TOPIC:

I recently bought a KZ900 that has been sitting for over 30 years. Unfortunately the title and keys were lost and the original owner has passed away. In order for me to get a new title I had to have the vin numbers checked by the state police. The state police informed me that the bike is actually a 1975. In fact the title says it’s a 1975. My question is did Kawasaki release any KZ’s in 1975

Welcome to the forum you will find everything you could ever need here… greatest group of guys around... Your bike looks like a 1976 KZ900 A4... I have the same bike. My head badge say it was built in November 75... check you vin number at Zedder.com... Mine is a USA assembled bike.... you have a Good find... looks really intact... Seat and color are wrong but still a great looking survivor...

Thank you for the welcome. I’ve actually been reading some of the forms and already found some interesting things. I also bought a 1975 Kawasaki Bighorn from the same family. I’m finding it to be very satisfying to bring them both back to their former glory.

If it's actually a KZ900, the first year was 1976 on the 900 called KZ900. The motorcycle pictured is hard to say though. It had a hard life and may be a 1975 Z1. If it sat 30yrs, it had a heck of a life it's first 13yrs.

Early KZ 900

Double D wrote: My question is did Kawasaki release any KZ’s in 1975

Hello and welcome! The answer is Yes. Kawasaki's model year began 6 months before the end of the previous year. Z1B production ended in June/75 and KZ900 production began in July/75. Technically your bike is part of the 1976 model year, although it may have been built in 1975.

There should be a white sticker on your headstock. It will have the month and year of assembly on it. If your S/N begins with a "5" it was built in the USA. If it begins with any other number it was built in Japan.

Everything in the photo shows 76, bodywork, carbs, ect. Build date on VIN sticker is usually the best clue, along with engine and frame numbers. Big Horn is also cool!

That explains it. Honestly I knew it was a KZ I just didn’t know if any were released in 1975 .The only 1975’s I’ve seen are the original Z1’s.
The vin numbers confirms that it was built in the USA in October 1975. It was In sad shape but it’s a low mile (7,000) fairly original bike. I have been cleaning it up, and now that I have a title to it I’m ready to get her road worthy again.

Side covers say ‘76.

Frame number after ~86100 is KZ900