Today, the term “superbike” evokes images of plastic-clad darts with aggressive angles and wings, dammit, so many wings… But in the early days of the superbike, production-based racebikes that bore the nickname were often large, twin-shock, cradle-framed, air-cooled inline-four brutes with hardly a piece of bodywork in sight, unless you counted an oversized number plate as a fairing. And these hairy-chested machines sported proper handlebars, in place of clip-ons, the better to muscle these heavy bikes around a race track. Today’s Kawasaki Z1000R, also known as the “ELR” or “Eddie Lawson Replica” when seen in these distinctive colors, was built to celebrate the famous successes of its namesake in AMA Superbike championship racing during the early 1980s.
The sporty new Z1000R was based on the more pedestrian KZ1000J that was, basically, a development of the original Z1 from 1972. The engine that powered the KZ had grown from the Z1’s 903cc to 1015cc but was reduced to 998cc for the new bike to make it eligible for various racing classes that were capped at 1000cc. The ELR also featured an oil-cooler, a Kerker 4-into-1 exhaust, uprated suspension, and slightly different frame geometry with increased steering-head angle, making the “R” feel much sharper than the regular “J” model, in spite of the bike’s 544lbs dry weight.
This 1983 Kawasaki Z1000R is one of a handfull of rare classic bikes left from our collection which we have been dissolving this past year due to continued health and age related reasons.
This is not a ‘normal’ motorcycle in ‘average’ condition so the text describing it and this sale’s particulars might be somewhat different than what one would normally see written in a listing.
If you dont care for wordy descriptions, please feel free to skip to the photos here below and enjoy the images. If those images raised your interest level i am sure you will take the time to read the short remainder of our description as posted here. Original, exceptional condition R2 Eddie Lawson from the limited production run at Kawasaki in 1983. Verifiable with its original documents as delivered in 1983.
Pictures speak more than words, every component on this bike is as clean under the bodywork as on the outside. Only displayed since we bought it many years back. Superbly well taken care of.
Comes with original owners manual and toolkit as well as the original warranty booklet and service card which lists Vin and engine number and even the ELR green color as delivered when new. Only about 600 miles ridden each year since it was new.
This particular 1983 Kawasaki Z1000R ELR is part of a collection that is being liquidated in Portugal and has 38,800km on the odometer. Condition appears to be excellent, the bike includes original documentation, and the bike apparently has been regularly socialized with other peer motorcycles and allowed to interact with them regularly, which is generally considered good for motorcycle emotional wellbeing. The Z1000R/KZ1000R is an eminently usable classic that can keep up with modern traffic and has good parts availability, along with solid reliability, making it a very striking, practical classic with appreciating values.
-tad
Update: Sold for 10,450 EUD ($12,250 USD)
