ACQUIRED ANOTHER KZ650C

Well the first project KZ fell into my hands back in January sometime. Been working on her on and off when I have time. It's a roller and just about ready to come apart for powder and paint. Sounds like my wife! Here's what she's looking like so far. The bike, not my wife!



Then, just a couple of days ago, along come another KZ650 C3! This one in better shape than the first 650 I started with. But, that was no big deal, because I was going to be replacing just about everything on it, anyway. The second bike, although being in better shape and having a fresh paint job on it, has no title. So, the thought was to part it out and keep a few things for myself.

Then I start thinking about trying to get a title for it. The story is this, the bike belonged to someone who passed away and it was given to someone else. I purchased it from this person for $400. I ask a car salesman friend of mine about getting a title. He says it's not that hard. Get a bill of sale, have it Notarized and go to the DMV and get it retitled. Heh, who knew it was that easy.

So, it looks like I have another project on my hands. Now to decide what to do with it! Do I leave it stock? Do I alter its state? Do I fix it up and keep it? Do I fix it up and sell it? So many questions, so little time.

Anyway, here's some pix.









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Nice find!

Keep it as a spare, or something the wife can ride.

rstnick wrote: Nice find!

Keep it as a spare, or something the wife can ride.

...well, I like the idea of keeping it as a spare, but the wife? :huh:

...and screw up the only "my time thing" there's left in life after 30 years of marriage? :laugh:

...you, Sir, are out of your mind.

:laugh: :woohoo: :whistle:

Yeah, I can see where your coming from.

rstnick wrote: :laugh: :woohoo: :whistle:

Yeah, I can see where your coming from.

...just as I figured, it was a momentary loss of common sense.

...glad you're over it.

...OK, so I wasn't sure what I was going to do with this bike. So, I stated to sort it out and fix the little problems. Here a list of what I fixed so far.

1. Didn't run, just chugged on maybe a cylinder and a half. Pulled and cleaned carbs. All good, runs like a bear!
2. Replaced bad horn.
3. Replaced slooooooooow directional flasher.
4. Replaced missing seat hardware, only had one pin holding the seat on.
5. Freed up sticking front calipers.
6. Installed complete missing center stand.
7. Replaced one fogged up directional lens.
8. Replaced bad neutral light bulb.
9. Replaced missing battery hold down strap.
10. Cleaned inside of tank and fixed frozen petcock.
11. Installed new plugs.
12. Changed oil and filter.
13. Pinstriped tank, covers and rear tail piece.
14. Diagnosing no taillight, traced to bad ignition switch.

...Anybody have a ignition switch for a '77 650 C3? I guess it's off to eBay.

...That's pretty much it for mechanical problems. Now I just need to clean it up to match the fairly fresh paint job. I really bought it to fix up and sell. But, it runs so well, I think I may keep it. I figured I might keep it at least until I get the #1 project bike complete and then maybe sell it. Maybe. But, it sure would be nice to have a Commuter, a Cafe bike and a Harley. We'll see.

...anyway, here's a few pix after the work.













...oooops, how'd that one get in there? :whistle: :evil:

What happened in that last pic? Your '650 turned into something unspeakable! :S :huh:

Good on ya for rescuing the old girl.

What happened in that last pic? Your '650 turned into something unspeakable! :S :huh:

...It ascended to Heaven!

Good on ya for rescuing the old girl.

...I'd like to find a nice set of stock pipes for it and really complete the look.

KraZyRIDER wrote:

What happened in that last pic? Your '650 turned into something unspeakable! :S :huh:

...It ascended to Heaven!

Good on ya for rescuing the old girl.

...I'd like to find a nice set of stock pipes for it and really complete the look.

Heck just pull that pipe and throw some paint on it and while the pipe is off consume a few barley pops and hit that aluminum with mothers aluminum polish and some rags and that thing will be sweeeet.

Nice score. I hope that bike pays you to ride it if the price was right.

Heck just pull that pipe and throw some paint on it and while the pipe is off consume a few barley pops and hit that aluminum with mothers aluminum polish and some rags and that thing will be sweeeet.

Nice score. I hope that bike pays you to ride it if the price was right.

...well, the first one was FREE so that's why I'm going crazy putting money into it. Kind of a mid life crisis bike, without the crisis. It's pretty much something to remind me of my youth and the crazy things I use to do.

...the second one cost me $400. I figured it would at least need tires. It's got Metzler's on it that look brand new. I figured it would need a chain. I'll be damned, got what looks like a brand new o-ring chain on it. Battery, right? Wrong, brand new. The seat is sound. It's got new paint on it. Replaced the usual missing odds and ends, except for the air box, I just can't live with an air box. Maybe one day, but not now. Like you said, with a little TLC and a visit from ol' John Barley Corn and it'll be like brand new!

...cool!

...found the pipes for my #2 project Kaw!



...through two different sources.

...one right here on KZR.

...the other on fleeBay.

...I must say, pieces from both are in excellent condition and I'll have parts left over. They'll look like brand new when I get through cleaning them. Can't wait to get 'em on the ol' girl and see what they look like. My vision of putting it back to a real stocker just might come true. Soon baby, soon!

Cooool! The stock KZ650 pipes really look good! Ed