kz1300 voyager

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: review, history, specs

Class: tourer

Production: 1983-1988

Also called: Kawasaki Voyager 1300, Kawasaki Voyager XIII

Related: Kawasaki KZ1300

Successor: Kawasaki ZG1200 Voyager

Specifications

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: specs.

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: images, gallery.

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: video.

Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager: manuals, parts, microfiches.

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

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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

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Good old Blake was a fine one to talk. His friend Coleridge was the guy who went to extremes, dabbling with opium and dreaming of Xanadu. Nevertheless, Blake is right. How much is enough? Or (as the thought pertains to our discussion), how big can a touring bike be before its size intrudes unforgivingly on performance? Motorcycle designers, like racers, can't know for sure till they cross the border, hanging it out to discover how Newton's laws apply to the business at hand.

Kawasaki's new touring bike is right on the line. Nine-hundred-fifteen pounds (that's right, nine hundred) of luxury motorcycle. Anywhere except on the straightest open road the Kawasaki's size does indeed intrude, at times unforgivingly, on performance. But wait! This is a TOURING bike—designed exclusively for setting your sights on the next state, or even the next country, and making the big break.

Okay, we'll bite. We'll play angel's advocate. On a highway across rolling farmland the Voyager cradles you in comfort and provides you with every diversion and entertainment known to the modern nomad. It's powerful, smooth, comfortable, and equipped with high-quality luggage and wind protection. One-dimensionally, the Voyager is first-rate.

Touring comfort encompasses seating accommodations, suspension compliance and engine smoothness. The Voyager's seating position is excellent. Its handlebars adjust up and down and back and forth, and the angle of the pullback alters. Although the seat and pegs are non-adjustable, their positioning fits five-eight to six-foot riders well. They sit comfortably, their bodies in a classic touring posture torso dead vertical, thighs horizontal, lower legs vertical. The passenger too has some freedom of adjustability: the flick of a latch lets the tail trunk slide back and forth about two inches. With the trunk forward the passenger sits in the classic posture; with the trunk back she leans back slightly. The passenger's feet rest on floorboards rather than pegs—a nice touch. Both the rider and passenger find their seats firm but comfortable. Our riders would have uniformly preferred a softer foam composition, but throughout a full day's ride the quality remains 100 percent consistent.

With its range of adjustability (air front and rear, compression damping at the rear), the suspension provides settings for vastly different loads and road conditions. Fully loaded solo or two-up, the Kawasaki needs about 15 pounds of air in the front and 40 at the rear, with a number three or four damping adjustment to complement the stiff springing. Set up thusly, the wonderfully compliant suspension reacts quickly to small bumps or highway expansion joints, with enough travel to soak up the potholes.

With six cylinders stroking beneath you there's no mistaking the mechanical activity going on, but the high-frequency vibration is perceived generally rather than through any one point. At most rpm levels you sense an electric-like hum through the seat and bar; it's an almost pleasant sensation enhanced by the level rise in power delivery. Overall, we must rank the Voyager nearly as smooth as the Gold Wing or Venture but distinctive, like a BMW, with its own brand of smoothness.

That's open-road performance, but every road eventually turns. So, to give the whole picture, it's time to play devil's advocate. When you abandon the runway-straight interstate for the more curvy state highways, you feel every one of the Voyager's 915 pounds. That weight affects both handling (around town, on semi-tight roads and in special conditions on the open road), and performance (acceleration and fuel economy).

There may be a guy around big enough to jump on the Voyager and muscle it out of the parking lot, but none of our staffers fits the bill. We had to develop a little technique to maneuver the bike at low speeds without wobbling like a novice. The Voyager is so heavy, and the weight located so high, that simply getting under way can be exciting, turning tight in a parking lot is always an accomplishment, and tricky maneuvers—like backing downhill diagonally to the curb—require real concentration. The best way to keep the bike steady is to power it. Forget about putting a foot down to catch your balance; this requires throttle. But the 1300 is remarkably quick revving, so throttle alone results in jerkiness, which the moderate shaft reaction exacerbates. That means a combination of throttle and clutch is best. The clutch engagement is a touch sudden and the lever's engagement point is far from the bar, so a little practice is in order. We occasionally dialed in a little rear brake action at the same time. No matter how smooth you get, the abundant fork flex will always amaze you and sometimes make your low-speed wobbling downright comical.

On suburban streets, country roads or through the mountains, the 1300 demands respect. It steers well, and not just for a bike of its size. Response is quick, and requires minimal input. Handling, though, involves more than steering alone. Pick your line, steer into it and inertia overcomes your plans unless your speed is well within bounds. The Voyager, if you're riding briskly, may not follow the line you're used to. It drifts—wide. And if you try to roll it in tighter via countersteering, or reduce speed by braking, you may lose ground clearance. Most likely, you'll accept it and go wide, or drag something if necessary, then tone down the speed for the next turn. And the next one after that. On the positive side, for a bike its size, the ZN has pretty good ground clearance. The pegs touch down if you have too little air in the suspension or if you're moving along smartly, but that's truly an excellent warning system. And the tires stick well.

Side winds affect the Voyager unusually on the open road, another consequence of its mass. On one particular test ride, a 20-25 mph side wind made the Voyager's wheels feel as if they were rolling out from under the bike sideways. The result was sudden leaning of up to 10 or 15 degrees off vertical, and wandering in the lane, quite literally from white line to white line. Two other bikes during the same test, the Harley-Davidson FXRT and the Yamaha Venture, cut through the wind much better.

With any vehicle, sheer horsepower is only half the story. A locomotive may have some pretty impressive numbers, but its acceleration from 50 to 80 is wanting. The power-to-weight ratio more directly affects the motorcyclist. It's not a surprise that the ZN's roll-on acceleration is standard. From 2000 to 4000 rpm in the lower gears (first to third) the Voyager gives a good strong surge of acceleration. It quickly reaches cruising speed and readily passes traffic on tight roads. If you're already at a cruising speed and want to pass traffic, a downshift from fifth to fourth is definitely in order and sometimes you'll need to go from fourth to third. For comparison's sake, the Venture runs away from the Voyager in a fifth-gear roll-on from 50 mph. In fact, the Venture pulls away from the Kawasaki when the Yamaha is in fifth and the ZN is in fourth. To its credit, power delivery is smooth and strong right up to redline, and the Kawasaki runs happily all day long at 85 to 90 mph.

