1983 kawasaki voyager 1300 specs

• Contributors
• Subscribe Now

Kawasaki Voyager 1300

Kawasaki Voyager 1300 December 1 1983

CYCLE WORLD TEST

Texas MOPED

Call it what you will,the mighty Voyager is not only bigger than its predecessors, it is better.

Before you get a chance to observe anything else about the Kawasaki Voyager, one thing leaps out, grabs your attention and won't let go. That's size. The Kawasaki Voyager weighs 909 lb. with its gas tank half full. No other motorcycle, from any time or country, has possessed such mass. It's as though the Kawasaki is from another planet, one where everything is just a little larger than it is here on earth.

KAWASAKI VOYAGER 1300

That sentiment stays with you when you lift the bike off the sidestand, try to aim the front wheel and ride away. Everything is massive. Controls, lots of controls, are spread over an expanse of motorcycle and fairing, defying any easy understanding of what means what.

All this changes with time and familiarity. This imposing beast is also

friendly. Controls work with a light touch and are responsive. The seat is amazingly low for such a big bike. At speeds above a parking lot crawl, the big Kawasaki loses that balanced-on-thehead-of-a-pin feel. Out on a straight and empty >

highway, where the Voyager is most at home, it's easy to ride. Just sit there on the wide but hard seat and watch the country disappear around you. Sit back. Relax. Play with the homeaway-from-home entertainment center. It’s spectacular.

Because the Voyager has more size and more gadgets than any other motorcycle, some of the normal motorcycle things get more easily overlooked. That it has six cylinders doesn't seem particularly important. All the rider knows is that the bike starts instantly, runs without complaint, and has more power than the average Peterbilt. It’s also silent in a way that makes other full-dress touring bikes seem a little rough around the edges.

As hidden and unassuming as the engine is, it deserves attention. The bike works as well as it does not in spite of the engine, but because of it. Because the engine has six cylinders, the power impulses are small and the vibration is low. Because the stroke is medium-long at 71mm, the bore can be smaller, 62mm, so the engine is narrower. The liquid cooling helps keep the cylinders packed closely together, too. Double overhead cams are normal Kawasaki, operating two valves per cylinder. New pistons in the 1300 improve the combustion chamber shape and lower the compression ratio to 9.3:1. The clutch is narrower now, to —| make more room for the rider's foot, and new clutch controls* keep lever effort within reason.

Then there is the* fuel injection. Kawasaki worked out its digital fuel injection on several other large bikes. This is the first use of the fuel injection on the big Six, and it is successful in every way. The three double-barreled Mikuni carbs used on the original Kawasaki Six sometimes had trouble at high elevations, and when the 1300 didn’t want to start, there wasn't much a rider could do about it. Now the bike starts instantly hot or cold, responds instantly to any amount of throttle opening and it doesn't suffer as much when it’s ridden at high elevations. There’s also a connection between the fuel injection and several of the digital instruments. Because fuel flow is being metered for the fuel injection, it’s an easy matter for a few chips to calculate instantaneous mileage and how far the remaining fuel will last. The fuel injection can also be set for leaner than average running, this by pushing the Cruise button on the dashboard. The little Cruise light goes on and the instantaneous fuel consumption indicator shows that the bike is getting about 10 percent better mileage. Because the fuel injection works so well, a rider isn't likely to feel any difference between the cruise setting and normal setting. Leave it set on cruise and the mileage is a little better. There should be a little more power at the normal setting, but power is hardly in short supply on this motorcycle.

All the electrical apparatus on this bike needs power, so the Voyager comes with a pair of alternators that puts out 637 watts, more than any other motorcycle. It also comes with a giant 26-ah battery to get everything going. The alternators are mounted on the ends of the crankshaft, one on each end, under chrome covers.

Those aren't the only changes that occurred to the KZ1300 engine on its way into the Voyager. Gearing was changed handle the additional bulk. The first four gears were lowered slightly in ratio, and the final drive ratio was raised. This provides a wider ratio range with slightly higher gearing in top gear. Even though top gear is the only gear not changed, Kawasaki has succumbed to the language abusers and now has a tiny liquid crystal display that reads OD whenever top gear is engaged, supposedly to announce the presence of overdrive.

