KZ1K'S ENGINE PROJECT

kz1k wrote:

so lets say the higher than average stock bike sells for 6k. it would take 12k to get it there?

What Kz are you seeing that goes for $6k? You're probably looking at restorations, which is a completely different story.

keith1 wrote:

9am53 wrote:

Hey Keith, have you sat on a J bike? I am just wondering if the old kz's have more room because I am your size and find my LTD cramped more than I expected. My 550 had more room than my 1000...weird, I know.

first off, hows things?....nope, never sat on a j-bike....i can tell you my 78 b-2 was very comfy with the seat i had on it......the only reason i sold my 78 was the fact that i got a killer deal on the 95 gpz1100....

Things are good! Where ya been? I am thinking I want to make my 82 LTD into a modded up bike I show off, and buy a lock stock 70's KZ for daily driving, I heard they have bigger frames. Although there is a really nice 1300 for sale here that the seller has dropped the price from 3200 to 2000...that would be really comfy for my oversize self.

DoubleDub wrote:

Are you refering to the question about the bottom end? Pretty sure that was answered in the original thread when Larry said "From what I'm seeing the whole motor should be gone through". Yes, tear it all down, measure it all per the manual, verify that everything is in good working order, weld the crank if you plan on performance mods, and build it back up. I think everyone has agreed on that.

I think were just wasting our breath boys... :pinch:

why you say that? i am not welding the crank. i have heard from accredited members and non members its not needed. but thanks for the idea.

i am going as far a replacing the pistons, rings and cam chain. thats as far "down" i am willing to go on the engine.

these bikes cost and dont return on the investment well...most folks dont build em to sell em and if you look at online auctions you may see that the wilder the mods,the less they fetch...which is good,for the guy looking to buy,bad for the seller with 12000 into it....a clean not too beat up kz can be found for 1200-3000-4500 any day of the week....so can a kz with "lots of stuff done"...same same

26 are decent carbs,,,,once you try smoothbores though,all other carbs feel gummy imo......
the new smoothbores that OMR has are getting to be a better and better deal to guys like me who throw money at old parts,because the old school 29's are getting to be around the same price most days....everything being equal and all
stay on task.. ....you are gonna get somewhere...dont pay attention to the playa haters...they need new blood to stay awake...you are good for the place......i get a laugh when you shake the tree

i still think you will find a donor kz that runs in the near future for 1/20 what the mods you seek will cost,and with about a one week turn around to actually riding the bike...watch c-list..wathc the paper,they turn up for 500 some days and are turn key to begin with,,,,,little work and your riding...then the old motor becomes a time and money back up project...if it's no fun,then it can become hard to keep pushing in the cash...having a rider can free your desires again....imo

trianglelaguna wrote:

these bikes cost and dont return on the investment well...most folks dont build em to sell em and if you look at online auctions you may see that the wilder the mods,the less they fetch...which is good,for the guy looking to buy,bad for the seller with 12000 into it....a clean not too beat up kz can be found for 1200-3000-4500 any day of the week....so can a kz with "lots of stuff done"...same same

26 are decent carbs,,,,once you try smoothbores though,all other carbs feel gummy imo......
the new smoothbores that OMR has are getting to be a better and better deal to guys like me who throw money at old parts,because the old school 29's are getting to be around the same price most days....everything being equal and all
stay on task.. ....you are gonna get somewhere...dont pay attention to the playa haters...they need new blood to stay awake...you are good for the place......i get a laugh when you shake the tree

i still think you will find a donor kz that runs in the near future for 1/20 what the mods you seek will cost,and with about a one week turn around to actually riding the bike...watch c-list..wathc the paper,they turn up for 500 some days and are turn key to begin with,,,,,little work and your riding...then the old motor becomes a time and money back up project...if it's no fun,then it can become hard to keep pushing in the cash...having a rider can free your desires again....imo

thanks for the reasurrance craig. i hear you when you say grab a running kz for 500 or a grand. then ride and build my motor the way i want to. i still need to think about it. as a virgin biker, i am not missing any ride time, as i have never owned a motorcycle. just quads and other toys. the last project i built i threw together really fast and never really finished. this thing had no brakes, and has a bent axle. its a yami 550cc maxim motor in a polaris 250 frame.........

kz1k wrote:

why you say that? i am not welding the crank. i have heard from accredited members and non members its not needed. but thanks for the idea.

i am going as far a replacing the pistons, rings and cam chain. thats as far "down" i am willing to go on the engine.

There's sooooo much more! :ohmy: The top half of the engine is barely 1/4 of all the integral, most important/most stressed parts!

If you don't go throught the bottom, and at least spec all your bearings/gears/forks/dogs/collors/thrust washers/etc. you may as well be building a bomb, especially if you're adding power.

NOOOO decent engine builder just slaps a whole bunch of power parts on the top of a 30 year old engine bottom.

It really isn't very difficult at all, especially with the manual. And it gives HUGE peace of mind! When a part is about to go in the bottom end, it makes practically no sound at all, then right close to the end of its life - clank, clank, clank - BOOM, busted whatever. then your stuck WITHOUT A BIKE, right in the middle of the season/whatever.

Dont half-ass it! It's not that difficult.



Do it, just DO IT.

BEST OF LUCK.

TeK9iNe wrote:

kz1k wrote:

why you say that? i am not welding the crank. i have heard from accredited members and non members its not needed. but thanks for the idea.

i am going as far a replacing the pistons, rings and cam chain. thats as far "down" i am willing to go on the engine.

There's sooooo much more! :ohmy: The top half of the engine is barely 1/4 of all the integral, most important/most stressed parts!

If you don't go throught the bottom, and at least spec all your bearings/gears/forks/dogs/collors/thrust washers/etc. you may as well be building a bomb, especially if you're adding power.

NOOOO decent engine builder just slaps a whole bunch of power parts on the top of a 30 year old engine bottom.

It really isn't very difficult at all, especially with the manual. And it gives HUGE peace of mind! When a part is about to go in the bottom end, it makes practically no sound at all, then right close to the end of its life - clank, clank, clank - BOOM, busted whatever. then your stuck WITHOUT A BIKE, right in the middle of the season/whatever.

Dont half-ass it! It's not that difficult.

Do it, just DO IT.

BEST OF LUCK.

Agreed. It's not hard very hard, especially compared to putting the top end back together. When the cases are split, measure things out, button it back up with a new set of gaskets and seals to keep it from leaking.

It's your choice on the crank, but it was cheap insurance in my opinion. One more thing I don't have to worry about. Especially since I'm doing my power mods in stages - bore and pistons done. Ported head, cams, and carbs are coming later when I have the spare cash (~$700 for a ported head from Larry, ~$400 for a set of cams from WebCams or APE, and I think ~$600+ for a set of those Keihin CR's)

For example, here's a set of *used* Mikuni 29 Smoothbore carbs on Ebay: cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mikuni-29mm-smoo...sories#ht_500wt_1182