Using a lot of horsepower to move a lot of weight requires a lot of fuel— about one gallon every 35 miles. There's no drawback to the marginal fuel economy, assuming you don't mind handing over about a dollar more than a Venture rider does for a fill-up.

Far more important is cruising range. Since the ZN holds 6.6 gallons, it has an actual run-it-dry range of 232 miles, making it easily comparable to the Venture (with a 226-mile cruising range) or the Aspehcade (218 miles).

Living with the Voyager, you note many other impressions not solely applicable to its function as a luxury tourer. The Voyager incorporates a trick (and patented) two-part centerstand. To hoist the ZN, first slip the stand's legs down so they're brushing the ground. Then kick the trailing part of the stand down to touch the legs; that piece levers the bike up. It's about as easy as raising a standard 550. Nice. Getting the bike off the stand is more difficult; that requires jerking the bike forward like you really mean it. Other features include three hot leads for accessories (like electric garments). There's one behind the right front turn signal, another under the left grabrail, and another behind the right side cover.

The Voyager uses an updated version of the original six-cylinder 1300 engine, and the engineers modified it well. The '84 ZN features new pistons with a squish-shaped crown. The new pistons still yield a 9.3:1 compression ratio, and promote quick flame-front travel so well that even with its fairly high compression ratio the 1300 burns any grade of pump gas.

The updated engine includes a new clutch—smaller, lighter and more compact. Where the R&D guys could trim weight and maintain performance, they did. The new clutch (except for the short span of engagement) works well.

The old engine had an automotive-style harmonic balancer on one end of the crank to absorb vibration instead of allowing it to excite the loose-end of the long crankshaft. The new engine has a second alternator on the left crank end instead. The dual-alternator setup allows the ZN to produce spectacular wattage—300 from the primary alternator and 200 from the secondary.

Kawasaki has a fair amount of experience now with fuel injection, from the original Z-1 Classic and the first GPz1100 (both used electronic fuel injection) to the current GPz1100 and the ZN1300 (both use digital fuel injection). The DFI works much better than the EFI, thanks to some subtle changes.

With EFI, a swinging gate in the intake tract measured airflow, the rate of which dictated the duration of the squirt of fuel. (EFI does not vary the amount of fuel flowing per se; it varies the duration of the squirt, up to 6.0 milliseconds.) The problem? With EFI the gate created turbulence in the intake tract, resulting jn some hesitation off idle. DFI differs fundamentally from EFI by having no gate in the intake. Instead, sensors measure throttle opening, engine revs, air and engine temperature, and atmospheric pressure to regulate the duration of the squirt. It works well on the GPz, and it's effective on the ZN. Throttle response is instantaneous and crisp.

Engine aside, the Voyager is a new bike. The frame, its geometry, the suspension, brakes and, obviously, all the bodywork are new. New, though, does not mean different in concept. The decision to use the original 1300 engine as a starting point dictated what the Voyager would be—big. That original powerplant was nearly 300 pounds. Though the designers came up with new rolling stock, they didn't downsize; more to the point, they couldn't. A 300-pound engine requires a stout chassis, and that the Kawasaki has. In-

deed, to accommodate all the items Kawasaki believes will make this a gadgeteer's/audiophile's/touring rider's dream, the designers had to make it bigger yet, evidenced by the 2.3-inch increase in wheelbase and the need for larger components all around—the one-gallon-larger fuel tank, for instance.

That makes the Voyager analogous to the old 1300. Each is the largest example of its genre for its day, but ultimately it turns out that smaller machines, can do the same job better. In '78 sport meant speed, with ill handling something you put up with. It sounds like folly now, but the odd priorities were not so apparent then. Remember, that was when 750s were mid-12 quarter-milers and the CBX was king. The 1978 KZ1300, all 710 pounds of it, steamed through the quarter in 11.96; only a few bikes had done that before it. So the KZ was billed as a sport-tourer. Times changed quickly. Handling became paramount, especially when 750s broke well into the elevens.

Today many people understand luxury touring as comfort, and to get the comfort they put up with the ill handling. (Sound familiar?) But we are in the process of discovering that smaller machines can provide comfort and protection the equal of the bigger machines and handle much better.

The Venture Royale and the Honda Aspencade are the Voyager's direct competitors. The Venture was all new last year so we don't expect Yamaha to update it drastically. Compared to the Venture, the Voyager is slightly more comfortable (thanks to a touch better suspension compliance), has more luggage capacity (and here, more is better), and much better wind protection. It's also ill handling and comparatively slow.

Against the '83 Aspencade the Voyager is comparable, with roughly equal wind protection, luggage capacity, smoothness and power. It's harder to maneuver and less enjoyable on country roads than an Aspencade, but we could see a big guy putting up with it for personal reasons—intangibles. We do, however, suspect that Honda might react to the introduction of the Venture, which outperformed the Aspencade in a number of ways. A more powerful, better-handling tourer from Honda will widen the gap between it and the Voyager.

You can divide any category of motorcycles into 47 sub-categories (luxury-touring with a bias toward sport on slick downhill right-handers), but touring is touring. Of course compromises pertain (a certain shield provides either wind protection or optimum vision in the rain), but a carefully considered compromise does not launch a bike into sub-category 47-a. So for now the Yamaha is still the best touring bike on the market, regardless of its slight bias toward sportiness. .

The Voyager? It's exactly enough on the open road. When you're bound to run through a few turns on your way to the wide open plains, however, it's too much.

Source Cycle World 1983

Evans Brasfield’s Kawasaki KLX300 and KTM 790 Duke

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Six Cylinder ELR Tribute – 1979 Kawasaki KZ1300

In Custom , Japan , Sport by Tim Huber July 9, 2018 Leave a Comment

Kawasaki found a major recipe for success when it released its H1 at the tail-end of the ’60s. Though the bar had been set pretty high with the 500, Team Green managed to outdo themselves and deliver an even more iconic, game-changing machine with the H2 in the early ‘70s. So when a few years passed, the Z1 came and went, and it came time for the Japanese marque to introduce yet another, new flagship model, the company knew it had its work cut out for it.

