Regarding 1979 A1 oil consumption. Mine used from day one, and yes, I followed mfrs break in process to the 'T'.
Same as my 79. The bike eventually spun a main bearing - I ran it low on oil too many times. The fact that these early models burned so much oil, is why Kawasaki installed a higher capacity sump and an oil level sensor (but curiously, removed the oil pressure sender) on some later models - although, but then, the excessive oil consumption problems had been solved.
Good reminder Bucko. 1983's and newer did not have the oil pressure switch. Dumbest move yet on part of Kawasaki. I'd rather know when I lost oil pressure and I'm about to spin a bearing than know that I'm low on oil. I'm sure that drilling/tapping a hole in an oil gallery and installing a $10 switch is cheaper than installing a switch inside the oil pan and then routing a wire out through the crankcase.
I'm also more in favor of a pressure gauge than an indicator light. lower oil pressures than "normal" has meaning and tell you that you're about to get in trouble before actually being in trouble.
Oil pressure at idle on a hot engine with old oil can get as low as 8 - 10 psi and still providing just enough lubrication so the turn on point of the pressure switch is 8 psi so that the light doesn't come on. 15-20 psi is where I like to see oil pressure at idle. When I see pressure under 20 psi, I consider an earlier oil change and also suspect maybe low oil level causing the oil to be thinner due to heat.
Then there's also times when the oil pressure could be too high if the relief valve is stuck closed. Don't want that either.
Gauges tell a story. Switches just tell you that something is wrong and you should stop the engine. That's why the light is red and not yellow. Red - stop, yellow - caution.
