TOPIC:

Well guys, the Saab has been running great. I've been DD-ing it for nearly 2 months and my daughter is doing well learning to drive stick (gateway drug to motorcycles). I'm nearly at a good stopping point on fixing it up that I can start back up on the KZs again.

I have some actual KZ news, sorta. I found an intact KZ700 side panel and since I got the one broken one with the badge from ThatGPzGuy I'm good to go. Reminder; I'm not planning on using the GPz panels for much longer anyhow. I'll be using KZ750E panels with the GPz badges since I think it will give it a leaner and more retro look. I also am getting a triple tree assy from the same guy probably from the same KZ700 so I can put conventional bars on. I don't know exactly what bars I'm going to use but it's either going to be upright superbike, drag or inverted superbike bars. I'll have to try them out and see what I like. I already have the superbike bars that I'm going to take off the KZ1000 in exchange for the 750E bars I got from DoctoRot but need to get the drag bars.

I'm playing with the thought of dropping the head light a little along with the instrument panel. I just haven't decided how much and by what method(s). I'm also thinking about fabbing up a small bikini cowling to clean up the front end looks a bit. Can't decide on whether to use some aluminum sheet or fiberglass. I found a good set of front ZR(X) front blinkers at the bike boneyard and will be using those instead of the Chinese ones on it now.

It hasn't warmed up enough since November to even try to trouble shoot my issues but I'm hoping it won't be much longer. It did occur to me that when I put my coils on I used non resistor wires and I'm not using the resistor caps any longer either. Could that be part of my issue, Could the EM at WOT be interfering with the pick up coils? Should I try putting the resistor caps back on my new wires?

I don't run ether. I don';t care if the guys AM radio gets static as I ride past him.
Steve

swest wrote: I don't run ether. I don';t care if the guys AM radio gets static as I ride past him.
Steve

But it wouldn't cause any issues with my ignition system would it?

It shouldn't.
Steve

The triple clamp is here! Finish is bit rough but looks like it will work perfect.

I decided to take little field trip to the Cycle Gear store that recently opened in our neck of the woods. Lotsa stuff, I'll probably get myself in a heap ton of trouble in the upcoming future. I ended up getting a wifi sport cam for $80 and ordered a emgo drag bar for $18.

I believe I shall start working on the bikes again by next weekend.

Looking forward to seeing the drag bar mounted.......... next to a 4 into 1 it would have to be my 2nd fav mod.

OK, I have a little bit of progress. I swapped out the triple clamps. I put the super bike bars on which dropped the grips about 2 in. That felt pretty good but still felt a little high. I then flipped them over and that felt awesome! The problem is that with the switch gear and grips on they hit the tank before the triples hit the stops. It looks like it will have to be the drag bars then. The drag bars are back ordered and I'm not sure how long it will take before they come in, I guess I'll have to wait.

One thing I did do was mount my instrument cluster to the bottom of the triple clamp instead of the top which dropped it down about 1/2". Oddly the mounting point on the GPz clamp was only about half as thick and it wouldn't have been as low if I'd done the same on them.

Here's some pics anyways. You can see how little clearance the bars have on the last pic.

Chaparral has a large selection of bars. $25 range and UP.
Steve
www.chaparral-racing.com/product/bikemas...dlebar/311-0500.aspx

swest wrote: Chaparral has a large selection of bars. $25 range and UP.
Steve
www.chaparral-racing.com/product/bikemas...dlebar/311-0500.aspx

Thanks, I wont need them for another 3 weeks at least. I'll give them another week or so to get them in and then I'll go to the other bike supply in town and get some there...

I wonder if these will work they have a rise of 2 1/4" instead of 3.

www.denniskirk.com/emgo/chrome-7-8-in-cb...99795.prd/599795.sku

It turns out that the rise on the CB400F bars is actually only 1 1/2". even better. I called to see if I could add them to my order and I was told that the drag bars are now available but they needed an order of $50 (their cost) to make a special order. Looks like I'm going to go down there and add the CB bars, some clubman bars, maybe some grips and anything else in multiples if needed to get those things in and return what i don't need or want. They do have a return, no questions asked, 100% satisfaction guarantee. They need more of this stuff on their shelves anyway..

Development.

So I've been home sick for the past day and a half. One of those things where you aren't sick enough to be content laying in bed but feel crappy enough to not want to do anything. So having idle mind and hands I started thinking about my exhaust situation.

I'd like to get it set up better but haven't really known what to do. My biggest hurdle is that I don't have a welder and would have to clamp everything together and hope there is a suitable hanging point. This is OK function-wise but not always the most aesthetically pleasing. I did a small amount of stick and TIG welding nearly 25 years ago and I figure it shouldn't be too hard to get up to speed. Therefore, I started surfing around looking at welders starting with the Harbor Freight 90 amp flux wire special. I learned a few things about that and explored other options that use house current.

I mentioned this to my wife and she informed me that my kid had told her he would like to buy a welder too. This is excellent since he has been working in a metal fab shop and training as a welder while he has been doing the finish work. He wants to build his own fitness equipment and me, I want to make cool bike parts. So I've been looking at slightly nicer, more powerful welders that are capable of using gas as well. I think I've found a decent one for about $350 on Amazon but haven't quite made up my mind yet. For another $150-200 or so I can get a Hobart with about the same capabilities but that would have to wait longer for both mine and my kid's budgets. Either way I' thinking I have a MIG in my future.