Up for auction again
This bike was auctioned off in Aug on BaT and according to the seller’s description, the winner was not able to come up with the funds. So here it is for everyone to get another shot. The bidding was competitive in August and it ended at $22,000. Let’s see what happens in September.
Bid at posting time was $17,000 with reserve not yet met.
Auction ends Thursday night, Oct 5
1980 Kawasaki Z1-R 1000
14,000 miles
Seller
This is a rare, unmolested 1980 Z-1R D3 purchased in August of 2022 from the original owner. The bike still sports the original paint, exhaust & airbox which is extremely rare for this particular year since only 3300 units were released by Kawasaki in 1980 of the Z-1R. The more prominent 1978 ice blue Z-1R had just over 17,000 units issued. The 1978 had a fair share of kinks due to the models first year of issue which saw several major issues and led to Kawasaki pull the model from the showrooms for 1979 with the exception of a small distribution in Europe. The 1980 model ironed out many of those issues with an additional 5hp from the ’78 model and a much more refined machine. The bike was auctioned on BAT in August of 2023 and received multiple offers. The winning bidder was unable to come up with money which is why I’m listing again.
RSBFS
Edit: Dan featured a beautiful 1980 Z1-R in August on RSBFS. That one sold quick, so let’s see what happens with this one.
“Its impressive 1015cc inline-four engine, coupled with cutting-edge technological advancements, delivered an unmatched riding experience for enthusiasts. The Z1R’s success also marked the beginning of the superbike era, inspiring a wave of high-performance motorcycles that would dominate the industry for years to come. Even today, the 1980 Kawasaki Z1R is fondly remembered by collectors and riders alike, exemplifying the relentless pursuit of innovation and performance that continues to drive the motorcycle industry.” Thanks for that historical perspective Dan!
Bike EXIF published an article from Iron & Air which included the Kawasaki Z1 line – 8 of the Most Influential Japanese Motorcycles Ever, stating “The Z1 defined the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM): street bikes with transverse inline-four engines that came to dominate all categories.”
The design origins are from the early 1970’s, and Kawasaki continued to tweak and improve year after year. The seller of this bike notes that Kawasaki managed to iron out a lot of the kinks from the ’78 model for this 1980 model.
Iron & Air also shares some insights into how Kawasaki developed the Z1, “The prototype bike carried the code name ‘New York Steak.’ American test riders developed the new Kawasaki simply by riding it on the street as fast and as far as possible, then fixing whatever broke.” That sounds like a fun job for some of our readers.
Looks like a clean bike, ready for it’s next owner. Good luck to the bidders and seller!
–LL
