000B). There is such a huge difference in how the bikes ride that it got me curious enough to weigh them and I found a 80+lb weight difference. I keep looking at both bikes and I really do not see why the 1977 1000 weighs so much more. I'm sorry but the luggage rack and an extra muffler do not weigh 80 pounds. :woohoo:

KZ900-A4 weighs in at 483 with about half a gallon of fuel.
KZ1000B weighs 561 with the same quantity of fuel.
I am wondering if the frame is thicker on the 1000 or something.

I thought my ltds weighed around 514 without airbox. Might have been the Classic with the fi removed running pods.

3 disc brakes,heavy ass mag wheels and sardine exhaust doesn't help matters any! :laugh:

Something wrong somewhere. A KZ900 weighs a heck of a lot more than 480lb unless rust has taken it's toll and parts are missing. KZ650 in 1977 weighed 493 in CW test, 1976 KZ750 twin weighed 505, KZ1000 weighed 550. 1975 Z1 at 533. So a 1976 KZ900 weighs in less than all these? Doesn't make any sense. I can't find a magazine test on a KZ900, but weight loss from 1975-76 was nil I would wager, probably a weight gain if anything.

As a comparison, according to the Kawasaki FSM the KZ650-B3 weighs 211 kg (465 lb); the KZ650-C3 weighs 219 kg (483 lb). The only material differences between the two models are the braking system (triple disk on the C3; single front disk/rear drum on the B3) and the wheels (cast on the C3; wire on the B3). So the cast wheels and triple disk brakes (& related heavier torque link) weigh approximately 18 pounds more than the other set up. I assume these weights do not include any fuel. Ed

RonKZ650 wrote: Something wrong somewhere. A KZ900 weighs a heck of a lot more than 480lb unless rust has taken it's toll and parts are missing. KZ650 in 1977 weighed 493 in CW test, 1976 KZ750 twin weighed 505, KZ1000 weighed 550. 1975 Z1 at 533. So a 1976 KZ900 weighs in less than all these? Doesn't make any sense. I can't find a magazine test on a KZ900, but weight loss from 1975-76 was nil I would wager, probably a weight gain if anything.

Right. According the the specs, the dry weight of the 1976 KZ900-A4 is 230 kg (507 lbs).

www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_z900%2076.htm

and according to the same resource, the dry weight of the 1977 KZ1000-LTD is 249 kg (549 lbs).

www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki...z1000ltd%20%2077.htm

Remember, these are dry weights. Add some fuel and you're up to the numbers RonKZ650 quoted.

I didn't think the mags weighed that much more. I have twin discs on the front of the 900 now but the only way that I can get the bike to weigh over 500 lbs is to fill the tank. All I removed was the center stand and the original 4-4 exhaust was replaced with a Kerker 4-1. Everything else is there including the tool kit. The inside of the gas tank was rusted badly but the rest of the bike is fine.

I am glad I am not the only one scratching my head at the weight. I didn't think 480 was right either considering the 1000 was at 560 on the same scale.

Does the 900 have an earlyer z1 engine in it by chance

every time i had to push my ltd i swore id lighten it cause its a fat hog... it feels like its 650...

A set of 4-4 pipes on a z1/kz900 weigh 40lb. A 4-1 weighs under 20lb - so that's a 20lb difference from stock. Anything else removed like center stand or grab rail will reduce the weight as well.

A Z1/KZ900 engine is about 10lbs lighter than a 77/78 kz1000 engine. Much of this is the crank, but there are also differences in the transmission. Mag wheels are heavier than wire spoked wheels - not by much, but it all adds up.

I'm 190lbs suited.
Me on the bike scaled 620lbs so
that puts my KZ650F1 at about 430 lbs
with wire wheels and not a damn thing left to take off.

time to start drilling speed holes hahaha