'78 KZ 650 Refreshing/Upgrade Project

Hey all,

So here goes... I've had this bike for a few years now, having moved all over the place within Canada, and working abroad I finally settled in one place for a while and decided I didn't want to pass another summer without a motorcycle, the 440 in my signature being a couple hundred kilometers away, and probly not up to the drive down to where I was living. So with the advice of some people here, and a little luck, I found 'Lila', the KZ650 C2 in the pic below. Looks pretty good from a few feet away, and I've always been pretty happy with that but I guess we all get to wanting bigger and better over time....

Well, sort of, anyway. I fact, I've found this is such a great bike to ride and well suited to my needs in general I really have no interest in going to something bigger any time soon, and instead would rather spend what little money I have bringing this old girl back up to a somewhat better condition than she is presently in. Living in apartments has meant that I've been able to do limited improvements and repairs along the way, but never really could do any work that would be longer term and well, able to really improve much. In short, I kept her clean and maintained, but that's pretty much it. At present, she has a DYNA-S, 4-1 with a Kerker can, and has been podded, and correctly jetted. (Don't know the jetting is, just that she pulls hard, gets a nice clean idle, and checked out perfectly with a Morgan colortune when TekNiNe came by with one the check it out.) Progressive shocks and springs in back, and front fork springs are sitting in a box waiting to be installed.

More than anything I am starting the thread, because I have seen the success other have had, and especially the encouragement they have gotten from others either that have done the same thing, or are perhaps hoping to do some of the same, and can use the things you've learned along they. (Read: how not to repeat the stupid things you do, how not break the same sh** you broke) Moreover, I've finally wound up living in a house with a full size, unfinished basement that has a walkthrough. I am fortunate enough to have a few friends who are happy to help out when it involves doing things that are only somewhat intelligent and potentially dangerous, and so, I was able to ride her into the basement on a makeshift ramp, over the stairs.

As it stands at present, I now have a bare frame in the basement and a large collection of labelled and sorted boxes containing the entirety of a bike. It's kinda interesting to see a bike broken down to component elements and put away like that.

AAAAnnyway, I am away from home for a while, so doing some parts collecting and lots of R&D, I hope to use this next month or so as time to get and collect info and opinions on where to go when I get back and can actually once again begin to take things apart, repaint, polish and reassemble.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes and interest in this. I will try be good about staying on top of it, and will take any criticism and advice into consideration. That being said, it may be a good time to mention, that this will not be a bob, chop, streetify or anything quite like that. I hope to keep most of the stock external bits and modernize and update mainly where it won't be too obvious... As with many others, it's already so far from stock condition that to restore would be more costly than to go forward from here.

Cheers all,

Jon

Guess it won't hurt to get started on the short list of proposed mods and changes for the project eh?

Since I am pretty much down to frame at present, I am thinking of stripping the old paint, with a borrowed sandblaster and repainting, in a standard black. A bunch of options there; if it turns out to re a reasonable price to have someone paint it with a good paint, that will be harder than anything I can rattlecan or spray on at home, then done. If not, I have a decent Crappy Tire paint gun and detail gun, which I am completely willing to learn how to use with much trial and error. I would need to get decent compressor which was up to the job, but then I've wanted one of those for a long time, so it won't be the end of the world. I guess I probably don't have to mention that there are not unlimited funds for this, :pinch: , so much of what I'm doing will necessarily be at home, and if I can't do it at present, I may just have to learn. I'm generally willing to spend good money on tools if I can learn to use them well rather than pay someone else to do work for me. So, of those options, it seems like POR-15 chassis paint with its' specific primer or the Krylon rattle can frame paint are pretty highly regarded... Thoughts?

I have a set of APE high performance valve springs and new top end gasket set which will be the next big step. I had thought of going to a slightly more aggressive cam while everything is apart in there, but I suspect that without getting the head ported, that is a bit of a waste of time and money at present. Since I still have VM24s on there, I don't know if I will much benefit. I am looking around for 26mm's and will get new mounting boots to fit them when I can find a pair for a reasonable price. Pods, I think tho I know they aren't ideal, are going to have to stay for a while since I'm already jetted for them, and I don't have a stock airbox anyway.

Other small (Not so small?) things include replacing much of the wiring harness, parts of it from Creative Wiring Solutions, and parts made up from stock colour matched wires from riwire.com
Signals may go back to stock, since I have a set, but will be changed out to LED lights. Rears may need to be shortened or temporarily replaced in order to accommodate saddle bags for my proposed end of summer, post rebuilt trip to the East coast of Canada. (In another thread which also needs to be updated)... I am hoping to elimiate the somewhat chunky rear brake light, and go with something a little sleeker. Ideas welcome on that one. I've seen some nice ones out there and have to get back to researching it. I love the 650 duck tail and fender, just not so much the massive plate holder etc...