The Voyager might as well have a light for top gear, there’s enough instrumentation to monitor the workings of any lesser motorcycles. Only two instruments on the Voyager look like any instruments ever seen on motorcycles. Those are the odometer, perched at the left side of the dashboard, and a conventional round dial on the right side of the fairing, but on the Voyager that dial indicates suspension air pressure. Everything else is displayed with liquid crystals. A digital speedometer reads in either miles per hour or kilometers per hour, controlled by a pushbutton on the steering head. To the right of the speedometer is a boomerang-shaped bar graph of a tachometer. A digital fuel gauge resides beneath the tach, and a two-way temperature gauge and voltmeter is mounted below the fuel gauge.

To the left of the speedometer are warning lights for low fuel or oil, sidestand, temperature, fuel injection problems or cruisesetting indicator. The usual indicator lights for high beam, neutral and signal lights are scattered around this dash, along with a digital tripmeter.

Below this main dashboard are the tape player, the electronic compass and the combination radio frequency indicator and clock.

Now then. We're about half-way through the electronic descriptions. All that’s left is radio stuff, the trip computer and suspension controls. Does this sound just a little overwhelming?

Simplest are the suspension controls: A gauge shows air pressure, buttons are provided for increasing or decreasing pressure, for selecting front or rear suspension and another button is used to check pressure. Lines on the pressure gauge indicate the normal range of operating pressures. It’s simple, easy and effective.

Radio controls are a little more difficult to figure out. The stereo tape player in the middle of the dashboard works just like any tape player, with the usual buttons for volume and tone, forward and backward. Then on the left side of the fairing is the AM-FM stereo radio, plus there are places for the optional CB radio and the intercom controls. Then on the left handgrip are buttons for tuning and muting. The radio is a signal-seeking device, so pushbuttons do the tuning. Other buttons select AM or FM, local or distance reception, and cause the frequency to be displayed where the clock is shown. There are four buttons for pre-set stations, and another button to set those frequencies. Weather-resistant speakers are mounted at the edges of the fairing. Reception is excellent, the range outstanding and the sound is great. A separate 32 page instruction manual explains how to use all this hardware, and it is vital. 3

Got all that? Ready for more? Check out the trip computer. It’s the small panel of LCDs covering the gas cap. At the top is a readout for numbers. Below that are two rows of functions, controlled by a panel of four buttons at the bottom. Hit the mode switch (which is also activated by the horn button on the handlebar) and the function changes. The functions shown on the left of the panel are trip functions, including fuel used, average mileage, average speed, trip mileage and trip time. It's reset every time the engine is turned on, or the reset button is hit. The functions on the right are not reset. They include total fuel consumed, a stopwatch, instantaneous fuel consumption, how far the bike can travel on the fuel remaining and there’s another function for entering fuel added, though we never did get that one figured out to perfection.

This trip computer is the Rubik’s cube of motorcycling. You can punch buttons and stare at the numbers until you run oil the road. Riding the Voyager to work for a week, for example, we learned that the 9.3 mi. trip took 18 min. most days. The average mileage was 31.6 mpg, but some days it would go up to 35.4 mpg. Instantaneous fuel mileage could go as high as 99 mpg if we ran up to 100 mph and coasted to a stop. Waiting at a signal first thing in the morning brought mileage to 8.8 mpg. Of course at the end of the week when we filled up, it didn't matter because we ended up with a real figure that was comparable to most any other big bike used for the commute. Still, it was fun to play with the numbers.

All these electronic diversions work in parallel with the rest of the motorcycle to keep the rider's mind off the mechanical workings of the machine. The previous Kawasaki 1300 touring bike had a number of mechanical foibles that made it annoying to ride. It baked the rider with engine heat, vibrated more than it should have, and was difficult to ride. Now, it’s not like that. Every comfort complaint we had with the old 1300 has been improved on the new Voyager.

Considerable work was done to duct hot air away from the rider. Shrouds conduct most of the hot air under the engine. Other air dams in the fairing run warm air around the rider’s leg and include cool-air air vents. Now the Voyager is noticeably better than the other full dressers when it comes to keeping hot air off the rider.

The new exhaust system quiets the engine and better vibration control makes the motorcycle feel more relaxed at cruising speeds, though it would be even more relaxed on the highway with still higher gearing. There’s still enough engine noise to bother some riders, particularly when they are listening to the radio.

