Ride and cherish: 1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R ELR

The 1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R ELR is the ultimate expression of streetbike muscle from the era when racebikes actually were just tricked out street bikes with hot engine kits, big brakes and slicks. Without someone like Pops Yoshimura in your rolodex, you still weren’t gonna get close to Eddie Lawson’s horsepower numbers, but with a couple…

Big Green Monster: 1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R ELR

Used to be factories could build race replicas by throwing on a garland sticker, some reservoir shocks, a rorty pipe and a loud paintjob. Just basic mods and some raucous pigments got you looking a lot like Eddie Lawson back in 1983, though getting near his lap times still required a pile of special parts,…