'78 KZ1000 makeover

porchev914 wrote:

testarossa wrote:

OOOh, that picture gives me a good idea for a future project. Yes, I have gone over to the dark side.

Dreaming up plans for your 750 already?

Leon, thanks for sharing the pics, even the dastardly Zuk. Thanks for being the poster responsible for the mark of the beast :laugh: I am doing my best to get away from the played out "me too" looks, but it takes considerable artistic innovation to make up something new. Innovation and artistic abilities I can not easily or readily call to hand. I'll figure it out one way or another though.

Joe, I did not take a pic of the left side of the bike, but I will, just for you :kiss: I already took out the engine though to work on the subframe supports, so it's just the rolling chassis again. Yes, undertail exhausts carry the inherant drawback of added heat to the unerseat area; but it is not, in my estimation, out of my abilities to at least attempt to control it. Ducati, Honda and Kawasaki have been able to make it work as of late. It can't be that complicated....or can it?

Tri, I have always liked the look of the V&H exhaust....before I went with the swingarm swap I was thinking of getting a V&H exhaust every time I looked down at my cracked, leaking stock mufflers. Now, I'm not sure I can even run a standard system if I wanted too...and even if I could it would cover up my pretty naked right side. Trying to adapt the classic megaphone to the undertail is a worthy idea, one that I will explore in more

Joe, this is what I mean when I tell you every change can and does have unexpected consequences. Even when you can anticipate the cascading conflicts brough about by system changes, the full magnitude of the work and money required to make the system work again can still be difficult to quantify in advance.

you know thats the most exiting part of building...lol

mark1122 wrote:

how about a shorty gp pipe ?

this was a option i am considering when the time comes.

I know how much you guys are putting into this and your right my attempts at humor may miss the mark ,some due to my never ending sleep changes...transition from mon ths of one to another is great but weird too....

I should be more clear when busting on the threads....
i in no way meant your bike sucka sucka....

my reference was more to some of the euro build pics and the semi top fuel exhaust stubs they display.......

i have had the chance to listen to a few homemade/well fabbed twist exhausts or winding around and then stubbed off types ,on kz motors,they more often than not sound like the bike is just an open pipe with the pulses offset funny.....the viewer spends more time wondering if something is gonna break or explode than admiring the neat bike...

my sound effects were in reference to those interesting exhaust designs and in no way had anything to do with your top notch build effort....while i'm at it i also was not dissing your current design or exhaust look when i made my ducati comment earlier this week....i was simply saying that you are on track to make a domestic fighter and i love that idea...imo there enough goofy over blinged kz's already kicking around...yours appears to be turning into a black bike bad ass cali version ...keep it up....

so solly

:laugh:

So then it's MY interpretation skills that need some work! :laugh: No worries........I am going for as sleek a look as I can achieve; you and everyone else was correct, the Duc exhaust components aren't going to work. I like the look and configuration, but to use off the shelf Duc mufflers and midpipe won't work in my case for several reasons. I suspected that would be the case which is why I had bought the titanium sheet....hedging my guess.

I would try a GP style exit, but any conventional V&H/Kerker header collects too far back under the engine. I would need a shorty header collecting in front of engine to then feed into the muffler under the bike.....I would have more freedom with a muffler design under the bike, but then I need a custom header...at the very least a signifigantly modified aftermarket header...I'll deal with it when the time comes. In the mean time, I have some molds that need attention, some finish work on the frame, and an engine that needs some parts before going back together. I have contemplated trying to find a complete running engine to put in the bike just to get her on the road faster while I finish building my engine. Just another maybe in a long list of maybe's :whistle:

i'll keep my eyes peeled up around here for one...there are a few listing dirt cheap on c-list...but they come wrapped in a bike...the ones i'm thinking of just looks like they need the idiot pry'd away...says not running but i think it is because the guys not trying...bike is clean 800$

the only bad about getting a motor is the friggin shipping....

i am buying a MKII (1980 A-4) in segments and there is a chance of getting a big pin crank MKII motor some where along in the negotiations....but it seems silly to ship a motor from the statue of liberty to the golden gate...

wish i had X-ray vision...i just know there are more bikes in my area tucked in corners abandoned...

your project is aiming super high...relax and let it happen...no hurry.....everyone knows your hitting it big time.....

I will keep my eyes peeled this end of the state

If you find a complete running engine for a decent price Craig, let me know. An early morning drive to Monterey on a Sat. morning is not out of the question.....shipping on any engine I would consider would likely exceed the price I'm willing to pay for it anyway, so pick up is the best option to keep costs down.

No hurry though....any progress is a step, however small, toward getting my bike back on the road.

I know I'm late to the party....but that Duc exhaust looked friggin awesome to me. But, you're right...doesn't really work/fit the project. Cool to see, though.

Yeah, that's what I was thinkin'...looked pretty cool.


Hey Leon...what'd you expect when you posted a Zuke pic on a Kaw board??? "Post #666" ... ...dude, you brought it on yourself!


-KR

I agree, it looks cool....I just can't make it work Oh well, that just means more custom work to be done. I'm learning lots though

I liked the Duc look too...maybe something close to that with smaller cans? Whatever you do I'd leave the area around the swingarm open. Looks way to cool to hide! Have you considered an X-2 type exhaust? That would be really quick and easy anyway. Whatever you decide will be great, I'm sure. Keep up the good work!

I did not consider an x-2 exhaust ........because I'm not sure what you're referring to 79mkII. Please elaborate so that I may explore another option. At the moment my front running idea is a kerker or v&h header, a custom stainless midpipe and a thin (2") titanium chambered muffler under the tail with a single inlet and thinner(1" high 2-2.5" wide) duel outlets. I still have research to do and calculations to figure out on the Helmholtz resonance principal involved. Anyone with experience wanna chime in?