Originally Kawasaki had green lit the development of a liquid-cooled, two-stroke, three-quarter-liter four, and a rotary mill, but both projects were scrapped on account of the ongoing world-wide oil shortage/crisis. Despite the bump in fuel prices, the Z1 was still generating positive sales numbers, so the year before the 900cc inline-four was pulled from production, Kawa secretly got the ball rolling on developing what would be its next beast of a flagship model.

Kawasaki’s R&D team was tasked with three primary objectives: create a new motorcycle utilizing the latest available technology, build a machine that was more powerful than its predecessors, and deliver said machine in a large enough displacement to denote the model’s flagship status. So after running the numbers, the lab coats landed on a 1.2 liter displacement. But instead of simply boring out the Z1, Kawasaki opted to experiment with less-conventional engine configurations, including a square-four and a V-4.

Supposedly Kawasaki’s American division was the first to suggest an inline-six — a type of engine Kawa had never produced before. The new six-barrel would utilize a single-piece plain-bearing crank (unlike the built up unit found in the Z1) which was strengthened to prevent twisting. With Kawasaki’s engineers anticipating a 120 hp output from the 1,200 cc six, a lot of focus was placed on reinforcing highly stressed components. The frame also received a reinforced steering head to deal with said power.

Around this same time, Kawasaki was one of Japan’s leading transmission manufacturers, and Team Green routinely produced trannies for auto companies like Isuzu. So Kawasaki got resourceful and assigned its transmissions team to develop a shaft drive system for the new 120 hp flagship model. Because the bike was classified as a sport tourer, the shaft final drive was fairly practical.

By 1976 Kawasaki had completed its first prototype of the six-cylinder beast, dressing the heavyweight up in 1970’s super-sport style. Unfortunately, in the time that had passed since the six’s development began, sport aesthetics were on the decline, and big-body tourers were all the rage. In response, Kawa stripped off the sport plastics and tacked on more touring-oriented fairings and a larger tank.

The next year, news broke that Harley-Davidson was set to release a new 1,340 cc engine. Not wanting to be outdone, Kawasaki decided to bump the KZ proto’s displacement up to 1,286cc. By March of ’78, Kawasaki finished its final engine prototype and began tweaking the chassis. The ultimate goal was to ensure the KZ1300’s performance was on par with the smaller Z1. After months of tuning the frame geometry and suspension, Kawasaki felt its new flagship was ready to be unleashed onto the motorcycling world.

In September of ’78 the cover was pulled off the KZ1300 for the first time at the Koln Motor Show. The general public reacted well to the new model, however the real test would come the following month when motorcycle journalists would swing a leg over the 1300 for the first time. Despite weighing in at around 700 lbs (wet), the liquid-cooled, 1,286 cc, DOHC, two-valve, six-cylinder block was supposedly capable of getting the KZ up to around 140 mph thanks to its claimed 120 hp at 6,000 rpm and 85 ft-lbs of torque at 6,000 rpm. The media was generally impressed with the behemoth bike’s performance, even with its less-than-stellar ground clearance.

Upon the release of the KZ1300 (or the Z1300 as it was known in some regions), sales were decent, though there was still a lot of room for improvement on Kawa’s new flagship. Half-a-decade after going into production, Kawasaki opted to revise the machine, giving it digital fuel injection which earned it the new moniker of the “ZG1300” (depending on region). While the addition of fuel injection was done to improve fuel economy, it had the added benefit of also boosting power.

1983 was also the year that Kawasaki released the bonafide touring variant of the 1300 which would be known as the (ZN1300A) “Voyager”. The Voyager was a full dresser, completed with large stepped seating, AM/FM radio, stopwatch and calculator for fuel calculations, cassette deck, trip computer, fuel-gauge, trunk and luggage, digital instrumentation, etc. While the Voyager ultimately proved to be a success in the US market, only approximately one-fifth of KZ1300’s ever produced Voyager-specs (4,500 Voyagers and 20,000 KZ1300s). The last 500 units produced were reportedly called “Legendary Six”s — a distinction that could be seen on the tank.

The KZ1300 would remain in production for more than a decade before Kawasaki finally retired the big six. Since then, multiple outfits have turned to the six-cylinder Kawa mill when looking to cook up some beastly vehicle, including in 1982 when Swiss car company Franco Sbarro built a 12-cylinder car by combining two KZ1300 engines, and in 2008 when Allen Millyard created a custom 2,300cc version of the KZ, again using two engines. The history of the production six-cylinder motorcycle is an interesting one, and it’s hard to find a better writeup on the subject than this Cycle World piece that compares the Benelli 900 Sei, Honda CBX1000, and KZ1300 .

This particular KZ example – which has 17,000 miles on the odo – has been fully restored and is said to be in “perfect running condition”. On top of its mechanical state, this example also boasts a few upgrades such as ZRX suspenders in back, ZRX rearsets, and the “popular CB1100 coils upgrade”. The brakes and fork seals were also recently replaced, and as the icing on the cake, this example has just been hit with a fresh coat of paint in the form of an ELR (Eddie Lawson Replica) livery.

You can find this restored 1979 Kawasaki KZ1300 for sale here on Craigslist on Long Island, New York with a price of $6,500.

Home » Bike Reviews, News & More » Kawasaki Z1300 – Classic rides of the Pre-Pensioner

Kawasaki Z1300 – Classic rides of the Pre-Pensioner

Fear of dropping your pride and joy can create recurring nightmares for most bikers, but should a Z1300 perform a ‘swan dive’ your chances of getting it upright without the assistance of a Russian power-lifter are certainly slim. 700lbs or 50 stone (in old money) of rock solid ‘Kwaka’ makes your average pre-pensioners hernia ache; just thinking about pulling it up onto the centre stand…but back in those days the motto was ‘biggest is best’. Fuelled by three 32mm twin barrel Mikuni carbs this twin cam six of 1286cc was anything but subtle, reputed to be easy to maintain (shaft drive helped), endless performance with impressive fuel mileage 35-45 mpg. Road testers in-period failed to achieve anything close but economy wasn’t a concern; for them it was all about size and power.

