TOPIC:

Everywhere I look for hand grips for the Z1, I see these hard plastic grips that look very similar to OEM and are even passed off as "exact duplicates" of OEM.   I'm thinking that's bs and while OEM grips may be made from a mold of a set of OEM I know these weren't hard plastic back in the 70s.  And searching for OEM Z1 grips a bunch of different ones pop up, it's hard to tell which is actually a close replica of the grips that came on the bike.  Does anyone have a source for a good set of replica grips.

 

Greg www.kzrider.com/forum/24-wanted/616166-waffle-grip#851308 is on the same hunt. Maybe he has a source. I know there are lots of repops available on evilbay. OEM seam quite elusive. 

z1parts are soft - z1parts.net/search.php?search_query=hand+grip&Search=
 

Good source 73z1. Personally I’d get these. Most repops are missing “Japan”. These have them. Look like a nice representation of OEM.
z1parts.net/z1-900-h2-750-h1-500-s2-350-handle-bar-grips/

OEM grips have "JAPAN" in raised letters on the end of the grip.  I've seen one set of reproduction grips with "JAPAN" on the end but it's upside down to the correct way.  The grips were used on a lot of bikes from KZ400 up to Z1900.  You can sometimes find one on ebay if you check out the different models of bikes.  NOS ones go for big money....$200 or more.

I have a couple of spare right hand ones (throttle side) in useable but not showroom condition that I would part with.  

 

The Z1Parts ones look good.  You can tell in the pictures from the texture that they're rubber.  I've messaged a few sellers on Ebay who have advertised "Rubber OEM style handgrips".  But they have that gloss that the hard plastics have. So I ask them if they are in fact rubber or hard plastic and they say "they're hard plastic."  I wanted to message them back.. then why the hell do you say they're rubber in the ad title?  But not worth the bother.  They'll correct it after they pay for return postage when someone beefs them for items not as described.  I put those hard plastic ones on my first KZ900 and absolutely hated them. 
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