1979 KZ650 C3 stock-ish restoration

Hey everyone,

You may have already seen some questions of mine pop up here and there, but I decided it's time I just put together a build thread.

This is the bike as it looked when I bought it last November. I haven't been very good about taking photos as I go along, so far, so unfortunately this is all I got from its first days in my possession!





Just shy of 28,000 miles, and in theory was running a couple of years ago.

In general, it's not in awful shape -- I've seen many on this forum work wonders on bikes in much worse condition than mine. However, the previous owner(s) were clearly negligent, cheap, and not very good mechanics.

Take, for example(s), the fork dust covers, which when old/rotted were just wrapped in electrical tape. I pulled fistfulls of grime out from the front sprocket area. The oil filter bolt was stripped. There was a screw drilled in until it bent a tab on the frame, then the top was sheared off. It's clearly been down a couple of times, but nothing too drastic (I think).

Though I've done some intermediate maintenance on my wee Ninja 250, this is my first time with a project of this magnitude.

My plan for now is to restore the bike, keep it mostly stock -- I'm not afraid to replace old/unavailable parts with new ones, so long as they're in keeping with the general aesthetic. This year I'm just trying to get it in running shape, replacing parts that need replacing, and shining it up a little bit. Next winter, I'm hoping to re-powder-coat the frame and get it looking really nice, and maybe re-do the electric bits.

This has/will entail (in no particular order, and may be missing some things I'm not thinking of right now):
- Valve adjustment, incl. replacing rubber cam end caps and gasket
- Rebuild front forks.
- Replace front/rear sprockets
- Replace front master cylinder (too pitted for my expertise) and install s/s brake lines
- Pine-sol the carbs, rejet for exhaust
- Install new V&H exhaust and headers (original exhaust literally crumbled in half from corrosion when I removed them)
- Remove light rust from inside gas tank, remove dents, repaint tank, side covers, and tail.
- Remove rust and repaint battery box, plus new battery
- Replace all turn signals
- Clean off severely grimy bits (especially front sprocket area, cover, and anything near the chain)
- Clean wheels, get new tires.
- Replace throttle, clutch, and tach cables.
- Replace coils and spark plug boots
- Cleaning/de-rusting/polishing smaller parts, where possible, and/or powder coating (I have a small powder coating gun and toaster oven)

The worst part: I currently don't have a garage - I've been working out of a 10x10 storage unit (shared with 1-2 other bikes). This will change in a couple months, though!

I have a ton of small questions to ask that don't warrant an entire forum post, but I'm done typing for now, so I'll follow up with those soon!

Thanks to all of you. You guys have been so dang helpful so far and many of you don't even know it.

Sounds like your well on your way, and have a good plan on fixing up your 650.
I will keep an eye on your project, and hope it will motivate me to work on my C1 project that I've been too lazy to work on.
I also don't have a garage, so that makes it a little difficult to work sometimes.

Hi, looks pretty decent to start with, keep us informed of progress.

A few quick questions:

I bought a new V&H header/exhaust and am keeping the stock airbox. I've seen a pretty broad range of opinions here and at other forums about what mains/pilots I should rejet to, and some suggest not rejetting at all. Anyone with this exhaust and bike have a combination that works well for them?

I've also read that most folks have a hard time fitting the exhaust to the V&H header, and many recommend taking it to a muffler shop and having them expand the opening to put them together. Will pretty much any ol' muffler place know what I'm talking about if I bring it to them? Or do I need to take it to moto dealer/mechanic (the local motorcycle shop here blows).

Second, I'm giving the carbs the ol' Pine Sol soak. I don't have an air compressor currently, but I do have several cans of compressed air around. Would these be enough to blow out the carb passages, or is a compressor really necessary?

Thanks again, everyone. Photos forthcoming when I have made some decent progress.

I've been spending a bit of time trying to shine up the valve cover before I put it back on the bike. I'm trying to take Old Man Rock's Simple Green and nylon wheel brush approach. It's coming along ok (R/L before/after, so far):


Overall it's getting a lot cleaner and brighter. However, it's still speckled.


Is this something that'll only come out with buffing and polishing, or will persistent Simple Green/brushing take care of it?

Scotchbrite pads the redish brown ones auto body man has them+ Blue Magic wheel cleaner-polish or simichrome you are not being aggressive yet on the corrosion. I have built a few 650's. 34 years worth of parts and racing. You could get a portable air tank or make one (beer keg or similar) would get you through carb blasting. Make a bike stand .................can have either wheel off the ground...............I am a polisher painter restore tip junkie......