Better Than Nothing---The rebirth of a Superbike.

Those are the original magnesium Morris wheels. 3.50X18 in the rear and 2.50X19 in the front. I bought both new in '79 for under a grand!!!! Can't see or nor can I afford to buy a set of the Morris copies. Way over 3 grand for a pair, plus I would have to make a new set of disc carriers to fit the new Morris wheels.

They are NOT a direct copy of the original Morris wheels. So you cannot mount up the original Morris bearing carriers to the new Morris copies!!! All the original Morris mags were the same only the bearing carriers that bolted to the bare mag were what made the wheel fit one particular bike.

A bare original Morris mag without the bearing carriers installed.

Very cool. What size tires did you run?

DoctoRot wrote: Very cool. What size tires did you run?

When I first raced it, I ran Dunlop race tires. A slick in the rear and a threaded intermediate front. They were OK....
Then I put on Goodyear slicks. OH BABY!!!!! Best tires I ever rode on track or street!!!!! Goodyear made like 10 different compounds front and rear. From Hard to qualifying gumballs!!!! I ran right in the middle or one softer in the rear, and one from the softest fronts. This was way before tire warmers. They gave you a lap to warm your tires up before the start.

Once Goodyear stopped making 19 inch fronts then all road race slicks I switched to Michelin. Never really cared for their slicks. They had an INSTANT breakaway compared to the Goodyears. I started to run their intermediate treaded rain fronts with a HiSport threaded production racer rears. Those sizes were a 11/68-19 front which is like a 110 front. And a 160/60-18 rear. With the Goodyear fronts and the Michelin fronts I had to deflate the tire to get it past the fender bolts!!!!

Dr. Gamma wrote:

Dr. Gamma wrote: Here is a short summary of whats all been done in the building of my Kz1000 Superbike road racer.

All major frame modifications done by Rob North and Pierre DesRoche back in 1979. This chassis is basically a copy of the bike that Reg Pridmore won the 1977 and 1978 AMA Superbike Championship on. Chuck Parme used basically the same bike to finish the highest placed privateer in the 1980 AMA Superbike Championship.

An oversize steering neck with TZ750 roller bearings is used, and has been relocated to put the front and rear wheels in alignment. Neck has also been repositioned rearward to put more weight on the front wheel, and it has about 2 more degrees of fork angle. KZ650 triple trees that have less trail are used to quicken up the steering. Double fork tube clamp bolts have been added to lower tree to increase fork rigidity.

Swing arm has been modified by DesRoche by cutting open, and welding in some internal bracing. An extra tubular 4130 moly hoop has also been added to bottom of swing arm. An oversize swing arm pivit bolt with matching swing arm inner sleeve are used, and mated to a honed to size mounting bosses on frame.

Frame has extra tubular bracing added through out the whole frame. This triangular bracing along with the DesRoche aluminum motor mount plates with ream-fit oversize bolts ties the motor to the frame making it one strong non-flexing structure. All worthless brackets, and tabs have been removed from frame for extra weight savings.

Yoshimura/Kayaba road race forks are used along with a 2.50X19 inch magnesium Morris mag. Brakes are 13 inch Kosman full-floating rotors with a pair of reworked Lockheed dual piston calipers mated to a KZ1000S1 master cylinder with a 11/16 piston. Earl's Supply -3 braided steel lines tie the whole brake system together.

Rear rim is a 3.50X18 inch magnesium Morris mag. Along with a Hunt plasma-coated aluminum brake rotor, and a KZ1000A brake caliper.

Light weight rearsets are fabricated using KZ1000S1 components. Mark II fuel tank has been reworked to use dual Z1R petcocks. This setup will allow the very last ounce of fuel to be picked up from tank!!! Custom fabricated gauge bracket with a rare KZ1000S1 road race tach. Vintage Yoshimura 1/8 turn Superbike throttle is used to open up the Keihin CR33 carbs. Custom fabricated Bassani Superbike pipe for the ultimate in cornering clearance is used.

Bike can be made street-legal with very little effort. All the provisions are there to add lights and charging system for street use. A under 440 pound street-legal KZ1000 makes a pretty nice street bike!!!

Current motor in bike;
KZ900 cases and covers are used for their lighter weight over similar KZ1000 parts.
KZ1000 cylinder block and head are used for this motor.
Lighten and polished KZ900 Falicon Supercrank with polished stock rods.
Moriwaki Engineering 73mm two ring cast pistons.
Cylinder head work by Yoshimura R&D with 37.5mm intake valves.
Yoshimura Super Bonneville cams running on Yoshumura KZ650 style shim buckets with lighten Yoshimura valve spring retainers.
Lighten and balanced Falicon clutch basket with O.E.M. clutch plates, H/D springs, and a needle bearing clutch pusher.
Transmission is a factory Kawasaki close ratio road race item. It comes from the factory fully undercut.
Andrews Products kickstart gear is fitted so the stock kickstarter can still be used with the close ratio box.
Motor has no provisions for electric start. Even the starter motor mounts have been removed for weight savings!!!
Stock diameter M.T.C. H/D Golden Studs are used so not to impede oil flow to the head.
Modified oil pump to eliminate any chance of oil aeration.
Earl's Supply 10 row oil cooler and plumbed with Earl's Supply AN8 braided steel lines and fittings.
Keihin CR33 carbs with the AMA mandated 31mm restrictors still installed are used.
Kal Gaurd Gun Kote coating has been applied to the complete motor, and covers to aid in the reduction of engine temperature.

If anybody wants to know exactly what makes up or what has been done to my KZ1000 MK. II Superbike, here is a short list. I restored this as close as I could to the very last time I raced it. This bike has 5 seasons of racing on it in its past. Its now back to its original 1979 factory blue paint job too!!!

Here are a few more photos of my Kz1000 MK.II Superbike that you the members voted as your Bike Of The Year!!!!!

Thank you!!!

Congrats on the win
From one hip replacement survivor to another I hope you are feeling better.

Casey H wrote: Congrats on the win
From one hip replacement survivor to another I hope you are feeling better.

Thanks!!!!!

Just wish my surgeon would give me a straight answer if I can kickstart my bikes!!!! I don't like this, Welllllll!!!!!!

Got two replacement hips now!!!!

It was my right hip and I kick started my Kz900 this evening.

It starts better when I kick it after it has been sitting.
Wish you all the best

Casey

That is a real good thing to know!!!!

The Superbike has a ridiculous amount of compression. Along with tons of lift and duration in the cam department.

When I first got the last motor together, before I got to time it. It put my knee into my chin when it backfired!!!! Ever since I got the timing right on, it has not tried to bite me!!! Thank God!!!

I really don't want to find out what it would do to a replacement hip if it did!!!!

Great looking bike, 3rd time I have read through the thread.

Well
Here I go again . Repeating myself, ITS Official !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our Home page is updated showing Dr Gamma as our new 2020 Bike of the Year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations BOB
Long may you rein
Street Fighter LTD
Dave

Thank you Mr. Dave!!!!!

And again a BIG thanks to all the members that voted for my Kz1000 MK.II.