Bike of the Month.

Very nice Ralph...good choice for BOTM.

Ok KZR
I had my coffee so let me condense some of the story Ralph wrote me. I asked Ralph for a written history and he did not hold back :woohoo:
He wrote me a book LMAO :blink: so here are some of the highlites
Ralph started drag racing in 73 on his Z1 900 and ran it in IDBA classes Super Stock and Ultra Stock
Next was a partnership where he rode a KZ 1000 in IDBA Pro Stock (This is about the time I Met Ralph at the drag strip . I was a crew member on a Funny Bike and we ran the same curcuits)
Next he gave a CBX a try and it didn't work out :pinch:
Followed up with a Z1R and a GPZ 1000
Ending his piloting a drag bike in 1985

In 2000 he joined a Nitro Triumph Bonneville Salt racing team but not as the rider , then the team switched to Blown Alky
I have seen this bike and it is awesome.
Then Ralph decided to do his own Salt Flats thing. He researched for a open record to try for and decided on the Production 1000cc to 1350cc Blown Class. He knew about T/Cs and after a act of God getting the sanctioning body to approve a Z1R T/C as a production bike he moved forward with the project. He purchased a rough but real T/C from a collector he did work for and dove into the bike.
The short version here is it needed everything insjde and out ( Motor was toast )
When completed he rode it 130 miles to break it in and went racing.
1rst pass with steering dampener not turned up he had a wobble and backed out and ran 121 mph
2nd pass with only a one mile run up and to tall a gear he managed 131mph
Ralph says it was weird for a drag racer to hold the throttle wide open for 45 seconds and after tear down he saw his stock cast pistons had melted and grabbed the rings which helps explain the 131 mph pass.
I still say its a great job on ralphs part to accomplish what he did 1rst time out.
In 2015 ralph took the rebuilt stocker to the Ohio Mile and ran 147 mph on 7 1/2 pounds of boost GOOD JOB !!!
I hope you all enjoy my pick for the September BOTM
Street Fighter LTD
Dave

I don't use this word much but that's AWESOME. :woohoo:
Steve

Another great choice, interesting bike very well presented.

I always think the ZIR as one of those 'important' bikes in the lineage that set a precedent for the later 'euro style' 'universal japanese motorcycle' form, influenced with styling cues from the Italians.

That revolutionary front and tail fairing with in it's origami paper fold sharp lines, that wasn't too well received at the time, was to be much repeated in the whole GPz /z / kz 400/500/550 , the 750 L/R and the later 1000 J , ELR as well as the GPz1100's.

Good.

Excellent specimen ...I'm Drooling , :ohmy: :ohmy:

Awesome bike
love the colour, love the style, love the turbo and love the writeup by street fighter Ltd above
congratulations

The Z1R was always the bike I lost sleep over. The Z9 and Z1000 (KZ for the yanks) were great but the Z1R was always the bike I liked more than any other.
This turbo really hits the spot, I love it BUT standard sorry my early wobbles etc leave a bad memory. I still believe the fairing doesn't help, when I remove mine the bike feels fixed when its fitted the wind does effect the bike. Unfortunately its like removing a leg so I keep mine on and respect the bike.

BLOODY great choice. What a machine and that Turbo............don't get me going?

I second Steve...THAAAAAAAATS AWESOME...

Nice good job A++++ Let the good times Roll.....

A real beautiful Z1R there to say the least. Fabulous.

Good Morning KZR :lol:
Bumping this back to the top :ohmy:
Hope you are enjoying having BOTM back on track
This is a labor of love for me, so the classic Kaws will keep on coming
Nice Z1R T/C Ralph

More good stuff coming in the future, I Promise
Street Fighter LTD
Dave

Very nice bike. Still remember the magazine adds when the Z1-R's came out. Always loved the Euro style of the bike. Congratulations Ralph! Must be a joy to own.