78 KZ1000 project

i have an 1976 kz900 that i rode for a couple summers that anything above 80 would get a serious weave that would get worse with speed.i replaced wheel bearings,wheels,steering and swingarm bearings,forklegs,swingarm.never kept it from happening and nothing seemed to help.i have since started thinking that maybe the steering head is off on that bike.it will be a while before i get to it tho.i wanted to build an egli style frame and use the old steering head then build from there so i know it will be straight.
just rambling,sorry :huh: .

leon holmes

I fabbed up the monoshock mounts and spot welded them into place, beat and twisted them around into place and welded them good. I tried to keep the same angles as the original shock mounts. Don't know how close I am but have about .25 inch more clearance than the header and about .25 inch clearance from the drive chain......I hope.....

Here's a few shots of everything put together with the swingarm and frame about where it should be, the front is going to be about an inch higher.





I got the rest of my Z1 order in today and shipping off my crank this comming monday to get it welded. I got to get on painting the engine.

I hate to tell you this but judging by your pics your shock mounts are going to bend the first time you take your bike over a bump. You're main plate where the top shock bolts through is going to twist and the braces are going to bend in half. You should either switch to rectangle or round tubing to give you strength in all directions.

The pic I've attached is on a Gsx1100 Katana w/ upgraded suspension. You could try a setup like that and be able to mount all your electronics under the seat and behind the sidecovers.

Later, Doug

I used 1 3/4 inch by 5/16th cold rolled steel bar for the top bolt mount and 1 by 1/4 inch also cold rolled steel bar for the top supports (V shape). I was going to tie it all together with 1/2 by 1/2 cold rolled solid bar when I built the battery box on the back side of the mounts welding it to the back of the supports. The stock mount for the shock was only 3/16 inch when I miked with with the paint still on it.

cruspeed wrote:

The stock mount for the shock was only 3/16 inch when I miked with with the paint still on it.

When you say shock mount do you mean where the shock bolts up or the cross member of the frame?

The crossmember on the frame is huge to take all the forces of the shock. The spring rate on a '07 Gsxr1000 is 452lb/in. I think the Gsxr shock has somewhere around 70mm of stroke. So if your shock compresses 2 inches (~50mm) your mount is going to have to deal with 900lbs of force. You'll most likely need to get a stiffer spring to deal with the longer swingarm so if that's the case then your mounts will be dealing with closer to a 1000lbs worth of force.

Later, Doug

Major coolness.
-KR