Suspension components are as improved as any other part of the Voyager. No, it doesn't get any LJni-Trak suspension, it still has those giant 41mm forks in front and twin shocks in back. But the forks have been improved with low friction sliders and the spring and damping rates have been changed to suit the additional weight of the Voyager. Besides the air pressure, the shock damping is also adjustable, and the range of air pressure and damping are just right. Solo or double the Voyager makes the most of its suspension travel. There are some unusual yawing motions at low speed, due mostly to the streamlinerclass 65 in. wheelbase. But on the road there is always a combination of pressure and damping that will allow the Voyager to glide smoothly over most pavement.

Where and how riders sit on the Voyager has as much to do with comfort as the suspension. The highly stepped seat is very wide and the rider portion has minimal padding to keep the seat height down. Some riders complained about the hardness of the seat and the width of the gas tank, which forced their legs far apart. One passenger didn't like the movement of the backrest on the tailpack. It wasn’t solidly mounted and that made riding uncomfortable. Footpegs for the passenger are folding floorboards, while the rider gets extra-wide pegs with small lips on the end. Those lips occasionally snag a rider’s foot at low speed and interfere with his ability to slide a foot onto the ground when coming to a halt. The tiller-like handlebars have more adjustability than almost any other handlebars. They rotate on the fork tubes and can be raised and lowered. They can also be rotated around the risers to change the angle. On the ends of the bars are wonderful long and thick handgrips, much nicer than most of the three-finger grips found on motorcycles.

All over the Voyager are little design details like the extralong grips. These are the things that owners might do on their own bike, but factory equipped motorcycles seldom provide. Particularly in the accessories there are lots of those little touches. Around the rear of the cavernous saddlebags are what amount to lightbars. And inside all the luggage are foam liners to keep the contents from being scratched. Removable bags are provided for the saddlebags and top box, so the rider can more easily remove the contents, even though all the luggage removes easily, all with the single key that works all 14 locks on the bike. Luggage can be latched and left unlocked, if the rider prefers, and the top box opens with a twist of the single latch. It has air struts supporting the lid, so a rider can open it with one hand and put the other arm’s load in without difficulty. Inside the top of the rear box is a fold-out mirror, and a pair of removable bags just right for clean-up kits. On the tops of the saddlebags are smaller compartments with easily opened lids. One has holders for beverages, and the other small compartment is just the right size for small cameras, tools, or a wallet, whatever the rider wants to have handy at all times.

Around the periphery of the Voyager are ample chromed bars to prevent the bike from tipping over too far in any of those parking lot miscues. And to help the rider get the machine on the center stand, there’s a double leveraged extension on the stand. It’s not bad at all.

Much of the Voyager’s beauty isn’t obvious at first glance or on a short ride. Considerable thought has gone into the bike and its accessories, and this is obvious after a rider lives with the bike on a trip. You don’t notice the light throttle return spring right away, and until you have to check the oil level, the larger sight gauge isn’t noticed.

Some of the Voyager’s features are more easily forgotten. All the electronic toys are confusing at first, then they become fascinating for the next thousand miles, but after that they were ignored. Once you know that you average 50 mph on freeway trips, it isn't very important. As long as the fuel injection is collecting this information for its own use, it doesn’t hurt to let the rider know.

The only significant shortcoming of the giant Kawasaki is its size. And this is mostly a problem only at low speeds. But most of the time touring bikes aren’t out on the open road going across country. They get used for going to work and going to the store, they get used for weekend rides and trips across town. Stop and go riding is the bane of the 1 300. Every time the bike comes to a halt, it takes enormous effort to hold it upright. And when it hits a little bump or rut as it comes a standstill, it takes more work to hold it steady. All that weight makes it more likely to punch holes in asphalt with the sidestand, and it makes for more work maneuvering the bike around parking lots or ga-

rages. Put a few things in the saddlebags and the Voyager weighs as much as the lightest English sports cars did a few years ago. Except the Voyager doesn't have reverse. At speeds above a crawl the Kawasaki handles its 909 lb. without complaint. It is steady and controlled and handles as well as most other fully dressed touring bikes. The suspension controls can be set so that the Voyager has a pronounced high speed weave. But that only occurs when the air pressure is raised and the damping isn’t. On a winding road the Voyager rider can enjoy himself, but he gets satisfaction from a different skill than, say, the GPz rider exercises. With the Voyager, you aim the bike before corners and it follows a path that you set. Last minute corrections don’t work with this machine. It will glide gracefully around corners tight and wide, the rider just has to make his decisions a little sooner.

