How this Kawasaki KZ900 made him $400,000!
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- We catch up with one of the greatest Kawasaki KZ drag bike and street bike builders of all-time, legendary motorcycle drag racer Bruce Sauer at his home in Reynoldsburg, Ohio to see his amazing collection of drag bikes and motorcycles and pick up on some of the secrets that make him successful as a drag racer and a motorcycle mechanic. We will check out Iron Pony Motorsports in Westerville, Ohio, Sauer’s 1976 KZ 900 “ATM Machine” Drag bike that has won more than 48 national events and more than $400K in prize money, his ZX11 Razor, his ZX-11 street bike project, his Kawasaki KZ Pro Street Project, a set of 29 smoothbore carburetors that he has restored and his selling, his 1978 Kawasaki Z1R restoration, his tools and workshop, and we bring him the Cycledrag 1977 KZ 1000 restoration that needs done carburetor work on the 36 mm Mikuni radial flat slides. After we let the KZ legend take our bike for a ride and see what he thinks.
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I had a 1979 LTd KZ 1000, for 18 years, this video brought tears, I nearly choked. Thank you! I am 76 years young and still have the urge to ride, hearing that beautiful report of sound from those great machines moves my heart. I would like to find another KZ!
I'm 64 I'm riding my 78 kz1000 love to ride and be free
Hes a true living legend. No matter what era òf racing or bike. This video was awesome!
He is for sure. Thanks for watching. Have you ever owned a Z1 or KZ? And what did you enjoy most in this interview?
@cycledrag not owned 1, but ran my 750 kawasaki triple 2 stroke against them. Back ìn the 70s. Bruce has been a hero of mine 4 along time. Thank you for doing a video about hìm.
@@cycledrag ❤️
PROUD to be apart of the Sauer Camp !! Such an honor spending the weekends with a Living legend
Jack, you have be the hardest working guy on RUclips. We benefit
Bruce built my Z1r motor, great guy!
So cool! Thanks for watching. Have you ever owned a Z1 or KZ? And what did you enjoy most in this interview?
@@cycledrag he
What's Bruce contact information? I got an old Legend bike
I’m from Bruce’s neighborhood he has always been the best that I know and I’ve known him for several years good luck in all your events stay safe my friend anyone who wants their KZ to be right call BRUCE
My cousin had a kz 900 back in the day, loved it
Nice Report, many thanks, greetings from Switzerland 👍
Takes me back.. Thanks, Jack.
Love those thirsty lectrons! Have two sets slightly smaller
I'd like to try a set on the street.
Bruce is a Legend indeed...what a privilege bro...your KZ is a beautiful machine my friend.🤙
I love these pieces as much as I love the racing!
Thanks Jack....🎊 🎊 😎 🎊 🎊
I used to hang with some guys in Memphis at Leo's Cycle shop, he sold Kawasaki's and BMWs "Doctor Machines", that was 1970, Tony Nicosia, my riding partner was Izaak "Zeke" Malone, we both had H-1 Kawasaki's, his was built into a stormer , with expansion chambers, Avon Slick: 4:00:18, with the rims drilled and screws inserted, clip-on handlebars, and a Barnett drag clutch for us both. That was the good ole days, I really like your channel, I'm going to sub, leave a thumbs up, and a tap on the bell. Thanks for sharing.
Great presentation jack ..!!!!! Thank you sir
Jack, this has to be the best Cycle Drag ever. I love listening to the old school guys. Nitros, Turbos, air shifters are to me cheap horsepower and rider assist. Old School here. Loved that KZ exhaust. It brings back good memories and gave me a Chubby...
I Grew Up On The Back Of KZ 900's & 1000's. Actually, My Uncle Lester Was The Only One With The 900. My Dad And My Other Uncles Ride The 1000's. The Bike Club Was "PEGASUS" Late 70's To Early 80's 👌🏿.
@@55cleon ,
Your Uncle Lester, wasn't Lester Kaine was it? from Champagne, Illinois? He owned the 'Kaw Barn' in Rantoul.
Beautiful bike, the knowledge he has in motorcycles is priceless.
I used to drag race in the 70’s LTD aspirated , Z1R turbo American Turbo pack, and they were the blast, today I still love Kawasaki’s, today 9 second bikes off of the showroom floor. Go figure!
How good does that sound!!! so much bark I was hoping to build a GSXR Slingshot Turbo but every time I hear a big block carbed motor.... DANG
Love the lectron see through carbs!!
Great video jack 👍
Love these type of episodes. Be kewl if you can get these guys to discuss the old tech vs new, and their personal innovations.
started my career on a KZ and loved every minute of it. converted to modern day machinery in 2004 and found it far easier to make power and win over the air-cooled bikes. just like cars EFI and computers be the way of the future. most people i build for are wanting modern machinery and are going away from the wheelie bars as all the aftermarket and technology is in modern equipment. thanks for the excellent video of a legendary rider and builder.