Kawasaki Z1300 History

Official View

Road Testers View

The CBX won out through the twisty’s and on the brakes, whilst the Kawasaki was victorious over a faster course as the Honda was forced to except a lower gear just to keep pace with the ‘Zed’s’ pure grunt; its smoothness of power delivery plus overall enjoyment winning the day. His conclusion, the Z1300 housed the greatest engine to ever grace a sports bike and its all-round performance simply flattened the Honda with brute force. Opinions eh! Back in the day the writers of biking tales didn’t have future motorcycle advancements to compare, so when Motor Cycle Weekly blagged their way to California for test, it concluded the Kawasaki had ‘won them over’ through the dry, twisting valleys on virtually empty ‘Stateside’ roads. The American machine featured stricter emissions controls which reduced performance but this mattered not, they loved it. Back home the follow up test included West Country riding through country lanes and villages on a full power version but the shear bulk of the ‘Z’ became a hinderance leading to a second conclusion; in the UK what’s the point?

Looking Back-Riders View

The mid-eighties and just when sales should have been steady (issues with oil starvation and slipping cam chains long forgotten) they began to slow. This wasn’t dramatic, just a gradual decline, expected maybe in the UK and parts of Europe but not in wide open touring hotspots like Australia or worse still USA. Us Brits just never really got to grips with the Z1300, our lack of suitable tarmac no doubt contributed to the dwindling sales here; be honest, who would like to muscle this ‘bad boy’ through Central London? As the nineties approached the age of excess became unfashionable and so did the bulk of this Kwaka; nimble light and blindingly quick ‘crouch-rockets’ took centre stage. Personally, I was drawn to the GP stable, fully faired, matching helmet and boots brigade but one bike could always cut short the Wayne Rainey fantasy and that was a Z1300. All things must come to an end and to conclude, it seems this was one machine that was never thought of as a ‘marmite’ bike; not a case of loving it or hating it…whilst they were applauded by the majority, only a few wanted to live with them; by the end of the eighties sales figures had gradually slowed and then stopped. After a ten-year production run, Kawasaki’s only liquid-cooled six-cylinder engine bowed out in 1989 after 20,000 KZ1300/Z1300 models and 4,500 Voyager models had been produced. The Z1300 might have been available until 1989 but there were reports of dealers still having new stock until 1993, dealers couldn’t give them away but two decades on they would give their right arms and legs to have one in the window. Who says bikers are a fickle bunch!

Kawasaki Z1300 1979 Technical Spec

Dimensions               

Length:                              89.1in                                          

Width:                               30.9in                                                            

Height:                              49.8in                                         

Wheel Base:                     62.2in                                         

Seat Height:                     31.2in                                          

Ground Clearance:         5.5in                                             

Weight:                            709lbs wet                                        

Brakes Front:                  2 x 11.9 in disc                                   

Rear Brakes:                    1 x 10.8 in disc

Fuel Capacity:                  5.9 Imperial gallons

Type:                                Water cooled DOHC

Cylinders:                        In line 6 – 12 valve

Displacement:               1286cc

Compression Ratio:      9.9 – 1

Carbs:                              3 twin bore 32mm Mikuni

Max Power:                    120bhp @ 8000rpm  

Torque:                           85.6 lbs @ 6500rpm                   

Top Speed:                     140mph

0-60                                  4.01 seconds

0-100                                9.02 seconds

Cycle World tested 1979 KZ1300 standing 1 ⁄ 4 mile :11.93 secs @ 114.79 mph

Drive Train

Clutch:                             Wet multi-plate type

Transmission:                 5 speed constant mesh

Final Drive:                      Shaft

Ignition:                           Electronic

Starting System:             Electric motor

Battery:                            12 Volt

Fuel consumption:         36mpg

Check out this early 80s video from the LWT programme ‘Just Amazing’ with Barry Sheene and Kenny Lynch featuring Arto Nyquist – Stunting on a Z1300

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• Kawasaki Zn1300 Voyager

Kawasaki Zn1300 Voyager Motorcycles for sale

1984 Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager

Bettendorf, Iowa

Make Kawasaki

Model ZN1300 Voyager

Posted Over 1 Month

1984 Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager, Six Cylinder Engine!!! We have two of these rare touring bikes in stock!!! Kawasaki introduced the 120hp inline-six cylinder Z1300 in 1979, {This one is a 1984}. We actually have two of these bikes in stock, the pair of them came in on a trade from the same owner!! Kawasaki built all Z1300s in the US and produced them in several versions: Z1300, KZ1300, ZG1300 and ZN1300-Voyager. In 1980 they gave the Z1300 a fairing, trunk, and saddle bags and called it the KZ1300 Touring. This was the forerunner of the Voyager 1300. Now for the history on the Voyager--In 1983 Kawasaki gave the KZ1300-Touring a new frame and new plastic and introduced it as the Kawasaki Voyager 1300 (ZN1300.) It was fitted with so many accessories and luxuries (for the time) that some referred to it as "a car without doors." Kawasaki built about 4,500 Voyager 1300s. Both of the bikes that I have Start, run, ride, and stop. They are not perfect, but keep in mind these are bikes that you just don't see every day. This one has only 4,147 Miles on it!! The radio is not in working condition, it has it with it, I have taken a picture of it in the trunk, {it comes with it.}. Tit has been fully serviced, It goes down the road just as it should. Please look at the pictures, if you would like to see any more, please let us know!! Each bike goes through rigorous inspection, cleaning and examination before we feel comfortable considering it a part of our inventory and available for sale. Once we are through with our thorough inspections and cleanings and the bike has been approved for sale, we photograph it from all angles. The picture views assure to our clients that the bike is in good condition and there are no flaws to hide, which is important to both us and to our online buyers. Be sure to check out brennys dot com for this, and lots of other bikes, scooters, and ATVs!!

Kawasaki : Other 1986 kawasaki voyager xii 1300 running fully dressed cruiser tourer clean title

Columbus, Ohio

Category Cruiser Motorcycles

Engine 1300

This is a used 1986 Kawasaki Voyager with a clean title and 76993 miles. it has a 1300cc 6 cylinder engine and runs and shifts through all the gears. It is mostly in pretty decent shape for its age but does have a couple cosmetic issues and a slow oil leak. The gauges on top of the gas tank do not work but everything else does work. The brakes work well. The bike doesn't have much rust. All it really needs to be on the road is a new battery a tune up/carbs adjusted and tires. It is a big bike but it is very comfortable and easy to ride. Please let me know if you have any questions. A $100 non-refundable deposit is due within 24 hours of the auction close. If the deposit is not paid within 24 hours, I will cancel the sale and re-list the bike. Full payment must be made within 3 days. The bike is being sold as is. I will ship the bike world wide at the expense of the buyer. All shipping arrangements are to be made by the buyer after full payment is received and cleared into my account. Pickup is encouraged and I can also deliver within 5 hours of Columbus, Ohio for a fee.