Slowing the Kawasaki also requires more premeditation than normal. The brakes are strong and predictable and the effort necessary is pleasantly low. It’s just that a rider can squeeze the brake lever until the front tire is squealing, and the motorcycle isn't slowing down that fast. Part of this is caused by a front tire of no great stopping ability, and the long wheelbase means the rear brake can be used more than usual. The combination, however, makes for stopping distances longer than the competition provides. That competition, in the case of the Honda Gold Wing and Yamaha Venture, has linked brakes.

Mechanically, the Kawasaki holds no surprises. It’s now a well-proven drivetrain, one that has been tamed with the fuel injection added this year. The performance is mid-pack in all measured ways. The quartermile time is about the same as a Gold Wing’s, and a second slower than a Yamaha Venture. Top gear roll-on times are between those of the Honda and Yamaha. Though the engine puts out lots of power, it is pushing lots of weight and lots of frontal area. Instead of making the 1300 a dragstrip machine, Kawasaki has made it big and strong and comfortable.

For the freeway flyer, the weight is a small penalty to pay for the improvements this latest Kawasaki has gained. Every complaint we had with the old Kawasaki 1 300 has been looked after on this Voyager, and the result is a motorcycle that fits at the very top of the size-and-feature mountain.

This is, in several ways, the most motorcycle you can buy. And it's a good motorcycle, too. ®

More From This Issue

Cycle world up front, cycle world letters, cycle world summary, cycle world roundup, yamaha to rivals: we'll match your rockets and raise you a race-based two-stroke., racer's luck, current subscribers can access the complete cycle world magazine archive register now, cycle world test.

Moto Guzi V50 Ii

490 Maico Mega 2

• cycleworld.com

Cycle World

•   by Brand
•   by Year
•   by Category
• New 2024 models
• All 2023 models
• Newest additions
• 50cc motorcycles
• 125cc motorcycles
• 150cc motorcycles
• Electric motorcycles
• 1960s motorcycles
• 1950s motorcycles
• 1940s motorcycles
• 1930s motorcycles
• Contribute your specs / pics
• MC of the Year
• Advanced search
• Unit converters
• Words & terms
• Riding safety
• Insurance quotes
• News & reviews
• General topics
• Motorcycle brands
• Motorcycle categories
• Best forum for your bike
• Latest discussion posts
• Free classifieds

Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager (Voyager XII): review, history, specs

Class: tourer

Production: 1986-2003

Also called: Kawasaki Voyager 1200, Kawasaki Voyager XII

Predecessor: Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager XIII

Specifications

Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager XII: specs.

Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager XII: images, gallery.

Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager XII: video.

Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager XII: manuals, parts, microfiches.

• Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager: Service Manual, 1986
• Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager: Parts Catalog
• ↑ Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) "Performance Index 2015" | Kawasaki Voyager XII (04/1999) | Average MPG
• ↑ Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) "Performance Index 2015" | Kawasaki Voyager XII (04/1999) | 0-60 mph
• ↑ Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) "Performance Index 2015" | Kawasaki Voyager XII (04/1999) | Top speed

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: review, history, specs

{{#seo: |keywords=kawasaki, 1300, zn1300, voyager, specs, history, review, video, images |description=Kawasaki Voyager 1300: history, specifications, images, videos, manuals. }} Class: tourer

Production: 1983-1988

Also called: Kawasaki Voyager 1300, Kawasaki Voyager XIII

Related: Kawasaki KZ1300

Successor: Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager

• 2 Specifications

History [ edit | edit source ]

Specifications [ edit | edit source ].

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: specs.

Images [ edit | edit source ]

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: images, gallery.

Videos [ edit | edit source ]

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: video.

Manuals [ edit | edit source ]

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: manuals, parts, microfiches.

• Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: Owners Manual
• Kawasaki KZ1300: Service Manual

Navigation menu

1983 Kawasaki motorcycles

Kawasaki motorcycles. 17 motorcycles produced in 1983

Brief History Of The Kawasaki Voyager - One Of The First Japanese Touring Bikes

The Kawasaki Voyager was one of the first real Japanese touring bikes.

Before touring bikes became a thing, there were several aftermarket companies that made front fairings and hard cases. Most of the bikes fitted with those "accessories" looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. With odd angles and boxy designs, these were not great-looking bikes. The manufacturers took notice, though, and thankfully came up with their own more appealing designs. Most had minimal plastics, and you could still see the entire engine.

