kz1000 1978 1st start since 02 Russ Collins Pipe

[wotasod]

Born to be MILD

[scottymacIII]

my fav so far, the color is choice. Had blue 78 kz650 w\kerker, I wish I knew where that F'n bike was today. like the green the best though, maybe add cafe bars only, not a kit. Nice bike man

[NesteHukka2]

God, I love the old Kawasaki fourbanger sound!!

[171apples171]

i got a 79 kz1000ltd for 650 bucks:D Can't wait till summer. Damn this Iowa winter:(

[charger19691]

I don't care what anyone says, KZ's were always ready to lay the smacketh down! Great bike!

[171apples171]

I love how he turned on the music to go along with it and when he started it the music just went silent because of that exhaust:) Nice bike!

[kirkmach32]

I fabbed this exhaust and built the production models for sale at RC Engineering back in the late '70s. It was a fun place to work, lots of famous bikes and racers of the time always coming and going. We spent countless hours at local drag strips working things out and generally having fun. Loved working there!

[tippycolfax]

@kirkmach32 Very cool!

[kirkmach32]

Wanna talk about cool? Terry Vance and Byron Hines (yes, THAT Vance and Hines!) worked at RC Engineering for a lot of years before they went out and started their own business together. Terry was #1 PRO STOCK for a long time, and he and Byron developed all their race motors and other parts like the the headers, on a KZ1000 just like yours!----we all called it "The Green Bike" because it had a secret full-on pro-stock motor in it and no one knew about it when Terry raced it on Wednesday nights!

[donthekawguy]

Hey I have RC exhaust on my 77. Do you know what baffle fits in the muffler?

[kirkmach32]

Those exhausts had one of two kinds of baffles--street (loud but mellow) and "Q" (for quiet) baffles, the latter having a smaller diameter and more fiberglass wrapping inside. Otherwise they were the same--just a conical baffle tip, a perforated steel screen tube, and a flat disc flange with a hole for the tube welded to the other end. The conical tip had a threaded insert for a 1/4-20 bolt that went through a matching hole in the megaphone. They were plain steel and blew apart quickly.

[mmmotorcycles]

@kirkmach32

Back in 2001 or so, this z was brought back to life. It had been stored in a wealthy man's home in Arkansas, and wasn't hard to get started. It ran horribly at first. So, it was rev'd. And shot the baffle like a projectile out the back. Along with three pounds of choice Arkansas pecans. I've ridden several different 4into 1 systems. This RC pipe had a lot of character. It wants to race.

[mmmotorcycles]

@donthekawguy

Don, I lost the baffle while trying to impress this young German girl. Shot it out the back at a high rate of speed. Returned, embarrassed, later, and alass, no girl, no baffle. This video is baffle-less.

[dash9898]

what rpm was that?

[pooper7x]

sounds like its gonna eat some1s kids!

[KingSams0n]

thats exactly my opinion!

[dagger197]

naw dude its sounds grate i love that raspy vw sound that you cant get from the new bikes. the old bike sound angry new bike are a bit to smoth

[kaveebee]

Sure they sound great, nothing better, and comortable to ride. Reliable, fun, heaps of street cred, and they can haul with the pack.

[BEBO18E]

SSSSSSOUNDS OK!