Bought a 1988 KZ1000P

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12 Jan 2019 22:09 #796647 by Setton
Bought a 1988 KZ1000P was created by Setton
I haven't actually gotten it home yet. I had to travel to another state, inspected it, bought it, clean title and everything. It's at the house of a friend in the area right now waiting for me to pick it up which i hope to do next week. It looks to have a very small head gasket leak, which i intend on having addressed fairly soon, but I don't expect to lose anything more than about a pint a month, and that's practically nothing. Also needs new tires and the brake rotors look a little worn but should be good for another year.

So anyway... I'd just like to ask... anybody here have experience with these beasts? So far all I've ridden KZ wise is a KZ750-LTD, and I'm looking forward to the bigger bike. I know the frame has all kinds of mounting tabs for police kit and fairings. I intend on keeping it as stock as possible. Keeping the pursuit lights as white though, cuz no impersonating a police officer... I'm hoping to to hook up a CB (not a police radio) to the radio box, just for giggles.

Anyway, I'm just basically asking if there's anything I should know about. So far I've spoken to several people who have told me that there's no real issues with the model and it's a very solid bike that'll survive the apocalypse, but I'd like to get as many opinions as possible.

Also, I'm interested in seeing if I can't find a passenger seat and pegs. I've heard they exist, but I've yet to see anybody selling them. I'd only occasionally swap out as the situation dictates, keeping the radio box on back most of the time.

KZs I own
1982 KZ750-H3 LTD (frame's bent, no longer rideable, RIP)
1982 KZ1100 LTD Shaft (thought it was a Spectre)
1988 KZ1000 Police
1989 KZ1000 Police (basket case)
2002 KZ1000 Police

Non-KZs:
1983 Hondamatic 450
2001 Honda Rebel


I don't understand soup. Put a flower on my nose.

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  • ThatGPzGuy
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13 Jan 2019 05:24 #796656 by ThatGPzGuy
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
Welcome to the club. There are a few of us rocking these old bikes.
You didn't say how many miles are on it but you should plan on doing all the regualr old MC maintenence items such as valves (the cowl needs to come off), brakes, carbs, tires, etc. These are normally rode hard and subject to some abuse particularly the wiring where the the cop stuff was added and then removed. They are fun and comfortable bikes to ride around town but less so on the highways due to the short wheelbase and low gearing IMO.

Oh and beware the cop bike curse.

Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"

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13 Jan 2019 11:57 - 13 Jan 2019 12:14 #796698 by Setton
Replied by Setton on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
It's got 49k miles, and I plan on doing regular maintenance on it, by the book.

I've sourced some NOS OEM controls because of the chances of wiring issues from things being diked out. I want to use the siren and pursuit light controls for things other than cop stuff... like the pursuit lights as running lights and switch to control whether or not they're on, and the siren switch to switch on and off an underglow or something similar. So I need the extra controls anyway.

Don't sport bikes have a short wheel base too? I mean, I'm used to my KZ750-H3 LTD, which admittedly, by virtue of being an LTD, has a longer wheel base... But how does it compare to that?

I'm doing a valve job on it pretty much immediately.

What is the "cop bike curse"? The only hits I can find on the internet about it happen to be from you :P

KZs I own
1982 KZ750-H3 LTD (frame's bent, no longer rideable, RIP)
1982 KZ1100 LTD Shaft (thought it was a Spectre)
1988 KZ1000 Police
1989 KZ1000 Police (basket case)
2002 KZ1000 Police

Non-KZs:
1983 Hondamatic 450
2001 Honda Rebel


I don't understand soup. Put a flower on my nose.
Last edit: 13 Jan 2019 12:14 by Setton.

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  • ThatGPzGuy
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13 Jan 2019 13:54 #796707 by ThatGPzGuy
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
Yeah, short wheelbase = good in traffic and super nimble like a sportbike. At freeway speeds it's less stable and the gearing has the engine screaming to keep up with traffic. I went with slightly taller gearing that brought the revs down to 3,700 at 65mph from 4,300. T
By valve job do you mean valve adjustment? By all means...
The cop bike curse is people slow down when you come up behind them. It's maddening especially on two lane roads.

Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"

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13 Jan 2019 15:30 - 13 Jan 2019 23:34 #796716 by Setton
Replied by Setton on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
By valve job i mean what the owners manual says to do every 25k miles. It's 49k now so... The manual says it's a valve clearance check.

As i understand it, wouldn't the cop bike curse also be a blessing in disguise? People avoiding illegally cutting you off, and also getting out of the way on multi lane roads?

