1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
- OpenRoad
-
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 33
- Thanks: 0
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
02 Aug 2007 22:12
Oh my! my man?!, thats some fine workman ship. I dont think the saddles are too much, the more radical the better on this build, course thats only my opinion. Keep the pics coming. thanks
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Bad Kaw
-
- Offline
- User
- Flying Squirell
- Posts: 1750
- Thanks: 13
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
02 Aug 2007 22:42
Mark Wing wrote:
OH no! Don't get me wrong! This guy has some insane skills! I'm a fan!
Bad Kaw wrote:Definately some skill there. Very cool.
Don't sell him short, that casting and machining is RAD! I bet you could sell a bunch of those levers, their too cool.
Mark
OH no! Don't get me wrong! This guy has some insane skills! I'm a fan!
78 Kawasaki Z1R
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- loudhvx
-
- Offline
- KZr Legend
- Posts: 10864
- Thanks: 1618
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
03 Aug 2007 00:53
Hands down, above and beyond, definitley the coolest fuel gauge ever! That bike has a very nautical look to it, with all that bronze. The porthole rings are killer! I'd bet the oil-filter o-ring would be perfect. They give you one with each oil filter, but the old ones rarely go bad.
That bike just made my day. It reminds me of something out of a Jean-Pierre Jeunet Film, or a movie called "Dagon" which is based on an H.P. Lovecraft story.

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/08/03 04:06
That bike just made my day. It reminds me of something out of a Jean-Pierre Jeunet Film, or a movie called "Dagon" which is based on an H.P. Lovecraft story.

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/08/03 04:06
1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 77Davo650
-
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 222
- Thanks: 4
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
03 Aug 2007 08:39
What front master cylinder is that? That's not stock is it? I'm impressed with the homemade chin scoop, how did you make the form for it?
77 KZ650 C1 (sold)
78 KZ650 B2 (sold)
78 KZ400 B1 (sold)
78 kz400 C1 (resto-mod)
78 kz400 C1 (hardtail low chop)
couple of possible project kz's in parts
78 KZ650 B2 (sold)
78 KZ400 B1 (sold)
78 kz400 C1 (resto-mod)
78 kz400 C1 (hardtail low chop)
couple of possible project kz's in parts
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Powder Keg
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 80
- Thanks: 0
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 19:18
Thanks for the compliments guys. I had kind of a bad weekend and haven't been able to post as soon as I wanted. I had a flat on the freeway
On the back tire
Those bead locks are a pain
The paint on my sweet new tank started to bubble up around the gas cap
My wife and I went for a ride after I got my flat fixed and her bike quit on us
Did I mention that the paint on my new tank bubbled up :sick:
:sick:
Anyway here are a couple of quick pictures.
I'm really, really happy with the way this is turning out. I don't know why the paint is coming up though? I think that the edge of the hole might be to sharp? My new gas cap leaks a little
I'll have to fix that?
77Davo650, As far as I know the master is the original? As for the scoop, I started with one off of a honda VF400. It was to narrow and started to melt a bit against my exhaust. I've seen these ran on 650's but they all had 4 into 1's. To start with I sawed it in half and added 2" to the width.
I taped a piece of cardboard to act as a spacer then fiberglassed the inside then removed the cardboard and fiberglassed the outside. I then smoothed it up with Bondo and painted it.
After I waxed the outside of this new plug, I wraped it in fiberglass. after It cured, I pulled this off the plug. I ended up with a mold. the inside is smooth and the outside is rough.
I then waxed the inside of this and started laying more fiberglass. I started with 1 layer of resin, then 1 layer of cloth, then 3 layers of mat. I added some more cloth where it was going to be mounted. I let that cure then pulled it from the mold. Before I painted it I made the stainless brackets and mounted it to my bike.
I then primed it and painted it.













