Testarossa's 78 KZ1000 Fighter Build

Deep breath, count to ten, OK.

OMR, I think that you are a bit confused. I never said that I would put a used chain on this bike. What I said was that I needed to talk myself into buying the new one. As in going ahead and ordering it, as in prying the $200 that I already have from my grubby, cheap-ass hands. Size 10 accepted, but not for the right reason. I was hoping for maybe a constructive suggestion like "I ordered my chain from X because they have the best price or they are super helpful and allowed me to exchange my counter sprocket when I ordered the wrong offset."

OBTW, lets not break out the safety police badge just yet. If my memory serves, I believe that I saw a video of a certain as yet untested orange KZ900 with one OMR aboard, rocking the safety tee-shirt and safety sunglasses making repeated passes down a residential street. Sorry boss, no harm intended, but I had to get that on in since you asked if I was a dumbass.

The used chain was in regards to others replies...

"What I said was that I needed to talk myself into buying the new one." Ok, if not new then old/used are the only other choices...No...

"OMR I think that I need that well timed kick in the ass about know. "... Sorry if you took offense to it (count to ten) but you brought me into your posting & asked for this...No...

As for riding safely in the clip... You're 100% right and I was being a dumbass for the first intial run, first to admit it... Even at 50mp or less as in that clip, FUBAR could of happened no doubt...

BTW, I ride with a full face helmet, armor protected gloves & Neon Yellow jacket even here in AZ when 115*F... Next will be protected riding pants...

No big deal man...

OMR

I suggested the used parts, but only for mock up reasons, not for "in service" parts. I should have been more clear there as it seems to have been misconstrued :blush:

porchev914 wrote:

I suggested the used parts, but only for mock up reasons, not for "in service" parts. I should have been more clear there as it seems to have been misconstrued :blush:

I knew what you were saying.

Anyway, I cut off the original upper shock mounts and the grab rail mounts today. I tacked in the mounting tabs for my luggage rack mount. Pictures will follow in my modular luggage system thread.
kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...ew&catid=5&id=348190

Aight brotha, I gotcher numbers here- Stock complete frame with center and kick stands weighed in on my Nuclear Precision Bathroom Scale (tm) is 53.5 lbs.

I don't mind saying that it felt ALOT heavier than that while holding it centered over my head for equal weight distribution :blink:

Excellent, I remember when my frame used to look like that.:laugh: Nuclear precision :laugh: I like that.

testarossa wrote:

roy-b-boy-b wrote:

As concerning the bearing. I have seen bearings with the same,as you call bumps.
I doubt they are bumps. I would make a wild guess and say the engine has probably set for a extended period in hot and humid weather and condensation set in.

I personally would reuse the bearings. Use scotchbrite to remove the bumps.

Roy

Roy,
Upon further examination, they are definantly bumps. They are in the neighborhood of 0.005" proud. I think you are spot-on with the cause, this bike sat in the Houston, Tx area for at least 10 years. It looks to me that the layers of different material are separating and pushing the top layer up. Just like having rust under your paint. Actually they all appear in areas that show no witness marks from wear. Funny to see just how out of round these bearings are. My concerns about reuse are twofold. Lack of oil pressure, and potential that the bumps cut loose and float around in the oil.

I've seen many like that. Lightly touch them up with some 1000G paper in the parts washer. Go lightly. They'll work fine.

larrycavan wrote:
[/quote]I've seen many like that. Lightly touch them up with some 1000G paper in the parts washer. Go lightly. They'll work fine.[/quote]

Thats the kind of valuable experience and advice you can get nowhere else but here! I love this board

How's the luggage mounts comming along? I'm also curious what headers you find that could be adapted to the KZ. Keep us posted!

porchev914 wrote:

How's the luggage mounts comming along? I'm also curious what headers you find that could be adapted to the KZ. Keep us posted! [/quote]

Well, my little trip the the wrecker yeilded some interesting results. First off, I had no luck even finding a KZ header, let alone anything else that would work. He had tons of unmarked, twisted, dented, rusty pipes. One that sure looked like a Kerker megaphone, but one of the primary tubes was too rotten on the end that connects to the head. It also had a dime sized hole in the bottom of the muffler.

I also found a CB900RR that had a gorgeous polished swingarm which I think would look killer on testarossa's 2.0. He wanted $350 for the swinger, shock, wheel and linkage. Too rich for my blood.

They had lots of donor GS, CB, and KZ parts bikes, but most of the good stuff was gone. I did score a set of dirt-bike style bars from a GS1100, and a neat little aluminium luggage rack. Not too many newer bikes mostly 70's, 80's and tons of dirtbikes and quads.



Not sure if I'll use these, but it does give me an option to the clip-ons.

See my luggage rack thread for update photos of that aspect of this project.

BTW Larry thanks for your input on my bearings. I respect your opinion and I may reconsider my bearings when I get to my engine.

Quick update. I finished phase one of my modular luggage rack system. The complete thread can be found here: kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...ew&catid=5&id=348190

Got my new Michelin Power Pilot 2CT's in today. I had really wanted to try some sport touring tires but these were such a good price that I couldn't pass the deal. I'll try to detail my el cheapo DIY tire mount and balance system in the near future.

I also got 90% of the crusty metallic teal paint off of that rear wheel and started polishing the rim. I couldn't stand the thought of mounting a new tire on that atrocity.

Here's a shot of the new back tire on the bike. I can give the tire mount and balance tutorial yet. Getting that old tire off became a fistfight. I had to put the camera down and show that tire who's boss.

testarossa wrote:

I had to put the camera down and show that tire who's boss.

Ha! I hear that! :laugh:

I fought with my rear tire for probably three hours; two rim locks and a tube is a real PITA. Once I got it back together and found out that I pinched the tube I vowed never to touch another tire ever again!

Until the next day when I learned that the cheapest price to mount a tire was $25 per wheel...and only if you bought the tire from them and brought the wheels in off of the bike.

So I spent $50 on the right tools and got the rear tire on in about 25 minutes without any leaks!

The tire looks good. Are you going to leave the wheel like it is, I kind of like the polished rim against the rough natural aluminum.

Bring on the tutorial and keep going!