Oh wow!! That interview brought back so many memories. Rode with some buddies back in the day that had the 73 and 74 KZ 900's. Please don't hold it against me, but I rode a 79 Suzuki GS1000E. Still have it, but bought a 78 Suzuki GS1000E a few years ago. Found a set of Mikuni, 29 smooth bores and when I put them on, it was almost like putting a big bore kit in the engine. Increased power very much. Don't ride it like I should. Think I need Mr. Sauer to go through my carbs too.
Bruce is the man!
Your Sled is just fine. The Blue one. Back in the day I had a 500 triple. Cute. I miss two strokes big time. I’m 70 now. I also had a 76 Bicentennial super glide. Sweet.
No one messed with cams, springs, exhaust, simple stuff, valves,CONNECTING RODS, Porting and that ignition box looked very nice. I would have loved to ride the 750 Triple slightly modified. Slightly, nothing to hurt it just help it drink and BREATHE.
I WISH!
Great commentary and channel buddy. Kudos man. I catch them when i can 😊😊👍💯
God bless this man ,give him a long long healthy life 🙏
Your KZ is so gorgeous… such an amazing design. To the average guy who doesn’t know the difference between Mikuni slide carbs and a V&H Fuelpak, it may as well be a brand new bike!
😎Uhhuh. THE MAN.....
This man was a great influence for myself . I always looked up to him. He and the others were great help at the track. I rode a white bike that he built. What a privilege to know him and run one of the bikes that he built.
oh hell yes Bruce is the man
Was great to see Bruce haven’t seen him in many years! I have been a friend of the Sauer family and Bruce since the 60’s. Think the last thing I got off of him was a set of smooth bores for a KZ-1000 I was building! Glad to see him doing well! Tell him Jack Stockley said Hi!
Loved it!
Had a Star pipe just like that on my gs1000..made good power!
Good sounding pipe. Thanks for watching. Have you ever owned a Z1 or KZ? And what did you enjoy most in this interview?
@@cycledrag Jack I have a 84 fuel injected zn1300 stripped to the bone with a 94 z06 fairing.. A beast to see!
boooooo gs booooooo👎🏾😝🤣
Years ago when i was young. Kz650s and Kz900s. Were the Shit 👍💪💯. Years later. The Ninja came out Good stuff indeed 👍👌💯. Love them bikes ❤❤
Good stuff Jack love the content
that red bike is BAD ASS! the blue 1000, i used to have a 82 LTD1000 that was built a lot like that, mine was a metalic purple, looked GREAT. it was a mild build with an open Kirker. it sounded AWESOME, and was a TON of fun to ride. i sure mis that bike.
That was my first bike I owned in 1979. I miss it 😪 😢
Ive owned and love z1 , z1000a , z1R and z9 kawasakis nothing else matters
One word Legendary.
I hope he finds someone to mentor and put them on his bikes.
He knows everything there is to know about winning.
Me too! Thanks for watching. Have you ever owned a Z1 or KZ? And what did you enjoy most in this interview?
@@cycledrag, I've never owned a Kawi, but my brother bought a 76 KZ750 when he left the Marines, it was quiet and modest, until you snapped the throttle. The thing screamed like banshee and moved like a bat out of hell.
I fell in love with Kawi's after that.
Great Video. This really brought back some Memories. I grew up Riding Trails when I was really Young, them Motorcross. I jumped straight into Street Riding on a 78 Z1 900 and rode it for Years. I had the Baddest Bike in High School. I had the 4 into 1 Kerker Header with no Baffle of course, and when I saw a Cop I would shift up a couple of Gears and stick my Boot into the end of the Pipe. The Cops back then would pull you over for a Loud Bike. Those were the Days. I still like the Old School Bikes, they had Character. You had to be a lot better Rider also. I’ve been Riding Bikes for 50 Years, but if I could get my hands on a old Z1 again, that would be my last Bike. I would Ride it for the Years I have left. Thanks for the Video.👍👍
Great vid. As a Kawasaki fan from the late 70s, my first bike was a KL 250....I'm now in my early 60s.
My daily ride to work is a ZX14r rain hail or shine.
I find driving tin tops is a chore..so fricken boring.
Hope someday more will come out to the new Kuhnle Motorsports Park. A ton of fast bikes and riders!
salute Salute Salute salute I Love Kz 900 ,1000 1100 and Also CB750
My bike 😢 had one just like that blue 💙 one. Kicked a lot of gen 1 Hayabusa butt in 1999 😂😂😂😂 loved that blue 💙 bike Z1 1973 😂😂😂😂😂
Cycle Drag excellent video. We got one of the last of the Mohicans! Out here In Hammond Indiana.
PERFORMANCE CYCLE
Ask FOR JOE 🎉
You should also interview Dale Walker (Holeshot ) . He broke into the 7s on a kwaka funny bike many years ago.
Great story
Jack..if yer not gonna ride it, stabilize it! Ride it, don't hide it!
