New Texas member, first bike - 1979 KZ1000 ST

Thought I'd drop in here to show off and ask questions!

Just purchased my first bike (major project) its a 1979 KZ1000 shaft drive.
Does not currently run, was told it "ran fine" two years ago when parked in the back of the shop.

Carbs are off, going to start going through them tomorrow afternoon.
Tank needs work on the inside, looked like it was coated with some rust prevention liquid, but a giant "chunk" of this yellow/cream color stuff is rattling around that I need to somehow break apart and remove.

Needs a battery and some wire work (which I have no idea what I'm doing with that) but the previous owner didn't mess with the wiring and said it ran as is so I'm hoping thats just non-essentials like lights and such.

Front forks leak a lot, not sure how easy or if its worth rebuilding them or just getting a newer front end swap from a better bike? (once I have it running decent)

Also needs air filters although I have the stock airbox and silencer, need to see what jets it has.

Think it has a Mac 4-1 header with some baffleless muffler.

Just got oil into it since it was bone dry, got the cylinder walls lubed up as well, looks like it has new plugs and wires. Where is the oil filter on this bike? lol...

What is a good shop manual that I can reference?
Really need a wiring diagram so I don't post pictures saying "what is this and where does it go?" haha.

Also, what kind of ignition does this bike have?
The cover is off the bike (as seen in picture) I'm guessing its electronic and not points?
What's the deal with that?

The plan is to address these issues and decide if its a worthy candidate for a semi-daily bike and start to turn it into either a cafe racer/streetfighter or a moto super bike kinda thing, not sure yet.

Her name is Goose, for obvious reasons but it won't be a Mad Max MFP clone.

Here is a "mocked together as-is" picture, it looks decent but is definitely rough.



I'm not new to hotrodding, been a gear head for a few years now.
Mainly working on my Camaro which is fuel injected, so dealing with carbs should be fun!

Let me know what you guys think, comments and suggestions are definitely appreciated!

Welcome to KZR! What part of the great state are you from? I'm in Spring, just north of Houston. Here's the link to your wiring diagram: kzrider.com/filebase/cat_view/98-1979/132-kawasaki-kz-1000-e1

Forks can be rebuilt, and should be if you intend to ride this bike.

Don't ask me my opinion on those tank liners.

If you have the airbox, you should consider keeping it. Unless you want to learn a lot about jetting carbs.

Looks like a Kerker exhaust to me. Quite desire-able.

Oil filter is a cartridge type in the middle of the bottom of the oil pan. Look at the bottom of the oil pan and you should see a circular cover with a bolt through the middle. This is the oil filter cover.

The Kawasaki shop manual is the best choice. They turn up on ebay all the time.

Your ignition should be electronic AFAIK.


Can I come over for a swim?:lol:

Welcome Happysem...another Texas resident here, and another with pool-envy I second everything Testarossa said and would add that get the shop manual before you really dive (get the pool reference?!?!?) into the bike. The ST bikes are just different enough from the rest of the Kawasaki family, that a nice model-specific shop manual is a must. On eBay, purchase the Kawasaki KZ1000ST manual (skip the Clymers/Haynes manuals unless you already have the Kawasaki manual)...Kawasaki part number 99924-1016-01 or 99924-1016-02.

Awesome thanks guys!

I'm in McKinney, just about an hour north of Dallas...once I run into some real trouble with the bike I'm sure I'll try to recruit someone for a 6 pack and a swim!

Browsing eBay now, manuals are good!

Hopefully I can get this thing running for under/around $150 and really find out what shape its in to decide if its worthy to keep throwing money into.

Once I ride it around and get a feel for it, it'll be mostly torn down -again- to get the frame powdercoated and repaint the engine (looks like its been painted before, chipping off) then on to the modifying!

Welcome, I have friends in Sherman.

Fork seals are easy.

Get new battery first.

These folks can answer all your parts questions and get them to you quick.

Stay stock on the air filter and then later you might want to learn to jet carbs with pod filters.

www.z1enterprises.com/catalog.aspx?pid=KZ1000

Went through the carbs and tried to put them on but noticed the boots are cracked and brittle so I thought I'd take those off and replace, but of course someone stripped half the screws so I gotta figure that out

Carbs were pretty clean, IIRC the jets were 117.5 and 15.

Guess I'll order those boots and the manual tonight so I can have them here fairly soon while I drill out and tap the screws. I don't even think an impact driver would work.

Bike seems to have a lot of thrown together parts, the shifter is nearly touching (will in some places) the left side engine cover, and the foot brake interferes with the foot peg and kick starter.

Wow, those little carb holders are EXPENSIVE buggers aren't they!?

$60-$80 new...

Anyone just make their own with some clamps and hose?

Really at the moment all I need it for is a sealed airway, I'll find something to hold the carbs up so they don't fall out...seems to be nothing special about them other than they screw in and hold them up and don't let air in/out so no vacuum leaks...

Consider the initial cash outlay as admittance fee to the Kawasaki owners club. I felt the same way that you do before I bought mine, but in the end, they are worth it.

I am a machinist, and could make up some aluminum flanges that would bolt to the head and allow you to use an appropriate sized rubber hose for the attachment. However, it will cost a minimum of $80/labor hour for the machine work + material cost to make just the spigots. Want to guess what that will run you?

You don't know this yet because all you have is the old, hard, cracked boots, but the new ones are soooo much more supple that it makes mounting and removing the carbs easy. I bet you had a fistfight to get the carbs off with those old boots. Also, you need to consider the need for vacuum spigots for the purposes of doing a vacuum sync of your carbs. Are your DIY boots going to have the vacuum spigots? Believe me when I say that the vacuum sync is worth the effort.

Link to carb boots: www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=3245

BTW before you drill out the phillips head screws, slot the heads with a cutting wheel in your Dremel tool, and unscrew them with a flat blade screwdriver.

Ohhh, those are what the vacuum ports are for, that makes sense!

Good idea slotting them, I'll try that first.

Thanks very much, gave me a big ol' headache last night.

I'll probably end up buying them but just doing those and a battery is going to be almost as much as I wanted to spend to get it running and make sure everything else is cool.

I'll see what I can rig up just to get it started, I don't mind spending the money after it starts...just don't want to create too much of a money pit that I didn't plan for.

Wecome looks like ebay is going to be your best friend. have fun with the build remember we do this for therapy. i just pick up a 1980 1000 st 2400 org miles im going to kiss it tomorrow lol.