I don’t share many press releases here, but this one is great news for those of you that keep old bikes alive – it’s nice to see manufacturers producing parts like this and I hope it inspires other OEMs to do the same, even if the parts won’t be cheap. Today Kawasaki announced that they will be reproducing cylinder heads for the Z1, KZ900, and KZ1000 “using current methods based on original part design plans and specifications. The cylinder heads will be manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. in Japan and will be available in two colors, silver and black.”
Here’s the text of the press release, which doesn’t bother to mention that the cost will be $2,340. Here’s the link to go straight to the product (but you’ll have to order through your dealer if you want to be one of the first to get one of these for your restoration.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. is excited to announce that it will now offer reproduced cylinder heads, manufactured in Japan, for the legendary Z1, KZ900 and KZ1000 motorcycles. Introduced in 1972, the original Z1 was one of the first models designed with the US market in mind and went on to solidify Kawasaki’s position as a global leader in the large-displacement bike category.
The Z1 gained popularity immediately after its debut and sold well over 100,000 vehicles around the world. It is a historic model that came to be recognized as a symbol of Kawasaki motorcycles with its impressive power and high reliability that have been retained over the years, passed down to current-generation models.
As these long-popular, classic models near their 50-year anniversary, they remain loved and admired by many riders. Numerous Z1s are restored to beautiful, working condition, and can be found around the world today In order to meet the needs of Z1 owners and collectors, Kawasaki has decided to reproduce cylinder heads for the Z1, KZ900 and KZ1000.
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Kawasaki will reproduce the cylinder heads using current methods based on original part design plans and specifications. The cylinder heads will be manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. in Japan and will be available in two colors, silver and black.
To be one of the first to receive one of these reproduced cylinder heads, pre-orders can be placed by contacting your local Kawasaki dealership and placing an order before June 30th, 2020. Orders placed by this date are expected to arrive by Fall 2020. For more information please contact your local Kawasaki dealer or visit the product information page on Kawasaki.com.
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Additional Information:
Compatible Models: See compatibility chart on Kawasaki.com
Not intended to be an exact copy of the original, including the shape and surface quality, based on production standards at the time
Cylinder Head includes camshaft brackets, tappers, valves and peripheral parts
Does not include camshafts, cylinder head cover, gaskets, etc.
Features M8 exhaust-pipe-attachment stud bolt dimensions from later models
Does not fit on the Kawasaki KZ1000 MKII and other so-called “square head” models, which feature a second-generation square cylinder head cover that is slightly thicker
Product details, price and availability are subject to change without prior notice or liability