Honda started with the Silver Wing, which later grew into the ever-popular Gold Wing series . Yamaha had the Venture , and Suzuki’s attempt was the GS1100GK, which simply looked like a GS1100 with fairing and hard cases installed (because that is literally all it was). The Gold Wing and Voyager continued with great success and evolved into the touring bikes we know and love today. This is the history of the Kawasaki Voyager and how it went from an unusual in-line six to a modern V-twin today.

Related: 10 Reasons The Honda Gold Wing Needs To Be In Your Garage

The Kawasaki Voyager Started Life As A Big Six

Kawasaki went big with a 1286cc in-line six-cylinder engine which was equipped with digital fuel injection in 1984. That’s right,1984! The early voyager weighed in at 652 pounds and made 130 horsepower. The six-cylinder engine delivered smooth power throughout the rev range and was mated to a six-speed transmission. It also featured shaft drive to get all the power to the rear wheel, which was a skinny 130-90-17 back then. To get the tourer to stop, dual 260mm discs were placed up front and a 250mm disc in the rear. Most cruisers at that time still featured drum brakes in the rear. The ride was comfortable on long rides with 41mm equalized air forks at the front and dual rear shocks at the rear.

Back To An Inline-Four

In 1986, Kawasaki developed an inline-4 1196cc engine that produced 97 horsepower on a new, slightly heavier frame at 698 pounds. With less power and more weight, you would think that would be an issue. This is not the case. The lighter engine allowed the engineers to upgrade the frame design, suspension, and electronics and give it a unique look that lasted until production stopped in 2003. The engine also had hydraulic lifters for the valves, so no adjustment was ever needed. That was a big selling point; other models pretty much all needed adjustment at the time.

The downside was that they dropped the EFI and went with 30mm CVK carbs. In retrospect, they only gave problems when the bike sat for way too long (like any vehicle with a carb). They dropped sixth gear and opted for a 5-speed transmission, but they kept the shaft drive and went with a slightly wider rear tire (150-90-15).

Related: Fun Facts That You Should Know About The Kawasaki Versys 650

Why Change A Good Thing

The 86 model was designated the ZG1200A-1 model code, but the 87 model had some notable changes made to it, so they changed the designation to ZG1200B-1. It came with an MSRP of over $8,000. That design remained unchanged for seventeen years until the unit ZG1200B-17 was dropped from the lineup. It was one of the fastest tourers, had sturdy air-adjustable suspension, a tape player, and even CB radio were options. While the design was seriously dated by the 90s, Kawasaki didn’t see the need to change anything. Any changes would have made it more expensive, and at the time, units were selling out. So no there was no need to change the seemingly popular design. The Voyager XII had a cult following while the Gold Wing grew and along with more updates. The Kawasaki was still a lot cheaper, though, being almost $4,000 cheaper compared to other models in 2003 at $12,299.

The End Of The Kawasaki Voyager

For five years, Kawasaki had nothing in the touring market while the Gold Wing and Harley-Davidson models flourished. In 2009 Kawasaki released an all-new design developed from the ground up. The Vulcan 1700 Voyager was Kawasaki’s first V-Twin touring motorcycle ever. The big cruiser has a 1700cc fuel-injected engine that pumps out 73 horsepower . That is less than the Voyager XII, and at 895 pounds, it is also 197 pounds heavier. The rider won't feel that weight when they twist the throttle and the engine rumbles in response. It is most at home going straight at highway speeds, which is important for a touring bike. With the new Vulcan Voyager, the name will live on.

Related: 10 Reasons Why The Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager Is Criminally Underrated

The Latest Voyager

The 2023 Vulcan 1700 Voyager retails for $19,299. For fifteen years, it remained largely unchanged, with minor improvements in function, looks, and safety. With a wide 130 tire up front and a 170 in rear combined with 300mm disc for stopping power. The Voyager is a well-balanced touring bike with large 45mm forks that soak up the bumps far better than the old bike. Riding two up is not a problem, and as always, the passenger seat is well-thought-out. The new Voyager has some of the best electronics and is one of the most customizable bikes on the market with a big aftermarket. This model is in its fifteenth year now and will most likely surpass the seventeen-year mark of the original Voyager XII. The voyage is the most important part of riding to a destination, and it seems the Kawasaki Voyager will see many more destinations.

