Why did you get a KZ?

The KZ650 was just about the hottest thing there was in 1977. A 650 that will outperform any 750 (until GS750 hit the streets). I had to have one, so I talked my dad into trading in his Yamaha RD350 and my Yamaha XT500 in and him paying for the new 1978 KZ650B in July 1978. We paid like $1000 and out the door. That's the one I still have that's covered 167,000 miles. Then 1979 Came and that KZ1000MKII was the greatest bike I'd EVER seen. I had to have one of them, but procrastinated and didn't buy one. Then 1982 came and I had to have that fuel injected GPZ1100. That was the only KZ that didn't fare too well, but 24,000 miles in 18 months it got a real workout. I sold it for $2500 and here's a KZ1000MKII with only 500 miles in the paper, so I get my dream bike for $2000. Still the best looking motorcycle ever produced.

I'm bad as hell when I'm on the bike.. I'm the best or at least the one you like..
Seriously, I've had around 20 bikes or so over the years.. Harley, Yamaha, Hodaka, Suzuki... I just like the Kz... It's a muscle bike without all of the plastic. I've had it now for 17 years, I bought it when I was 20 and I'll never get rid of it no matter what..

Back in 1980, I had purchased a new Honda XL250 to travel to work. I liked the idea of an on/off road bike since there were (and still are) more miles of dirt road than asphalt here in Northern Ontario. All of my buddies bought street bikes, and we used to swap often, as they would get the bug to play in the mud also. Put quite a few miles on a friends' '79 XS1100 Special, but also had 2 friends with '78 KZ650's, the C2 model. Used to love riding those!

Fast forward to the mid-eighties, sold the Honda in favour of 4 wheels, but picked up a KX250 to satisfy the craving for dirt riding. Spent a lot of time going over the handlebars on that beast, but it was fun! Ended up trading it with a friend for a (get this) a Kawasaki 440 Intriguer snowmobile!

In 1988, I moved back from Toronto to continue my career in the mining industry, having gone through a few lay-offs. One weekend, I swapped my '84 Mustang GT with a friend for his '78 KZ650, and that's what did me in. Since then, I had promised myself I would one day own and ride a KZ of one flavour or another. Over the years, I had looked at different bikes, all KZ's, but most needed more time and money than I was willing to invest.

Two years ago, I golfed in a fun tourney with my buddies for their recreational hockey league. While hanging out in the garage, my friend Pat had an '82 650 CSR he was fixing up for his daughter. I casually mentioned my quest to eventually own a KZ. Little did I know that one of my golfing partners had a '78650C2, which he had tried to sell earlier, but no one wanted to pay his price, which was only what he had paid. He had picked it up in Winnipeg a year earlier, and planned on using his other 650 for parts for this bike. 13,000 KM, needing only a paint-job and a front tire, it was love at first sight.

I've changed everything from one end to other, not because it needed it, just for piece of mind, and the fact I like turning a wrench. (I am an industrial millwright by trade). I also got to know my bike inside and out.

Next is the overhaul of the KZ1000A2 I picked up last fall. I haven't started it yet, but have started to amass a fair amount of parts for when I do get into it.

For me, the satisfaction is equal parts riding and wrenching. There is nothing more relaxing then spending time in the garage, just you and the bike, a good coffee, and some good music. Equally satisfying is an open road, a few days off, and no clear destination in mind. Now, local rides are OK, but I find myself craving to explore further and farther each time, on roads which I have never travelled.

Thanks to Stein and this great site, and to all the members who are so willing to share their knowledge and experience with these bikes, I can safely say I have taken a desire for two wheels, kindled it into a passion, and fanned the flames into a full blown obsession! If you have ever been making love to your wife or girlfriend and thought "Did I remember to tighten up that nut" or "Maybe I should try changing jets, just to see what happens", you're hooked! :woohoo:

My SR was the bike I first learned to ride on and then I bought it. I didn't realise what I was buying or what I had to do to this bike. I think this bike has been apart being fixed more than it was ridden. It has been a year now since I had my SR. Since I knew how good these Kz's handle I happened upon the 1000 LTD on craigslist and I stepped up from there. 2 Kz's on my belt

Last fall, when I was disgusted with gas prices, I was looking for a beater car / bike. My buddy had been trying to get me to get an "M" endorsement for a year or so. Saw this KZ750 on CL, then another post with pics. Coooooolllllll blue! I drive 50 miles and plunk down $400 on a running (barely) bike. First ever. My bro, the mechanic, told me to look for a few things while I was riding up there - "If there is rust in the tank - RUN!", "Dual disk is good, check the operation", "Leaking anwhere?", "Tires?". It passed his basic checks, and is now my daily rider to work. 35mpg suburban. $8 gas lasts me over a week. After all of this, I found I really enjoy working on the little beastie, getting things set just right, having her run as well as possible for a '79. I am quite smitten with the zippy-ness of the 750 twin, after my MSF course on 250's (Almost tossed my a$$ first time I tried the 750!). I love this lil bike, and will never part with her!!!

