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5 Pages – PDF Download – Complete Article – Kawasaki Z1 from Spares
“A Z1 Kawasaki from spares
Bob Berry discovers a Japanese classic so new it hasn’t even a frame or engine number.
When Kawasaki introduced the 903cc four-cylinder Z1 at the Cologne Motor Cycle Show in 1972, Dave Marsden was 14 years old and still to become a Kawasaki fanatic and proud owner of a Z1 that he has built himself from the washers upwards.
Dave’s experience as stores manager at Knott Mill Kawasaki in Manchester and John Smith’s Kawasaki in Huddersfield and his access to parts for half price convinced him that he could built a completely new Z1 from scratch and do it cheaper than restoring an existing bike.
‘This is the third Z1 I’ve built,’ he said, ‘but with the others used second-hand frames and crankcases. This one is completely built from new parts.’
It took him four weeks to build the bike in 1984 when he was stores manager at Huddersfield and if he had paid today’s retail price for the spares it would have cost him £7,500. As it was, the total price was £2,600 and he has already been offered £4,500 for the bike!
‘It’s not for sale,’ he said. ‘A representative from the factory in Japan came around on a tour of the dealers and saw Z1 in the showroom and his eyes nearly popped out. Kawasaki have their own museum in Japan with all their models in but they have no original Z1, only the Japan-only Z2, a 750cc version. He wanted to buy it and take it back home but I wouldn’t sell.’
Dave’s Z1 is well known around the classic bike shows and he’s even featured in the back of Kawasaki’s sales literature. The bike is still so new it hasn’t a frame or engine number and has never been used…”
5 Pages – PDF Download – Complete Article – Kawasaki Z1 from Spares
