February 20, 2013
I titled yesterday’s blog about Aldana’s leathers and omitted an image of them! Well here he is in all his skeletal glory!
Not only a set of deathly leathers but sitting atop a big Yoshimura tuned Kawasaki Zed at Daytona.
More shots of him in action steering the big lad into corners…
These are the days of the early superbikes which, with nary a nod to the rider would spit them off if pushed too far. The engines were ahead of the frames so racing them meant nerves of steel and the skill of a rodeo cowboy. No wonder he could wear a Superman outfit when haring around a dirt oval sideways…
Well, let’s get back on track, so to speak, he still races, albeit in a senior class, and here’s a shot of him aboard a latter day Triumph Daytona 675 at a Mid Ohio race. Smooth as silk.
Legend!
Posted in 70's, Kawasaki, Racing |
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January 31, 2013
“I am the Nightrider. I’m a fuel injected suicide machine. I am the rocker, I am the roller, I am the out-of-controller!”
One of my favourite biker films is Mad Max: the fast riding scenes around the quiet narrow lanes of rural Australia, under gloomy grey skies, can quicken any moto-maniacs heart. The Toecutter (R: Hugh Keayes-Byrne) is the excellent psychopathic leader; with an appropriately cool right-hand-man, Bubba Zanetti (L: Geoff Parry). 14 Kawasaki’s K1000’s were used to full effect by the crazed gang only being chased down by Max’s 351 Ford XB Falcon with a whining blower. Or the Goose’s MFP Bike…
“Jimmy the Goose, larger than life and twice as ugly!”
“It’s that rat circus out there, I’m beginning to enjoy it. Look, any longer out on that road and I’m one of them, a terminal psychotic, except that I’ve got this bronze badge that says that I’m one of the good guys.”
There’s also a new Mad max film coming out soon, Tom Hardy playing the titular role; hopefully it’ll live up to this early classic venture. I’ll revisit this one again though… those big Zed’s are a powerful good moto!
Posted in 70's, Cars, Film and TV, Kawasaki |
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September 26, 2012
Another Kwak: this time a retro twin from the folks at Kawasaki Heavy Industries..
Posted in Kawasaki |
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September 2, 2012
Spied this superb black litre Ninja whilst out and about today. Looks like the perfect all rounder… 
Posted in Kawasaki |
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June 25, 2012
These was a great selection of Japanese bikes at the Mods and Rockers gathering; in particular my favourite of the Oriental Order: Kawasaki. Starting with this green 2stroke demon: the Mach III, supersonic cubed. A powerband to rip limbs from joints or so I’ve heard. Treat with respect or it’ll tear you to shreds! The double green tank is sublime.
Another beast, this one with a vociferous roar is the big Zed KZ1000. On my list of top ten motos: pure motorcycle wrapped around the perfect four cylinder engine.
The next two take us into the eighties, hints of Eddie Lawson superbikes in the tuning and styling. GPZ1100, and a 750 (this one in all flat black a la Road Warrior)
These are the forefathers of the modern superbikes. The Mach III being some lunatic relative best left alone; but the Zed, 1100 and GPZ’s are the speed-kings of their day: then in ’84 the Ninja 900 came along and the future path to the big nigh-on 200bhp missiles we have now was established.
Then as a nostalgic side note the motorcycle arm of KHI brought out the W650, a recreation of their 1963 W model itself direct emulation of British twins from that time. This time it was a reliable, leak-free, easy handling bike that Triumph should have had out before their modern Triumph. The W650 is a rare machine indeed having been sold for only 2 years in the ‘States (8 in Europe). However it is certainly NOT out of place at a Mods & Rockers bash!
Posted in Chicago, Kawasaki |
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May 18, 2012
Nope it’s not Gordon Gekkos new money driven mantra, but a tasty as apple-pie Kawasaki Ninja 650. Team Green’s current midweight racer fits the bill for fun: the parallel twin being a true modern incarnation of our Trumpet Bonny. This thing looks perfect for the city, the twisters and perhaps a long distance haul or two. The colour is spot on too! I saw this brand spanking new one on the way to work today; it’s exhaust still pinging from an early morning run.
