TOPIC:

I got my shims in but I'm still waiting for my cover gasket and bat wing tool. I guess I'll clean/rebuild the carbs while I'm waiting for those. I was looking at my brake rotors and noticed they look quite wavy. How bad should this be before I get concerned? Can they be turned or should they just be replaced? If they need replacement any recommendations?

I think, in the workshop manual there should be tolerences for disk warpage (? Is that a word?) .For replacement discs,Ive heard good things about these people;
www.isrbrakes.se/

Regarding the rotors - these folks can properly resurface them. Ed

www.truedisk.net/

Bat wing tool? That's just for shim over lifters. If you have shim under you have to take out the cams. I'd do it one by one being sure you don't change the timing. I don't have a stock head light on mine ether. I have a Vetter head light bucket. Mine was damaged in the wreck and I had one on hand so I used it. It has a ring that spins with a ratchet lock so it's easy to change bulbs. The bolts are tight enough to keep it from moving. My bike is not bone stock. I changed things to my taste. I like it and that is all that matters to me. I like the new one you have. BIG improvement. The 80's was a lame decade in my opinion. Everything was squared.
Steve

GPzMOD750 wrote: I got my shims in but I'm still waiting for my cover gasket and bat wing tool. I guess I'll clean/rebuild the carbs while I'm waiting for those. I was looking at my brake rotors and noticed they look quite wavy. How bad should this be before I get concerned? Can they be turned or should they just be replaced? If they need replacement any recommendations?

You need to buy the Kawasaki Service Manual before doing any more work on your bike!

It is obvious from your mention of the "batwing tool" that you do not know how to change shims. That tool won't help as it is not possible to change your shims without removing the cams. Trying to change shims without the manual will be a costly mistake. It's even possible you haven't correctly measured the clearances, so you may not even need to change shims, but the manual will enable you to check everything out. If you get the manual you will see how to do all the maintenance and repairs on your bike. The manuals are usually available on ebay. Be sure to get one for your bike's exact year & model as there are differences. Ed

Yup.
Steve

swest wrote: Bat wing tool? That's just for shim over lifters. If you have shim under you have to take out the cams. I'd do it one by one being sure you don't change the timing.

Crap! I was doing some research and thought I saw others using this thing on KZs, My bad! It hasn't shipped yet so I'll see if I can cancel the order.

swest wrote: I don't have a stock head light on mine ether. I have a Vetter head light bucket. Mine was damaged in the wreck and I had one on hand so I used it. It has a ring that spins with a ratchet lock so it's easy to change bulbs. The bolts are tight enough to keep it from moving. My bike is not bone stock. I changed things to my taste. I like it and that is all that matters to me. I like the new one you have. BIG improvement. The 80's was a lame decade in my opinion. Everything was squared.
Steve

I agree, I;m going to do this to my taste as I go and as budget allows, If I had gotten it with the stock fairing I might not worry about it but since I didn't that thing needed to go. The brackets have an offset to them bias upwards. I figured if I flipped them over and swapped them around I would look more aggressive. One of the mounts is slightly bent and they kind of rotate inwards to hold the Spectre bucket so I'm thinking I'll have to bend them a little bit , make some spacers. or go with some aftermarket mounts. I think I'll need to build a shroud around the instrument cluster so it doesn't look so ugly once the headlight is dropped.

Hopefully, you didn't get the cover bolted on just yet, without the manual. If the camchain is a Hyvo, you need to release the camchain tensioner before installing the valve cover or you will over-stretch the cam chain and wear out the guides.

I had a Suzuki quarter faring on my bike in the wreck. It turned into shards of plastic that literally cut me a new A hole. I still have scars on my arms from it. The quarter faring looked great and I could tuck in behind it at high speeds. It looked like the one meant for your bike just for a round head light. I wanted a dash for it too but didn't get around to it. I don't ride like I use to so the one I have suits me just fine.
More pics, need more pics.
Steve

650ed wrote: You need to buy the Kawasaki Service Manual before doing any more work on your bike!

It is obvious from your mention of the "batwing tool" that you do not know how to change shims. That tool won't help as it is not possible to change your shims without removing the cams. Trying to change shims without the manual will be a costly mistake. It's even possible you haven't correctly measured the clearances, so you may not even need to change shims, but the manual will enable you to check everything out. If you get the manual you will see how to do all the maintenance and repairs on your bike. The manuals are usually available on ebay. Be sure to get one for your bike's exact year & model as there are differences. Ed

Working on getting a hard copy I've downloaded the .pdf and have a Haynes in hand I've also checked on here and other places online to double check, I'm a machinist and a gunsmith and I'm pretty sure it the valves need adjustment , Little to no compression is a big hint as well. The batwing thing is a noob mistake, thanks for the heads up, This isn't my first go at reviving a vehicle, just the first bike and engine that uses shims.

Make a chart in your manual or keep on your wall. You can adjust them now and reuse the gasket as long as it isn't trashed. I use silicon on one side and reuse mine. Once adjusted they can last for a few thousand miles. In your case, you might want to recheck them after 500 or so to make sure and adjust if needed.
Steve

swest wrote: I had a Suzuki quarter faring on my bike in the wreck. It turned into shards of plastic that literally cut me a new A hole. I still have scars on my arms from it. The quarter faring looked great and I could tuck in behind it at high speeds. It looked like the one meant for your bike just for a round head light. I wanted a dash for it too but didn't get around to it. I don't ride like I use to so the one I have suits me just fine.
More pics, need more pics.
Steve

Yeah I was thinking about a round light fairing but I like to ride naked anyway, Not much has changed from the last pic yet except I moved it to the opposite corner of the garage.

Thanks for the info on the brakes. You too Davido. Looks like grinding is the prescribed way to resurface if they are savable, Makes sense since they are fairly thin to begin with. I could take them to work and turn them PDQ but I don't have access to the type of grinder they're obviously using. It seems it's kind of a toss up between getting new ones and resurfacing. In this scenario I would opt for replacement as long as they are OEM quality or better. As for having rotors sent from Sweden, I'm sure it would cost more than I have in the bike so far.