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I think you can make almost anything you want out of that. You may want to peruse some of the incredible builds on this site for some inspiration.

ThatGPzGuy wrote: I think you can make almost anything you want out of that. You may want to peruse some of the incredible builds on this site for some inspiration.

Will do, GPzGuy. Thanks. I'm not super familiar with the site yet, but I'll be doing some homework here, for sure.

Warner

Looks like a good starting point. I would make sure the engine runs well before you dive into the other stuff, unless you are planning on rebuilding regardless.

Gotta say this, I'd clean it up, get it running well then decide if you want to make changes that can't be reversed. Looks like a solid survivor to me and worth some real money.
Steve

That would be a shame to hack that one up.

DoctoRot wrote: Looks like a good starting point. I would make sure the engine runs well before you dive into the other stuff, unless you are planning on rebuilding regardless.

Well, the carbs are going to need to be rebuilt for sure. I was planning on pulling the engine out and cleaning up and probably having the frame powder coated again. The swingarm swap (and forks/bars, controls) would happen then too, if I decided to do that.

Warner

SWest wrote: Gotta say this, I'd clean it up, get it running well then decide if you want to make changes that can't be reversed. Looks like a solid survivor to me and worth some real money.
Steve

Well, I guess it becomes a question of is it an investment, or is it a project? And what would it be worth if cleaned up and sold as an original LTD?

Warner

baldy110 wrote: That would be a shame to hack that one up.

Ugh....well, what's it worth all fixed up stock? $4k? I'm not sure I could find another one like this for what I'm paying that would make as good a starting point for the project I want to do. I know that purists don't like seeing one of these intact bikes getting "ruined"...so I get both sides.

Warner

I guess we didn't realize you were getting such a complete bike and in such decent condition. That dirt will just wash off and a little polish can make that bike look entirely different . I don't know my 1000's that well, but that paint even looks like it could be original. The problem with hacking up Kz's, in my opinion, is that their body work was so iconic, especially the tail section. The bike in my avatar was basically free and already chopped up, so it was a no-brainer.

It's your bike so you should do what makes you happy. I think the way the Kz disease starts is you get a decent one to chop up, then can't do it, so you start to look for a chopped up second one, then a third one comes along and bam, your garage is full.

If it were my bike, I'd get a different seat, strip off the windshield and forward pegs, clean it up and live with it in stockish form until all the mechanicals are worked out. That buys you time to really decide how you want it. On the other hand, I know it's hard to not want to put a plan into action.

Good luck.

loudhvx wrote: If it were my bike, I'd get a different seat, strip off the windshield and forward pegs, clean it up and live with it in stockish form until all the mechanicals are worked out. That buys you time to really decide how you want it. On the other hand, I know it's hard to not want to put a plan into action.
Good luck.

There is wisdom here...

That's a pretty nice survivor bike. As others pointed out, clean it up and get it running. It also looks to have been garaged, which helps considerably as to the overall condition of the bike. A bath and a battery will do wonders for that bike.

Cafés are all about taking what you got and making it what you want. Don't listen to the purists. I agree that small to mid displacement twins are the most traditional examples of a café racer, but that's because that's what the guys back then could get or had lying around.

I wanted to build one and the bike I found was a 1982 KZ750 twin. now it's a café bike and I love it.

A 4-cyl would be fun to ride but do understand the maintenance and repair costs are going to be considerably more than a twin as you have twice the carbs and cylinders.

Sportster cafés are sick af. Harleys hold their value better than most anything for one, the sportster tank is built to lay down on the way it humps up, and it's just a big, powerful bike to begin with. If you have the outlay to get a Harley that's what I'd do.