With today’s specialized frames, wrapped around the specific engine they were designed for with no room to spare, we seldom see builders mixing and matching in a way that was common in years past. There are exceptions, like Norm Wilding’s Kawabusa, for instance, a ZRX with Hayabusa power, but most of the customs work with the engine they came with.
Mick King, whose NSU powered Norton we recently wrote about, built another Norton framed custom he called the NorKaw, this time with Kawasaki Z1 power. At the time it was built, in the early 1970s, the Norton featherbed frame was held in high regard and the brand new Kawasaki Z1 was impressing everyone with its inline 4. Mick thought the two might make an interesting pair so he introduced them to each other in his shop and the NorKaw rolled out.
The frame is from a 1968 Norton Atlas with Commando forks and a Yamaha TD3 hub laced to a 19 inch rim. Instruments and electrics are Z1 except for the Commando headlight. The lower frame tubes had to be dropped about 2 and a half inches to accommodate the new engine. The header pipes were Siamesed to clear the down tubes and run into Dunstall silencers.
The finished bike weighed 450 pounds, about 50 pounds lighter than the Z1, and with the Z1’s electronic ignition, brought higher reliability than you had with the stock Norton. Mick says the handling was superb.
The whole project took only about 350 hours and cost, in 1974 dollars, was only 2500 bucks. Looks like a winner. I like it!
Chris says
That front brake scares the crap out of me.
Gorgeous bike, though.
Mule says
I love this combo! The front brake is gorgeous, but I agree, scary stuff for that weight and power!
Thom says
The front brake doesn’t scare me so much, it’s HUGE. Gorgeous bike….
Den says
Love that bike, so cool!
QrazyQat says
Those 4-shoe front brakes did a pretty nice job of stopping things. (A Fontana would be even prettier, but getting one would be very pricey, I’d think.)
tim says
You can also buy Grimeca replicas, but $$$$$$$.
I love this sort of stuff, great find!
Skizick says
Not as Sexy as the NorVin but that’s just taste. Who needs a front brake anyway. Motorcycles are for GO! Not stop.
mule says
It’s those darn corners that mess everything up!
On the drum front brake thing, I’ve been doing a lot of shopping for those lately. They are all very expensive. The Grimeca is the cheapest at about $825.00 US. They go up drastically from there!!
baddad says
It is nice, but original Z900 is much more nicer
Phil says
Having ridden a Z-1 900 (albeit an 1170), I will be the first to say, the Kawi frame is far inferior to those on the Brit bikes of the day, the Kawi was (and is) a flexible flier. Fast, but great for scaring the hell out of you on rapid slow downs, it shudders and shakes badly.
Sick Cylinder says
Absolutely gorgeous!
Please keep the features on classic specialscoming.
Boog says
Hmmm….this is like Prince William marrying Lucy Liu.
mechtech retired says
The front brake had skads of reserve braking left in it- felt very much like dual discs brakes.
The deal is that they are by nature a very fussy brake to set up! particularly with new shoes etc-its almost like tuning a darn piano- unless you are lucky! it can use up several hours work! there is a> formula for setting them its in the earlier TD 350 service manuals as i recollect!
Mickster
John S says
Hmmm… $2,500 dollars in 1974. That’s like $25,000 today. Not so cheap.
mechtech retired says
Hmmm! $2,500 bucks in the seventies!! was worth apx $12,500 bucks today Buddy!! soo thats quite a steal for the builder eh!
Ken says
I have known Mike King for about 15 yrs and I have never met anyone with greater vision and natural genius. Mike has devoted a great deal of his life to motorcycles has earned the credit and respect of many people. I am very fortunate to have worked and learned from Mike. Keep Riding Buddy and Thanks for everything (Including your daughter)