drag racing high performance engines real storys

Hello my name is Dave! ,I'm kinda new to kz rider and just thought I would introduce myself. I got into kz1000 years ago I would even say as a teenager. A friend on mine had a kz1000 turbo stretched out this thing was fast probably one of the fastest on the street were I'm from. I always thought what a cool looking bike and always dreamed of having my own. Well, I could not afford one so I just had to suck it up and go on. When I became 16, I bought my first bike 1977 Honda 750 supersport. It was a beutifull bike yellow in color 15k miles 4 into 1 exhaust. I loved that bike however after about 6 months of riding it I got into a race with a friend of mine he had a highly modified sportster. Well, I barely won the race however after shutting the bike down the back tire locked up on me, It would not shift roll or anything. Luckily for me my friends dad who lived across the street had a local cycle shop. So I took my bike to the shop just to get the dreadfull call my motor had dropped a valve ruined just about everything. My friends dad called me about 3 weeks later and told me to come to the shop he had a surprise waiting for me. When I got there I didn't know what to expect then he opens the back door and says there it is! What I was looking at looked to be a piece of crap. No side body panels some god awfull thing hanging off the back (weelie bars) and no gauges I thought this is a joke right? He said there is your motor "kid" that was the nickname he gave me. Anyway he goes on to tell me that its a dragbike bored 836 cams head work ect. He said this is going to work perfect. So I said ok as long as it runs good. Anyway he calls me to pick up the bike a month later says the bill is 750.00 I about fainted I told him that's what I gave for the bike. Well, I had no choice but to come up with the money, I picked this bike up and it had a brand new kerker exhaust, tuned to perfection. The first time I got into that bike going from 1st to 2nd it stood straight up in the air. I loved that Honda! Back to the Kaws. One day riding my Honda I met a guy that lived around the block from me I would always see many bikes and drag bikes in his garage. Finally one day I stopped by, he shut the garage door and it was obvious he did not want me to come in. After a few times of coming by being percistant he let me in. I was about 17 years old. Seems like they were building engines every weekend. I would just watch and ask questions. I would help when I could but try not to get in the way. There were 4 brothers and they all raced ate slept worked race everyday. So this became my home away from home. Once I was fimiliar with all the parts I knew I could put one together if I had the chance. So I found a 1980 ltd 1000 for sale rolling chassis no motor. I bought it for 125.00 pretty much everything there but a motor. While I was looking for a motor and didn't have much money to spend. I found one that was sitting outside for 2 years with no spark plugs I bought it for 10.00 bucks . Originally I bought the engine because I knew a guy that would give me a 100 dollars for it. Well another friend of mine just went and bought him a 78kz1000 he came by showing off on his new bike. I was just about ready to sell the engine I had that was froze up. But then got to thinking what do I have to lose by tearing it apart. So I went ahead and took it apart it was a muddy mess everything was froze. I then began to soak that engine in desiel lube whatever I had. I soaked it for about 2 weeks working the parts little by little. I finally got everything unfroze. spent about 40 hours cleaning it trying to make it like new again. I knew this motor was in bad shape but I had nothing to lose. My buddy came by seen what I was doing and just laughed at me. He said dave there is no way that engine will run give it up and just buy you one. That fueled the fire even more. Anyway I put this motor all back together.I just got everything hooked up when my buddy showed up. He says watcha doing well it was obvious I had dirt and greese all over me. So I told him im just about to see if this engine will start. He laughed and sayed I got to see this. well I wasn't sure if it was going to run either but I knew I had everything in time. Well here goes nothing pulled the choke hit the button and the damn thing fired right up. I was as surprised as he was. Anyway so he says now that you got this thing going let go run them. I said no then he was like come on. What the hell so we take them out and run them. My old $10.00 motor out ran his bike it was funny as hell. Moral of the story is I didn't take no for a answer and I used what I had and made it work. From there I was hooked and have a ton of stories since that date. Since then I've had 100s of kzs . Best bikes I've ever owenedI love my kawasakis. I hope I didn't bore anyone to much if you would like to hear more about my kz adventure just let me know. This was just the beginning I could write a novel."no joke" Thanks, Dave

cool, brings back memories

thanks. if you need any help with anything let me know. I still have a ton of parts. last year had 32 kz1000 z1r mk2 ect, im Kawasaki poor. Im slowly but surley thinning them out.

Here are a few old bike

bare with me trying to download a few bikes.

kz

Welcome to KZ Rider !!!
You do know how to make a entrance !!!!!
Nice Bikes, Where you been ?
I have stories as well , but will save them for another day.
Im totally in awe of your collection
Dave

thanks I appreciate your comments. Im going to try and download some more pics.

Wow! You have quite the collection of KZ's there!

Welcome to the site.

Thanks for sharing the pictures of your bikes, they are all beautiful, you may want to open a museum.

u got the mother load..........thats awesome...welcome

been looking for a 79 kz1000mk2 my self for a while..