$24,000
Austin, Texas
Category
-
Engine
1000
Posted Over 1 Month
This ’78 Kawasaki Z1RTC Molly Graphics is one of only 250 made and sold through Kawasaki dealers. This bike is in excellent original condition, and has been perfectly maintained, and is stored in air conditioned comfort. Everything works perfectly as it should, except the fuel gauge. I believe those senders are available from Z1enterprises. Less than 200 miles on new tires. I have owned this low vin# Z1RTC since January 2009, and it has been titled in my name since then. It now has 9,975 miles. I bought it with 8,335 miles on the clock at the January 2009 Las Vegas Mid America auction, at the height of the recession. I added the Proxibid page from the auction lot in the photos section, showing the description from Mid America. In the 1,600 miles I have ridden it since then, I have added the Mikuni (stock carb and filter included in the sale), changed the oil, and replaced the tires about 200 miles ago. It comes with the ownership history trail, including registration documents and titles showing the previous owner bought it in 2003 with 8,249 miles, and the owner before him with 7,900 miles. It also includes the original Turbo Cycle registration and purchaser certification documentation from original purchase in 1979, as well as copies of title/registration paperwork for myself, and the 2 previous owners before me. Also included is the original owners handbook, Turbo supplement book, tool pouch and original set of 2 keys Options include the original ATP Stage 2 welded crank, and the ATP deep sump oil pan and Mikuni HSR42 carb with proper jetting. Original carb and airfilter included with the sale. The Mikuni solves all of the rough idle and mixture issues of the stock carb, and makes it much easier to ride around at normal speeds. See photos for how it looks with original triangular airfilter and current circular airfilter on the Mikuni Also included in the sale: ATP sales brochure, ATP wholesale and retail product catalogs, Turbo Cycle Corp Z1RTC sales brochure (too funny), Period magazine articles, Rayjay Turbos Maintenance and overhaul manual, hard copy of Motorcycle Classics magazine in which it was featured in Jan/Feb 2013 issue (see photos). Do search at Motorcycle classics website for ‘Z1RTC’ for the story. Mileage in those photos taken summer 2012 was 8,527.Winner ‘Best Japanese Motorcycle’ June 2012 Eastside Classic MC show in Austin TX. Nominated and shown at the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show, Austin TX 2015. As Cycle Guide said in April ’79 issue (photocopy included) “There’s just one sensible thing to do with a Kawasaki Z1R TC II turbo-chain it to your floor and feed it a little raw meet now and then. Little children and puppydogs will do nicely. When the moon is full, you might want to exercise the turbo a little, but always on a very short leash. It’s not intended to mix in polite society. As any Lon Chaney Jr. movie attests, average citizens break out pitchforks when they’re confronted with a werewolf. Just imagine their reaction to a 135 mph flame belching, tire smoking werewolf."As Motorcyclist Magazine said in August 1978: (copy included) The boost needle rose slowly at first, then progressively faster, then all hell broke loose inside the engine. As if catapulted from a carrier deck, the Z1R leaped forward at a frightening pace, with the tach needle hurrying toward the redline. The pull on the handlebars became more than a ski-slope rope tow, and seemed to double, and then quadruple as boost pressure increased. In an instant, the speedo needle flashed by the 100 mark, the tach needle had surged into the red zone and the boost gauge was jiggling near 8 pounds of pressure, its preset limit. Against a force which literally pinned his body rearward, Ken slapped the clutch leaver engaging 4th gear and within a second the speedo jumped to an alarming 120 mph, the tach had again swung into the red, and the road turned into streaks of indistinguishable color. When jerking the gearbox into 5th, Ken had expected, and somewhat hoped, that the acceleration would taper off, but the turbo showed no mercy-the handlebars were pulling, the wind was pushing, the noise was deafening and the sensation extra terrestrial. With terror embossed on his eyeballs, he watched the speedo skyrocket to an indicated 145 mph, where he finally called it quits, exhausted from the tremendous surge of acceleration Local pickup, or ship at your own cost. I will deliver to a Austin TX area shipping dock, but organizing shipping is buyer’s responsibility. $500 deposit by paypal in 24 hours of auction end, and full payment due in 7 days, by certified bank check/money order. I reserve the right to end the auction early. Please ask any questions. Thanks for looking.
Trim Z1RTC Turbo