Posted in Kawasaki |
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March 24, 2012
Half Litre Gee Pee Zee: With some miles under my belt with the 125 I traded in for this outstanding Kwak. The twin cylinder sporty bike was a LOT of fun for zooming around the Big Smoke, home counties, as well as trips farther afield. The parallel engine had a great sound and nipping through the traffic was a doddle. Late night flights over the Thames bridges as well as my daily commute over Tower Bridge was truly memorable. Sadly I had to sell it for my move to the ‘States in ’98.
Posted in 90's, Kawasaki, Photography |
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February 6, 2012
Meeeoooowwww….. The Ninja sppeds along the motorway. Cats aboard, one on throttle, one pillion and another just taking it easy on the tankbag. I’m sure our cats Charley and Trixie would be just so on my old GPZ900!
Posted in Kawasaki |
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August 28, 2011
I was walking the dog just thinking that Kawasakis little 500cc twin would make a nifty cafe; when there parked was the very model sans fairing and adorned with a round headlight. A few more clean-ups and a great ride could be cojoured up for not a lot. Super reliable too. I had a GPZ500s in London… great bike.
There I am wrapped up for a November jaunt from the North East down the M1 to London. 1997.
Posted in cafe racer, Kawasaki |
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August 19, 2011
You have your Triton’s, Norbsa’s, Norvin’s, and other marriages of engine and frame. Well here’s a novel one: a 750cc T140 shoehorned into a late 80’s Kawasaki Ninja 600 frame! A curious merger which has a balanced look to it, though I’m sure it gets double takes when people hear the classic twin sound come from a sports bike!
Posted in Kawasaki, Triumph Motorcycle |
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July 30, 2011
When the Ninja 900 (ZX900A, GPZ900R) came out in ’84 it caused a stir in the motorcycle world; lightweight, narrow, strong as a horse (or 105 of them!) and sporty lookin’ too! Here’s the ’85 I owned for a few years, great bike with heaps of old world power. Although just running in the ‘States for a few years it lasted in Europe and Japan for over a decade surpassing two other successive models.
Well, Kawasaki has a new Ninja in their stable, less race honed but more everyday riding intended. Offering fast fun, far fun, fabulous fun! It’s 1000cc engine a perfect blend of useability, yet turn it on and it growls. And, at $11,000 darn good value for money in relation to other offerings. The new is the new, new!
Posted in Kawasaki |
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July 23, 2011
The latest offering from the bespoke french garage Blitz is a reworked 2001 Kawasaki W650, the more lookalike Bonneville lookalike before the latest Triumph T100 came out. They have given it a somewhat bobbed-jobbed-cobbled-robbed-knobbed unique appearance with crimson frame, heavy balloon firestones and an old Jawa tank itself complete with aged patina. Probably a very enjoyable ride with a roadster laid-back stance and wide bars but with a very subjective aesthetic taste!
http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com/
Also paraded today on BikeExif: http://www.bikeexif.com/kawasaki-w650#disqus_thread with plenty of diverse comments.
Posted in Kawasaki |
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April 20, 2011
Adorning a tight blue lycra jumpsuit and star spangled helmet and dark goggles we see Diane Prince’s Amazonian good defending heroine chasing some enemy of truth and justice. Red boots finish the look. She’s riding a diminutive Kawasaki 100cc trial bike. Well it beats the invisible aircraft…
As has previously been shown, superheros must also be available to the kids, here a Wonder Woman on Motorcycle toy. She has fairly burly arms ~ so I wouldn’t mess with her…
Posted in Kawasaki, Superhero, Toy Motorcycle |
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January 23, 2011
The use of the Triumph logo with another marque, somewhat like the bike in the previous post. Let the good times roll! Now the converse could be achieved with Triumph represented with the Helvetica of the Kawasaki logo…
Posted in Kawasaki, Motorcycle Art, Triumph Motorcycle |
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January 18, 2011
Several years ago Kawasaki came out with the W650, a short lived cult classic which had the looks of a British twin, even more so than the then newly debuted Triumph Bonneville, and the unleaking, electric unfailing reliabiliy of a modern bike. Well Team Green have come out with a larger one, to compete directly with the Bonnie perhaps, but this time in classic Kawasaki colors of the time. This should sell by the truckload… sign me up!
Posted in Kawasaki, Triumph Bonneville |
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