New Member

Hey everyone,

Just brought home my "new to me" 1981 KZ1000. Its in good shape. Its my first motorcycle and pretty excited about it.

I do have some questions here and there.

First off, it is in need of some new gauges so I am thinking about purchasing some used gauges for it.

Also, I noticed last night that the chain seems to be rubbing against the center stand. I hadn't noticed that before. Any ideas?

I'll upload pictures some time later. Currently the bike is in the shed cause it is supposed to rain all week. Bummer.

Welcome kptnken...you have come to the right place...so, what kind of KZ1000 did you buy? Kawasaki made a number of flavors that year and we can give you better advice/opinions if we know what you ride:)

welcome...that is getting to be popular year around here...photos please...welcome ...craig

It is a LTD model.

Its in nice shape (no I don't have pics yet, its been raining here).

Most everything is good on it except the speedometer and the fuel gauge.

I think that the center stand is going up a little too high and I need to adjust that. Otherwise its a fun ride.

I need all the help and input I can get about this bike because its my first one.

it sounds like it might be missing a rubber stopper that is mounted on the pipe it prevents the center stand from coming up and hitting the chain

i gotta do somthing about mine...i love having it to work on the back and have not had the frame down far enough stripped to take the big ass bolts/nuts off and can it...so i ride around trying not to slam any bumps and have it bounce up into my chain...never fixed it yet ..gotta get around to either takin it off...or putting a bumper on it...timebomb33 wrote:

it sounds like it might be missing a rubber stopper that is mounted on the pipe it prevents the center stand from coming up and hitting the chain

I took it for a ride tonight (it was cold but fun). I checked the chain at a stoplight and it wasn't touching.

Don't know what that means, but I was glad to see it do that.

BTW, it seems really hard (almost impossible) to put the bike on the centerstand. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

For purposes of comparison, my 1976 KZ900-B1 LTD came new without a centerstand, due to the low slung exhaust design. The frame retained the brackets, handy for affixing temporary centerstand (from standard model) for maintenance. The oem sidestand was supposedly beefed up by KHI as the only LTD stand.

With 4>1 exhaust system, the chain hits the temporary centerstand. Although a bumper bracket could be devised to keep it from contacting the chain when retracted. If done, would assure the diy bumper/bracket is very substantial and rigidly fixed in position with no possibility of coming loose or out of position. All to avoid chance of it springing up into and against the chain while riding.

Uncertain of whether 1981 KZ1000 LTD had an oem centerstand. Kawasaki.com does not show a centerstand. Am wondering if the prior owner had the centerstand added for whatever reason and just left it like that.

Then again, perhaps the chain has excessive slack and simply needs an adjustment to specs.

Good Luck!

it is a angle of the dangle thing and just takes getting shown by someone five times in a row...or if you know how allready...getting your new bikes method down ...some are easy and some are harder...mine is best if i am on the left side of the bike with my right foot pressing down pretty hard on the center stand prong/lever...my right hand pulling up under the tail/frame...and the front wheel turned to the left so that the left handle grip(my hand on it) is turned in towards the tank..then all in one easy/hard and quick/ motion...50/50% or try again.....:laugh:

kptnken wrote:

... BTW, it seems really hard (almost impossible) to put the bike on the centerstand. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

My LTD is virtually impossible for one gorilla to lift up onto a standard model's centerstand.

Unless using the special high-tech method below, whereby a child can easily do it.

First roll the bike's rear tire up onto a 2x wood plank.

I use this short length of 2x12 with a beveled edge.

Good Luck!

[Click on image to enlarge view of this coveted accessory]

I can't speak to how much heavier your bike is than mine, but I thought it was impossible the first time I tried to put my bike up on the center stand. The thing to do is focus on pushing your foot down on the center stand while pulling up towards your body on the grab bar on the back.

Also, Don't put any stock in your fuel gauge, just use your odometer, believing my fuel light has put me in trouble more than once.