Trim ZN1300

1986 Kawasaki ZN1300 VOYAGER

Valparaiso, Indiana

6 CYLINDER-FUEL INJECTED

1984 Kawasaki Voyager zn1300 Does not run! Will trade

Ocoee, Florida

call txt 40734I688O will consider trading looking for enclosed trailer new tires and breaks before I parked it after it stopped running. fuel was not flowing due to corroded petcock. been sitting for a few years. clean title. pickerstv.com w40mm14th w40mm14 w40mm w40

1985 Kawasaki Voyager 1300

Spokane, Washington

Zn1300 Voyager 1300cc water cooled, fuel injected,6 cylinder! Runs well, rides nice. Only 31,000 miles, new front tire, rear still nice, new Napa battery, fresh oil and filter, tabs good till Feb 16. Seat in nice condition, paint has some cosmetic issues, areas of bad clearcoat, scratches, and some cracks in the plastics. Title in hand. $3000 or offers. Please call, No text 509-998-3589.

1985 Kawasaki Voyager 1300 New Price!!

Zn1300 Voyager 1300cc water cooled, fuel injected,6 cylinder! Runs well, rides nice. Only 31,000 miles, new front tire, rear still nice, new Napa battery, fresh oil and filter, tabs good till Feb 16. Seat in nice condition, paint has some cosmetic issues, areas of bad clearcoat, scratches, and some cracks in the plastics. Title in hand. $2000 or offers, possible trades. Please call, No text 509-998-3589.

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Kawasaki Kz1300

Kawasaki Kz1300 October 1 1981

KAWASAKI KZ1300

CYCLE WORLD TEST

Sometimes Bigger Is Just...Bigger

Motorcycles have always been bigger than a breadbox and smaller than an elephant. The smallest motorcycles that have ever been practical have had engines of about 50cc, while the largest practical motorcycles have had engines about 1300cc. There are reasons for both limits, a 50cc bike being about as small a machine as can haul a man and a 1300 being about as big a machine as a man can haul around.

Kawasaki’s KZ1300 entered the motorcycle world two years ago at the big end of the scale. It was several things besides huge. It was a huge Japanese motorcycle and it was a huge motorcycle with a huge collection of technological features.

Because of the way the KZ1300 came up with 1300cc of displacement, it was different from other big motorcycles. Certainly there have been other 1300cc motorcycles. And there have been six cylinder motorcycles. And there have been over-700 lb. motorcycles. But the Kawasaki 1300 is a collection of maximum dimensions. Equipped with Kawasaki’s own fairing and Kawasaki’s Vetter sad-

dlebags and top box the bike weighed 770 lb. with a half tank of gas. It has a wheelbase of 62.5 in., an overall length of 102 in. and a width of 41.5 in. from saddlebag to saddlebag. The windshield is 62 in. tall and the seat is 32.8 in. high measured without a rider aboard. It’s not one or two measurements that defines a bike, but the combination of all measurements, objective and subjective. And all those figures say the KZ1300 is enormous.

It is also a motorcycle that offers all the advancements of modern science. It is liquid cooled, has dual overhead camshafts, inhales through three dual-throat CV carbs, has electric fuel shut off, electronio ignition, air suction emission system, shaft drive, triple disc brakes, air assisted coil spring suspension front and rear, cast wheels, tubeless tires, auxiliary electric shut-off switch, self-cancelling turn signals that can, themselves, be cancelled, four-way emergency flashers, fuel and temperature gauges and thermostatically controlled electric fan.

Kawasaki’s KZl300 has, in short, everything anybody ever asked for on a motorcycle. It’s big, powerful, comfortable, quiet and smooth. Those are the qualities people asked for in a big highway bike and Kawasaki has provided those qualities.

That does not make the KZl 300 a success, however. About the only success for the KZl300 has been success in eluding possession by the American public.

The KZl 300 wasn’t just designed for long distance, it was designed by long distance. It shows all the classic symptoms of a product built for someone else. As long as the people designing the bike won’t be riding it, it doesn’t matter that the seat is high enough and the center of gravity is high enough to make hoisting the machine from the sidestand toan upright position a real challenge.

And it doesn't matter to someone who won’t be riding it that the engine heat is thoroughly trapped by the fairing so that a rider is seared on a hot day.

Being designed by long distance means that the qualities that can be defined analytically are done superbly, while the subjective qualities are what suffer. So the KZl300 is a mechanically stunning motorcycle. The engine is a six cylinder inline, dual overhead camshaft, liquid cooled design with enough chains running around inside it to anchor the Enterprise.

Engine width can be a problem with six cylinders in a row, so much of the KZ1300’s design is an attempt to narrow the engine. The liquid cooling means the cylinders can be spaced closer together. And the engine is undersquare with a 62mm bore and 71mm stroke, again to keep engine width down. By having a single 32mm Hy-Vo chain,drive a jackshaft behind the cylinders, there’s only one sprocket on the crank. From the jackshaft a 40mm silent-type chain drives the clutch. The camchain and an auxiliary shaft drivechain both are driven by the jackshaft. The auxiliary shaft operates the ignition and drives another driveshaft which operates the waterpump. While the mechanical paths of power on the KZl 300 are unusual, the rest of the engine is not. At least not in 1981. The dual camshafts operate the valves through shims, just like the system used on other Kawasaki multis. The air suction emission system on the 1300 is just like that on other Kawasakis, too. There are just two valves per cylinder, the alternator is on the righthand end of the crankshaft, the rubber-damped clutch is very much like other Kawasaki clutches and the five-speed transmission has a 2nd gear lockout for easy neutral finding.

Being like other Kawasakis, the 1300 naturally has lots of horsepower for its size and that horsepower is spread over a wide range of engine speeds. In the 1300’s case the redline is 8000 rpm where the engine is putting out something like 120 horsepower. Even at low revs the engine is powerful. Running down the road in high gear at 3500 rpm the rider doesn’t need to downshift for hills or passing unless he wants to leave his Honda-riding friends behind. A natural byproduct of cubic inches (or ccs) is torque. Having lots of displacement, the Kawasaki has lots of torque.

