1978 KZ650 SR (Kawazuki!!)

Hey there. Been lurking on the site for a couple years now. Great bikes on here.

Very inspiring. When I joined, I was juuuuust getting into bikes. Now I'm hooked.

Here's a bike I built with and for a friend of mine. I got him hooked by finding him a little CB360 that he cafe'd. Now he's moved up to a mutant.

This one is a '78 650 with an '04 gixxer 1000 front end. Obviously lots of other mods.

Hope you like it.




Here's a link to more about it.

johnryland.posterous.com/1978-kawasaki-kz650-sr

If you dig around on the main blog, you'll see a bunch of other bikes I'm working on.

Thanks for looking!

JR

Nice rides Iwould like my ride to look somethin like thoes and mabie build my girl one to thanks for the insperation

Re-post of this thread? kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...w&catid=13&id=409127

Allow me to re-ask my question from the other thread.

How did you finish that gas tank? Also do you have any information on that exhaust? I have a similar looking pipe on my KZ1000, and I have no idea who made it.

Thats right! I knew I saw that bike before in a side by side pic with a Harley. I would be curious about the finish you use on your tanks as well. It looks like semi polished steel then probably clear coated, but it's hard to really tell in the pic. A little imagination goes a long way

Ive seen his bikes in person and what ive heard/remembered is that they are just stripped to bare metal, sanded to a satin finish and then clear coated....but Im not going to speak for John himself, Im sure he will chime in soon;)

I guess I can help with the questions as it's my bike John featured here. The tanks are stripped and then sanded with a nylon sanding wheel. This gives it a light grain and texture. They are then cleared. As far as the exhaust, it's a Kerker exhaust. However, it's from an older production of them and they might have changed in style or build by now.

It was fun to build and it's dream to ride. I really love everything about it.
Thanks for the post John. As well as for all the wrenching, ideas, and mentoring during build.

Thanks Devin, and welcome to KZR. That's a nice bike you have there.

Hey guys. Glad you like the bikes!

I'm subscribed to this post now so I can tell when people reply. Sorry!

Yep, what Devin said about the tanks. I replied in the other thread that my next experiment is to have a tank chromed and then brush it like I do most other chrome things (exhaust, fenders, gauge pods, etc.) Gives stuff the look of raw steel without worrying about rust.

I never thought i would pay to get something chromed, but maybe it'll do the trick. Haha.

Kelly: You going to Poe's on Sunday?? I'm trying to have something ready to ride down there. Might be the 50cc Pantera. Ha! Figures...

Thanks.

JR