Touring riders are supposed to be rich as Midas, with saddlebags full of money they're practically panting to spend. Maybe so, but for those of us with buying power a few clicks down, Kawasaki offers its Voyager. If you want proof by the numbers, try these figures on for size: At $8700, the Voyager is $1100 less expensive than the next priciest tourer, Yamaha's Venture; $2800 less than Honda's GL1500; and a whopping $4300 less than Harley-Davidson's FLHTC Ultra Classic.

Kawasaki's Voyager is also the quickest in its class. The liquid-cooled, 16-valve, five-speed inline-four provides acceleration both from 0 to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile that whips every other big-rig tourer. It complements that impressive speed with an almost ethereal smoothness (courtesy of twin gear-driven counterbalancers), a broad powerband, tack-sharp carburetion and instantaneous throttle response. The Voyager's the class lightweight, too—at least of the big Japanese tourers. Only Harley's FLTC and FLHTC and BMW's K100LT scale under the Kawasaki's 803-pound wet weight.

But then, the Voyager entered the high-stakes touring game in 1986 with those attributes, as the quickest, least expensive and one of the lightest. Not much has changed since then. In 1987 the Voyager gained a cruise control, rear speakers for the AM/FM cassette deck, winglets on the fairing's trailing edges and different paint. Otherwise, the firm's flagship tourer remains the same, with steel-tube frame, triple-disc brakes, manually adjustable suspension, 16-inch front and 15-inch rear wheels, hydraulically adjusted valves and a multitude of adjustments for rider and passenger accommodations.

Out on the superslab, in the land of chicken fried steaks and bottomless cups of coffee, a rider rarely feels he's had to give up much of consequence in trade for the Voyager's bargain-basement price. The fairing offers good wind protection for average-height riders, the riding position is roomy and relaxed and, set in the lower range of its adjustment, the suspension lets the bike fairly float over a wide variety of road surfaces. There's abundant small-item storage, the stereo offers decent sound quality plus a host of adjustments to amuse the rider, and the cruise control works competently, exhibiting only a slight jerkiness in maintaining speed on downhills.

Still, there are shortcomings, and first among them is the saddle. The soft, thin padding practically guarantees you'll be ready to take a break well before the bike runs through its 6.1-gallon fuel supply. The Voyager lacks a particularly refined sense of straightline stability, too. The Dunlop Gold Seal F21 front tire follows rain grooves and pavement ruts, and even on a smooth surface the bike wanders slightly. And a passenger will complain about both a shortage of weather protection and a surfeit of wind noise.

Once a rider reaches the bright lights of the big city, he'll be thankful he's not paying for some things most other tourers have aplenty; namely, weight and clumsy low-speed handling. The low mass, 16-inch front wheel and tillerlike handlebars help yield remarkably light, quick steering, making the Voyager one of the most agile touring bikes at slow speeds. That same steering quickness, though, exacts a penalty. It's tough to maintain a precise course at slightly more than a walking pace, especially if the bike's burdened with a full load and passenger.

Many of those traits characterize the Voyager's twisty road behavior as well. The bike feels nimble, with slot-car steering response that gets it in and out of corners quickly. Such assets help rank Kawasaki's Voyager—again—near the top among touring bikes for back road handling. Still, a rider needs to exercise a gentle hand at the helm. Flicking the bike into turns makes the front end feel rubbery, and discourages further exploration of the rather limited cornering clearance; the footpegs touch down first and at a lesser lean angle than almost any other modern motorcycle.

For a solo rider, setting the suspension to eight psi in the front, 25 psi in the rear (5.7 to 8.5 psi and 21 to 36 psi are the suggested ranges, front and rear) and clicking the shocks' rebound damping to the fourth of their four adjustments gives the best compromise for ride and handling.

Unfortunately, the Voyager's lengthy roster of bests and mosts is accompanied by a similarly long list of annoyances. Of all the available adjustments to the handlebars, trunk, passenger saddle and windscreen height, only the bars offer any useful range.

Anything but the farthest rearward position for the trunk and saddle cramps riders and passengers of average size, and the same riders end up looking through the top edge of the screen at its lowest position. Moreover, the narrow saddlebag openings force you to jam the bag liners in as if you were stuffing a turkey, and the stereo's main controls are too small for use with heavy gloves. Balancing that list are the easy-to-use two-stage mainstand, and the quick-detach saddlebags.

