1977 KZ 1000 "Brat Style" Project

I've got a 1980 CMT 400 Hilda with less than 7K on the clock. I'll trade you straight across for that KZ1000. You can chop up the Hilda and I'll restore the KZ. Where are you? I might even pay for the transport.

Bill

Les Holt builds a swingarm that comes with the axle and brake stay that would be easiest and less expensive in the long run

I bought a couple different swingarms when i did mine before I settled and ended up doing the mono
either the wheel i had or the axle or brake there always seemed it was something not jiving.

i'm sure there are plenty of guys that can give better advice on what matches what but by the time you do the math I think Les kit would be the way to go lol

Sorry, I actually hunted for months for this bike to come along, and a 400 will seem like a mini bike to me as my daily rider is a 1700 v-twin.

KZCSI wrote: I've got a 1980 CMT 400 Hilda with less than 7K on the clock. I'll trade you straight across for that KZ1000. You can chop up the Hilda and I'll restore the KZ. Where are you? I might even pay for the transport.

Bill

650ed wrote: That bike in the second picture looks like a 7th grade kid built it. The front end is a pure mess of cables etc. that looks really sloppy, and I don't understand the appeal of missing side covers and that home-made looking seat. :blink: Sorry I sound pessimistic, but I suspect this will be yet another nice KZ1000 that bites the dust. This seems to often happen when a person buys a nice bike at a bargain price and so doesn't appreciate it for what it is. Ed

I have to agree with Ed here again...


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the reason folks are giving the thumbs down is because a wire spoked kz1000 with very little to restore and in the same basic shape as it came form the store is not a very easy bike to find,every time you touch your wrench to that bike you will be undoing what fate has left alone for 3 decades....that bike is better off on e-bay and the money you make will pay for a rat bike already screwed up......oh and rat bike is the term

the first pic you list as a reference goal is about 12-15000 to build


all folks are saying is dont take a granny 65 mustang and make a lowrider please

If this was a real nice stocker I could understand the resistance but as it sits it would still take a good $3000+ to put it back to a nicely restored original... Its your bike, do what you want

I have no intetion of letting this bike go as it took me a long time to find the right one, at the right price. I've looked around at different prices and it seems to me that a restored stock bike sells for the same as a nicely modified one dependant on what the buyer is looking for. As for the North American term "Rat Bike" and European term "Brat Bike" which comes from the Japanese custom shop "Brat Style", I see the similarities. Both of which works fine for me. Anyhow I will keep tinkering away as I don't really have any sentiment for stock, original style. Thanks for the positive input.

Well it's been a while since I've updated so.... I purchased a donor 2002 CBR 954RR. With this I'm planning on using the front end, brakes, rear sets, and the rear wheel. Also I picked up a swingarm from a 2001 FZ1. I also found a tank from what I think is a MKII, don't know how I'm going to make it work, but it is in the style that I want.

Brats are hard to get right, but they can look great. This wrenchmonkees kz1000 is the best I've seen.

893cv wrote: Brats are hard to get right, but they can look great. This wrenchmonkees kz1000 is the best I've seen.

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But why do they nearly always put crappy tires on them? Is it because they care more about looks than handling? Of course, that may be an academic question considering most of them are not ridden or rarely ridden. Even the one in the picture is going nowhere as is. Ed

This is one of my favs of this style. Well put together. I built a seat/cowl modeled after this one. Like all bikes, some are ridden. Some people buy them, decide it is not for them and sell them again. Some of us just can't seem to be satisfied with anything as it came from the factory! It happens.
Wayne

Ed,
I agree, some folks put junk tires on their projects just for a "look". I like to ride my bikes so how well a tire works is important to me. I don't know if the wrenchmonkees kz1000 was finished when that photo was taken. It appears to still need a few things!