1976 Kz 900 A4

So I’ve been holding off starting the post because I didn’t want it to get started and then sit. I have almost everything either already in hand or out getting polished or vapor honed. It will still take some time to complete once I get started upon the engine...So here we go...

Here’s what I started with, in the late 80’s I purchased this long before I really knew anything about the history of the Z1, I just knew I wanted one. So I found this advertised as a 1975 Z1-B. The vin sticker was 11-75, had Z1 side covers, so I trusted the seller. I had no reason to believe anyone would fake a 13 year old bike into looking like something else. It wasn’t old enough it be a collector item yet. If memory serves me well I paid around $1000 for it, seemed reasonable as a year or so before I bought my first kz that was built,big bore, high lift cams, 29SB carbs, I paid $1800 for it. So the Stock 13 years old “Z1” seems correct. Anyway, fast forward 30ish years and because of the forum I realized its not a Z1-B but actually an early 1976 KZ900 A4. After finishing the mechanical and cosmetic work on my 1978 Kz1000 B2, I decided to start on the ‘76.




Started with rebuilding the carbs and getting it started after 30 years to make sure it was worth the restoration


Bike started amazingly easy without any smoke and no odd noise. I think it was the first time I heard it run... I can’t remember ever riding it. Bought it and my life changed, everyone has a similar story. So the tear down and cataloging starts.






Parts going out, this is the frame at powder coat.

Frame and parts back from powder coat, nuts and bolts back from fresh zinc coating.

Hand controls were done some time ago and waiting for assembly

Some assembly started.


Exhaust back from ceramic coat.


parts arriving

Front rim, new tire

Frame mock up started.

Rear wheel parts waiting for rim to be rechromed

Planning a front duel disc conversion with as close to correct date code rotors I could find, restored by TrueDisk. Aslo a KHI 5/8 MC that will be rebuilt.

Fork lowers are out being polished, once in hand more assembly will continue...

Hopefully the assembly will go smooth and won’t be to much lag between post...

Thanks to all the information and advice I’ve learned here I felt like this was something I could achieve...

One note of caution for fellow members... for the small nuts and bolts I figured it would be cheaper to sources NOS then to have zinc coated... be careful as although Partzilla and CMS are selling original hardware, they are superseded and not correct for older bike. Example an 8x59 engine mount bolt I have not been able to find was listed at CMS. unfortunately it is a flanged bolt. Not sure when KHI started using theses, but they don’t seem to be correct for my 1976. Bolt on the right below is the original I had plated. On the left is a CMS correct factory number, 110G0859. But it a flanged bolt not correct unless the experts here tell me differently.

Nice work!

Skidmark wrote: Nice work!

Thank you.