My First Rebuild Project.

Hello everyone I’m new to the site and wanted to introduce myself and share my project (I know I am going to need some pointers down the road.) I have been riding motorcycles for many years and love to ride. I have an 05 Yamaha Road Star Warrior that I have done some modifications on, but nothing big. I have always wanted to build my own bike from the ground up but that is a lot of time and money. Then a couple of weeks ago this 1978 KZ 650 fell into my lap for free, so I thought it would be a great chance for me to see what I could do.

So after getting the history of the bike and doing some research on price and availability of parts I have decided to take on this challenge. The last owner (21 year old kid) had the carbs off and sprayed them with some cleaner and was not able to get the bike to run. He did not have the money to do much more than that with it and then he moved out of his grandfather’s house. He left the KZ there. His grandfather is a good friend and I help him around his house with projects whenever he needs it (Lives two house’s down) and asked me to come and get it out of his way, that he needed the room in his shed and that is how I became the new owner of an old 1978 KZ 650.

I plan to take it down to the frame and sand and paint the frame, then work my way back up to a completed and hopefully running KZ. I will make a few modifications but want to keep it old school as my friends have classified my new project, but that may change. I know that I am going to take my time and do it right or to the best of my abilities, so hope you guys don’t mind if a post a question now and again, I will also try to post a picture as things move along. Here are a couple of first day home pictures.








Here are some pictures after I got the dirt and junk cleaned off.








Well let me know what you think

Post edited by: Hawk_77336, at: 2007/08/19 21:42

That bike looks to be in good shape. Got my '78 650 in December and it has been an absolute blast riding that thing around. Mine did not run when i purchased, but i got it running the next day and it has never let me down. right now though, i have the engine/trans in my living room to get a new chain in there.

Hope to see your bike running soon, and you've definitely found the right place for help.
Oh, and check out z1enterprises.com

After looking at the other members project and how much that enjoy doing them I am looking forward to getting started. I have a 13 year old son that wants to help me rebuild the KZ and I think it would be a great starter baike for him in a couple of years and I think he would take better care of it if he help put the time into fixing it.

I am glad I have the 05 Warrior to ride so that I can take my time and do everything like I want it. I have been kicking around the ideal of the cafe style, clean and sleek. I would like to get the mag wheels, I have never like spoke wheels.:pinch:

I will post some more pictures as I get things going. From what I have been reading looks like a great group of people on this site.

Nice looking old bike you have there! I like the silver. I almost painted mine that color. Glad I went with the gold pearl thoughB)

Ride safe

Hawk,
I am in a similar situation as you. I am fairly new here also and find myself getting into a frame off restoration that started out as a carb cleaning and rebuild (how did that happen?)
Anyway, I picked up a running 79 1000LTD for $200 and a locked up 9.9 Evinrude.(which I thought was fair) It ran fairly well, but I thought it had more to give at the top end, and it bogged a little at take-off. It came with Kerker 4-1 exhaust and no other mods as far as I know. So, this is going to be a winter project while I also am working on getting a 77 650B running that I picked up on ebay last weekend for $150.00, and I only had to drive 2 hrs to pick it up. The 650 won't start, but turns over nicely, so I am starting with the basic tune-up along with cleaning the carbs and tank before investing further into the 650, Another site you might want to check out is PartsNMore. I was able to pick up both sets of points and condensors for $20.

Am I the only one that cant see the pictures?

Nope, I can't either. But it sounds like it looks cool.

I see the pictures, thanks.

Welcome to all the new members.

This site has a bunch of 650 info: www.kz650.info/

RATS.
I can't see the pics, either. Bummer.

I can see them now. Were are the carbs?

I dig that tank color man!

They were off when I got the bike with a few other things, the kids grandfather that I got the KZ from said that he had it running a little so I know the motor is not locked up. I got two wooden pallets from work and I have all the parts laid out on them to keep everything form getting damaged. I got my KZ 650 manual today so I am going to start taking everything apart and getting everything laid out, I hope this weekend. I am going to get the frame sanded down and painted and then work my way from the ground up.