TOPIC:

Alright so i finally got my 1980 KZ750 E to run right after a while of it not running at all! im happy now its been through a cafe racer redo. but i had a problem after my first ride..... i relocated my break light right under the loop i welded in the frame. it looks neat, only problem i came back from my first right and my light was gone...... i must have hit a bump and my wheel ate the light .
any recommendations for a harder set of rear shocks????? not looking to break the bank with high tech or anything. same height and a harder spring rate will be fine.
anything helps! thanks

I bought 3 years ago a set of shocks from Z1Enterprises. They have a really good chrome finish and are certainly way stiffer than stock... Jeff told me they were for bigger KZ´s like 900/1000; but they fit 650/750. I ride sometimes with my brother: 110kg + 100kg = 210kg and they hold great.

Price was 89 USD by that time.

Harley-Davidson Sportster shocks are about the same length as the 750E's.
HD oem should be ~!3.5" or so, but there are also lowering & hugger shocks which range from 10-12" in length.
You'll have to swap bushings & the bottom eye is a tad too wide for the swing arm mount, so you'll either have to spread open the mount or grind down the eye 2-4mm.

Replacing the shocks is not the solution to your problem. Either limit the travel of the rear wheel or re-locate the light. No matter how stiff your shocks are sooner or later you will hit a bump that again allows the rear wheel to contact the light.

Or you'll need a kidney belt.
Steve

baldy110 wrote: Replacing the shocks is not the solution to your problem. Either limit the travel of the rear wheel or re-locate the light. No matter how stiff your shocks are sooner or later you will hit a bump that again allows the rear wheel to contact the light.

This is true. Although you get shocks that have a very short travel length. I doubt you will find anything long enough with short travel unless you go custom.

If the current shocks work well you may want to see if you can use longer bumpers on the shocks' shafts to limit the travel. I don't know if that's easily done, but you may be able to do it. Ed

The stock shocks probably weren't that great to begin with & now they're old.

I forgot to mention that the Sportster shocks may contact the chain guard a little.
I don't think it's much of a problem, especially with a plastic chain guard.

undiablo wrote: I bought 3 years ago a set of shocks from Z1Enterprises. They have a really good chrome finish and are certainly way stiffer than stock... Jeff told me they were for bigger KZ´s like 900/1000; but they fit 650/750. I ride sometimes with my brother: 110kg + 100kg = 210kg and they hold great.

Price was 89 USD by that time.

I bought same shocks from Z1. Good to know I'm not the only one. They are pretty stiff and I think they are perhaps 2or 3cm (about an inch) longer.

I found with the longer shocks I had to check chain feee play with both wheels on the ground. If I checked free play with bike on centre stand and adjusted as described in the manual then the chain was to tight when wheels hit the ground. Took me a while to figure out a strange bump bump bump noise at about 50kph

Not wishing to hijack someones thread but just something to be aware of when changing shocks

Move the light.
Steve

swest wrote: Move the light.
Steve

HA ha.. sometimes the obvious solutions are, well F'n simply obvious!!

im trying not to move the light. i understand its sooo ovious but if i can leave it where it is. its going to look the best. (not all about look blah blah blah).

probably gona try the kz900 shocks. the bump i hit was a rather heavy one as i didnt see it.

there are around 3 inches of travel before contact. a bump stop wouldnt be a bad idea either.
i could put the light on the license plate but im gonna leave that as a last resort.