Those Z1R Unique Gauges

Zinnco gifted me with "fixin" a set of his Z1R gauges. Just sharing some of the special properties these ND gauges hold compared to ALL the others. The obvious difference in placement of Mileage and Trip registers, 180deg difference, renders this faceplate in it's own category, not to mention the hole in it for reset. Can't screw it-up because i don't know of an option for replacement. That "SPOON" removal of needle just jacks-up Your stuff!! I've mentioned it before but it's worth repeating!! Starting in around 1976 ND used a superglue type adhesive, much harder to remove needle off shaft. Spooning it warps the TWO brass E-clip locaters/shims you don't see but are there. So i just cut the needle off. Heat from cutting loosens-up the glue and saves the E-clips and SS shaft from getting snapped-off rendering the assembly useless. Had to have the faceplate bracket tack-welded on this one, was just flopping around. Anyhoot, here's what they look like..inside.          

@asphalt900
when you are servicing these gauges, do you mess with the accuracy of the gauge at all?
which now makes me wonder if the speedo drive gear is the same ratio on all these bikes. i feel like it can't be, from different wheel sizes. *thinking noises*

afaik. most KZs have a 26T speedo drive gear with 9T pinion. however. since it has 18" wheels. the Z1R could be 25T w 9T. not sure about the pinion. many Kawasakis are 9T.  the teeth count is listed w some models. 1000-E2 for example.

A related note for anyone messing with unique Z1-R gauges.  The small fuel and amp gauges are super unique to the Z1-R.  I don't know of any other Kawasaki model that used anything similar.  

They look a bit like a miniature version of the standard speedo/tach gauges.  They are built into a similar metal cup, and the front ring is crimpled on in a similar fashion.  

On these small gauges, the two rear mounting posts also serve as the electrical connections.  The gauges are held in place by a stack of nuts and lock washers and insulating washers that also includes the ring terminals for the wiring harness.  The only way to remove the gauges is to remove all the nuts and terminals and bits.

Here is a word of caution for anyone messing with these small gauges.  You must grip the post firmly when trying to remove the nuts and do not let it rotate in the gauge.  If the post rotates, it will damage the internal structure inside the gauge, and likely break the small wire soldered to the inside end of that post.

Inside the gauge, the brass posts are set into a piece of plastic.  I think the inside portion of the post is square.  But that plastic is 50 years old, and at this point it's very brittle.  It's very easy to crack the plastic, which allows the post to spin.  And it doesn't take much rotation of the post to break the wire connected to the post.  Once that happens, you have a broken gauge that is very hard to replace.

Random photos from the web: