Kawasaki Z1300

The Kawasaki Z1300 is a standard motorcycle notable for its large 1,300 cc inline six-cylinder engine, made by Kawasaki from 1979 to 1989. The engine was water cooled with shaft drive, and its undersquare 71 mm stroke and 62 mm bore kept the engine width acceptable but limited the maximum rpm. During its run the fuelling changed from carburettors to electronic fuel injection, with digital fuel injection arriving on the 1984 model for better economy and about ten more horsepower, a claimed 130, and the suspension gained air systems front and rear. It was built as the Z1300, KZ1300, ZG1300 and ZN1300, and in the United States it came with a windshield, luggage and a redesigned frame as the Voyager. The last 200 machines of 1989 were called the Legendary Six. About 20,000 KZ1300 and Z1300 models and 4,500 Voyager models were produced before it was discontinued. A 2014 retrospective found it heavy and thirsty, and it sold poorly, particularly in Europe.