Aussie KZ1000 owner

Welcome to "Z" lovers mate. Jack.

PRM068 wrote:

0Z.Z1R Mk2 wrote: Welcome from another Aussie Pete....
Are you running a Mopar in that S series Val?

G'day guys,

thanks for the replies. I've had the Val since I was 17......just pulled the motor out last week to tart her up a little. Had Aussie Vals all my life, a few Chargers, and more recently a 71 Dodge Superbee I sold to buy a bike, believe it or not.

Really enjoying the bikes though. I think i wanted something different after all the cars and the bikes are a great hobby. The Kwaka seems pretty solid and runs great. I'm enjoying pulling bits off and cleaning them up.

Someone told me that the Z1R is basically the same bike out here.....is that right ? I'm wondering because I'm not sure what to quote when I go to the bike shop for bits. And who's Dale and Dave ??

Peter

The official model name for the LTD 1000 is KZ1000K2. I bought one around 1984 I think. It was my first bike and I rode it for years and years. It is still one of my favorite bikes of all time. It is downstairs in my basement right now but hasn't run in a number of years. The LTD has a "J" motor of 998cc. The pipes are shorter than other KZ models of the same year. However, the CSR 1000 was almost identical. I think the wheels on the CSR were spokes rather than mags. Generally, the LTD was slightly nicer than the CSR in my opinion.

It is tuned for torque with less camshaft lift and 34 mm CV carbs. However, mine could reach redline in top gear with little problem. With stock gearing, you could count on 15 mph per 1000 rpm. So, above 85 mph (limit of the U.S. model's speedometer), one can calculate speed by multiplying rpm / 1000 * 15. So at 7000 RPM, it is traveling about 105 MPH. I got almost 45 mile per gallon of gas whether I rode 55mph or 85 mph. It routinely used less gas than the 750s my friends rode when on a trip traveling together (Suzuki and Honda).

Hot Rod magazine tested this model in 1981 or 1982 and published 11.92 in the 1/4 mile. I have the article somewhere. At a short track (1/8 mile I think) I could run about 7.90, and I wasn't really good at drag racing and only ran it a few times.

Any J motor parts should work. The timing advance curve was different from other models, with additional advance that could sometimes lead to pinging. It has the J head with the smaller combustion chamber, not the GPz bathtub head.

I hope you have a great time with yours. It looks fantastic!

Kirk

Wow....thanks very much for that info. Really appreciated.

Guys, thanks for all the welcomes. I thought I was flying blind when I got this bike and wasn't sure what to expect from the forum, so thanks.

My bike is pretty neat in overall condition. I just want to learn more about it (and bikes in general I guess). Haven't even had it out on a good trip yet, but was running around on it locally last night and it flies. I'm not even a real speed freak....it just has quite a lot of "go" in it. My biggest problem with having an imported bike is trying to tell parts places and the local motor authorities what it's the same as down here.....they don't have a clue.

I have a feeling that perhaps the clutch needs playing with, but I'm sure it'll work out. I'll also post a couple of better pics when I get the chance. My only other Kwaka was a little EL250 - 95 Eliminator, so this is like it's really big brother.

Thanks again guys.

Peter

G'day,

More and more of us Aussies are popping up all the time.

Had an 82 LTD 750 for years when I was much younger. Always wanted a GPz1100 and an LTD 1000. Got the GPz but never seen an LTD 1000 in Australia before now. Good score.

G'day Nitro Mick,

mate, what kind of models were sold out here that might be the same (similar) as my U.S KZ1000 LTD ?

Peter

Hi from NZ, your bike looks fantastic, very mint!!

These were imports for NZ as well, I recall a very small amount became available for sale in NZ in the early 80's (1981/82) and one local dealer had a CSR750, LTD1000 & Sceptre 1100 at one time. I own that particular CSR750 now, but have never seen another CSR or LTD on the road in NZ, so probably just as rare as in OZ.
I suspect our imports weren't USA versions as none of them had the 'smog' gear on them.

PS...I'm also a Mopar lover and once owned a VE VIP (very rare here) and a VH Charger 770. I'd kill to have either of them back now, the price of old Valiants has gone beserk over here in the last few years!!