'70 KZ 650 SR

Here's a project bike I just picked up a couple of days ago. Runs good, doesn't look so hot. I took off that stupid wood box, and am casting about for a new seat, so that will help.

You can see more photos here. Please look them over. I've got some questions.

www.flickr.com/photos/8629311@N06/sets/72157600825800400/

What's the diff between a CSR and an SR? B1 and E1? Do you see anything wierd or out of place? The fuel petcock won't go on reserve, so that must be aftermarket. Anything that you notice or comment on will be appreciated. I am totally new to a 650.

My goal is to spiff this up a bit, put on some pods and get a bit more power out of it, and make it a daily commuter. And over time to restore it to a reasonable extent.

D'oh! It's a 1979, not a 1970.

cool bike, that's the one on craigslist you were debating about a few weeks ago right? Glad to hear you took off the wooden box. How much did you end up picking that bugger up for?

You might have hit a real homerun there. As I was looking at the pic you posted I noticed that it has CV carbs on it which are not original. Then when I looked at the Dyno cover I noticed that it is from an 82 or 83 style motor. I would check the casting on the cylinder to see if it is a 650 it is possible somebody put a 750 engine in that bike. Either that or you have an engine from an 82 or 83 650 CSR.

Oh and I also noticed that your clutch cable is not routed correctly.

Post edited by: The Gringo, at: 2007/07/16 19:49

The engine number is KZ650 DE 051934. Frame is KZ650D-02064. Does that tell you anything?

I ended up giving $800 for it, which was probably high, but it did come with an extra set of mirrors.

Well I checked Zedders site and it is of no help because they list no info on the 650. However the dead give away as to whether the engine has been changed out would be the kickstarter or lack of one. The original 79 650 SR's came with a kickstarter, looking at the engine in your bike I suspect it does not have one. My guess is that engine came from either an 82 or 83 CSR 650. The cooling fins on the cylinder head have a different shape and the ends of the cam cover look different as well and that is what I'm seeing on your bike.

Okay just to satisfy my own curiousity I went and checked your original post on this bike and looked at the pics from the CL listing. I can see that there is no kicker lever so that along with the CV carbs and different engine covers and cylinder head leads me to believe that it is either an 82 or 83 engine. Did whomever changed the engine adapt the electronic ignition or did they keep the points setup from the 79 engine? Also since you have CV carbs I'd think twice about changing over to pods. As I understand it they don't work real well with the pods. As long as it is running well I think I'd leave well enough alone JMHO.

I'll check and see if it has points or electronic ignition. That's good info about the pods. It's running well, smooth throughout the entire rpm range, just seems a little weak, no discernable power band. However, all I have to compare it to is my Z1, so I can't really say it doesn't have the power it ought to.

Anyway, I don't plan to monkey with the engine for now. I have to learn more about it, get a manual, and devote my $$ to getting a decent saddle and a few other cosmetics.

I don't even know what a CV carb is, but I can tell they're way different from the VM 28s on my Z1. That's where the manual comes in. I guess I'll get one that spans 82-82.

I don't see a kick starter either.

From the closeup shot in your last post that looks like a nice clean tight engine. Just a guess but I'd say it has less miles on it than the rest of the bike. One thing you might want to do if you are gonna use it as a commuter bike would be to ad one tooth to the countershaft sprocket. It will lower your highway revs a bit and really does not hurt the git up and go much at all. The 650 should get you awesome fuel mileage I had an 650 LTD as a demo back in the day and IIRC it would get about 61 mpg. That fugly seat has to go though. :laugh: I'd say you did pretty good on your purchase.

I think The Gringo is correct regarding your engine. (How did that guy gain all that wisdom, charm, and knowledge at such a young and delicate age? )If you look in the New Member forum under , "Greetings and Felicitations," you'll see a jpeg of my engine from a 1983 KZ650 CSR; it looks identical to yours.

Quick aside; how does one link from one thread to another or is that behavior discouraged?

That is definitely not the stock 650 engine for 1979. Already pointed out is the lack of a kickstarter (of course that can be removed easily enough), but the oil filler is forward of the clutch basket (the older 650s have it rearward next to the brake switch). The valve cover is of a different cast design, the CV carbs (already noted), and the airbox is not the same design as for a '79.

Looks nice and clean, though. You didn't get hurt for $800. Not at all.

Linking threads is fine. Just copy and paste the link in your address bar from the other thread. To make it pretty, format it as per the syntax you see when your mouse hovers over the URL button.