New bike purchased - Kawasaki Thou

I've been pondering getting a new bike for ages, looked at Ducati's, glanced BMWs and then realised I really liked the SDR to much to sell it at the moment. I still had the problem that I wanted to buy something new, so to hell with it, I did.

Well kinda new, well, not actually new at all! 70s muscle bike, Kawasaki Z1000 A2 (1978).




It's going to be a project bike, not sure whether to go updated modern special as below or 70s pimped road bike. Either way its going to be fun.




The best part is insurance, £74 per year fully comp in Central London.

Bit before my time

However I like the updated versions, top one is my fave.

Cant beat a good project.

Yup liking it! Very cool.

I grew up in that era, gotta love the UJM! Hard to find a stock KZ1000 over here, they've all been stretched and lowered by the poser crowd. Nice find and congrats!

My first big bike was a Z1000R... Great looking bike, awful handling and brakes, but I love em. Nice work fella.

Oddly enough I've been considering getting something retro like that, to cruise around London's cafes on, on hot sunny days,

I had the Z650 from 1980 and it was metallic green and had a lot of chrome. I loved the kick start, I thought I was Steve McQueen for a split second every time I kicked her over. Mind you in 1985 I bought a brand new GPZ600, (my one and only sports bike) to replace the old steed. It was the ZX6 of its day and I loved it, but 18 months later it had to be sold to provide a deposit on my first flat

Id say just mint it and keep it stock
but the 2nd one with that pipe on looks very nice

Good one Jules! Like it a lot. Nice project. I used to be very familiar with this kind of engine. Mostly GS 750 and 1000s but the Kwakker engine and bike was the better looking IMO. How much did you have to pay for this - if you don't mind me asking?

God are you in for a treat. Big, heavy, slow and that was in the 70's. With those things you have two choices; Mad Max it, like the no life twat with the Honda long swing arm thing in the other thread or get on the phone to Harris and hope they still have a Magnum frame kicking about. Your one looks too shiny and cherished / restored / expensive for either of those to be an option.

Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. Jap bikes didnt handle until 1984 when the GPZ900 came out. Even though I sometimes get tempted by one of them I know it would be a slow heavy wobbly heap compared to any bike of the last 10 years.

At least depreciation isnt a worry and you have the option to unload it for whatever you paid.I would, and like you I was a child of that era.

"Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. Jap bikes didnt handle until 1984 when the GPZ900 came out. Even though I sometimes get tempted by one of them I know it would be a slow heavy wobbly heap compared to any bike of the last 10 years."

My first "big" bike was a GPZ900 in 1985 ,they handled allright untill the front tyre got a bit of wear on it, then that 16" front got real wobbly

Last time I rode one of those babies it felt like I was riding on a ironing board with no power and no brakes LOL!!
Two of my mates had 900s back in the day but I just kept my Honda 750k2 as I thought is was a better bike. By the way the Honda had a few mods, Dunstall 4 into 2 pipes advanced timing Reynolds chain and sprockets velocity stacks, bigger jets in the carbs plus lifted needles and shorter bob weight springs. Also suspension mods and steering dampener. What a beast LOL!!
It would do 125mph a standard one would do 110mph.
But I still love the Jaffa colour on the z900.

You sneaky.... When I saw the title i tought we lost you to the new Ninja R brigrade....

I liked the look of these bikes when they came out and still now they look cool. (Am I admitting age here???)

Makes a good project bike as it had plenty of potential but was let down due to elastic frame, shoddy brakes etc.

Congrats on the purchase!

Nice find there Jules

fookin double post

OK, so i get a double post, press delete on the 2nd post, and it reposts it a 3rd time????????

This forum is fukd

Congrats, and a primo choice my good man. A valuable classic and I don't think it matters which way you go - stock mint or pumped 70's sled....it'll appreciate in value either way. I nearly bought a 900 as a youngster but was a bit too broke at the time.

Good choice and enjoy.

Lovely bike , I grew up in that era and always lusted after them. Now I'm old and slow

I agree with Ash, stock it and ride it on Sundays. There are plenty of trick older bikes out there but a nice original always turns my head. Would love to have a Sunday ride like that.