Freebyrd's 81 KZ1000 Build

good to here its all working out.
it is a good idea to turn the motor over by hand without plugs after u install the cams. just to be sure u dont feel any interferance.
Keep us posted.

Always a good idea to roll it by hand to check! Thanks Mark and thanks for keeping up with my thread! Everyone else too!

Sorry for the lack of updates! Life gets in the way, always very busy. I've made some progress lately. I fixed the wiring issues I had (couple cut wires), put the master cylinder from the zx-9 parts bike onto the handlebars which turned out both to 7/8" diameter :woohoo: so that was fortunate and now I have a cool 4-setting brake lever! The brake lever/master cylinder assembly also had a block off hole on the top, covered with a rubber plug. Took the rubber plug off and there were threads there for a standard looking mirror! :woohoo: some more good fortune. I used the lower two brake lines from the zx-9 and the distribution block, but the upper line to the MC was too short because before it only had to make it to the clip ons. No problem though, took the one from the old KZ front end and viola! Brakes! They work good so far, as in they stock it from moving, pretty good pressure. I haven't rebuilt the calipers or anything, just flushed out the system real good and put new fluid in. The back brakes are stock ones and all bled and set up too.

I have the gauges just hanging on for now, just to see if I had power so I hooked them up. I took the old headlight housing, and it nestles in perfectly between the forks! Seems to have the same distance for the rubber padding on it. A couple of easy brackets to keep it in place and I can keep the standard headlight assembly for the look I want and hide all the wiring in it!

I still need to finish many details. I think I may try to mount the stock gauges off of the headlight bracket, but that's TBD. Here are some pics!










I tried to start this pig after cleaning the carbs, and am having no luck yet, not even a hiccup like it wants to fire. Fuel is in the bowls, carb passages were cleaned out with air, seems to not have fuel at the spark plugs. Could all 4 be that clogged up even when I was able to blow air thru and it ran last year briefly? I figured I would at least get a cough out of the bike.

While cranking and trying to start I had something happen that has never happened to me personally. While cranking, nothing was happening, then all of a sudden, a loud bang like a gun shot and the baffle came flying out the tailpipe and hit the shelves in the back of the garage at quite a velocity (i was tyring to start it OUTSIDe of the garage too. The baffle had been stuck/rusted in and I've run the bike with it and never gave it a second thought. Pretty wild! Don't have anyone/thing behind a bike when you start it!

More thoughts/brainstorming. I was reading a thread today about someone using a late 90's gsr600x swingarm on their project. It increased length 4 inches and the thread said it was made of metal. Would this swingarm be wide enough to fit my zx-9 rear wheel? I'd love to use those wheels if possible. Is there a swingarm that would fit in the pivot point that would then extend to fit a fairly wide wheel? Or would that have to probably be a custom swingarm. Just thinking/brainstorming looking for opinions. Steel would be nice too, easy to work with for me.

Thanks!

Bump for my longwinded post!

I should finally have some time this weekend to take another crack at it and I have a few ideas in hand, looking for any and all opinions on my long post. Time is scarce when the weekends the only time free. And some new toys in house!

Hey Jim! Nice to see you back at it. Your baffle cannon sounds like you flooded the bike and it finally got a spark that ignited all the fuel vapors in the exhaust. You might want to check out your ignition. I know my bike will give a healthy bang through the exhaust if I flood it.

The GSXR swingarm will be wide enough for the zx-9 wheel, but you may have to play around with what axle fits and what spacers are necessary between said axle and the swingarm. Those 90's GSXR swingarms are an easy swap, since they are narrow enough at the pivot to fit in a KZ frame.

freebyrd24 wrote: ...tried to start this pig after cleaning the carbs, and am having no luck yet, not even a hiccup like it wants to fire. Fuel is in the bowls, carb passages were cleaned out with air, seems to not have fuel at the spark plugs. Could all 4 be that clogged up even when I was able to blow air thru and it ran last year briefly? I figured I would at least get a cough out of the bike.

While cranking and trying to start I had something happen that has never happened to me personally. While cranking, nothing was happening, then all of a sudden, a loud bang like a gun shot and the baffle came flying out the tailpipe and hit the shelves in the back of the garage at quite a velocity (i was tyring to start it OUTSIDe of the garage too. The baffle had been stuck/rusted in and I've run the bike with it and never gave it a second thought. Pretty wild! Don't have anyone/thing behind a bike when you start it!....

Does the above quote fairly summarize the current engine performance issues?

Depending on what has or hasn't already been done, areas for diagnosis will likely include:
Spark quality;
Ignition timing:
Advancer function;
Compression;
Valve clearances;
Air/Fuel mixture;
Cam timing.

Good Fortune!

Thanks Josh! I did find out that in reinstalling my wiring harness and coils, I put the wrong feed to each coil, so I'm 180 degrees off. But should it have still coughed on me? That baffle cannon was terrifying! Though after no one was hurt, it was hilarious. taught me a good lesson. I haven't gotten a chance to test it with the coils firing correctly, so I'll be crossing my fingers that is the only issue, but I'll go through and figure it out.

I was very intrigued on those swingarms, I'm going to have to pick one up and try it out.

[quote="Patton" Does the above quote fairly summarize the current engine performance issues?

Depending on what has or hasn't already been done, areas for diagnosis will likely include:
Spark quality;
Ignition timing:
Advancer function;
Compression;
Valve clearances;
Air/Fuel mixture;
Cam timing.

Good Fortune! [/quote]

Thanks Patton!

spark is good, advancer is working. New head was installed, will confirm all compression throughout, thought I'm confident it is ok. I will double check.
Clearances were good, will need to confirm. air/fuel was good and had it running on the current AF setup, and cam timing is spot on.

After I switch my ignition wires :blush: and if it doesn't start I'll go through those last checks. Should be narrowing in on it now though!

freebyrd24 wrote: ...did find out that in reinstalling my wiring harness and coils, I put the wrong feed to each coil, so I'm 180 degrees off. But should it have still coughed on me?...haven't gotten a chance to test it with the coils firing correctly, so I'll be crossing my fingers that is the only issue, but I'll go through and figure it out....

should it have still coughed --- Yes.

Good Fortune!

It looks like the ones in the late 90's were steel and not aluminum from whta I can find. can anyone verify this? Also, I see the 750's from that era seemed to have the extra bracing that makes sort of a hoop. IIRC I was looking for one that doesn't have the hoop. Does it make a difference? I want to use a steel one for now and I had read before that it also gave a 4" extension, but I can't find that original article/thread. Can anyone confirm??

Thanks!

hey freedbyrd,the katana 600 is steel and gives you the extra length.i believe you could fit a 180 in it no sweat.we put one in my buddies kz1000.




excuse the butch job :ohmy: .

i also have a pic for an idea for mounting your gauges.

leon

these gauge mounts could be built out of steel also.










leon