1974 Kawasaki KZ-400 - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1974 Kawasaki KZ-400 - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, Vintage Magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
In the event you haven’t noticed, one
of the basic elements of the American
lifestyle, the car, is in a world of hurt.
The car is in trouble because it simply
isn’t as practical as it once was: not with
a gasoline shortage, lack of parking space
in urban areas, and thickening congestion
on major thoroughfares.
Fortunately there are options. The one
that most closely approximates the ad-
vantages of the automobile-personal
transportation with minimal physical ex-
ertion—is the motorcycle, which uses less
gas, requires less parking space, and can
squeeze through traffic that makes the
George Washington Bridge look like a
suspended junkyard.
A great many people are becoming
aware that motorcycles are better com-
muting vehicles than their four-wheelers.
In fact, finding a medium-displacement
motorcycle on your dealer’s showroom
floor is becoming increasingly difficult.
With a run on motorcycles suitable for
commuting and general purpose use, it
isn’t surprising to see the motorcycle in-
dustry responding with bikes aimed speci-
fically at this market. There has been a
lot of talk, print, and thought that says
Kawasaki’s 400cc four-stroke twin is
largely a copy of Honda’s CB35O twin.
Since both bikes have overhead camshaft
engines, five-speed gearboxes, relatively
conservative styling, and produce a mod-
erate amount of easy-to-use horsepower,
it is hard for Kawasaki to deny that the
Honda CB350 was the model for the Ka-
wasaki KZ-400. But they don't have to.
Especially since Honda has scrapped the
CB350—which was the best-selling bike of
its time for approximately the same rea-
sons that people are buying medium-
displacement motorcycles today—in favor
of a six-speed version with slightly more
displacement: the CB360. But the CB360
may have trouble matching the popularity
of the CB350; there is more competition
today, and the novice rider may be intim-
idated by a six-speed gearbox. Besides, the
CB360 has received a lukewarm reception
from the motorcycle press.
The 350 to 500cc displacement range
is popular with buyers because motor-
cycles in that range are light enough to
deal with on their own terms. They are
small enough to muscle around (into a
parking space for example), big enough
to carry two persons, powerful enough to
hold their own in freeway traffic, smooth
enough to take a trip on. weak enough
not to terrify the novice, and strong
enough to run a long time before some
mysterious ailment does them in.
The four-stroke engine is desirable in
this kind of motorcycle because it has a
reputation for reliability, it uses less gaso-
line than a two-stroke, it has a powerband
that is easy to deal with, and it doesn't
carry the stigma of being a polluter. That
it doesn’t produce as much horsepower
and weighs a little more than a two-stroke
is of no concern to the buyer who only
wants basic transportation and is afraid
that a Volkswagen still uses too much
expensive gas. Besides, a Volkswagen
won’t fit into a parking space sideways.
That same basic-transportation buyer
isn’t concerned with flashy styling, road-...
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