79 kz650

2 other questions real quick. The clutch slips, so replacement is needed. But my question is it requires alot of pull on the clutch lever to disengage the clutch, almost to the point where you can hear the clutch cable stretching in the perch. I have replaced the cable 3 times in the past for it breaking on the perch end, but with the new perch and handle from kawi last year it hasn't broken a cable yet, it's just really hard to pull. Could this be becaue of the worn/out of adjustment clutch?? Or do I have other problems I need to address??

Second question, I'm replacing my tach with an electronic unit, hooking up the electronics is no problem the directions are very straight forward. When I replace the tach though I'll have the cable to deal with on the motor, what can I use to fill the hole where it goes into the head??

Then again, you could always spend more and put 750 sleeves in the 650 block, then the 810 kit. Then it will still look like a stock 650.

Jay

APE Jay wrote:

Then again, you could always spend more and put 750 sleeves in the 650 block, then the 810 kit. Then it will still look like a stock 650.

Jay

aah,the voice of the sneaky genius!:evil:

Jay is correct, but I simply took a die-grinder and removed the 738 c.c. casting on the 750 block. It is impossible to tell that I have an 810 tucked away under the modified 650 head. I kept the 650 sidecover badges and have brought the paint back to the factory moondust silver with striping.

To the untrained eye, the only thing that really makes the motor look non-stock is the header pipe and the velocity stacks

I like the sleeper look.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

APE Jay wrote:

Then again, you could always spend more and put 750 sleeves in the 650 block, then the 810 kit. Then it will still look like a stock 650.

Jay

I thought that would work, but I hadn't heard of anyone doing it, it'd good to get confirmation from Jay that is does indeed work.

That makes things a lot easier as you don't have to hunt specifically for a 1980 750 cylinder block and can use any of them.

Clutch pull should be easy and smooth. At least every stock KZ I've ridden was (unless the cable was rusty).

steell wrote:

APE Jay wrote:

Then again, you could always spend more and put 750 sleeves in the 650 block, then the 810 kit. Then it will still look like a stock 650.

Jay

I thought that would work, but I hadn't heard of anyone doing it, it'd good to get confirmation from Jay that is does indeed work.

That makes things a lot easier as you don't have to hunt specifically for a 1980 750 cylinder block and can use any of them.

Does it have to specifically be a 1980?? Can I go newer?? Cycle salvage here in CT has an 82 that I can pick up resonably cheap.

loudhvx wrote:

Clutch pull should be easy and smooth. At least every stock KZ I've ridden was (unless the cable was rusty).

It almost sounds like the cable is stretching when I pull in the clutch handle. Compared to every other bike I've ever ridden, it feels "hard" to pull. I mean this is only the second kz I've owned, I had a 77 kz400 before my 650 and the clutch was so much easier to pull in. M<Y brother-in-laws 550 is "easy" compared to mine also. I've lubed the shit out of the cable and it hasn't helped. I just think it's because my clutch itself is beat.

PaulW wrote:

steell wrote:

APE Jay wrote:

Then again, you could always spend more and put 750 sleeves in the 650 block, then the 810 kit. Then it will still look like a stock 650.

Jay

I thought that would work, but I hadn't heard of anyone doing it, it'd good to get confirmation from Jay that is does indeed work.

That makes things a lot easier as you don't have to hunt specifically for a 1980 750 cylinder block and can use any of them.

Does it have to specifically be a 1980?? Can I go newer?? Cycle salvage here in CT has an 82 that I can pick up resonably cheap.

If you use the cylinder block, the 1980 KZ750 is the only one I have found that has the cut outs for the early style cam chain slippers. There is a thread in the archives that includes pic of the cylinder blocks that covered this.

If you use just the sleeves, any KZ/GPz 750 should work.

steell wrote:

PaulW wrote:

steell wrote:

APE Jay wrote:

Then again, you could always spend more and put 750 sleeves in the 650 block, then the 810 kit. Then it will still look like a stock 650.

Jay

I thought that would work, but I hadn't heard of anyone doing it, it'd good to get confirmation from Jay that is does indeed work.

That makes things a lot easier as you don't have to hunt specifically for a 1980 750 cylinder block and can use any of them.

Does it have to specifically be a 1980?? Can I go newer?? Cycle salvage here in CT has an 82 that I can pick up resonably cheap.

If you use the cylinder block, the 1980 KZ750 is the only one I have found that has the cut outs for the early style cam chain slippers. There is a thread in the archives that includes pic of the cylinder blocks that covered this.

If you use just the sleeves, any KZ/GPz 750 should work.

I looked in the archives, and I couldn't find the articles, but thanks for all of the advice. I'll look again, but now you guys are really making me happy about my bike. Thanks.

if he uses 750 cylinders, won't he have to bore the cases?
if so, the 750 sleeves in a 650 block sounds like a better idea.
also, won't he need a different cam chain tensioner to run 29's on a smaller cc bike?
(only asking this so i also get the info before i install my 784 kit this weekend)
it has a 750 jug assembly.

It could be someone used an aftermarket clutch requiring heavier springs. I went through this on my 550. I bought an aftermarket clutch and it slipped like crazy with brand new stock springs. It would grab with aftermarket springs but the pull was immense!

I called several shops (most of which were involved in some form of racing). They all said the identical thing... remove the garbage aftermarket clutch (regardless of brand) and buy Kawasaki clutch disks.

They were right. With stock disks, I could use the stock, easy-pull springs and there was no slipping at all, and it disengaged perfectly. They cost a little more but worth every penny.