KZ1K'S ENGINE PROJECT

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.

The crank won't need welding if it's not going to be raced with a slick.

Don't put cent one into performance parts / work ahead of normal wear items that need to be replaced. Replace all the cam chain related components.

That being said, let's not forget a motorcycle is more than a motor

You have a chassis to attend to that could include:

Tires
Chain & Sprockets
Brakes
Fork Seals
Steering Bearings
Swingarm Bearings

You better budget 3-4 hundred for that as well.

You have to crawl before you can walk. You have to walk before you can run......etc.... get it

That's all I'm going to say about the matter

thanks larry. feel free to chime in at anytime. your advice is priceless.

allright lets start over from the beginning like this is a new motor project!
if youre going to keep this motor id take it comepletely down to the ground so you know what you have for future referance.
have the crank checked to make sure its straight(id spend the $75 to have it welded but thats just me),check the trans and everything else out clean the hell out of the cases and slip it back together with new cam chain and you should never need to go into the bottem end again.
1075 kits and big cams with ported heads sound cool,but since this is your 1st streetbike think about it realistically!
find a stock 1015 block/pistons that just needs a hone job and rings and stick it on there,replace all the cam chain related parts in the block.dont waste money on fancy billet adjusters and crap like that on there.
build a stock head with a good valve job and stock cams and put it all together.
your 26 carbs will be plenty for that motor.
a stock 650 has enough power to get ya in trouble in a hurry,so this 1000 will keep you entertained for a long time.
you can always do the little things to hotrod it down the road without going back inside the motor till youre ready for it.
now on to the chassis! :blink: :woohoo:

so the great thing about...slow improvments and mods is that you can attack it at 300 here ,45 there,few months later socre this half price for 140 ect..ect....
you dont need say 3500-6000 in your checking ,like you would to take a big swing at it all at once....

But...in hindsight...even though bikes can be a splurge/impulse thingy.......

IF?..if?....if a guy had patience?...(i don't too much or often)...and foresight....to set aside a few bucks for a yr and sell a few things...then pull the trigger on someones finished money draining &yrs of work ....then like you asked earlier ,the savings ,compared to what the P.O spent ,or you would, to build the same ,can be really really terrific...


for example...see the link i just posted for a normal looking not too funked out kz1000 with a ton of correct upgrades and pro work done...the 5000 asking price is about 30 cents on the dollar what it would cost to buy a clean kz1000 and build it like this one,if that!...turn key and be done with it......no e-bay...no shipping...no waiting....no mistakes...no piles of extra greasy parts to save...no fighting and hiding stuff from the old lady every month.....just buy a battery tender- a bike cover-few tools-and a manual, and be good to go for yrs....it actually is what a smart person would do....

i know.i know...folks wanna get their paws dirty and build it them selves...you can still maintain and do a few more mods...you just dont have to mess up the whole garage and buy every tool under the sun $ & be a pro wrench imo.....

see the c-list link today

great advice guys.....either way, there are 1,000 ways i can go. the truth is, when i get this ball really rolling, thats when ill make decisions. i just dont know enough about these bikes YET, to have any ideas. i have learned a lot just in a few weeks, but still have a way to go. i couldnt tell you anything about a kz motor 2 weeks ago, now i have at least an idea of whats in them and how they come apart. like anything else this will take time. and at 30 years young, thats all i have. thanks for being here all of you. i really like this place, and plan to stick around a while...Joe

I have an 1105 and I can attest to the fact that bigger isn't necessarily better. Here in FL on a hot day it definitely runs hot if you get caught in traffic. I took one trip down Main Street last Bike Week with my friends and it was a cold night (about 45 degrees)and it wasn't at all happy getting hot, wouldn't idle etc. Not going to do that again! I have seen plenty of stock bore KZ's flat rip at the strip so getting good power out of a stock bore can be done. All of the mods to my engine were done by the previous owner so I'm not going to replace anything until I really need to but when I do I am more than likely going to go with a stock bore and concentrate on making breathe better through Head work, cams etc. It has always been my experience that what ever area you don't go through to cut corners is generally the first to have problems and you end up doing it anyway.

