Getting started - cafe or bob?

Ok so I'm a new member to the forum but not completely new to the kz world but definitely not a guru by any means. My first bike was a 77kz650 with 17k on the clock. I bought it for $650 and it ran the day I bought it and had no issues. i rode it the rest of the summer and then stored it in my basement and went to town. I tore it completely down to the bare frame and motor and started removing paint etc.... then I had to move to another state. Long story short, I did get it back together.








Then I made a mistake and sold it about 3 years ago.
Last weekend I acquired this little gem - a 1980kz750z four into one with 2419 on the odometer!!!!!! And I talked the guy down to $500!!!!









I was and still am stoked to get started on this thing. As you can tell from the pictures it needs a lot of love but some of the work has already been started in my eyes. I just want to figure out what to do with it. CHOP OR CAFE? Also the tank is gummed really really bad and rusty under the liner.... Suggestions please??? :woohoo: :blink:

Everyone to their own - but personally I cannot stand this recent trend for "bobbing" bikes! The project you've got looks like a good challenge - I'd go for either a resto back to original or maybe a touch modified to a cafe racer - would look cool with a nice bikini fairing and custom paint job - a la "Stone" movie..

I think the outside of the tank looks awesome as is. Just get a tetanus shot and you're good to go

I want to slam it as low as I can possibly go with it. I understand your disgust with bobs BUT.... I'm short 5'6" and the reason I sold the 650 was because it was just slightly a little too high for me. Once again, still wishing I had never sold it, I think I'm going to go with solid struts on the back and push the forks up as far as I can. That being said, hese KZs are top-heavy bikes and for a short guy to maneuver on the balls of his feet. I really want the cafe look more than a bob but I want comfort at the same time. The seat pan is a little wider than I would like so I think I'm going to modify that for sure. This will be my third project bike but I think I'm really going to lay into this one. Stay tuned, its gonna be a fun ride. :woohoo:

SteppnRzr wrote: I think I'm going to go with solid struts on the back ........ but I want comfort at the same time.

Have you ridden a rigid frame? if you need to lower it i would look into shorter travel shocks.

Choppers are stupid. Rigid/hardtail frames are stupid. Don't be a fashion victim.

Standard or Cafe any day. Why not use the black high compression foam in your seat - fantastic stuff - molds to your rear and bounces back to normal once you are off and because of the height thing you can make it thinner.
Inline 4 Jap motors installed into Boat Anchor (Harleyeske) type frames just look wrong (just my opinion)
Surely one of those tanks would be easy to find cheap at a wreckers.

That's a simple one.
Go to the café and have a beer with your buddy bob!Leave that poor bike alone. :laugh:

DoctoRot wrote:

SteppnRzr wrote: I think I'm going to go with solid struts on the back ........ but I want comfort at the same time.

Have you ridden a rigid frame? if you need to lower it i would look into shorter travel shocks.

Nope I've never ridden a rigid bike... I thought about doing it to my old 650 but pretty much was scared away from it by someone telling me how rough a ride it would be. As for the seat, I was definitely planning to make the make a little thinner but still want to drop it as low as I can.

guitargeek wrote: Choppers are stupid. Rigid/hardtail frames are stupid. Don't be a fashion victim.

Don't get me wrong guy... I'm not a fashion/fad follower, I'm a little too short to feel comfortable on the bike. Not being a smartass, but why do you say rigid frames are stupid?

Zephyrrider wrote: Standard or Cafe any day. Why not use the black high compression foam in your seat - fantastic stuff - molds to your rear and bounces back to normal once you are off and because of the height thing you can make it thinner.
Inline 4 Jap motors installed into Boat Anchor (Harleyeske) type frames just look wrong (just my opinion)
Surely one of those tanks would be easy to find cheap at a wreckers.

Yea plan on cutting the pan down a tad... I am leaning more toward cafe as well. When I worked on the seat for my old 650 I went at it with a bread knife and took a pile of foam off, then I had put a piece of 1" viscoelastic gel in the seat. It made my ass sweat but man was it comfy for the first 20-30 minutes.

I peeled a little of the liner back inside the hole on the tank and it's rusted pretty good... Still not really sure if I want to attempt a good cleaning or just trash it.

PLUMMEN wrote: That's a simple one.
Go to the café and have a beer with your buddy bob!Leave that poor bike alone. :laugh:

Thanks lol but I see potential

The short thing/time tk make it rigid sounds like a cop out IMHO, my 5' tall wife is perfect on a 550 and handles a 1000 great as well, it comes down to finesse and setup as well.

floivanus wrote: The short thing/time tk make it rigid sounds like a cop out IMHO, my 5' tall wife is perfect on a 550 and handles a 1000 great as well, it comes down to finesse and setup as well.

Time tk?