1984 KZ700 Road Test and Kawasaki Accessories

As a follow-up to my very first post I offer you a road test from August, 1984 Cycle Guide magazine on the KZ700-A1. This is the bike that I own so I am of course partial to it. The review does not exactly start out flattering. The author writes that the KZ700 is state-of-the-art technology from two years prior. Huh, just two years passed and now what was state-of-the-art is not good enough? If this guy is still is still around he must be having a helluva time--things are obsolete far quicker than that now (according to some people anyway).

Personally I like my KZ just fine. I have always thought it was a great all-around bike for the type of riding that I like to do.

The article does end with a more positive tone. If you are a KZ700 fan and you do not like the article at first just finish it. It is pretty short anyway.





Here we have another page of the Cycle Guide listing the 1/4 mile times and top speeds of bikes they have tested. Note that the 1984 KZ700 is a mere 0.31 seconds behind the 1984 GPz750 in the 1/4 mile. Not too shabby for "outdated" technology.



The cover of the magazine. Mine was purchased on eBay.



Now from the 1984 Kawasaki Accessory Catalog we have a few items that could have been bought for the KZ700.



Unfortunately I missed out on all these items.





The case guards would have been nice (they are black so very hard to see). However, I did order the fairing, windshield, and headlight parts for a ZRX1100 ('99 I think). The headlight bracket for the ZRX bolted right to the steering stem (lower triple clamp) and it also has turn signal mounts. A few other things have been done but that will be for another post.

Thanks for looking. Gary  /  kawasaki-yama-zuki