If there is a problem with the engine’s power delivery it’s that the engine combines massive power with minimum flywheel effect and too-sudden carb response. It’s not as easy to get underway on the Kawasaki as it is with other big bikes because the engine can die if the clutch is released while the engine is spinning at under 2000 rpm. It can’t be lugged at idle like a GS1100, for instance. So first-time riders kill the engine a time or two getting started. Then they grab a handful and sometimes get more than they want. The CV carbs are wonderful at providing quick throttle response, but for ease of riding, the response can be too quick.

Where the 1300 departs from normal practice is in the design of ancillary pieces. Printed circuits enable the electric fan motor to be shaped flat like a pancake. Combined with the thermostat and aluminum radiator, engine temperature will normally vary greatly, running right up to the maximum limits on the temperature gauge in city traffic before the fan comes on and cools the engine.

Controls on the 1300 aren’t standard Kawasaki. The lefthand control pod uses a rotating collar for headlight beam, there’s a rocker switch for four-way flashers and inboard of the flasher switch is another rocker switch to turn on or off the selfcanceling turn signals. The actual turn signal switch is below that and below the turn signal switch is a horn switch. That control pod is a small-scale example of how the 1300 works. Every possible switch is located there. All the switches work just as they’re supposed to. Yet the entire pod is so large because of all the switches that it’s difficult to reach some of the switches and the controls never become easy to use. The rider continually has to think that the parallel rocker switches should be switched in opposite directions for normal use and whenever the self-canceler is shut off, the flasher switch is usually turned on too, because it’s too close to the other switch.

One of the few changes made to the 1300 since its introduction has been to the suspension. The original 1 300 would bottom the rear suspension anytime two people rode the bike on anything rougher than a pool table. Now there are air assisted springs in the rear and the damping can be set to any of four positions. On minimum air pressure and damping the ride is soft and pleasant for one rider and still superior to the previous suspension for two-up use. For most two-up or fully loaded riding the pressure can be pumped up to 70 psi and the damping set to maximum. The ride is still pleasantly comfortable and supple, but it’s also controlled and doesn’t bottom. The interconnecting line makes filling the suspension units much easier and keeps pressure equal on both sides, a useful feature.

Suspension in front is the same massive air assisted forks. A single filler cap is used, now with a crossover tube linking the two fork legs. Spring rate is sufficient for the loads on the bike while comfort isn’t sacrificed. Considering the 770 lb. weight of the dressed Kawasaki, the sus-

pension does an admirable job of supporting the weight, providing a comfortable ride and enabling the machine to go around corners.

Keeping the wheels lined up and the suspension tied together is one of the more massive frames ever used on a motorcycle. It’s a double downtube full cradle type frame, using giant double wall downtubes and beefy cast junctions at the swing arm pivot. Other cast pieces are used at the end of the swing arm opposite the driveshaft housing. The frame is solid, doesn’t appear to flex and enables the Kawasaki to carry a heavy load. It also is big.

To make room for six big cylinders and all the other parts that must be sized accordingly the frame is long and tall and wide. That’s why it has a 62.5 in. wheelbase and why the seat is nearly 33 in. off the ground. More than just the physical size, the KZ1300 has its weight spread around the motorcycle and much of it up high. So when the machine is leaned onto its sidestand, even on flat pavement, it takes a lot of muscle to straighten up the bike.

That’s only the start of the mega-muscle routine required of the KZ1300 rider. The throttle return spring is excessively stiff, even for the three double-throat CV Mikuni carbs. And the clutch pull is firm, adding to the sensation that this motorcycle is being wrestled, not ridden.

What all the physical effort provides is for this huge motorcycle to go down the road, aimed at something, waiting for the rider to try and turn it. Yes, it can be turned. It can go around corners at a moderate pace and it doesn’t wobble or have a severe cornering clearance problem. The challenge of turning the 1300 is in giving it enough effort to get it heeled over, but then put enough pressure in the opposite direction to keep it from falling over. This is not one of those motorcycles that knows its own way around corners. It requires effort and concentration from the rider for any cornering.

In exchange for clumsy cornering and stiff controls, the KZ1300 provides stability. It will go straight down any road oblivious to crosswinds, trucks, road surface or wingtip vortices. When it’s going straight down a highway it rides pleasantly and the layout of the machine is reasonably comfortable. The seat is not plush. It’s a bit firm, but the shape is acceptable. The handlebars are an excellent bend for a touring bike equipped with a fairing. They come back just far enough without forcing a rider to lean back. The bend puts wrists at ease and helps the seat do its job. Even pegs and controls are convenient to reach. There is a noticeable amount of vibration that comes through the handlebars and other parts of the motorcycle. That vibration blurs the images in the mirrors and buzzes the riders. It combines with a booming resonance in the exhaust so that the 1300 is not a restful motorcycle to ride over long distances.

Braking performance of the 1300 is acceptable, but not comfortable. Use the front brakes hard and they produce some strange noises and generally indicate their dislike for such exercise. The front brakes also require a substantial effort for maximum braking pressure. Combined with the ponderous weight of the motorcycle, the brakes don’t encourage hard use, though they seem able to handle it.

Because this is a motorcycle for highway use, Kawasaki offers a full package of accessories. The fairing is Kawasaki’s own design, big enough to wrap around the wide gas tank. It’s also wide, tall and has spacious cargo room beneath the locking plastic covers. Since it was first produced the Kawasaki fairing has grown a pair of small air vents by the rider’s knees. They are there for good reason, but poor effect.

This is of special importance on the Kawasaki 1300 because of the great quantity of heat that is emitted from the radiator. When riding the bike on even a cool day there’s a blast of hot air running onto the rider’s legs. On a warm day that blast of hot air is enough to cause fatigue and make riding uncomfortable for even short distances. On a hot day the bike becomes unbearable. After a ride across town on the Kawasaki a rider can feel as if he’s done a half hour of calesthenics in a steam room.

