1980 Z1R at a snails pace

Disclaimer: This is not a thread that shows fancy bikes and master fabrication. There will not be any elegant solutions to complex problems.

What you will see is a pretty beat up bike that is going to be brought to the point of running. That's it, that's all. It is my first bike and I have been told that I will probably drop it or lay it down in the first year of riding. I would feel pretty stupid if I had to repeat all of that hard work.

My fabrication tools include: a hand drill. That's it. Laugh all you want. I do however have a friend with a drill press and a lot can be done with that and a band saw. I guess I need to find somebody with one of those.

Ok, here is what we are starting with:



It has been sitting in a barn for a bit. It is in rough shape but it runs.
Easy right? Tune the carbs, install signals and we are pretty much ready to ride.
Maybe not. I have a problem. I always end up diving deeper and deeper than I should.
So I started to do a bit of this:




And this:



As you can see from the last pic there is a just a teeny bit of work to do. FOr now that means cleaning the gunk off of it. Not sure if I have to replace the chain and sprocket for the time being. THere doesn't look like too much wear on the teeth.

Here is the dash. THe fuel gauge is missing and the fascia is conveniently in multiple pieces for easier loss. THe tach and speedo work and are in good shape. I think I might just trim the shit out of it and clean it up. Ditch the top face - I have emailed a number of scarap yards int eh states and have heard nothing back from them. I am not ready to $300 or $400 for that one plastic piece - maybe when I am old and rich. I need to figure out the dummy light though. Feel free to suggest.



Here are the carbs:



I opened up the bowls and they were pretty clean inside. Having said that, i ahve never seen teh inside of a carb before so my opinion doesn't mean shit. Still, it looked clean. Good enough for now.

I wanted to see what was behind the light. So I took it out. Why not.



The left fork ear is broken and ground down in a couple of places. I was stoked to find one online from Z power (thanks yo). Yesterday I removed the top triple so that I could install it when I get it. I just about blinded myself when the springs popped the topcap off. It was practically something from looney tunes. In the process I found that the air valve in the topcap of the left fork is totally stripped. Luckily it doesn't hit the handlebar riser but it is probably something I should replace. THere was no pressure in the tubes - is this something that I need to address when I put it back together? Is there a pressure/rider weight chart?

Ok, that is enough for one day. I have to spread it out so that it looks like I am progressing somewhere.

Next topics:
1. Drilled handlebars and what a MFing pain in the ass they are. FOr more than one reason.
2. Seat pans and what a MFing pain in the ass they are. Rust + seat pans = beer + more beer. Apparently they go really swell together. Why did the Z1R have to be 'special'? In my world 'special' = damn expensive.
3. Electricty and I don't get along. Ever.
4. Bryan gets the idea that he can manufacture something even though he doesn't own any tools.

Good day.

Cool, another barn find 80 Z1R. I've got her sister in my garage...and its just as rough, well maybe rougher lol.

nice...very very nice...

Great find and welcome aboard.

Please get a factory shop manual ASAP before some flying bit goes thru yer head! You may be able to find a free one in the file base on this site, otherwise, it will be the best $$ you ever spend on the bike.

Next topics 1-3 can be solved by the helpful folks around here. You're on your own with #4.

With time and $$, all can be brought back to like new.

Great find/save and welcome.If u really get desperate I have a perfect seat and tank for that bike in my shop.Let me know if u need em.bj

1. Just open your wallet and take out a fist full of hundreds.
2. Rub down the bike with them, they really like it and respond well.
3. Stick a few in the gas tank, several in the carb intakes, and a mitt full up the tail pipe...

You're ready to begin! :laugh: :woohoo:

Love it. :pinch:

PS - Dont run that shit till you get some pod filters on there and set the fuel height in the carbs, and turn the mixture screws out till the engine stumbles, then turn back in a half turn. Make sure to constantly set your idle back to 1000rpm after every change - and make sure that all four pipes are getting hot at idle, choke closed - dont give it throttle.
To check pipes, spray with a water mist - it should sizzle off immediately on all four pipes the same after a minute of idling. Or tap damn quickly with fingers.

Oh yeah... a compression check wouldnt hurt, inline fuel filter. Fresh gas and oil. Lube all cables,etc.

Ah hell, just get the damn manual as suggested!! :laugh:

Good luck!

Thanks for the kind words.
Bought a manual the same day I bought the bike. I don' have access to the oracle of Delphi so I settled for a CLymers.

THe clutch perch was busted so i found a 2nd hand one for $10. Took it apart and enameled it. It's ready to go back onto the bike. I am a bike building maestro. The sheer hours spent spraying that clutch mount should seal my place in the pantheon of master craftsmen. If that didn't do it, the cardboard template of a hidden rear fender should do it.

While I am here I have 3 questions about handlebars:
Question 1: I am tall and have big monkey arms. THink Mr. Tickle from Mr. Men. So I wanted to swap out the bars for some superbike bars: lower, less sweep, better riding position for me. Now, I can find superbike bars and for a good pair I am looking at $50ish. For crappy ones I am looking at 25ish. But none of them are drilled. A new pair of drilled bars cost $130ish. I think you see where I am going. I will have access to a drill press soon. But seriously, do I really want to drill 2 holes into a set of bars?? is that ok? I bike ride, and I sure as shit would NEVER drill a set of handlebars on my bike. Do people do this? I checked wall diameter of undrilled bars and they are the same as my drilled bars.

Second question: Do I have an alternative? The metal grommet on the inside of the left electric pod (signals, lighst etc), fit oh-so nice into the drilled portion. It doesn't look like it is compatible with no hole. UNless there is some fancy way to rout 10 wires into the aether only to have them reappear at the appropriate connector.

THird and final question (and yes, I used the search function): Is there some sneaky way to run wiring in drilled bars? It took me an hour(!!) to pull the wiring Out of the bars, I shudder to think what it will take to run that back in.

I wouldn't drill out a set of bars. The burr left behinde will eat through the wires in about 10 minutes. Get the cheap superbike bars and buy some of the factory zip ties and just tie the wires to the bars. The kawasaki ties are about a half inch wide and you might be able to get them at Z1enterprises.com.

Oarhead..have just done the wire refit through the bars,and is easier than you think.

Tape up the connector ends,tie a piece of string to loom,thread the string through the bar and do the pull push thing.

This job is made much easier by lubing the bars and wiring loom.:whistle:

welcome!

you have an awesome start i am loving all the z1r's coming out of the wood work. :evil:

dashes are a bitch,hard to find and expensive when you do.you might give redlinecycles a call when you get serious.if you plan to dump it much.
might be a good idea to strip the z1r specific stuff off and get your sh!t together.
then put it back right.
kz 900 or 1000 tanks will fit for some learnin.
i don't know how much zpower charged you for that bracket but i recently had to go in with another member to replace one of mine that was broken in a wreck.it wasn't cheap.
when these Z1r's goes down for some reason the like to slam the fairing into the pavemnt and jack the fairing and brake the brackets even low speed dumps get expensive quickly.
you have the makins of an awesome bike,i can't wait to see what you do with it.
keep us posted,

leon