Also, what kind of gearing are you talking about? More teeth on the rear sprocket or something? Also how would it affect my ability to keep up with the people i ride with? They tend to do like 90 on the freeway.

Also would keeping the stock gearing be better for drag racing? Not competition drag, but like friendly somebody is having their birthday at the drag strip racing? I ask because thats is actually going to happen later this year.

KZs I own
1982 KZ750-H3 LTD (frame's bent, no longer rideable, RIP)
1982 KZ1100 LTD Shaft (thought it was a Spectre)
1988 KZ1000 Police
1989 KZ1000 Police (basket case)
2002 KZ1000 Police

Non-KZs:
1983 Hondamatic 450
2001 Honda Rebel


I don't understand soup. Put a flower on my nose.
Last edit: 13 Jan 2019 23:34 by Setton.

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  • ThatGPzGuy
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14 Jan 2019 06:01 #796735 by ThatGPzGuy
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
Yes, valve clearance check.

I went from a 15/41 with a 630 chain to a 18/42 with a 530 chain. Acceleration is still brisk but the freeway rpms are much lower. There are a few threads on KZP gearing on this forum.

Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"

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14 Jan 2019 15:44 - 14 Jan 2019 16:31 #796772 by Setton
Replied by Setton on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
Heh, my 750LTD has a 630 chain out of the factory, and a mechanic friend of mine was like "but why? this is a drag chain"

Is there any benefit to the smaller 530 chain other than a slight reduction in weight? I ask because my 750 snapped its chain once... It was a brand new chain and it just tore the master link clip on hard acceleration... and this bike has even more power.

KZs I own
1982 KZ750-H3 LTD (frame's bent, no longer rideable, RIP)
1982 KZ1100 LTD Shaft (thought it was a Spectre)
1988 KZ1000 Police
1989 KZ1000 Police (basket case)
2002 KZ1000 Police

Non-KZs:
1983 Hondamatic 450
2001 Honda Rebel


I don't understand soup. Put a flower on my nose.
Last edit: 14 Jan 2019 16:31 by Setton.

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  • SWest
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14 Jan 2019 16:35 #796775 by SWest
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14 Jan 2019 16:53 #796776 by TexasKZ
Replied by TexasKZ on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
There are more quality choices in modern 530 chains, and yes you loose some reciprocating weight. If your 750 snapped a chain, it was either a cheap or terribly defective chain, or the master link was not installed properly.
A KZ does not make enough power to snap a high quality modern drive chain.

1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough
The following user(s) said Thank You: old_kaw

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14 Jan 2019 18:06 - 14 Jan 2019 18:07 #796783 by Setton
Replied by Setton on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
I didn't think a kz could snap a 630 either but none the less it did. I think i may have been too tight. I figured the wheel would spin if that much torque were applied.

The next chain i put on it lasted a long time.

KZs I own
1982 KZ750-H3 LTD (frame's bent, no longer rideable, RIP)
1982 KZ1100 LTD Shaft (thought it was a Spectre)
1988 KZ1000 Police
1989 KZ1000 Police (basket case)
2002 KZ1000 Police

Non-KZs:
1983 Hondamatic 450
2001 Honda Rebel


I don't understand soup. Put a flower on my nose.
Last edit: 14 Jan 2019 18:07 by Setton.

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15 Jan 2019 07:50 #796808 by old_kaw
Replied by old_kaw on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
As texaskz stated, it had to be a cheapo master link. I go to great lengths to make sure any link I put in my chain is the same link that the rest of the chain is made from. Also I feel that riveted chains master links are stronger that clip type links.


1981 Kawasaki Kz1000K1
Located in the Saint Louis, Missouri Area.
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19 Jan 2019 03:00 #797060 by Setton
Replied by Setton on topic Bought a 1988 KZ1000P
ThatGPzGuy, i jyst noticed that you're in Atlanta. I'm not far from there. I'm in Barrow County and work in Gwinnet County.

I met a guy at a bike meet at Victory Sandwiches, in i think it was Decatur, who has a KZ1000P. Don't suppose that could have been you? Seeing it was the whole reason i went looking for one once my money situation got better.

KZs I own
1982 KZ750-H3 LTD (frame's bent, no longer rideable, RIP)
1982 KZ1100 LTD Shaft (thought it was a Spectre)
1988 KZ1000 Police
1989 KZ1000 Police (basket case)
2002 KZ1000 Police

Non-KZs:
1983 Hondamatic 450
2001 Honda Rebel


I don't understand soup. Put a flower on my nose.

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