The Z1300 had six cylinders, water cooling, and shaft drive. The undersquare stroke of 71 mm and bore of 62 mm kept the engine width acceptable, but the high piston speed limited the maximum rpm figure. During its ten-year production run, fuelling was switched from carburetors to electronic fuel injection and suspension was upgraded to air systems front and rear. Fuel injection system was adopted primarily to improve fuel consumption, but as a bonus were increased power and torque. Although its straight-six engine was smooth, the motorcycle was heavy, expensive and thirsty, and the Z1300 sold poorly, particularly in Europe. One amateur reviewer on a modern website criticised the handling, stating it "wallowed, weaved and bucked", and the engine covered only 30 miles per UK gallon. When released, its output in excess of prompted France to introduce a limit on new motorcycles. However, no other EU country followed suit, and France is set to abolish the 100 bhp limit in 2016. 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. 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 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 motorcycle was discontinued in 1989 after 20,000 KZ1300/Z1300 models and 4,500 Voyager models had been produced. Cycle World tested the 1979 KZ1300's time at 11.93 seconds at and 0 to 60 mph time at 4.01 seconds.
In 1982, Swiss specialty car manufacturer Sbarro constructed a mid-engined sports car with hatchback bodywork called the Sbarro Super Twelve. The Super Twelve had an inline twelve-cylinder engine which consisted of two "joined" Z1300 engines. The two engines were not a unit, as such, they were connected only by belt. Each engine kept its own gearbox and drove its own rear wheel. The car weighed and produced. Performance was described as "ferocious". Only one was ever built.
In 2008, noted British engineer and motorcycle customizer Allen Millyard built a one-off 2300 cc version of the Z1300 by joining two Z1300 engines together in a V-12 configuration.
