1979 KZ650 Project: Advice

Hi Folks,

I'm planning to pull the trigger on a 1979 KZ650. The bike isn't running right now, but is complete, and apparently ran when parked. It looks alright, but I haven't taken a deep dive or anything. The seller, a guy who has around fifty bikes actively being restored, or in storage with plans to restore, tells me that it is just regular maintenance like a new battery, a valve job, caliper re-build etc from being roadworthy again. I figure that's all true, but I'm inevitably going to find other issues.

This will be my first bike that I attempt to rebuild. I've done most common maintenance items like valve clearances, fork seals, carbs etc.

My biggest concern is the availability of parts. I've had a look on partzilla, amazon and ebay and most parts, at least of the ignition system, do seem available. But I obviously can't check the availability of every single part, especially since I don't yet know exactly what this bike will need.

I figured the best people to ask is you folks - this forum is teeming with good information and some awesome rebuilds.

1) What is part availability like? Am I likely to be able to find most of what I need for a rebuild at some semi-reasonable price?

2) The price being quoted for this bike is $800, and another $100 to deliver it, since I don't have a truck and don't really want to go rent one right now. I was hoping to spend somewhere around $1500 on this project, including the cost of the bike. But I'm really just guessing here, since I've got no experience with a major rebuild. Is it totally idiotic to expect that $600 will be enough to get a complete bike back on the road?

Many thanks in advance!

Anyone? If this thread is in the wrong forum, I'm happy to move it.

(edited to remove double post)

WElcome to KZRider
Im sure some of our 650 addicts will speak up soon.
Parts shouldnt be a problem
Dave

Bringing the bike back to running condition shouldn't be too hard or costly assuming it's been stored inside and is in half way decent condition. Just do all the basic maintenance like full carb rebuild, adjusting the valves, brake system breakdown and clean out, new tires, etc. Key thing in my view is the cosmetic condition. Fixing mechanical stuff is relatively easy but if the cosmetics are bad it may not be worth the effort.

New battery & tires are probably going to be at least $300 or thereabouts. New Fr brake lines & caliper rebuild kit plus maybe new piston & mc piston kit will be another $150-200, maybe more. Then there's the rear brake. Oil change, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs/wires, fork oil, plus some acc chems n stuff, maybe another $100. So far that's about $600 total, at the least. plus any tools you don't have.

If you try a project, don't expect to stay within a budget. I have no idea how much I've spent on my 650-CSR & don't want to know. hee.

martin_csr wrote: New battery & tires are probably going to be at least $300 or thereabouts. New Fr brake lines & caliper rebuild kit plus maybe new piston & mc piston kit will be another $150-200, maybe more. Then there's the rear brake. Oil change, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs/wires, fork oil, plus some acc chems n stuff, maybe another $100. So far that's about $600 total, at the least. plus any tools you don't have.

If you try a project, don't expect to stay within a budget. I have no idea how much I've spent on my 650-CSR & don't want to know. hee.

Sounds like cheap entertainment to me Martin!

Thanks for the replies. I went back and checked out how much I needed to get my VFR running when I got it (it had been used very sporadically for 8 years - it was running, but needed a fair bit of mechanical TLC), and between brake rebuild, battery, tires, chain and sprocket, fluids and brake pads, it was about $700 (all in parts, since I did the work myself). And this was for a bike that was already running and in excellent cosmetic shape.
It seems likely to me that the KZ is going to need all of this, and probably a couple more things like a carb rebuild, brake lines, and other things that I probably will only know about once I get in there. Add to that the cost of paint, and I going to guess at maybe $1500 on the higher end to get it roadworthy and looking decent. If I pay $900 for it, I will have $2,400 into it - and I am not convinced I could ever sell it for that much (I don't think much of my abilities to beautify it suitably).
Might need to wait for a better opportunity.

Tell the guy you will give him 500 delivered and see what happens . The most he can say is no .

You might want to do a compression test before you buy. Work on the engine could become quite expensive.

"It ran when parked" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Seriously, almost every seller says that same line (see image below). Do you have any pictures of the bike? Ed

Didn't take any pictures, but the bike generally looked clean. Definitely dirty and dusty, and in bad need of paint, but that's about it. A compression test would be good, but the guy lives pretty far from me, and I'd have to take quite a few things along.