I was toolin' down the road in the early 70's in my challenger R/T when I saw a headlight in my rear view mirror, then a green blur blow past me. I did my best Kowalski, downshifted and hammered the pedal to the floor to catch the green machine. The R/T got sideways and I jammed the next 3 gears. I never did catch the bike. I later found out it was the new Kaw Z1 900. Wow, two wheel muscle, I had to get me one.

I joined the AF shortly after. When I got to my first duty station and got settled in, it was time to have fun. I started saving a little money for a Z.

Then just that quick, orders to Okinawa Japan. I was bummed. But a guy in my shop tells me I can get a Z2 for just about a buck a cc. A Z2? WTH iz that? Anyway, I get there, it was early 76. They were a bit more than $1 per cc. But I managed to find a leftover 73' in the crate for $1200.

Long story shortened, I buy it. A few weeks and a day 1500 klicks later it gets stolen. It's gone. I'm bummed. Z's are outta my price range plus I'm gettin out in 79. No Z for me.

Well, I stayed in. Went back over in 83. I tell my story to a buddy of mine who was still there and an MSF instructor. Low and behold he tells me of an old Z they found dumped in the jungle years ago and hauled it into a shed at the center. I go check it out.. it's wasted but in goes my key and "click". I got my Z2 back.

It took years to get it back to what you see in my avitar. I still get that rush everytime I crack the throttle

Thats my story. The day I let her go this time, it'll be pryed from my cold dead hands

Bug, beautiful, and so forlorn looking on flat tires with mildewing seat in a tiny dark shed. I had to rescue her. -Duck

My next door neighbour across the street owns a restauration garage filled with nice old cars (mainly english, jaguar, triumph, rangerover, roverp5b, etc etc) and he also has a modified z900, z650 which was in a rough state. I instantly liked the look of them. After getting my licence he offered me to ride his z900 as many times as i wanted if i would pay him the insurance for a year. Then after a few trips i was sooo hooked i started looking for replacement parts for his z650 so i could learn "bike fiddling" a bit. then on a local ebay lookalike found a really nice strip bike for only 300 dollars. But when we got that bike I desided to first start some work on the new one to see if it went at all and after 4 weeks of surfing the net, asking questions here at KZR it ran! so there.. this bike aint going nowhere. I will nver sell it.. im hooked..

AMEN:)

I learned to ride when I was 8, so naturally I learned on dirt. I rode off road, including motocross until I was 14, when physical problems ended my motocross career. About 8 yrs later, I started looking for a street bike. I wanted something close to a dirt bike riding position. I also wanted disk brakes, an electric starter, and no spokes (not standard items on bikes in 83). Around this time, my dad bought a KZ650C1 from my uncle, and he let me ride it while I learned street riding. I test rode several bikes, but I never found anything I liked better, so I asked to buy it from him. He gave it to me for my college graduation. I've test ridden other bikes since then, but they all seem to lack something my KZ has. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm going to keep it.

Damn. This just hit me. I sorta forgot some of this. I had been halfway planning to sell my KZ to finance a ZRX. I'm going to just have to buy a ZRX outright. I'm not selling the KZ.

16 years old my fathers friend calls me and says he got a bike from his brother for nothin and it needs work. I told him sure get a manual and I'll do it for a price and weekend rides. He paid me to put a electronic ignition, dyna coils, bare frame sanded and painted, new tires, I shaved the head MYSELF with a block of wood and 180 grit down to the valves, new vave guids, sent head out to grind seats, I adjusted the valves, timed the cams, 4-1 exhaust (mac), Drag bars, new brakes rear, added dual discs up front, rewire, new battery, new sprokets, and chain, rebuilt carbs, new intake boots, misc. test and tune, all new cables, new clutch pack. Now it was finally time to ride. Never could get it to stop popping through the carbs. I cracked that throttle for the first time and almost slid off:woohoo: :woohoo: I was hooked.
Years later he gives it to me as a wedding present. By this time he has a BMW 1200 or something.
Ifound this site wisend up on carburator info THANK YOU KZR, and got it to stop popping throught the carbs and idle smooth.
WHAT A RIDE
My wife thinks I like my bike more than her:evil:

Post edited by: Snakebyte, at: 2007/06/06 11:41