My 78 kz650 build

For starters i would like to say hello im new to forums and i wanted to post my next build with hopes that it my help someone like all the ones in the past have helped me. im starting today with the tear down of my 78 kz650d sr i picked up a few weeks ago. i am looking to do a few performance mods seeing how i read how tugh the 650's motors are. ill be jetting, pods and exhaust. but instead of doing a 4-1 exhaust im going to leave the 4-2 set up i like the duels and ive never done it yet. im then going to do a newer front end swap {not known wich yet} and a monoshock conversion {not known which one yet either}. Ive ordered a kz1000 tank to replace the coffin tank on it. im going to do the knee dents in the tank myself {i wanna see how hard or easy or aggravating it is}. i will post as much as i can remember, so we have a well informed post.

the day i brought her home

the begining of the tear down

where im leaving off till arrival of front and swingarm

Welcome aboard. What performance mods did you have in mind? (I hope you don't consider pods to be a performance mod. :dry: ) Ed

Ed no i really dont consider the pods{apologies for typing that i was just trying to state small bolt on aplications} as a performance mod but im just thinking of not going to doing anything in the motor, im am thinking of just lighten the bike up better handling with front and rear conversions. i dont want to mess with realiability of the motors reputation {or for what ive herd and read about}} but if you have any suggestions on simple modding im ears.

The swing arm, forks, and frame on the KZ650 did not have the same weaknesses as some of the big KZ models. The KZ650 geometry and handling is excellent in stock form with one major exception - the rear shocks. The original shocks were adequate (but only adequate) when new, but by 10,000 miles they were toast. The biggest improvement you can make to handling is installing high quality rear shocks and sticky tires. Do that and you can exploit the physical lean angle limitations of the bike.

When the 1977 KZ650 blew away all the 750 speed and endurance records it used the stock swing arm and forks. The only suspension mods were ditching the stock shocks and installing a pair of S&W shocks. There were changes to the cylinder head, intake, plus larger carbs and tuned exhaust to crank out enough power to set these records. Racing tires on larger rims laced to stock hubs were used as was an oil cooler. Stock points and ignition were used. Here are the records and a couple pics of the bike. Ed