TOPIC:

Hey all, not sure if this is the place to post this or not. But I'm wondering about getting more ground clearance on my 1980 KZ650. It's got the standard 4- 1 exhaust that comes down under the bike leaving a few inches of clearance. But as mine is sort of ready for the trails, I was wondering if I could get a scrambler set up, or if anyone's done that? Like the headers come round the side and shoots a straight pipe back or something. Anyway, post some pics if you got em or let me know! Just curious, thanks! 

I guess it's time for you to fire up the welder and get creative   you could do something like this as a 2-1 down each side ?

 

That'd be pretty sick. So you'd really have to make one yourself? 

RatRod1980 wrote:

That'd be pretty sick. So you'd really have to make one yourself? 

I can't imagine you will be able to buy what you want, I doubt there is the demand to warrant the set up cost for a manufacturer

RatRod1980 wrote:

Hey all, not sure if this is the place to post this or not. But I'm wondering about getting more ground clearance on my 1980 KZ650. It's got the standard 4- 1 exhaust that comes down under the bike leaving a few inches of clearance. But as mine is sort of ready for the trails, I was wondering if I could get a scrambler set up, or if anyone's done that? Like the headers come round the side and shoots a straight pipe back or something. Anyway, post some pics if you got em or let me know! Just curious, thanks! 

...and you are whine about less ground clearance, no way buddy!?!?
Get the right front and rear suspention setup first!!!

 

This is the way you have to go for more ground clearance.

 
 
 

Scirocco wrote:

RatRod1980 wrote:

Hey all, not sure if this is the place to post this or not. But I'm wondering about getting more ground clearance on my 1980 KZ650. It's got the standard 4- 1 exhaust that comes down under the bike leaving a few inches of clearance. But as mine is sort of ready for the trails, I was wondering if I could get a scrambler set up, or if anyone's done that? Like the headers come round the side and shoots a straight pipe back or something. Anyway, post some pics if you got em or let me know! Just curious, thanks! 

...and you are whine about less ground clearance, no way buddy!?!?
Get the right front and rear suspention setup first!!!
 

That would include fixing the very obviously leaking fork seal on the left side.

But that probably doesn't matter: with that street tire on the front of a heavy bike, the front end is going to wash out the first time he goes into a turn on "the trails". The fenderless rear end will ensure he is covered with whatever he's riding through and the street fender on the front will allow the air-cooled engine to be covered with dirt/mud.

And clip-ons are definitely the best choice for off-road riding. That's why all trail, MX, enduro, etc. bikes have had them for the past 80 years.

Wow ! is there something in the air right now, you guys ain't any taking any prisoners with some of our newbies !!!!!!!!!!!

The air is fine, but there is an incredible concentration of bad decisions here. Simply installing a semi-knobby rear tire does not make a KZ650 a trail bike, especially when - in addition to the other issues mentioned above - there appears to be no air filtration in place on the intake, so the engine will be inhaling dust.

Taking this thing off road is a good way to damage it and the rider.

My CL 350 was too heavy for hard trail riding. It was good for slow speeds climbing small hills  but going down was MURDER. Honda came out with the SL 350 that was a little better but it had smaller carbs and I could walk away from it on my CL. The CB and the CL's were good on the street and could keep up with the Harleys but not the Z1's so I bought my Z1b in 75 and traded it for a seat. 
Never looked back. 
Steve
 

Wookie58 wrote:

Wow ! is there something in the air right now, you guys ain't any taking any prisoners with some of our newbies !!!!!!!!!!!

Wookie, better now talking about the real truth about his bike condition and how to make a real trail bike, as later counting and explain him why he has generate dead bodies (hardware)!!!

Didn’t DoctoRot build a high, scrambler style exhaust for a 750 twin?

As mentioned already, pulling the forks down to where they belong will help. It looks like the rear shocks may be a bit short as well. If compressed, it looks like the rear tire would contact the frame well before the shocks ran out of travel. That could turn out badly.

Dont go crazy on either end in either direction, as you could creat unstable handling and have the chain grinding away on the swingarm.

Yeah, thanks for all the input, lol. New rider here and I didn't ask for the shredding... I understand that I purchased a "RAT ROD" and it is what it is. Sure, leaky thing. And yeah, the suspension is definitely soft but it's a creamy ride. I don't have a bunch of stray cash to put into it like some people might. I was merely asking, hypothetically, if there were any custom exhaust options in the market. Sounds like there isn't. But this community doesn't seem particularly welcoming for my second post. 

P.S. it's got a knobby tire and I was thinking about Mad Max for trail inspiration. Not gonna be going through the mountains, just dirt roads. But it sounds like raising the suspension would be an option, so I appreciate that. And about the air intake, didn't think about it. It's got 4 little "velocity stack" things. There's a little screen on them so I suppose they'd be fine. I appreciate the constructive feedback.