I have a 78 kz1000 it has 32 thousand miles on the rebuilt engine wish i could rebuild it like yours mind all original has a kerker 4 in one muffler
I believe Bruce ran IDBA years ago in Gulfport
I think you are correct.
Gulfport is Always a Blast! My friend Charlie Machado use to race on the flat track/Strip!
@@PPMAK777 many good weekends years ago late 70's early 80's with IDBA folks
@cartdoc God Bless You Sir! MY friend Charlie Machado use to ride with the Tribe of Judah Motorcycle team I guess through the late 80' - 2000. I met them all in the late 90's. I was just a young kid that loved to ride FAST🏍 bikes!
@@PPMAK777 you as well my friend..racers love racers!
How you gonna go to Ohio and not go over to Johnny's Vintage Motorcycle Co. in Wadsworth? Johnny has been restoring Z bikes for a long time, and he's pocketed a fair amount of cash from me, lol.
Jack, I just love these Gents from the core group of Drag racers. I grew up in San Diego CA in the 60’s. My own grandpas Owned Award motors and Hoffman Honda, and supported Drag bike racing as well as the ‘Micro Midgit’ racing, and he had several Race boats from the Unlimited Hydro planes. I raced as well at Chula Vista Raceway and OCIR in Orange County. I still have several go fast original bikes. We have to preserve this sport before its too late. Need more info, pls just ask. Dean.
Don’t forget about the late. Great Tom Sudman
Great video
Love this bike,i have a 78 ltd garage kept ,but how dose one get in contact with xba
Drain bowls off anytime it sits more than a week. Never try to start a bike that's been setting over a week without draining bowls and running fresh gas in. Eliminates allot of issues
Tell him when "corn gas" started that is what started messing up carb jets/passage. Ralph Yamaha dealer 1967 to 1980 J&R Cycle Serice, Red Bank, NJ
I know of a KZ 900 sitting in a basement of an abandoned house.also a panhead 2 kawasaki 1000's and a almost mint steel tank kawasaki dirt bike.
What are you waiting for? Go get them.
I was about to get you Jack if you didn't get that 1000D 😁
My grandfather gave me a 73 H2 750 for my H.S. graduation that was dropped and stretched which he used to play on at Indianapolis raceway park drag strip and the thing scared the hell out of me, i unfortunately traded it for a Ford Probe🤦🏼♂️
Why not run the carbs dry before it sits and silts up ... Have that problem with my chainsaw
Gotta run ethanol free gas or better yet race gas if you’re going to store it.
Race gas is the very best storage fuel, also aviation fuel is great too.
So.. I didn't see you put the gauges on the carbs..balanced?
Iron pony is sweet isnt it.
Is it the ethanol that cogs t k 1000 carburators up
Nice
put the stock air box back on jack with kn filter you get way better running engine
Sounds like a BIG BLOCK
Gulfport is Always a Blast!!!
There is nothing like a k z to get the heart pumping i owed a few of them and want to get a k z six fifty s r
Don't put ethanol blend gas in your old carburetor equipped motorcycle unless you drive it everyday. Even then it causes damage to plastic, rubber, aluminum castings, gaskets, o-rings, all are affected (damaged) by "moonshine" in your fuel. 😮
can i bring my kz900 over
mtc pistons are junk i went threw 4 sets of them crushing ringlands switched to wiesco not one problem weisco is the ticket
I know it’s a drag bike but that bike needs carb air filters on it
Absolutely beautiful. Do you see many Honda cb750s drag racing?
😁
use the best parts, and keep it simple
people are always after my KZ collection... but they don't want to pay. SMH
RIP Moroso
SAY What," you cant race your streetbike"...its called Turbocharging!!!!
that bike would be faster if it had a 1170cc engine by far faster the 1425, that head does not flow enough to produce big power and the weight of the larger pistons slow it down words out of ken tiptons mouth i didnt believe him he sold me same big block only 1327cc and i was running 1170 and ill be damed if ken was right as rain after my regrets over the years the words of wisdom sunk into my thick skull ken tipton owner of mtc mighty tough componets knew what he was talking abou\t rip
Did you pay attention so you can do it your self next time
Xda
The climate change commies are gonna kill our hobby 😢
I bought a 1976 KZ 900 $1200 starting price and got to his house and then it wouldn’t start so eventually he said give me 250$ and get it out of my garage! I changed fuel in it charged the battery and GRAPE 🍇 APE 🦧 WAS BORN!!! Took me a total of 2 x riding to work b4 a co-worker caught me and said why haven’t you knocked the baffle out of that thing… the Kerker 4 into 1 exhaust shot out flames 🔥 at night that shot out 3 ft out of the tailpipe!!!
93 octane and sea foam at every fill up and u will not have carb issues! My bikes sit for 3-4 month's at a time and no issues ever.
Back in the 80's a friend of mine gave me his KZ1000 that wasn't running. Not even sure what was wrong with it. At the time I felt a little intimidated by it and my head wasn't in gear to fix it up properly, so eventually he asked for it back since I didn't do anything with it. I sure regret it.