What's important to remember is that many of the Voyager's faults are largely inconveniences, and not due to the bike's fundamental approach to touring—one of low-buck; not low-ball. This motorcycle takes the basic touring-bike formula and folds in a generous mixture of speed, light weight and agility. For the rider who wants a full measure of amenities for the long haul, but who has to hold onto a dollar until that eagle grins, Kawasaki's Voyager still represents a sound investment.

• Abingdon King Dick
• Egli-Vincent
• Royal Enfield
• Moto Morini
• Bridgestone
• Harley-Davidson
• Motorcycle Repair
• Body Repair & Paint Job
• Electrical Repair
• Engine & Transmission Repair
• Suspension Tuning & Chassis Repair
• Wheel & Brake Repair
• Books & Dvds
• Riding Gear
• Tools Accessories & Parts
• Give A Gift
• Enter Giveaways
• General Repair
• Subscribe Today
• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

The Kawasaki KZ1300

Kawasaki KZ1300 Years made:  1979-1982 Claimed power: 120hp @ 8,000rpm Top speed: 140mph Engine:  1,286cc DOHC liquid-cooled inline 6 Weight (wet):  710lb (322kg) Wheelbase:  62.5in (1,588mm) Width:  25.25in (641mm) 1/4 mile, sec/mph:  11.79/115.68 MPG:  35-45 Price then (1979):  $4,695 Price now:  $1,500-$4,000

Weighing in at an astounding 710 pounds, the Kawasaki KZ1300 was a heavyweight 6-cylinder motorcycle, with a 239cc displacement advantage over the Honda CBX 1000 and 380 over the Benelli Sei 900. Much like the Sei, its six lungs are fed by a trio of carbs.

Each of the three 32mm, 2-barreled Mikuni units is equipped with dual throttle ports, making for an unusual looking setup and the world’s first 2-barrel CV carb. Like the CBX, the Kawasaki KZ1300 features double-overhead cams with shim and bucket valve adjustment. Unlike the CBX, it uses a driveshaft to deliver its power to the rear wheel. The result of all these machinations was a claimed output of 120hp at the crank.

Holding all this in check is a tubular steel frame that’s fairly typical for the era, but with a 45mm steel backbone for increased rigidity. Despite the largeness of the Kawasaki KZ13000, its seat height is the same as the CBX at just over 31 inches. It is a well padded and accommodating place to spend the day, and ahead of that saddle you’ll find a large 5.6-gallon fuel tank. That big tank and MPG ratings of 35-45 add up to potentially long stints behind the bars.

Read how the Kawasaki KZ1300 performed in our 6-Cylinder Motorcycle Shootout

The Kawasaki KZ1300 exhales through a 6-into-2 exhaust, and being liquid cooled is equipped with a radiator, hung on the down tubes of the frame. Cast wheels at both ends carry disc brakes, with two up front and one out back. A 5-speed gear box is on par with most machines of the day.

Ground clearance was one of the primary complaints of magazines at the time, but most were impressed with the power the KZ pumped out and its enormous presence. “There are motorcycles with more speed, but not with the same combination of power, strength comfort and handling,” said Cycle World , adding, “The sophistication is incredible, the size is enormous. What we have here is an incredible hulk.”

Styling on the massive Kawasaki KZ1300 is sharp for a 6-cylinder motorcycle and works to keep its porkiness in check. The crisp lines of the tank, side covers and tail section make it look lighter than it is. All in all, the big KZ trumps the lesser sixes by sheer numerical supremacy. Yet as learned from our test riders, the bulk of the KZ1300 was of little concern when the grip was twisted. MC

• Published on Oct 27, 2011

Subscribe to Motorcycle Classics Today!

Why you should become a member.

• One-year subscription
• 6 Print + Digital issues
• Unlimited access to MotorcycleClassics.com
• Special discounts to the Motorcycle Classics Store
• Access to videos covering ride reviews, project bikes, event coverage & museum tours
• Exclusive online content - restoration projects, gear reviews, and more!

Canadian Subscribers • International Subscribers

Canadian subscriptions: 1 year (includes postage & GST)

Membership Subtotal

Total savings

Shipping and taxes calculated at checkout.

Clear cart or Continue Shopping →