There is a unicorn rare 1972 Kawasaki Z900 coming to auction and it has been beautifully restored. This is not one of the first 1200, or the 4,850 1972 Kawasaki Z1 900, it is chassis number 0009 and it was the Irish press bike. This is completely set apart from anything that has come to auction before, that I know of, for many reasons. Kawasaki only made 22 of these machines and once the press finished with them, the Japanese factory recalled them. They were taken to pieces to assess how the bike stood up to the abuse of the press. Only a few were re-assembled and delivered to museums and the rest were crushed. However, there are only three known examples which somehow found their way into the hands of private collections. This one seems to have been forgotten about by Kawasaki because the Norwegian importer was a very small one and had little connection to the factory. You can see the listing at Iconic Auctioneers here.
Superb restoration
Fortunately, unlike most Kawasaki Z900s, this is a superb restoration by Mike Hunnisett judging by the photos. There is plenty to like about the machine, such as the date stamps on the wheel rims denotes June 1972 production, which is correct for all of these 22 press bikes. The correct very early cylinder head is present and almost impossible to replace. The correct seat is present and it seems that just about all of the important components are there. The engine and chassis number are correct for that machine, but I have not personally inspected them. This machine presents a stunning opportunity for someone to own a great piece of history and a true unicorn rare 1972 Kawasaki Z900. It’s not very often at all that such a rare machine turns up at auction and, although I don’t usually recommend buying at auction, this looks like a great opportunity. Iconic Auctioneers are one of the few auction houses who actually undertake proper due diligence and this machine seems to stack up. From what I have gleaned, without doing full on due diligence, the machine was the Norwegian importer’s press bike and was clearly forgotten about. Judging by the original parts, such as June 1972 wheel rims, the machine was found mostly in tact prior to restoration, as those would be impossible to find. However, do not take this as full due diligence, it really is for interested buyers to do their own due diligence, but we always like to give a heads up when there’s something like this available even when we stand to gain nothing from it.
Honda Sandcast
The Honda Sandcast prototype which sold in 2018 for £161,000 is the only comparable machine to have ever sold at a classic motorcycle auction. This Kawasaki is just as an important Japanese classic motorcycle and is a true jewel for any classic motorcycle collector. The value is really priceless and it will be very interesting to see what it makes when it goes on sale at Iconic Auctioneers Shuttleworth Auction on Sunday 7th of April 2024. nteresting classic motorcycles
Interesting classic motorcycles
There are some interesting classic motorcycles in the Shuttleworth auction, there are two Desmosedicci racers for sale which are an incredible investment. An unrestored Kawasaki Z1B 900 and much ore. The quality of the machines seems very high, compared to what is usually seen at classic motorcycle auctions, clearly Iconic Auctioneers have the faith of classic motorcycle collectors to achieve market values. Im very interested to see what is achieved on the day and how many of the machines go for export and how many remain in the UK. Some of these machines, as always will need some work, but the actual key components and presentation quality is refreshingly high for a UK classic motorcycle auction.
Once in a lifetime opportunity
This Kawasaki Z900 press bike could well present a once in a lifetime opportunity for a very lucky collector and hopefully the bike will be ridden. Riding these machines keeps them in the best possible condition and these Japanese classic motorcycles are incredibly reliable. This idea of keeping mileage as low as possible causes so many problems and often devalues the machine more than if it’s carefully ridden. I hope someone who appreciates this incredible classic motorcycle is lucky enough to win it.
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