1st KZ1000 classic for sale.

[Lee Hester]

after seeing a thread about a KZ1000 sitting in a box, I thought of my stepfather's KZ1000 Classic which is about to be sold. I've been trying to get Kawasaki to pay attention, but they seem uninterested.

You see, James Myrick, former Intl. Drag-Bike Racing Association tech director (back in about '79, '80) won the right to have the FIRST KZ1000 Classic off the assembly line.

My understanding is that Kawasaki flew him to Japan to receive it.

Jim passed away a few months ago. As a member of his family I've been trying to get A) Kawasaki or B) Someone who gives a damn, to take an interest in the bike. It is about to be sold as a fixer-upper and probably will go for peanuts.

We don't necessarily mind it going for peanuts, we just hate for it to be sold to someone who doesn't understand that the bike was a history maker. If I understand correctly, it was the first production bike with fuel injection.... besides the fame of the 1000 series as the powerful bikes they were.

Everyone in the family wishes someone in the family were a bike person and would keep it in the family, but no one really is.

So, if someone could get Kawasaki to take note (for a museum??) we'd love it. We've got the first and I think the 36th, which Jim bought just before his death to use for parts to restore the first.

Oh, and if anyone out there knew Jim Myrick, hi! If you've got any memories to pass on to his grandkids, contact me.

Lee Hester

[RichLockyer]

Contact these guys: Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum, Solvang, CA

Good museum and they'll do it proud.

[Zammy]

Or Welcome to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum!

[antiq]

Where is it? Maybe I could dig up some peanuts.

[Jeff.saunders]

The 1980 Z1 Classic has yet to really gain any appreciation with collectors.

You are right, The KZ1000-G1 was the first mainstream motorcycle from Japan with Fuel Injection (together with the Z1000-H1 in other markets). Sadly, that's also it's downfall. Those bikes became so problematic that Kawasaki finally threw up their hands with warranty issues and told dealers to install carbs on the bikes... finding a bike with working EFI is rare - and even if the EFI works when fired up, the units often cutout when any serious miles are attempted with the bike. Replacement EFI units are rare - and even if you could find one, they retail for abouot $1500.00. Other parts for the EFI system are equally tough to find.

[ldt]

I knew your step father would you please email me back.