Manufacturer Kawasaki | Production 1979-1989 | |
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Also called KZ1300, ZG1300, ZN1300. Parent company Kawasaki Heavy Industries Engine 1,286 cc (78.5 cu in) 4-stroke DOHC water-cooled inline-6 with three Mikuni 32mm BSW32SS CV twin-choke carbs (1979 Z1300 A1 model) Bore / stroke 62 mm × 71 mm (2.4 in × 2.8 in) | ||
The Kawasaki Z1300 is a muscle bike with a water-cooled 1,300 cc straight-six engine that was manufactured by Kawasaki between 1979 and 1989.
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Previously referring to the Z1300 as an Autobahn stormer, when reviewing their 'Machine of the Year' competition results in 1979 after readers had voted for the Triumph Bonneville as the winner, UK weekly newspaper Motor Cycle News stated "Kawasaki, with their Z1300 — a superb example of technology by anyone's standards — have gone overboard in many people's minds", adding that the Honda CBX, Suzuki GS1000, Yamaha XS1100 and Z1300 were "hyperbikes".
History
The Z1300 featured six cylinders, water cooling, and shaft drive, The undersquare stroke of 71mm and bore of 62mm kept the engine width acceptable, but the high piston speed limited the maximum rpm figure. During its ten-year production run, fuelling was switched from carburetors to electronic fuel injection and suspension was upgraded to air systems front and rear. Fuel injection system was adopted primarily to improve fuel consumption, but as a bonus were increased power and torque.
Although its straight-six engine was smooth, the motorcycle was heavy, expensive and thirsty, and the Z1300 sold poorly, particularly in Europe. One amateur reviewer on a modern website criticised the handling, stating it "wallowed, weaved and bucked", and the engine covered only 30 miles per UK gallon.
When released, its output in excess of 120 hp (89 kW) prompted France to introduce a 100 hp (75 kW) limit on new motorcycles. However, no other EU country followed suit, and France is set to abolish the 100 bhp limit in 2016.
The Kawasaki Z1300 was manufactured in several versions, namely: Z1300, KZ1300, ZG1300 and ZN1300. It is the biggest model of the still-ongoing Z series that was started in 1972 with the Z1 (900). In the U.S., the model was equipped with a windshield, suitcase, and a redesigned frame. This new model was called "Voyager". In Europe, the traditional model was still available. The last 200 models (built in America as all Z1300 models were), built in 1989, have been called "Legendary Six", and were equipped with a special logo on the fuel tank to show that to the public. After a ten-year production run, Kawasaki's only liquid-cooled six-cylinder engine bowed out in 1989 after 20,000 KZ1300/Z1300 models and 4,500 Voyager models had been produced.
Cycle World tested the 1979 KZ1300's 0 to 1⁄4 mile (0.00 to 0.40 km) time at 11.93 seconds at 114.79 mph (184.74 km/h) and 0 to 60 mph time at 4.01 seconds.
Sbarro Super Twelve
In 1982, Swiss specialty car manufacturer Franco Sbarro constructed a mid-engined sports car with hatchback bodywork called the Sbarro Super Twelve. This featured an inline twelve-cylinder engine (a nominal straight-12) which consisted of two "joined" Z1300 engines. The two engines were not a unit as such: they were connected only by belt. Each engine kept its own gearbox and drove its own rear wheel. The performance of this 800 kg car with 240 bhp was described as "ferocious", and only one was ever built.
Millyard Z2300 V-12
In 2008 noted British engineer and motorcycle customizer Allen Millyard built a one-off 2300cc version of the Z1300 by joining two Z1300 engines together in a V-12 configuration.