Other accessories on the 1300 are made by Vetter. The two saddlebags and the top box are standard issue Vetter pieces with the name Kawasaki by Vetter on the luggage. As such the quality is very good and all the storage bins are large and relatively easy to use. There are some nuisances, however. The top box is not a quick release type, which would be preferable. Also, the lid to the box is held upright by a spring which is too short, forcing a rider to use one hand to hold up the lid while he packs the box. An inch-longer spring would allow the lid to hold itself up for loading. The saddlebags can be easily loaded when on the bike because of the angled design, but that same design creates excessive width on the massive Kawasaki. A solo bike that’s 42 in. wide from side to side becomes difficult to maneuver at times.

When a rider assembles a collection of accessories on a motorcycle he normally ends up with a pocket full of keys to operate all the different pieces. When a factory assembles all those parts there’s no excuse for not using one key for everything. The Kawasaki has four keys. The ignition key only operates ignition, the auxiliary ignition switch and a helmet lock. A second key opens the covers on the fairing storage pockets. A third key unlocks the top box and a fourth key unlocks and can disconnect the saddlebags.

Since the 1300 was introduced in 1979 it has been changed slightly. Besides the new rear suspension this year, the bike has undergone a minor restyling. The angular 5.6 gal. gas tank has been replaced by a more conventionally styled 5.4 gal. gas tank. The addition of gold pinstriping on the new black paint makes the 1300 appear smaller than it did. Chrome plating has been added to engine side covers and air filter side covers.

Most of the changes on the 1300 are small; even insignificant. The rearview mirrors are now tinted. Handgrip rubber is softer, though they don’t feel particularly different. There’s a passenger grab rail behind the seat. Two helmet locks are provided. An auxiliary electrical terminal is provided.

One change that isn’t for the better is the addition of the positive neutral finder. This prevents the bike from being shifted from neutral to 2nd. This also means that if the battery is low or the bike won’t start at high elevation it can’t be push started. That’s not a good idea.

While the Kawasaki 1300 suffers from a few irritating bad ideas, it does have an excellent collection of good ideas. It’s a mechanically sound bike, with incredible horsepower and torque. The rest of the drivetrain seems more than able to handle the power, with any easy shifting transmission and drive shaft that has very little slop and excellent manners under all conditions. The suspension shows a proper combination of spring and damping rates, plus it has air adjustability, equalizing tubes for the air pressure both front and rear and the rear damping is easily adjustable without tools.

If the bike’s accessories were less of a burden on the Kawasaki its inherent good points would make it an exciting motorcycle. And certainly some of the competition benefits from well thought out, carefully designed accessories that add to their motorcycles’ good points.

As it is, Kawasaki’s biggest touring bike is a sound machine that offers not quite as much comfort and ease of handling as other big bikes and provides a bit more horsepower in compensation.

In its present configuration, the KZ1300 demonstrates why bigger motorcycles haven’t been successful. There is a practical limit of weight and power and the 1300 is very close to that limit. For most riders it’s just a little over the edge.H

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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

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Pete's Strate Six from the UK

Robert Bolduc's ZRX 1300 From Canada

Dino's Brother's 1300 from South Africa

Patrick Bertoni at the track.

Phil's ZG 1300 from the UK

Otto Finke's 1300 from Germany

KZQ's 1300 at home in Bend.

Steve Hari's 1300 cc Limo Service in Melbourne Australia

KZQ's 1300 atop Pilot Butte in Bend, OR

Skull Duggery

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Welcome to KZ1300.com

KZ1300.com has been around in various forms for many years. I took over the domain about a decade ago and immediately set out to build a community of enthusiasts who were willing to share and learn about these fascinating bikes, nothing more, nothing less. This website and forum have up and running since that time and are well on their way to becoming the world’s best tech resource for Six Cylinder Kaws. Today we have over 1000 members from all over the world.

Some background on six cylinder bikes. There have only ever been twelve thirteen, with the best saved for last.

Benelli produced the first six cylinder road bike when it came out with the 750 Sei in 1972 in 1979 they upped the displacement to 900 CC by increasing the bore and stroke. Honda climbed in with the CBX 1047 in 1978. In 1981 Honda moved the CBX into the Sport Touring arena with the CBX-B, which incorporated a detuned engine (100 HP down from 105HP), mono shock rear suspension, air adjustable front forks, panniers and a fairing. For a time some CBXs were bored and stroked to 1400 cc and sold as one offs called the Samurai Six. (need documentation here, most likely done by a private third party.)

BMW's K1600 which comes in three variations was first debuted in 2009.

A company called Horex started hand building it’s VR6 in 2013 and is still in production today.

In 2016 FGR debuted it's Midalv 2500 V6. It's also a hand made bike and also the largest displacement production motorcycle available today.

Mike Hailwood made history in 1964 aboard Honda’s six cylinder 300cc RC 174 which was soon followed by the RC 165 and RC 166. (more information needed here)

Honda debuted it’s first 1000 cc GoldWings in 1974, The four cylinder engine morphed into a 1520 CC six in 1988. It was the first time that Honda chose to not match the number of carbs to the number of pots with two carbs servicing six pots. In 2001 Honda came out with the 1800 cc GoldWing.

In 1996 Honda offered a variation of it’s GoldWing stable by coming out with a very different bike built around a 1520 CC GoldWing engine. This bike named the Valkyrie was out fitted with a front tire that was nearly as large as most other manufacturer’s rear tires. With a totally different frame and six carburettors, the Valkyrie was truly it's own machine. There were three models available: The Standard, no saddle bags or wind screen, the Tourer with both and the Interstate which boasted a more complete front fairing, a stereo and a trunk.

I believe that in 1982 Honda came out with the variation on the Valkyrie which they dubed the “Rune”. It was a beautiful bike that featured the 1800 CC engine but added a magnificent trailing link front end that resembled a hugh chrome Praying Mantise.

In recent years Honda has been stripping down their GoldWings and calling them Valkyries and F6s.

In 1977 Laverda built a race specific 1000CC V6. Which put out 140 HO and was reported to be capable of 177 MPH.

Now for the best of the sixes.

In 1979 Kawasaki, not being a gambler, was in the enviable position of being able to see the other cards on the table and throw in with a design that was sure to rule.

