new here

Well sounds like I am gonna get to know you all then. If I am trapped, then welcome to my Nightmare. Because you are gonna hear alot about it as time goes by. You should probably go and prepare yourself now. This could be a long and bumpy ride!!!!!

boots wrote:

The first thing ya got ta do is try to get it in one piece.

Wrong!
The first thing you do is buy another KZ (or two) to ride while you're wrenching on the 650. Then when those need work you buy a garage across town that your wife doesn't know about and put two more in there, and so on... :blush: :woohoo: :laugh:

Welcome aboard!

Thats an answer that I like!!!!! Glad to see ya lookin out for a guy...LOL

This is how the nightmare starts

And this is when you wake up

Here is my Z1 in the back in pieces with my KZ650 in the foreground. It is nice to ride one while dismantling the other

nice bike! How long it take you to get it that way? You do everything yourself? How many bikes have you built before this one? Just kinda curious on what all everyone has done, time frame, and about how much cash is gonna walk outta my wallet. This is my 1st build, so I have no clue.

It took about 10 months of piddling after work at night. I was not allowed to piddle on weekends because it cut into my riding time. Couldn't tell how much went in to it. It sat 13 years so any and all rubber, cables had to be replaced. I enjoyed the time with her, and would do it again in a heart beat. Spend a little every week and you would be surprised how quick things come together. Don' get overwhelmed when all the parts are removed, which can happen pretty easy. If you break it up into sections it helps alot. Mechanicals, electrical, body work, and so forth. Do one section at a time instead of all at once. Do not under any circumstances skimp on safety issues. New bearings, tires, chain and sprockets, cables are a must. You get the point. Just take alot of pics along the way and you can look back and be proud.

As you can see I had no garage, I did everything on the front porch with my tailgate from my truck as my workbench. It was a challenge at times but worth it.

wow...thanks for the advice..Just looking at it now I get a lil overwhelmed. It looks like it has potential to me, and I like the bike. My wife is already getting a lil ticked about all my time being spent in the garage ( with a rolling piece of crap as she puts it) so I gotta tone it down a bit I guess. Have a feeling it is gonna be a long winter. O well ...lol...

To keep mama happy work on it during the week and not weekends or visa versa. That was my tactic, and yes I heard all that you spend more time on her than me stuff. Now she plans out the weekend rides and has apologised for not showing more support.

I only started three years ago. Got the 250, then a moped. 250 always worked, moped didn't. Then got the Z1 as a project last feb('08), still in project stage waiting for more $. Got the 750 as a bigger ride while working on the Z1 ended up rebuilding the top end, carbs, new pipes, yada yada. Got a dirt/street bike this feb as well, put 2K kilometers on it before it toasted itself (see the "melted piston" link in my sig).

Don't worry, nothing tends to be overly complex, its just the invaluable stuff you pick up along the way that they don't put in any books that is the hard bit

Oh, and don't get overwhelmed, just remember the old saying "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"

Good luck!

PS- my Z1 has been parked since '96 so you're definitely not the only one in that boat!

wow that piston is ugly!! Sounds like you got plenty of work to keep you busy. And yes I have figured out a schedule to keep us both happy. I work when I want to, and she gets over it! lol...Just kidding I told her I would work on it mainly at nite while everyone is sleeping, and spend the day with her and the kids. The only bad part is I'm on shutdown right now, so I want to spend all my time in the garage.. O well