New member about to begin restoring a KZ750 LTD

Hi, I've been lurking for the past few weeks.

Here's my story. I grew up surrounded by Japanese sportsbikes, as my dad rode a lot since he was in his early teens. So I always appreciated motorcycles. They say when I was a toddler I could recognize different makes by the exhaust note.

I have had two bikes of my own, a Virago 535 which was my learner bike and which I loved for three years, and a 2004 Yamaha R6 which I got because I started getting into what I call a "magazine mentality" - you read the reviews, see the ads and want something that looks cool and is insanely fast and will make you feel like Valentino Rossi.

Except I never really enjoyed the R6. The riding position was not very comfortable, there are not a lot of twisty roads around where I live, and the engine had to be revved high all the time. In short, it was not as enjoyable as my little Virago had been, except for a trip to Arkansas with my dad where I got to ride at a decent pase on more challenging roads.

I had an accident a couple of years later. Not too bad but lots of scrapes and damage to the bike. I got a lot of road rash and a couple minor fractures. I repaired the bike but I just didn't "trust" much it anymore after that or felt very confident on it. I gained a lot of weight and got married and sold the bike a couple of years later because I didn't use it.

Fast forward to 2013. After a very messy separation and divorce I'm getting back in shape, and have become a lot more proficient at mechanical work since I have been doing all maintenance and repairs on my car. So I started dreaming about getting on a bike again. But no crotch rockets this time, I had a very specific image of what I wanted. An early 80's bike like what my dad used to ride when I was little.

I came up with a plan to find a used Suzuki or Kawasaki that had been neglected, and bring it back to health, so I would be able to ride it in some months when I reached my goal weight. And so I started saving money, and after some searching came across a KZ750LTD yesterday at a very reasonable price. It will be trailered to my place tonight, and so the adventure will begin.

I'm looking forward to earning a place in this community. Thanks!

Welcome aboard! Don't forget pictures when you get the bike. Ed

Welcome aboard and good luck with your project.

Thanks! I got the bike and spent my day yesterday cleaning it and getting an idea of what will be involved in this project. It seems to be in better shape than I thought. I will start posting pictures on the relevant subforums.