Daily Rider Project

Hello everyone!

The bike: 1983 KZ1100A3 ~30K on the chassi, original case. The base and head gaskets are fairly new, and I have no service records for the bike. The PO had the valve clearance checked, carbs rebuilt, and hard as nails tires installed, and thats the only concrete proof of maintanance I have. Other parts are have been replaced, but many more need attention.

The project name is quite literal. I do not plan on having the bike down for longer than 2 days at a time, untill I paint the tins later this summer. So far, I have done nothing to the bike other than adjust the clutch and throttle cable. Here is how it sits as of today:







Immediate plans are to fix a 45' long fule line issue(not sure who was smoking crack when they installed it). It likes to pinch shut when you least expect it. Next step will be sourcing O.E. front turn signals and a set of rear pegs. I like to record my progress with pics, so many to come. This is going to be a long project, but after five years without a bike, its hard for me to take this runner and tear it down completly. So ultimatly my main goal is ridability and to freshen up the looks as best as I can.

This might belong in another thread, but I'm also looking for suggestiongs on restoring/hiding/painting the bad chrome peices. Mainly the case caps. They're horrible.

Safe riding everyone!

cool! looking forward to your build

Thanks, can't wait to get into the nitty gritty. The more I think about it, I might just go down for a few weeks and do it all. I still have 'ole faithfull parked next to to(S10). The fuel I'm saving right now is a tear down henderance too..lol

I prefer to ride and replace VS tear down and watch it sit until i get it back together lol

my ADHD doesnt do well with it tore down

When it comes to this bike, I'm with ya. I want to ride! 5 years was too long not to have a bike.

I shortened the fuel line and put in a screen filter as suggested by many people, after loosing fuel on a couple of rides. Its the stupid petcock. Sometimes it will open in the position "ON", but not always. Its fun pushing that lug out of the road As long as I leave it on prime, it runs tip-top. I had to rebuild the petcock on my KZ550, so no biggie.

I did find ACCELL coils on the bike once I lifted the tank up. Not sure if thats a good thing or not. I'm sure they're newer than the stock coils, but I seem to have read negative reviews of these guys. I'm ordering a set of Taylor wires for it. Just gonna buy the singles in the boot angles thats correct(which I need to find on here). The ACCELL wires on it do not have the correct boot angle at the plug and are too long. It was correctable, but the tank already rubbed the wires.

My next quest is the speedo drive. PO fiddled with it, as I have another gauge housing and speedo hub drive. The speedo on the bike looks to be a reconditioned(or NOS) head. The faceplate is brand new. Took the cable off the head and turned the front wheel; no cable movement. Cable is in good condition. So I suppose the hub piece he gave me needs installation.. I need to dig out my bike drawings and look at the parts I have.

Next, I have to swap tachs from this other cluster over. The tach I have likes to work perfect, then stay at redline and sweep correct again.. So it ends up pointing about 6 o'clock after 2nd gear lol

The spare speedo drive that came with the bike is trashed. I have a feeling the one installed on the bike is trashed as well, since its weathered and most likely a used part. Hopefully I'll get lucy and the drive shim is missing/broke. If it isn't, I'll order a complete gear assembly and new drive shim before I end up with a ticket.

Isn't that an 82? Do you have 82 body parts on an 83?

Heres the info I had on the model runs. Nice ride regardless. See ya around.


1983 Kawasaki KZ 1100a3
Info: *USA Only* Color = Ebony 83 KZ1100-A3 = VINs 1438 / Engines 5063
VIN Range JKAKZBA1vDA 011101 - 012539 Engine No. Range KZT10AE 015801 - 020864

1982 Kawasaki KZ 1100a2
Info: Color = Luminous Passion Red 82 KZ1100-A2 = VINs 4399 / Engines 9099
VIN Range JKAKZBA1vCA 006701 - 011100 Engine No. Range KZT10AE 006701 - 015800

1981 Kawasaki KZ 1100a1
Info: Color = Luminous Navy Blue 81 KZ1100-A1 = VINs 6699 / Engines 6699
VIN Range JKAKZBA1vBA 000001 - 006700 Engine No. Range KZT10AE 000001 - 006700

Good news everyone!!

I picked one of these up back in september of last year and have since ridden daily and made a few trips (I'm on my 2nd 2,400mile round-trip from ABQ to Iowa City this year).

I'm having to do a valve adjustment and new tires and have a fairly steady but slow oil leak but otherwise this bike has been solid. It just eats long straight interstate miles nom nom nom.

I managed to lose my speedo cable somewhere outside of Santa Rosa on the way up so I have no idea how fast I'm going, and honestly officer I DO care but seriously I was only in like 2nd gear...lol.

Lessons learned on these long trips: tighten everything you can reach before and during long stints. The speedo nut vibrated loose, and I've lost entire exhaust bolts somehow.

Oh, and get yourself a decent windscreen. take it off around town, but that ish priceless on long runs around the country.