1978
Kawasaki KZ1000
Colours used
in this example.
Emerald green and Deep green set the main colour direction. Softer background tones keep the motorcycle in focus.
Suggested pencil shades, not exact factory paint matches. Test colours on your paper before building richer layers.
Keep highlights near the upper edges of the green panels.
Use light pressure on the fine double borders.
Layer grey first then deepen the recesses with charcoal.
Leave narrow paper-white highlights beside blue-grey shadows.
Keep the distant shapes lighter and softer than the motorcycle.
Look a little closer.
Explore the details from different angles.
1978 Spirit of America
1978 Spirit of America touring edition with cream-white tank, fairing and luggage plus coloured stripes. Different edition from the standard A2.
Photo: Mike Schinkel · Source · CC BY 2.01977 Z1000 profile
1977 Z1000 A1 with red bodywork and broad gold tank stripe. Earlier-year comparison.
Photo: SG2012 · Source · CC BY 2.01977 Z1000
1977 Z1000 A1 with dark-blue bodywork and fine pale tank lining. Earlier-year comparison.
Photo: Steve Glover at Flickr · Source · CC BY 2.01977 Z1000 road bike
1977 Z1000 A1 with red tank and side panels. Earlier-year comparison.
Photo: SG2012 · Source · CC BY 2.01977 Z1000 detail
Rear view of a 1977 Z1000 with red bodywork and touring luggage. Earlier-year comparison.
Photo: Niels de Wit from Lunteren, The Netherlands · Source · CC BY 2.01978 A2 colours
The contemporary 1978 road test names Luminous Green and Luminous Red from Kawasaki’s brochure. The tested red bike carries gold tank striping. Other market-specific editions have different finishes.
- Luminous GreenAlternative tank and side-panel colour
- Luminous RedAlternative tank and side-panel colour
- Gold stripeTank striping
Screen swatches are a colouring guide rather than exact paint matches.
The white touring edition and 1977 A1 photographs are not standard 1978 A2 paint references. Their visible colours are shown separately.
In the photographs
The gallery shows a cream-white 1978 Spirit of America touring edition plus red and dark-blue 1977 Z1000 A1 comparisons. These are different editions or years from the standard 1978 A2. Their colours therefore do not contradict the A2’s documented Luminous Green and Luminous Red options. The photographs do not establish the original paint on each individual machine.
- Cream-white
- Red
- Dark blue
- Gold lining
Visual colour guide only. These are not additional factory paint options.
In the coloured example
The green bodywork and gold-coloured tank lining follow the documented 1978 A2 colour direction. The pencil shade and stripe layout are approximations rather than a paint-code match.
Make the details count.
Trace the cream tank border before building the green layers.
Shade the four exhaust headers individually with blue-grey.
Use soft horizontal blue strokes for the coastal water.
Follow your curiosity.
Model history and further reading.