Well, that is a fair bit of talk. Looking forward to some feedback. I will also see if I can dig up a few more pictures.

Cheers,

Jon

Found a couple...



With Mike Rivet, and his beautifully restored H1. Met the fellow randomly at a gas station and had a coffee while chatting bikes. Not a KZ'er but a really nice guy.



In a vineyard somewhere around Niagara. Part of one my old jobs was vineyard observation etc.... Took the bike though a few places not alot of KZ's likely go.... *hahah*

Jon

Just in case you're not familiar with the JIS screws, you may want to read the following. Ed
kzrider.com/forum/21-tools/532335-budget...ewdriver-tips#532335

good lookin 650 you started with i can't wait to see what you do with it.

por-15 is very popular for frame paint.

the money saved and satisfaction of doing it your self should make it all worth it.


keep us posted.

leon

Thanks guys.

Ed: I've seen you advise many others on that front, and did file down a cheapo screwdriver a few years back to get out the really difficult ones. Worked well, so a much belated thank you. Strangely the PH#2 in my impact set fit the JIS quite well, and got the stubborn ones out without much fuss. Maybe I just got lucky. In any case, they'be all been replaced with SS allen head bolts for the time being (Z1 dress kit). Like i said, not trying to stay 100% stock, just very stock-ish.

leon: Appreciate it. Got the bike with ~26k kilometers on it, so it hasn't been too hard pressed over it's life, but still requires alot to keep it going and looking nice. *lol* I agree about doing work yourself and have pretty much decided to learn how to paint and start myself. Just need to figure out where I am going to find a compressor that will do the job and that I can afford at the moment. Already have the stuff to put together a small painting stall in the basement, so there is yet another project. I had actually thought to PM you about some swingarm mods, and will do so when I get a moment.

Cheers,

Jon

gimme a shout if i can help you with anything.

leon

If you have access to a sand blaster great, I had to call in a favor to get my kick stand ,center stand ,swing arm,battery box and brake rod blasted.
But as far as the frame goes I decided to wire brush all the welds and rust spots and leave the paint what didn't want to come off because I figured it is a good base for fresh paint, but that's just me.

Around here I can get the frame and related parts sand blasted and powder coated for around $350.00

If you decide to paint the frame your self I suggest that you wait for a nice day and do it outside,
That black paint goes everywhere no matter how hard you try to contain it :whistle: take it from someone who knows :pinch:

Good luck with your 650, please take lots of pics.

JD

Wow. Been a little too long, I think. Well, for the moment I have some extra free time as I've been laid off from the day job, and am just putting in some extra night shifts at what was the part time job before. (Slinging pints at the local pub.....)

In any case, while it may be less than perfect being mainly unemployed just before Christmas, it does on the other hand mean I've been putting in hours a day in the woodshop and working on the bike.

A few photos to show some of the progress so far, and a whole bunch more to come soon.





Frame stripped as least as far as I was able with chemical stripper, wire wheels etc.... I am never doing that by hand again. It would be worth the money to buy a sandblaster and do it in an afternoon. Soooo many hours to get it that far. Still, rewarding work, and I certainly learned something. Frame and swingarm are out for semi-flat powdercoat right now. Should be back in a couple of weeks.

Just an idea of where things were a few months ago.....



And finally, a trick for any Canadians out there who are struggling to remove swingarm bearing outer races. My $2 removal kit. (literally!)





So, it may be cheaper to go to the store and get some heavy washers like most people have done, however, when it is a really crappy December afternoon, and a trip to the nearest hardware store is going to take longer than the value of two coins, this works a treat. After heat cycling the bearing races (BFH method failed, and actually bent both coins before heating the races!) A loonie fits pretty much perfectly across the bearings on the inside.

Well, back to the shop for part of the afternoon it would seem. As I said, more to come. Thanks everyone for the support, and my apologies for taking so damned long to get back to it!

Jonny

Following.
Excited t osee how this turns out

Haha. A Loonie trick. I have to remember that one. I cooked a swing arm in an oven once before tackling bushing removal.
That was a very nice bike you started with and I am sure the final product will be a real beauty when you finish.
Good luck

Nice project.
Will be keeping watch.

With Mike Rivet, and his beautifully restored H1. Met the fellow randomly at a gas station and had a coffee while chatting bikes. Not a KZ'er but a really nice guy.

I know Mike.
He is a great guy.
He recently bought a Kawi Concours, ZG(?)1000 in great shape.
Here's Mike's bike next to Gratse/Graham's kz650, who is a member here;