What possible reason was it removed? It was hardly picked anyways, but was great for certain champions at the time in certain situations.
Oh wait, I know why they removed it! It wasn't useful on any of their pet favorite champions!
LyingOnLine4 votesIt was like the second least purchased item, after Ohmwrecker (and we all know how legendarily useless that is).
Also it had a horribly confused design.
Paroe1 votesIt was like the second least purchased item, after Ohmwrecker (and we all know how legendarily useless that is).
Also it had a horribly confused design.
Confused? Attack speed, movement speed, AD, and tenacity.
Thats not confused. Thats an item that says "im for split pushing"
LyingOnLine3 votesNo, it's an item that says "I do everything, but just barely".
Paroe1 votesNo, it's an item that says "I do everything, but just barely".
Not... really. You do realize that split pushing doesnt need crits, right? You need attack speed and AD. But to be a SUCCESSFUL split pusher you also need to be able to escape; Zephyr was an item that augmented ones ability to escape.
Theres a reason why immobile champions arent usually dedicated splitters.
LyingOnLine3 votesI'm talking about its stat profile. Splitpushers usually wanted something to either deal damage in bursts, waveclear, or get more tanky(i.e. Triforce, Hydra, BC); where AS/AD/MS is a very ADC stat trio. And to top it all off, the stats Zephyr gave were just weak in any given category. If you weren't an autoattacker who scaled off of AS as well, you had no reason to build it. In addition, there were other combinations of items that just gave you better power spikes, built easier, and had superior passives.
Literally the only reason you'd see it in most cases was ADCs using it as a boot replacement in the ultra-late game.
Paroe1 votesI'm talking about its stat profile. Splitpushers usually wanted something to either deal damage in bursts, waveclear, or get more tanky(i.e. Triforce, Hydra, BC); where AS/AD/MS is a very ADC stat trio. And to top it all off, the stats Zephyr gave were just weak in any given category. If you weren't an autoattacker who scaled off of AS as well, you had no reason to build it. In addition, there were other combinations of items that just gave you better power spikes, built easier, and had superior passives.
Literally the only reason you'd see it in most cases was ADCs using it as a boot replacement in the ultra-late game.
Thats... not true at all. Zephyr+tiamat was, on its own, extremely potent waveclear. Zephyr had; 25 AD 50% Attack speed (THIs IS THE IMPORTANT THING. ZEPHYR WAS AN ATTACKSPEED/TENACITY ITEM) 10% movement speed 25% tenacity
Its a spread of stats, but its a very powerful spread of stats... when put in a split push position. Its not a carry item, its not an onhit item, its just an item. It was probably one of riots best designed items tbh; entire champions werent made or broken by it.
LyingOnLine3 votes{quoted} It was probably one of riots best designed items tbh; entire champions werent made or broken by it.
Because none of them used it.
Paroe1 votesIt was probably one of riots best designed items tbh; entire champions werent made or broken by it.
Because none of them used it.
INDEED.
Champions were NOT made or broken by it.
Zephyr was a SITUATIONAL ITEM that WORKED WELL ON CHAMPIONS WHO SPLIT PUSHED AND LACKED A DASH/FLASH.
Champions like 
were all champions who could utilize zephyr as split pushers.
Thats the thing about BALANCED ITEMS. They ARE situational and they ARENT 100% core. Morellos is NOT a balanced item, IE and hurricane are NOT balanced items. Theyre over powered items, and thats why theyre in 90% of games.
LyingOnLine2 votesSo is Doran's blade an overpowered item? Doran's ring? Is Ohmwrecker balanced?
If an item isn't built, what's the point in having it in the first place?
Paroe1 votesSo is Doran's blade an overpowered item? Doran's ring? Is Ohmwrecker balanced?
If an item isn't built, what's the point in having it in the first place?
Ohwrecker is a joke item about a defunct youtuber. It hasnt been and probably wont be removed because someone at riot likes the joke. Doran items arent KEPT. theyre not 'part of a build'.
If an item is built by a niche, it means the item is situational. If an item is built by almost everyone, it means the item is over powered.
By your logic all items not 
should be removed.
LyingOnLine3 votesIf an item's not being built on at least a semi-regular basis, there's probably something wrong with it and it needs some work. Riot has tried forever to come up with a proper place and stats for Ohmwrecker's turret shutdown niche, but even they have admitted it's far more likely to just end up deleted.
Now for the second part of this blithering. Nobody is saying anything about items that are only core on some champs. The problem with Zephyr is that it was core on 0 champs. Nobody fucking built it. It wasn't even niche, it was just bad.
DonnieDarkin1 votesIt was brilliant on Aatrox. Fixed his ability to stick and helped him not be as easily bursted down because you could get your tenacity from it and still be able to buy ninja tabai or berserker greaves, or stack it with boots of swiftness
DonnieDarkin1 votesWho cares! was it hurting the game in any way? No. So just leave it for those who did like it.
Narsicus3 votesIt was removed because no one built it.
On another note, I was thinking about Zephyr the other day and how Aatrox would probably like the item put back in. Then I realized that ever since Trinity moved from Zeal to Stinger it fills many of the roles that Zephyr did and even more.
Trinity has Attack Speed, AD, and MS (admittedly slightly less AS and MS). Additionally Trinity has: Health, 20% cdr, 200% sheen proc, and mana.
It isn't a 1-1 item to Zephyr admittedly, but it is very similar and in most circumstances significantly better.
DonnieDarkin1 votesTrinity force is very expensive, so an early zephyr on Aatrox was better. 10% movement speed and the tenacity? He needs all of that soooo badly. Any CC shuts him down, since he needs to attack to live.
warpenguin5551 votesWho even bought that item besides hecarim?
DonnieDarkin1 votesAatrox. My old favorite item on him.
CrossbowRanger1 votes6 of these things on 
6Sfool1 votesIt was core on some of my champs. Now If I want attack speed on a jungler I have to take bloodrazor. I no longer play attack speed junglers. Why the hell does every attack speed item have to be all about on-hit or crit?
DonnieDarkin1 votesBecause Riot is a very uncreative company with limited ideas
SlaktarTasken1 votesI used to love swapping bots for Zephyr lategame before, it gave pretty nice stats for champs that scale of AD without having to sacrifice too much mobility.
Problem is, that was just about the only use the item had, for me at least.