31 year old bike, 21 year old kid

cool,your in Kansas too,Im in the topeka area and went thru alot of what your starting up with yours last fall and early this spring,hang in there! I did the 4into 1,jets,carb sync',elect ign,tires,Im into it for around 2000.00 but its runnin great and I ride it all the time message me if your serious about sellin the fairing and backrest.Rob.oh,here is mineb4 and after

b4 and after

after

kaw a bong a, I've seen you're bike on this site before. My parents live west of Topeka on K-4, that's where my bike is. so you probably know the area, lot's of people ride around here. PM sent.

I've made lot's of progress last night and today. I will put up more pics tomorrow, but I'm going to be busy tonight. One quick question. I cleaned the carbs today and put on the new accelerator pump parts, and it runs like a champ as long as it's at about a 1/4 choke, if I take it completely off choke it stumbles and dies. Do I need to adjust the idle speed up, or is there a better route to take?

Thanks,

Well I'm disappointed right now, I took lots of pictures with a new camera that my sister gave me. Somehow I didn't get the usb cable that came with it and neither walmart or radio shack have the correct cable, so no pictures . However, I am happy with the progress I made last weekend, and am looking forward to next weekend! I've ordered tires and am having them put on next week, so I'll be able to do some polishing on my fork legs!

I got the drag bars on the bike and with lot's of fenageling I was able to get everything to the point of being able to button up, but the master cylinder was touching the tach, and the brake line was rubbing on my brand new headlight bucket, as well as my bars being slightly offset to the right, so that's where I stopped Friday night/Saturday morning.

Then on Saturday as I said previously I accomplished all of the carb work I had planned and took it for a couple short rides. The last ride it died at a stop sign a mile from my house, It kicked right back up and ran enough to get it back to the house, playing with the choke didn't seem to help much, so I'm hoping that the carbs finally got cleaned out enough/warm enough that it didn't need to be choked and that's why it died. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears. What is the best way to deal with the master cylinder/tach clearance? I've hear about remote reservoirs, or possibly using an older reservoir. what is the best (cheap) route to take? Hopefully I will be able to find a cable this weekend when I'm back home so I can Post up all of these pictures, or use a different camera to take more.

Take this for what you think it's worth

The best thing you can do is to leave that motorcycle bone stock, just like it is. Don't change anything. Get it tuned and serviced by somone that knows what they're doing.

Hang onto it and ride it.

It's about as pristine a 650 as you're ever going to find..

Larry C

larrycavan, thank you for reading my thread. I appreciate what you are saying, that's exactly why I'm going to keep every part that I change, except for the fairing/backrest. I am doing strictly bolt on, cosmetic modifications. With exception of the possibility of electronic ignition, which in my mind doesn't detract anything from the value of the bike whatsoever and makes maintenance much simpler.

justinz830 wrote:

larrycavan, thank you for reading my thread. I appreciate what you are saying, that's exactly why I'm going to keep every part that I change, except for the fairing/backrest. I am doing strictly bolt on, cosmetic modifications. With exception of the possibility of electronic ignition, which in my mind doesn't detract anything from the value of the bike whatsoever and makes maintenance much simpler.

You're very welcome Your heading down a good path. I'd take the fairing and back rest off as well. But other than that, get it tuned up and take good care of it because you have one beautiful KZ650.

You're girlfriend's dad must think highly of you. Being a father of 2 daughters myself, I can tell you that's high praise!

Don't know where you live but if you're anywhere close by me, I'll tune it up for you myself and it won't cost you a dime.

I live in Hesston, KS for the summer, but I'm from the Topeka area, and go to school in manhattan. Are you anywhere near Kansas?

Do yourself 2 big favors:

1. Buy a Kawasaki Factory Service Manual. They're usually available on eBay and are worth their weight in gold even if you don't do your own work. They not only tell you how and what needs to be done on the bike but also explain every system on the bike, give torque specs (you REALLY don't want to strip the threads in the soft aluminum engine!) and give other great info.

2. Don't screw up such a beautiful bike with idiotic drag bars, cutting the seat, and doing other adolescent crap to a fine (and because of its condition rare) machine. You're not going to make it something it's not (like a race bike) by changing the bars or other cosmetic stuff. If you really feel the urge to exercise your creative juices (something many of us have done, including me), buy something cheap that others have already monkeyed with and have at it. You can keep this bike as a very nice driver or sell it now or later for a profit. But once butchered the value will fall through the floor. Please don't take any of this as criticism; it really is meant to be positive advice. Ed

justinz830 wrote:

I live in Hesston, KS for the summer, but I'm from the Topeka area, and go to school in manhattan. Are you anywhere near Kansas?

Nope...sorry, eastern Pa.

Well it's been a while, but I finally got a memory card that will work with my ancient free camera! prepare for pictures!

Here is the bike with the drag bars mocked up.



Here you can see some of the issues, I have an ex500 master cylinder on the way, so hopefully I will get the drag bars fitted permanently some time this fall.





Here is the bike with the stock bars and the regular headlight installed.