New Rider kz1000?

Howdy all,

I'm a new rider and am taking my Motorcycle Gearing Up course next weekend.

I've found a 1977 KZ1000 LTD for $1700 (and I think the guy will deal a little, keep in mind this is Canadian, so it's more like $1200US).

He says that mechanically sound, he rode it daily last year. Cosmetically it is also good considering it is 32 years old. There is a small dent on the top side of the gas tank. The chrome polishes up nicely. Tires and brakes are good.

I think this is a good deal, but am I crazy for thinking that a new rider can handle this much machine?

I'm not the most mechanically minded person, so I guess another question would be how much maintenance do these machines need? I don't want to spend my weekends fixing a bike (or having it in the shop) instead of riding it.

Thanks for any replies.
Troy

PS: This seems like a nice place to visit. I've been reading the older posts and I didn't know that there was such a loyal KZ community. I think that's great.

Well Troy, compared to a new 600 Kawasaki, the old LTD is a sled. They are large, don't handle exceptionally well, and weigh in excess of 500 lbs. That said, they can still surprise you and you can still get in scads of trouble with one (personally I like the lines and they have plenty of HP for my needs). It might be easier to learn to ride on a smaller framed bike...as for maintenance, the amount you might have to do is directly related to the amount the previous owner has done. Some of these old Z's require a complete refurb while others have been well taken care of and all they require is a rider.