Turbo Charged – 1978 Kawasaki Z1R TC

A Rare One
The Z1R TC was a limited-production model, with only 500 units ever produced over a 2 year period. The first batch had this ice blue color and the second batch was the Black Molly.

The “TC” in Z1R TC stands for “Turbocharged,” and it was one of the early production motorcycles to feature a factory-installed turbocharger. This technology was relatively new in the late 1970s and was seen as cutting-edge at the time.

During the 1970’s manufacturers were experimenting with various technologies and designs. The Kawasaki Z1R TC is considered a precursor to the sportbike culture of the 1980s.

Glimpse into 1978
‘WARNING! This turbocharged motorcycle should be operated only by a skilled rider as the performance of the Z1R-TC may exceed the control skills of most motorcyclists…’ so said the Kawasaki Motor Corp., USA, at the Z1R-TC’s launch in 1978. Bonham Cars featured a Black Molly version of the Z1R TC with 4,200 miles in 2019 and then it was valued at $25-35k. They state that only 250 of these were produced in the blue color.

Seller:
You are bidding on a 1978 Kawasaki Z1R TC Turbo, the motorcycle is 100% original and period correct with original 1733.0 miles. This metallic stardust silver Z1R is the very first Turbo iteration sold by Kawasaki and only about 200 of these models are believed to have been produced. To boost Z1R sales, Kawasaki hired TCC in 1978 to install turbo kits on the Z1R models and sell them at selected Kawasaki dealerships. This bike has been meticulously looked at to make sure it has all the correct Vin numbers and the date codes match up to prove its originality.

This bike even comes with the original Kawasaki alarm security system and Kawasaki owners manual along with the turbo supplement manual. This particular Z1R was originally sold by Terry’s Cycles on 7/12/1978 in Ossian, Illinois. Please feel free to read more about the specifics of this bike and look at the pictures for verifications, and feel free to ask any questions. International bidders are welcome to bid on this motorcycle but will need to arrange for shipping themselves.

The Metallic Stardust Silver paint is the original paint on all the body panels. With a motorcycle that’s 45 years old there are a couple of tiny chips in the seat rails next to the tank. It has been lightly polished and waxed to bring out the luster of the paint. The rest of the motorcycle was cleaned without disassembling the motorcycle. The polished engine covers were brought back by hand polishing them to their original shine; I also did the same with the wheels. Basically this motorcycle is in exceptional all-original condition for its age.

The engine needed to be looked at since it had not been started in over 20 years. Started with a compression check to make sure all cylinders had good compression. The carburetor was cleaned and rebuilt to make sure it functioned properly. All of the electrical components were inspected and are in good working order. Removed the oil pan just to make sure it was clean of any sediment. Cleaned and flushed the brake system front and rear, topped off with fresh brake fluid. The original drive chain and sprockets look good. The front and rear tires are the original 1978 tires and look to be in good condition, however they are 45 year old tires. The bike starts up easily and rides nice, all gears shift smoothly. If you would like to see a video of it running, ask and I will send you the video. 

It’s getting harder to find a Kawasaki Z1R TC in original condition right down to the tires. It is a part of motorcycle history as the first Turbo motorcycle offered to the public. Now to one lucky bidder. 

RSBFS:
Considering this ebay listing has 31 bids with 6 days left and the price is currently $20k, it seems I am not the only one drooling over the bike. I can’t wait to see what happens Sunday night.

Metallic Stardust Silver paint AKA Ice Blue is something we do not see very often and when used as a jacket color, it might not be considered cool. Sprinkle that stardust over a 1978 turbo charged Z1R and the effect is real vintage love cool to the max.

RSBFS has reviewed this model three times in the past 15 years. Each time, the bike sold. Three years ago, in 2020, an ice blue Z1R TC sold with an asking price of $17,900. That specimen had 9,200 miles. This one only has 1,733 miles…

Check out the listing on ebay!

Good luck to the buyer and seller!

–LL