boy did I get lucky!

Hello to all! Let me tell you my story. Ive always wanted a road bike (grew up in the dirt). Recently my wife went on vacation and I had read an add in the paper for a 1977 kz650 for 400$ I wasnt sure if it would be in great condition or not but I went and looked at it anyway. It looked great! the guy was the second owner and said that he never had any problems with it. So I bought it (the wife being gone and all)

I have never been happier! the bike runns flawlessly! I didnt even research the kz before I bought it but I think that I got a he#$ of a deal.

77 KZ 650 C1

Wow! 400 clams for a 650 in great shape. That's like, what, maybe 5 tanks of gas in my SUV. With gas prices going the way they are, deals like that are going to disappear fast. Nice score on a sweet ride!

amen to that brother!

Very nice!! Throw a chain gaurd on there and your set! Nice score..

HECK of a deal!
Good on ya!

Although the pic is a tad fuzzy(or maybe it's just my head,lol),the bike looks to be in very nice shape...right on.

Welcome to KZr Mr. Anderson (a "The Matrix" fan, eh? )


Sweet score on your 650!
The upgrades alone....4-into-1 exhaust, pods and performance coils (Accel plug wires)....IMHO are worth at least what you paid for the entire bike.

Welcome.
Nice find. Wish I could find a deal like that.

Throw a chain gaurd on there and your set!

We don't need no stinkin chain guards! :laugh:

I just got rid of mine, mounts and all. So there's no going back. :ohmy:

RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:

Welcome to KZr Mr. Anderson (a "The Matrix" fan, eh? )


Sweet score on your 650!
The upgrades alone....4-into-1 exhaust, pods and performance coils (Accel plug wires)....IMHO are worth at least what you paid for the entire bike.

I only like the first one! (matrix that is)

the sweet thing is Im the third owner of the bike! The guy I bought it from knew the original owner who took really good care of it. The biggest blemish is a massive dent in the tank because of an ice storm that downed a tree that hit the tank so I'll be looking at the junk yard first for a tank and then online. Last night I just put rear shocks from a 2003? or so suzuki 450. I will be posting a thread today probably. fun bike to work on

mr anderson
Your bike is the twin to the one I just picked up in Chicago 2 weeks ago. Mine still needs some work done to it though. I've also got another one that I've had for a couple of years now. They are great little bikes you'll love it more and more all the time. For some reason the 77 650's seem to run smoother than the later model 650's. They have a sewing machine like smoothness to them. I'm not 100% sure why, but my theory is it is due to the charging system. Kawasaki only used this system on the 77 models before changing to a different system in later years. You may at some point in the near future need to replace your rectifier. It seems like 30 years is all they will last. I bought a replacement for $45.50 from oregonmotorcycleparts.com/index.html

Tony is a super nice guy to deal with and guarantees them for life. When I ordered from him last year he told me he had made and sold more of them last year in one month than he had made in the previous 5 years he had been building them. Several other guys last year replaced theirs also, that's the reason for the comment about the 30 year lifespan.

One other thing to be aware of is that there was a mid year change on the rear calipers. The first 10,000 or so were built with one type of caliper and then they changed mid run. It makes a different when ordering rear pads since they are different.

Anyway enjoy your new toy and welcome to the forum. Here is a pic of your bike's evil twin.

Say, Anderson, you better hope you don't get tossed in the poky because you stole that baby!

Welcome aboard.

I wonder if there's any chance you tank could be repaired without ruining the paint? Doubtful, I guess, if there's a crease in it.

the paint has already been compromised. bad touchups done after accident I guess. But anyway, a new(or used) tank is in order. not sure what to do paint wise yet. I have a couple ideas im tossing about.