1976 KZ900 LTD

Hi, I'm Heath, and I'm new here ...

I just got this 1976 KZ900 LTD. Almost 30K miles, a very minor oil leak, small touches of rust here and there, but otherwise seems pretty tight.

My dad owned a Kawasaki shop when I was a kid, and I fell in love with the first 1976 KZ900 LTD that was delivered to his shop, so this is kind of a cool nostalgic trip for me. His favorite bike was a KZ900 with a 1000 engine bored out to an 1105 (I think), and I remember how much he loved that bike.

So, here's my new toy. First off, the glamor shots (*grin*) and then some questions to the experts out there:

The "centerfold" photo:



General overview:



Close-up of the tail-light mods I just did, using all the original parts, just modified with a few cuts and welds and a couple added arms to tuck it up under the fender:



Close-up of the tail light stems after I cropped them:



And finally, when I put drag bars on this, I couldn't fit the front turn signals on the handlebars where they used to be, so I fabricated some mounts to go on the forks:



Now, other than those simple mods, this bike is fairly stock. It came with the air filters that everyone seems to put on these bikes in place of the air box, it was painted black and I think it has a larger tank from another model on it (I'm fine with having more room for fuel). The side covers seem to be re-makes and they are missing the LTD badge as well. (The VIN says it's a KZ900B, though).

Questions...

The bike runs fairly well once warm, and starts right up with one or two kicks when cold and choked, but it takes a good ten to twenty minutes before I can turn off the choke fully and let it idle without worrying about it stalling.

Anything I should look at for that?

I'm going to keep the "big" seat for longer rides, especially with a passenger, but would also like a more cafe-style seat for solo riding, any suggestions?


The rear shocks do not seem to, well, absorb much shock. Maybe I was spoiled by my last bike (an old Ninja), but this thing sucks on rough highway at 70mph. These shocks don't look stock, do they? Any recommendations for better shocks?

Any other simple mods anyone would recommend for this bike? I want to keep it basically stock, or modified from stock parts (like I did with the lights, for instance). But since this bike wasn't stock to start with, I have no desire to restore it to it's looks when new. Just want it clean and simple and mostly stock... no boring it out, etc.

So, I'm open to suggestions.

Also, do the four-into-one pipes make any difference in performance other than looks? I kind of like the stock LTD pipes, and they are in good condition.

Thanks for any feedback!

PS: I'm open to any suggestions about a good mechanic for this bike in the LA area, and any group rides once I'm comfortable about this bike being ready for longer rides.

Welcome to the best site for all things KZ!
Very sharp bike. Check the Bike Related Forum for SoCal Riders. That's where we post plans for get-togethers. Looking forward to seeing that beauty up close!

Great looking bike you've got there and welcome to the site.

Welcome Heath...we have a number of KZR members from the Greater LA area...you should have no trouble hooking up with them through this forum...and yeah, there is something that is classically attractive about the LTD line...I used to own a 1979 KZ1000B...but it was 'disappeared' by several locals in Corpus Christi, TX...I still think about the bike. On to some of your questions...strangely enough, your shocks look like original Mulhollands (or replacement period Mulhollands)...which is nice but they may handle poorly because they are worn out...they may be as much as 32 yrs old...which is ancient for a shock. Might I suggest Progressives (look at www.z1enterprises.com for an idea)...they are pricey but worth it. The original pipes are very nice and if you consider 4into1's, might I suggest a set of chrome Kerkers...Kawasaki and Kerker is a marriage. You'll have to rejet (you've already gone to individual airfilters) and after it is dialed in, there will be a mild performance enhancement (although the bike will sound much faster than it actually is:) )

Your other visual enhancements are nice...I like them.

Hi Heath! Nice to meetcha again!

Thanks for the welcomes and tips everyone. The bike is already running much, much better after running some Seafoam through it. Not a full tank has gone through yet, but it does seem to be helping quite a bit.

Thought I'd throw up some simple mods I've done this week to it, a couple simple, fun things.

First off, I felt the chrome LTD chain guard was way too "bling" for the look I want. I like minimal chrome, and the chain guard seemed poorly designed (didn't like the "flow" of it) and the chrome drew too much attention back there. So I wanted something simpler, black, and looked more like there was no guard at all, while still keeping chain sludge from flying up onto the bike.

Here's what I came up with. I made it from scrap stainless steel I had in my shop (so it will never rust!) and made it more straight-lined out, so the sprocket is mostly visible now, while offering just as much protection:





Next up, I noticed all this space I had under my seat. Seemed to be a great place for a "trunk."



I rode the bike to a house warming party the other day and didn't want to carry a bottle of wine in my jacket (if I ate pavement, the last thing I want is a broken bottle in my jacket), and it was a pain to bungee onto the seat securely.

So... I made a thin steel basket that fits perfectly into that space. It's lined with thin roofing rubber to soften the ride for anything in there:






The tray just lifts out. It's held in place by tabs that are locked in place by the rubber seat bumpers when the seat is closed. There's the soft half of sticky-backed velcro on the tabs where it touches the frame for a softer ride, no metal-on-metal.

So... next time I need to carry a bottle of wine... I'm all set.

Cool mods.
You should carry some tools on the bike. The LTD is bad for storage, so I put a tool bag on the front forks, under the headlight. That may not work with the style of your bike, but you might come up with something slick...

Nice fabrication!

Very nice job on the trunk.

Yes nice mods indeed. But I got to caution putting a tool bag under the headlight on the forks. You are hampering the air cooling of the engine and coils. I did that once and caught a whooping from a very large knowledgeable man. It also made sense to me.

ltdrider wrote:

Cool mods.
You should carry some tools on the bike.

Thanks

Right now I have a basic set of sockets, a ratchet, and an allen wrench stored in the slide drawer where the manual is stored. I's really minimal, but enough to tighten down most anything that comes loose. At least the 12mm and under stuff...

Thanks everyone for the compliments on the mods... I have more now. It turns out that the tail light mod was a bit too bouncy and the red plastic of the tail light shattered while on the highway, I guess on some rough road (didn't notice it until it was parked).

So rather than hunt down a new lens and wait for it to arrive, I found a nice oval LED brake light at an automotive store... it's brighter, uses less power and much lower in profile... and LEDs last forever. I like how this one practically disappears and really allows the smooth lines of the rear fender to show:









This one is built sturdier, and has some double-stick tape to steady it on the tail, rather than just the bolts at the front. No bounce to this one. Had to make a place to mount a license plate light in there, too, since the tail light didn't have one built in.

Not including the paint and steel that I already had, it only cost about $40 to put together.