TOPIC:

super cool build man!
built from spare parts sounds like it is time to replenish the ol"parts stash

thanks for posting

leon

Can someone tell me what the little frame pipe sticking out behind the left hand side side-cover, just behind the date stamp on photo. I have seen this on other frames but what is it for?

Bozo wrote: Can someone tell me what the little frame pipe sticking out behind the left hand side side-cover, just behind the date stamp on photo. I have seen this on other frames but what is it for?

Are you ready for this one???? You might not believe this!!!!!!

That is Kawasaki's answer to problems with bike theft and insurance companies charging high premiums or refusing to insure certain models that had high theft rates...seriously!

Kawasaki sold, as an option, a scrawny length of aircraft cable or something like it, with a closed loop at both ends, as a "theft prevention" device. The cable was stored in that spigot welded to the frame. The idea was you removed the cable, looped it around some part of the bike and maybe a solid object like a light standard, then back to the helmet lock, I think. That was supposed to keep a would be thief from stealing the bike.....

I've never seen an actual cable, but have seen partial pictures of them....it looks like a good wire cutter would cut it. The later GPz has the spigot welded to one of the front down tubes just under the steering head, in front of the cylinders....

serious?, I've seen these spigots but have never seen anything in them, thankyou for your information. I just wish I ground the thing off before painting the frame. cheers

Bozo wrote: serious?, I've seen these spigots but have never seen anything in them, thankyou for your information. I just wish I ground the thing off before painting the frame. cheers

Yep, serious - I first read that in a magazine road test of the KZ1100A back in 1981. They compared the KZ to the CBX, and had a section on both Honda's and Kawasaki's different approaches to "security".......

The cable lock that went in there was part number K28000-303. Here's the only picture I could find. Ed

Damn, the cable looks good at least. I had a similar unit to secure my Z1R in 1979 onwards.

Thanks for the information.

GORGEOUS. Grab yourself a cable and put a stamp on the build. It's the final piece.

Here I am trimming the weight off franki to a reasonable level, heck even I lost weight and you want me to add a chunk of steel to the frame to prevent a thief from.......................doing what? LOL especially with the value of parts for these bikes.

Back again, I have a question for anyone who knows something about the GPZ900R / 750/1100A rear suspension which I have on my Frankinbike.

I just changed the oil on the rear shock because it was too firm and not really compliant (It doesn't appear to have much travel i.e around 50mm on the swingarm end) and is a bit tough on my back over bumpy roads, is that normal?

The shock is standard with around 8psi of air, I just changed the oil to ATF hoping to get a better response (I drained around 180ml and added the same amount through the valve). I played with the dampening rod but I still can't get the rear end to absorb the bumps well. I believe the lower linkage can only go one way.

Any help would be appreciated

Bozo wrote: Here I am trimming the weight off franki to a reasonable level, heck even I lost weight and you want me to add a chunk of steel to the frame to prevent a thief from.......................doing what? LOL especially with the value of parts for these bikes.

Also, once installed, there is no going back. The end of the cable that goes into the frame has a device like a spring loaded drywall anchor that prevents removal for ever. I have read that they were also prone to leaking, allowing water to get into the frame. It was an interesting idea, but not well thought out.

Bozo wrote: Back again, I have a question for anyone who knows something about the GPZ900R / 750/1100A rear suspension which I have on my Frankinbike.

I just changed the oil on the rear shock because it was too firm and not really compliant (It doesn't appear to have much travel i.e around 50mm on the swingarm end) and is a bit tough on my back over bumpy roads, is that normal?

The shock is standard with around 8psi of air, I just changed the oil to ATF hoping to get a better response (I drained around 180ml and added the same amount through the valve). I played with the dampening rod but I still can't get the rear end to absorb the bumps well. I believe the lower linkage can only go one way.

Any help would be appreciated

You should have closer to 100 mm of rear wheel travel!

Can you see if the shock is using all of it's travel? If it is using all of the shock's travel, then this might be a linkage issue with attaching the linkage to the frame using the old center stand pivot like that. I'm not sure if that will give the same linkage ratio as the GPz Uni-Track had.....

Could be that you are compressing the shock fully with only half the intended wheel travel - which would make the ride very stiff (about twice) I think.

I'll have a look at my frames later today to compare the linkage mounts on the GPz with a standard twin shock frame and let you know what I see...