dejavoodo41 wrote:

I have an 1105 and I can attest to the fact that bigger isn't necessarily better. Here in FL on a hot day it definitely runs hot if you get caught in traffic. I took one trip down Main Street last Bike Week with my friends and it was a cold night (about 45 degrees)and it wasn't at all happy getting hot, wouldn't idle etc. Not going to do that again! I have seen plenty of stock bore KZ's flat rip at the strip so getting good power out of a stock bore can be done. All of the mods to my engine were done by the previous owner so I'm not going to replace anything until I really need to but when I do I am more than likely going to go with a stock bore and concentrate on making breathe better through Head work, cams etc. It has always been my experience that what ever area you don't go through to cut corners is generally the first to have problems and you end up doing it anyway.

Deja. i hear you man. fl is hot, and these air cooled engines dont like hot. thats why im thinking of either using my jug and pistons, or buying the 1075 kit. ill make that decision when $ is in my hand. the head for sure needs doing, and a nice rebuild kit for the carbs. Joe

my stock (as far as i can tell) MKII 1015cc was getting kinda hot too imo when i got stock coming down highway one into santa cruz....rush hour and 30 second street lights for a few miles and it was wanting to fumble and change idle and warm between the knees.....stock.....i hear ya....


as far as stock motors being fast...

i rode a brand new low miles F.I z-1 classic in 86 around the block just to scrub in some tires for a customer...after my mild hot rodded z-1's and z-1r's ....it was super quick...really all i noticed is that it was clicking along as fast as i could check the city dangers ect....a stock kz 1000 too is a decent bike ...my 77 kz1000 with stock pipes and carbs and a a good set of miles on it,would do no clutch wheelies in second coming outta slow corners if i slammed the throttle and waited a sec....


a decent running stock bike and a decnt rider are a great combo on some days...

compared to a great rider on a bad ass bike that acts up once in a while on every ride.....

its storys like that, that keep me on the edge of my seat and wanting more....thanks.

I gotta watch reading all these motor build posts(makes me crave a trick motor and the skills i'd pick up doing one ,for sure)but i gotta watch reading em and fixating cause it'll "make me" want a big piston with trick blue shiny parts and hand ground butholes....it is natural...we want what others have..or at least what we think will amke it the bomb....i do...but heck, just riding on a nice day with your woman and the smells and sounds and views, and the styling of these older superbikes is really 95% of a good ride....


the other stuff,if not done right,or for the right results,ie... vintage racing...drag racing, is like guys lifting weights to impress the other guys at the gym...homo......while some skinny dude wearing david bowie pants is pulling down more tail than those goons pumping iron for each other and comparing their abs in the mirror....imo


sure i want a big motor....but i can also buy a decent old hot rod with the same 3000....and have my stock bike still sitting there running.....or a fishing boat...ect....ect

speaking of stock bikes...the fighter jets are performing(snowbirds this yr i think)...

i am gonna see if i can get a few hrs sleep and ride the MKII out to a 5 story parking deck and get some shots of the show....f-15 is the premium trick flight this yr...see if i can get any decent pics....


Joe i know you know all this and i know some of the stuff i ,or others say, sounds like down talk or dummy advice,

for me i just like to bullshit about bikes all day and your post is this months fun one...no preaching intended.....i'll give you a call sunday when i got the shop rolled out and touch base....send you a motogp shirt to if you got a mailing address.. ...peace Craig

pics later....see if i can get a pic of my kz1000 with a dead level fighter jet bearing down on it 5 stories up.....

I used to work on F-15's back in the day. I really do miss that. I remember that every time one of those pilots with the Blue Helmets (Test Pilot) came out to do a FCF the flight-line came to a complete stop. I can still smell the JP4.....lol