650 Mod's 78 Fighter Build

So now that I pretty much have all the parts that I need to complete my street-fighter build on my '78 KZ650 (and I'll be starting my front/rear conversion soon), I figured I'll start putting some pictures up.

This first set is just of some of the parts I have for the build. I got a nice surprise from the local powdercoating shop- my rims are done! The shop did an amazing job, I'm very happy with the results.

A bit of info on the build: I'm using the front end from a 2001 Buell X1 lightning. I scored the whole front end (forks, rim, Accutronix triple trees) for a VERY cheap price. Plus, I think the Buell front end is something different that not many people (if any) have done). The rear end is from a 1999 Kawasaki Ninja 900. The swingarm is nice and polished, which I think will add to the completed look of the bike. I may have an issue in getting the swingarm between my frame, but I'm sure a little bit of cutting/grinding will help here

Once I get the build underway, more pictures will be up to follow

Devin

Sorry, not all pictures loaded. Here's a few more.

I have more parts sitting in the garage, but I don't feel like going out in -20 celsius weather to get them

Sorry, not all pictures loaded. Here's a few more.

I have more parts sitting in the garage, but I don't feel like going out in -20 celsius weather to get them

looking good :woohoo:

Killer start, parts and powder coat look nice!

Les

Thanks, guys! Like I said, I have more pretty parts outside, but I don't really want to go out in the cold right now.

The body paint is similar to the Subaru/Yamaha blue that the cars/bikes have on them. I figured the gold rims would really make a popping colour combination.

I forgot to do one thing earlier- give backgrounding on the bike.

I'm a university student, finishing a Masters degree soon. I picked the bike up when I was 20, and haven't looked back since then. I've been slowly chipping away on it in my free time since.

I picked it up three and a half years ago from a guy that had it sitting on it's side stand in a shed since 1989. It was bone stock, except for a K+N filter and Ohlins oil cooler. It had roughly 40,000 km on it, and had pretty low compression. After a quick compression test, I found that the rings were pretty cooked, but the valves were also cooked. It ran, but didn't like cold starts. I picked it up for $800, and rode it home.

I did a full tear down on the bike, but I unfortunately didn't take pictures. I just joined the site last year, so I missed out on that boat. I stripped it down to nuts and bolts, and did a full top end engine build on it. Valves got reseated, and the cylinders got punched out to 705 cc's with a Wiseco 10.25:1 high dome kit. Frame and body parts got painted (close to a Subaru/Yamaha blue), and I slowly started to re-assemble it.

This part took me about 2 years to get done, working on it in the evenings when I didn't have homework or work. I've sank quite a bit of time/money into the bike, but I don't mind at all. As the saying goes, if someone else has one, I don't want it. I want to make this bike mine. I finally got it to rideable condition (last summer), so on the road it went. I spun about 1,000 km over the summer on it, then parked it and started collecting parts.

I have to do a little more carb work (vacuum sync them, check float levels) and finish with this work. Then I'll finally have the bike I imagined I could build when I picked it up

Looking good, about time someone else Street Fighter's another 650, people love mine.
Mark

Mark,

I'm hoping for the same response here. You definitely don't see many 650's built like this. I'm from a smaller town in Canada, and I'm sure there's nothing like this around. It'll definitely be a head turner when it's done

Wheres the rest of it? :laugh:

I have to tease you, one set of pictures at a time... The bike is out in the garage, semi-taken apart right now. I'll have it in the shop hopefully by next weekend to start on the front end work.

Devin

It warmed up a bit today (+2 celsius or so, the warmest we've had here since end of November), so I went out to the garage and got some more pictures of other parts I have sitting out there.

The tires I'll be running on the rims are a set of lightly used Pirelli Diablo Strada tires (picked up for $35, gotta love ebay). The exhaust is off a 2001 Zephyr 750, bolts right on. I used this one last season, and I love the exhaust note I get. It's got a Yoshimura shorty can on it, gives a nice aggresive throaty growl. The paint on all my body parts was done 2 years ago- I like the depth in the colour, I think it'll go very nicely with the gold rims