Kawasaki’s 1300 was the first to be water cooled and shaft driven making it a good tourer with its more friendly ride position, unlike either of the others of which were more sport oriented. New Zelander, Graem Crosby raced one at Bathurst quite a famous Aussie race in its day. (Need documentation, more information). Arto Nyquist of Finland and Dave Taylor from England where notable for their endeavors aboard these beasts.

Kawasaki’s Z1300 and KZ1300 are liquid cooled 1286 CC transverse straight sixes that were manufactured between 1979 and 1989. The undersquare design keeps the engine width acceptable and the power curve flat. The shaft drive is dependable although it exhibits a tendency to torque jack under heavy acceleration. During it’s production run, a digital fuel injection system was adopted primarily to improve fuel consumption but also to pass new emissions regulations due out in 83, The digital injection system also brought along increased power and torque. The first carbureted bikes put out more than 120 HP the fuel injection was good for another 10 HP.

It’s been said that this is partly why Honda dropped the CBX in 82.

The Kawasaki Z1300 was manufactured in several versions, namely: Z1300, KZ1300, ZG1300 and ZN1300. It is the biggest model of the still-ongoing Z series that was started in 1972 with the Z1 (900). In the U.S., the model was equipped with a windshield, suitcase, and a redesigned frame. This new model was called "Voyager". In Europe, the traditional model was still available. The last 200 models (built in America as all Z1300 models were), built in 1989, have been called "Legendary Six", and were equipped with a special logo on the fuel tank to show that to the public. After a ten-year production run, Kawasaki's only liquid-cooled six-cylinder engine bowed out in 1989 after 20,000 KZ1300/Z1300 models and 4,500 Voyager models had been produced.

Cycle World tested the 1979 KZ1300's 0 to 1⁄4 mile (0.00 to 0.40 km) time at 11.93 seconds at 114.79 mph (184.74 km/h) and 0 to 60 mph time at 4.01 seconds

The old tech page has been reconfigured as a series of searchable articles. It can be accessed from any page by selecting the "FAQ" button near the top left corner.

To become a member just click the register button at the top right of this page.

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

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The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactor units. In such reactors, nuclear fuel is not replaced in the same way as in standard NPPs – partial replacement of fuel once every 12-18 months. Instead, once every few years the entire reactor core is replaced with and a full load of fresh fuel.

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The first in the history of the power plant refueling, that is, the replacement of spent nuclear fuel with fresh one, is planned to begin before 2024. The manufacturer of nuclear fuel for all Russian nuclear icebreakers, as well as the Akademik Lomonosov FNPP, is Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Joint-Stock Company (MSZ JSC), a company of Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL that is based in Elektrostal, Moscow Region.

The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactors of the icebreaking type. Unlike convenient ground-based large reactors (that require partial replacement of fuel rods once every 12-18 months), in the case of these reactors, the refueling takes place once every few years and includes unloading of the entire reactor core and loading of fresh fuel into the reactor.

The cores of KLT-40 reactors of the Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit have a number of advantages compared to the reference ones: a cassette core was used for the first time in the history of the unit, which made it possible to increase the fuel energy resource to 3-3.5 years between refuelings, and also reduce the fuel component of the electricity cost by one and a half times. The FNPP operating experience formed the basis for the designs of reactors for nuclear icebreakers of the newest series 22220. Three such icebreakers have been launched by now.

For the first time the power units of the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant were connected to the grid in December 2019, and put into commercial operation in May 2020. The supply of nuclear fuel from Elektrostal to Pevek and its loading into the second reactor is planned for 2024. The total power of the Akademik Lomonosov FNPP, supplied to the coastal grid of Pevek without thermal energy consumption on shore, is about 76 MW, being about 44 MW in the maximum thermal power supply mode. The FNPP generated 194 million kWh according to the results of 2023. The population of Pevek is just a little more than 4 thousand, while the FNPP has a potential for supplying electricity to a city with a population of up to 100 thousand people. After the FNPP commissioning two goals were achieved. These include first of all the replacement of the retiring capacities of the Bilibino NPP, which has been operating since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya TPP, which has already been operating for more than 70 years. Secondly, energy is supplied to the main mining companies in western Chukotka in the Chaun-Bilibino energy hub a large ore and metal cluster, including gold mining companies and projects related to the development of the Baimsk ore zone. In September 2023, a 110 kilovolt power transmission line with a length of 490 kilometers was put into operation, connecting the towns of Pevek and Bilibino. The line increased the reliability of energy supply from the FNPP to both Bilibino consumers and mining companies, the largest of which is the Baimsky GOK. The comprehensive development of the Russian Arctic is a national strategic priority. To increase the NSR traffic is of paramount importance for accomplishment of the tasks set in the field of cargo shipping. This logistics corridor is being developed due regular freight voyages, construction of new nuclear-powered icebreakers and modernization of the relevant infrastructure. Rosatom companies are actively involved in this work. Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL (Rosatom Fuel Division) includes companies fabricating nuclear fuel, converting and enriching uranium, manufacturing gas centrifuges, conducting researches and producing designs. As the only nuclear fuel supplier to Russian NPPs, TVEL supplies fuel for a total of 75 power reactors in 15 countries, for research reactors in nine countries, as well as for propulsion reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world runs on TVEL fuel. Rosatom Fuel Division is the world’s largest producer of enriched uranium and the leader on the global stable isotope market. The Fuel Division is actively developing new businesses in chemistry, metallurgy, energy storage technologies, 3D printing, digital products, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. TVEL also includes Rosatom integrators for additive technologies and electricity storage systems. Rosenergoatom, Joint-Stock Company is part of Rosatom Electric Power Division and one of the largest companies in the industry acting as an operator of nuclear power plants. It includes, as its branches, 11 operating NPPs, including the FNPP, the Scientific and Technical Center for Emergency Operations at NPPs, Design and Engineering as well as Technological companies. In total, 37 power units with a total installed capacity of over 29.5 GW are in operation at 11 nuclear power plants in Russia. Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Joint-Stock Company (MSZ JSC, Elektrostal) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fuel for nuclear power plants. The company produces fuel assemblies for VVER-440, VVER-1000, RBMK-1000, BN-600,800, VK-50, EGP-6; powders and fuel pellets intended for supply to foreign customers. It also produces nuclear fuel for research reactors. The plant belongs to the TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom.

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ROSATOM and FEDC agree to cooperate in the construction of Russia's first onshore SNPP

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