There are some ideas that are simply too good to not pursue, and the Honda Z series of motorcycles is exactly that.
Originally created for Japanese amusement park Tama Tech, a park that was owned by none other than Honda themselves. Yes, that's right, Honda owned an amusement park that featured motorsports-focused rides and attractions, and the Z50 was a result of an attraction at that park!
Manufactured from 1974 to 1984, the Kawasaki KZ400 was the right bike for the right time - almost by accident!
The historical premise around this bike is a little odd because the KZ400 came at a time when tariffs were being imposed on the importation of foreign parts. In the political and economic realm, President Nixon had also done away with the gold standard, which prompted prices to start rising on a variety of commodities, including gas.
Honda may be synonymous with cars, but they’ve also made some incredible motorcycles, including the V65 Magna, introduced in 1982.
The V65 was a power cruiser that could rival even the bikes being put out by Harley-Davidson. At the time, a cruiser with over 100 horsepower was unimaginable. While there were forward-leaning riders with a need for speed as well as casual cruisers, there wasn’t a bike that offered the best of both worlds.
The 60s were a time when those from “across the pond” had a tremendous impact on many parts of American culture. While it might not be thought of often by the general public, one way that America changed operations during this period dealt with the types of bikes that were being raced at the AMA Grand National Championship.
The Brits influenced the AMA to include bikes with engines up to 750 CC where both side and overhead valves could be included in the races. Because of that, the greats at Harley felt that they needed a new, redesigned motorcycle to be able to compete with the English in the world of competitive racing.
