Description
This KZ1000R sold through our “wanted” list before the auction went live. To help aid you in valuing certain “iconic” motorbikes, we’re adding the description and price to our sold page!
Start-Up Video:
Additional photos of this Kawasaki KZ1000R are available here for your perusal.
In 1982, Kawasaki built 29/30 examples of the KZ1000S1, an impressive copy of the previous year’s race bike campaigned by Eddie Lawson. They were only made available to the factory race team and any American dealerships that sponsored Superbike teams. The public had to settle for the still-very-cool KZ1000 ELR.
The original MSRP was $10,990, and genuine S1s have sold on eBay for $107,200 (in 2013) and $114,500 (in 2019). Here’s something a bit easier to swallow – a tribute build that was initially designed by Steve Willgoose to be “a period-correct 1982 KZ1000R S1 race bike in street trim.” The entire project took Steve four years, and it started with the acquisition of a 1982 Kawasaki GPz 1100 restomod. Details of the work are covered in this Motorcycle Mojo article and this Classic Motorcycle Mechanics article. We recommend that serious bidders read both of those stories, but we’ll cover highlights below.
The bike was stripped down to the frame and the seller had triangular bracing added near the swingarm mounts by Venture Fabrication before the frame was painted.
When Steve acquired it, it already had a Wiseco 1,136cc high-compression big bore kit in the motor. He had Cavanaugh Racing Heads port the head and install oversize stainless steel valves, then had Penco Motorsports install Cavanaugh Racing race cams. The rubber intake boots were port matched and the engine also got a high-flow petcock and Dyna 2000 electronic ignition with a rev-limiter. The engine also has Web .410″ cams. It puts down 126.9 horsepower at the rear wheel, and the seller has included a dyno run video. Everything was connected through a NOS wiring harness.
Steve ceramic painted the engine (as well as the exhaust system and handlebar controls) and installed 33mm Keihin CR carbs.
He also installed a Kerker race exhaust, however “I had to get all the spring tabs welded onto the headers since they don’t make the real one any more. Then Kerker stepped up after hearing about my project and they sent me the real 1000R collars for the header.”
This Kawasaki is VIN: JKAKZCJ12CA0079.
There is an impressive level of detail in the frame, as Willgoose matched several details only found on the works bikes such as the gap between the rear of the tank and the side covers. From Motorcycle Mojo, “to recreate that look, Willgoose had Clement fabricate and weld a horseshoe-shaped bracket to the very rear part of the frame’s top tube, where it supports the tank. Willgoose also made up a bung to create a breather for the gas tank and had this welded in place, just in front of the filler lid.”
Other modifications:
Very rare replica S1 seat.
Genuine S1 magnesium 1/4 turn throttle, S1 replica triple clamps.
S1 replica swingarm, Sprocket Specialists custom rear sprocket, and rebuilt Works Performance shocks.
Custom forks from Frank’s Forks with reproduction lowers from Japan, internal damping rods from South Africa, and AP Racing S1 replica calipers with one-off aluminum mounting brackets. Genuine magnesium Marvic rims and S1 replica 330mm discs. The seller notes that Kawasaki used Dymag three-spoke wheels on the S1, however he prefers the look of the Marvic magnesium seven-spoke designs, themselves a reproduction of the Morris mags used on Eddie Lawson’s GP bike.
With a gallon of gas in the tank, this Kawi weighs 498 pounds. Willgoose summed up his build to Motorcycle Mojo by saying, “It’s a rider, but you’ve got to be careful because it’s a handful, and that’s how I like my bikes…they need to have an edge to keep them challenging.” Have any questions about this listing? Let us know in the comments below!