I'm really, really happy with the way this is turning out. I don't know why the paint is coming up though? I think that the edge of the hole might be to sharp? My new gas cap leaks a little

77Davo650, As far as I know the master is the original? As for the scoop, I started with one off of a honda VF400. It was to narrow and started to melt a bit against my exhaust. I've seen these ran on 650's but they all had 4 into 1's. To start with I sawed it in half and added 2" to the width.
I taped a piece of cardboard to act as a spacer then fiberglassed the inside then removed the cardboard and fiberglassed the outside. I then smoothed it up with Bondo and painted it.
After I waxed the outside of this new plug, I wraped it in fiberglass. after It cured, I pulled this off the plug. I ended up with a mold. the inside is smooth and the outside is rough.
I then waxed the inside of this and started laying more fiberglass. I started with 1 layer of resin, then 1 layer of cloth, then 3 layers of mat. I added some more cloth where it was going to be mounted. I let that cure then pulled it from the mold. Before I painted it I made the stainless brackets and mounted it to my bike.
I then primed it and painted it.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- rstnick
-
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 4416
- Thanks: 384
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 19:28
Looks great PK. 
Too bad that the paint is boubling. Maybe you had a bit of oil from your hands or something there before painting?
The round master cylinder was stock for a '77 650. '78 and later have the four sided MC.

Too bad that the paint is boubling. Maybe you had a bit of oil from your hands or something there before painting?
The round master cylinder was stock for a '77 650. '78 and later have the four sided MC.
Rob
CANADA
Need a key for your Kawasaki? PM me
1978 KZ650 C2, 130K kms, Delkevic ex, EI, CVK32, PMC easy clutch, ATK fork brace, steering damper, braced swingarm, ZRX shocks, 18" Z1R front wheel.
2000 ZRX1100
2011 Ninja 250R - Wife's
2005 z750s (aka GPz750)
1978 KZ1000 project
CANADA
Need a key for your Kawasaki? PM me
1978 KZ650 C2, 130K kms, Delkevic ex, EI, CVK32, PMC easy clutch, ATK fork brace, steering damper, braced swingarm, ZRX shocks, 18" Z1R front wheel.
2000 ZRX1100
2011 Ninja 250R - Wife's
2005 z750s (aka GPz750)
1978 KZ1000 project
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Powder Keg
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 80
- Thanks: 0
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 19:37
I cleaned the tank three times before I painted it? Payed special attention to the filler hole.
Thanks for the compliment Rob.
Thanks for the compliment Rob.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Frank
-
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 104
- Thanks: 2
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 19:41
the paint must not be gas resistent.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- KZErider
-
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 353
- Thanks: 12
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 20:15
Did you leave the area where the cap gasket seals against unpainted (bare metal)?
81 KZ750E2(project), 81 KZ750E2(parts donor), 87 BMW K 75C - got it runnin, didn't care for it, holding for family member, 79 CB650(project) Nomad 1700, VStar 950
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Powder Keg
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 80
- Thanks: 0
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 20:31
I painted the recessed area but not where the seal is. The edge where it drops into the tank has a sharp corner. I might try and round this a bit? The seal on the cap swelled up a bit also:angry: I'll have to find a new one for that. Maybe that will stop the leak?
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- wagonmaster69
-
- Offline
- User
- 78 KZ1000A2 / 82 KZ1100 Spectre
- Posts: 700
- Thanks: 4
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 22:29
Hey if we send you our tanks can you do the same to it?:woohoo: But the bike looks good with the bags and I like the collor also real nice. You should do the same thing to your clutch cover to match the points cover then then you can sell other ones to us:P thats if you can make them for lets say a 78 KZ1000 A2:whistle:
78 KZ1000 work in progress in Hacienda Heights California and a 82 KZ1100 Spectra And a 1992 ZX11.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- JoeK
-
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 176
- Thanks: 20
Re: 1977 KZ650B The Year of the Dragon
05 Aug 2007 23:41
1977 KZ1000 - coolest
1973 Honda CB-750 - oldest
2004 Yamaha FZ1 - fastest
www.jekgraphics.com/gallery/kzr Galleries of So Cal Events
www.VintageBikeOC.com Monthly Meet of Vintage Bikes in Orange County, CA
1973 Honda CB-750 - oldest
2004 Yamaha FZ1 - fastest
www.jekgraphics.com/gallery/kzr Galleries of So Cal Events
www.VintageBikeOC.com Monthly Meet of Vintage Bikes in Orange County, CA
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.