Hello everyone.

I have been on a "cafe" bike fix for a while now and I have ALMOST sold my self on a 83 kz1100 shaft.The guy wants $400 for it. Bob it a bit clean up the front some. You know drill. So I am thinking it's time to commit to the buy and start the project. What do you guys think? 45k miles Possible valve clatter as well as a possible bad starer clutch. Clean and complete body though.

tough bikes but that is a lot of miles...for most KZ's that are not taken good care of...that amount of miles can be a bad sign....or it can all be highway miles which some 1100 shaft were put into......

price is a big factor......


if it is making noise i would hope you could find a kz knowing mechanic to do a shakedown....and a compression test....if those check out...then you may get away with more miles...

oh and welcome......post a pic of it...and tell the asking price...a close up of the engine too....

Sorry forgot to put that in there. He was asking $400. Unfortunately, that is part of the reason why he is selling the bike... no KZ mechanics out here in California. I am mechanically inclined with automobiles at least. But I have never really wanted to mess with my own bikes even though i have been riding for as long as i could legally drive a car. So this would be my first BIKE project.

post picture and a good pic of the engine head side shot...and folks can tell you better...400-600 is a deal...but if it too trashed...then 400 is a lot and you'll be sorry....

what part of cali there are kz riders around most areas...

I'm in southern cali. Santa Clarita, which is the northern end of LA county. I will have some pics for you tomorrow hopefully.
Any tricks I can use to run a meaningful compression test with a bad starter? I have a leak down tester but I don't want to sit in the guys driveway cussing because I can't find TDC.

not a quick trcik...you would need to take of the timing cover and pull the plugs and then use a 17 mm socket/ratchet and not wiggle the socket and round the nut....do one cylinder at a time in nuetral...the plugs being out will make it easy to wrench and turn over....there are a handful of members in the greater L.A area......maybe start a new member thread again with it in the title...ie...hello from L.A , Ca. ect...maybe the members will chime in.....

next .....is the title with it and in his name/
what is the registration status?

that can add up to 4-500 here in arnold land...

what does the seller say...had he ridding it...?when last?
battery good? are the tires shot...does the bike seem tight/good...seat okay?....

for 45xxx miles i might want to hear it run...also....

many here can tell you...

buying not runners can be a drag and a long sad road....

a runner makes things a lot farther along out of the gate and the extra 400 spent to buy a 8-1000 is almost a steal compared to picking away at a lemon...

The title is clean and in his name. Reg is up to date as well. I have learned about reg the hard way before, as I'm sure many of us have learned.

So now its just a mater of seeing if I can get it bumped started maybe hear how it runs for my self. Is a lot of valve clatter understandable for these bikes if the valve lash clearances are out of wack?

I don't mind getting into the motor (or at least the top end)a little but after searching around for a while I am beginning to get the feeling that parts are not cheap for these bikes.