Newbie here with a KZ305

Hello all -

Just bought myself a KZ305 CSR this past weekend, and found your website after doing a little bit of research. I am an automotive machinist, and have been messing with cars for years, but have only recently (in the past year or so) gotten into motorcycles. I have a few Yamaha's that I'm working on, and here's my most recent addition:







I bought it off of ebay, and got a pleasent surprise when I went to pick the bike up, and found that it is a CSR. I don't know much about the KZ's yet, but from the limited amount of research I've done, I know the CSR's were the belt drives, and also have a 6 spd. Do the regular 305's have 6 spds too? Anyway, someone has converted this one over to a standard chain and sprocket setup, which is fine with me. I plan on fixing this bike up for my daily transportation, only modifications planned so far are a different set of bars. These ones aren't comfortable for me (I have long arms). The bike isn't running currently, the previous owner didn't seem to know too much about turning wrenches, but it's only got 8950 miles on it, and looks pretty clean, so hopefully it'll be fairly easy to get going.

Looking forward to learning more about these bikes, and especially looking forward to fixing up this one!!

nice bike its the same color i paintes my xs1100

Hi Joel, nice bike! I also have an'82 305csr with 6 speeds.They all do. Real easy to work on if you're handy with a wrench, which sounds like you are. CSR was available with either chain or belt drive in 1982. KZ305-A2 had a chain drive and the 305-B1 had belt drive. Welcome to the forum, great info here!

Welcome Joel,

Nice bike. There is a guy in San Francisco who parks near my office, who has the 305-CSR. His is converted into a cafe style bike, with a bobbed rear fender, and cafe bars. It looks very cool, and he says it is great for around the city -- zooms up the hills with no hesitation.

Keep it on the road, and have fun.

Thanks guys! Already learning about my bike. :laugh:

I had actually thought of going cafe-style with this one, but job #1 is getting it running, which I'm about to make another post about in the engine section. :pinch: