1981 KZ1000 CSR Project

Same as your bike, KZ1000CSR from 81.
Before

After

I was going to ask you what all customizations you did davido. But I see you have a sweet forum link to your build I'll check out. Thank you for the inspiration.

Mc Tavish wrote: Hi Kawa KZ 1000,
I hope you don't think I'm having a go or trying to rain on your parade as I'm not.
The bike you have chosen to replicate a Toecutter's gang members bike or even a Goose bike is so far removed from the real thing that it will never even half resemble the real thing. It's way too new and vastly different styling and set up. Engine, forks, bodywork, gauges and more ad infinitum.
Most of the bikes in Toecutter's gang were 1977 z1000's, although there were a smattering of Honda 750/4's and I think I may have seen a green Laverda Jota!
I like what some others here have said about selling it on in it's current form then tracking down a 77/78 z1000.
I know they are pricey but you will have a period correct base to start from and I think in the long run it wont cost much more than trying to turn what you already have into the same thing.
Just think, you will be able to say you have a Ridgey Didge Aussie Toecutter bike.
Good luck with whatever you decide. I will follow with interest.

Hi McTavish. I guess I didn't explain myself well. I'm not trying for an exact replica of the late 70's KZ1000's in that movie. I know i have a J bike and it's different. Those bikes and the ethos of how they were customized is my inspiration. I appreciate your input and opinions. Thank you for posting.

Rick H. wrote: Enter my 2 cents worth on this subject. Not wanting to hurt anyones feelings, but I don't believe an '81 KZ-1000 CSR is on the radar screen for becoming a collectable motorcycle at least in the near future. Not having all the details on your motorcycle, such as what you paid for it and actual mileage, leaves a lot out of my decision making process, but here is the truth. I have seen many people driven by good intentions start a project. They begin with a nice bike, or car and start spending money and they soon find out they need more money. It is so easy to spend more money! After a while they drift away from the project, usually after they have ruined a good stock vehicle and end up selling it for pennies on the dollar walking away with a sour taste in their mouth and a much lighter wallet than when they started.

I can't tell from the pictures, but if that bike you have is as nice as it looks, I would leave it alone. Keep it in good shape and years from now it may turn out to be a desirable motorcycle. If you don't care to do that, or can't afford it, then sell it to a buyer who wants it. In the meantime keep your eyes open for potential project bikes that someone else started, but gave up on. They are out there and all you have to do is have some patience and an ear to the rail. Years from now people are going to ask why guys in our time ruined old cars and bikes by chopping and modifying them. Just remember, once you bring out the saw and cutting torch you can never go back. Many years ago I, like you with the Kawasaki, bought a very nice old '35 Chevrolet standard coupe with the thought of making it into a street rod. Great body and all stock. Funny thing happened, just when I was going to start the project I discovered I didn't have the heart to tear into the old girl. I reinstalled what I had taken off and sold it to a guy who wanted it just the way it was. Made a few bucks off the deal and moved on, but I was glad I didn't mess up that old Chevrolet.
Rick H.

Thank you for your thoughts Rick. It seems there are two thoughts about my bike and what I want to do with it. One is yours, which is to sell it and buy something more appropriate for what I want to do. The other is to do what I want, just to be smart about it.

Like I explained in one of my earlier posts, I feel I have to live with my decision to purchase the bike I did and just make it work. I live in a lightly populated area and the bike was up for sale here for some time before I bought it. It's unlikely I could resell it any time soon if I was to put it back up for sale so soon after it was up for sale in my area. So I just have to make it work. Luckily a few members have given me some great advice or even already been down the path I'm trying to head down.

Thank you for your input. I'm open to any and all thoughts about this.

Rick H. wrote: ............ I have seen many people driven by good intentions start a project. They begin with a nice bike, or car and start spending money and they soon find out they need more money. It is so easy to spend more money! After a while they drift away from the project, usually after they have ruined a good stock vehicle and end up selling it for pennies on the dollar walking away with a sour taste in their mouth and a much lighter wallet than when they started. Rick H.

Not meant to be a reflection on Kawa KZ1000 or his honest intentions, but I too have seen so many instances where one has started a project with a bike in nice stock condition only to end up, because of the money involved or other reasons, with a bunch of parts rather than a decent bike (a couple pictures below). The worse one I saw was a true, totally stock Eddie Lawson Replica that the owner bought cheap and ended up totally destroying and giving up on the project (I wish I had a picture). After painting, cutting, wrecking the engine, and otherwise totally destroying it he ended up scrapping it. He didn't even know that the bike was worth more than $20,000 until he had destroyed it. At that point it had nearly no value.

Hopefully as changes are made to this bike they will be reversible just in case the project becomes too expensive or the owner loses interest in it. Ed

650ed wrote:

Rick H. wrote: ............ I have seen many people driven by good intentions start a project. They begin with a nice bike, or car and start spending money and they soon find out they need more money. It is so easy to spend more money! After a while they drift away from the project, usually after they have ruined a good stock vehicle and end up selling it for pennies on the dollar walking away with a sour taste in their mouth and a much lighter wallet than when they started. Rick H.

Not meant to be a reflection on Kawa KZ1000 or his honest intentions, but I too have seen so many instances where one has started a project with a bike in nice stock condition only to end up, because of the money involved or other reasons, with a bunch of parts rather than a decent bike (a couple pictures below). The worse one I saw was a true, totally stock Eddie Lawson Replica that the owner bought cheap and ended up totally destroying and giving up on the project (I wish I had a picture). After painting, cutting, wrecking the engine, and otherwise totally destroying it he ended up scrapping it. He didn't even know that the bike was worth more than $20,000 until he had destroyed it. At that point it had nearly no value.

Hopefully as changes are made to this bike they will be reversible just in case the project becomes too expensive or the owner loses interest in it. Ed

Oh for sure Ed, none of what you're displaying there will apply to me. I'm trying my best to avoid the carnage of cutting and hacking. The mono-shock conversion and modern sport bike front end aren't really what I want to achieve. Again if I had known better I would've bought a platform that would've needed only a few bolt on customizations. I'll know much better for the next project.

What are you talking about? You have a great platform for a build. A running bike! And as someone else mentioned its a CSR its not like youre chopping up a Z1 or an ELR. You can do a lot with this bike without getting your grinder out of its box. Drop the bars and get rid of the sofa seat and you're halfway there. You'll have a totally different looking machine.. Get rid of the leading axle forks, fit LTD wheels and a 4 into 1 exhaust and you're done. All bolt on modifications. Cheap and easily reversible for when you want to sell it on and as long as you don't fit a brown seat, brown grips or exhaust wrap you'll end up owning a great looking bike.
My tuppence worth