Engine 1974 z1a

Hello all. I've found a 1974 z1 that the gentleman wants 2000 dollars for. Very descent original paint (green/ yellow) and a complete bike down to mirrors and even air box but of course minus original exhaust. The bike runs and rides great. All is well until I find out that the original motor blew up and there is a 1977 kz 1000 motor in it. I have a couple of questions for the pros here. What is this bike worth given it has the wrong motor in it and also how hard would it be to find the correct serial number range motor for it (within 200 numbers of the frame serial number I'm told)? Thanks in advance for the helpful input and opinions.

A 1974 Z-900 in completely restored, with "matching numbers" is probably the second most desirable "Z" out there. In Canada at least they seem to command up to $7K... More perhaps.

Cant comment with any authority on how hard it would be to find an engine "within 200". But I would suspect that its pretty difficult.

Bikes (like all "toys") are not just poor investments, they are the inverse of an investment. They are here to drain your money away and hinder your ability to retire. Good folks on this forum are here to help you minimize the loss.

$2K for a classic bike that looks great, rides great, has good compression seems reasonable. If you can be happy with that, then you wont loose too much on this hobby.

"Bikes (like all "toys") are not just poor investments, they are the inverse of an investment ."

Truer words were never written! :laugh: Ed

That's probably a decent price for the bike as is. It will make a nice rider and any casual passer-by on the street will never know the motor has been swapped. I hate to say this, but you could get you money back parting it out easily.
As an investment to restore to original, I'm not sure the potential is there, First, it's going to be very difficult to find a correct range S/N set of cases. Even if you did, you're also going to have to buy an Original style exhaust system in the $1,500 -$1,700 range. With the Engine and exhaust, you're in another $2,500. To bring top dollar, you're probably going to need need tires, brakes, chain and any other common wear parts. Add another $1,500. So you've spent $2K for the bike, $2.5K for exhaust and engine and $1.5K for normal parts, You MAY get $10-12K for your $6K investment. You could turn a small profit, but it's that's your only motivation, you probably should look elsewhere.
And in case my wife reads this, this only applies to his bike. My garage full of bikes are all really good investments and part of our retirement fund just like I told you.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. If I hadn't had to buy a car for my daughter and grand children, I could have bought a 75 that had sat outside for 30 years, switched all my good parts and not have a salvage title due to the wreck. I have and am spending all this money for me, not what it will bring at sale. I'll leave that for my daughter to decide when I'm gone.
Steve

Thanks for the replys. The bike wouldn't be for resale, at least for a long time. I have several Kz's but no z's. Just because of what the bike is I was going to go for originality. I'm going to pick it up anyway. I'm a sucker for strays. Thanks for the input.

I need the frame number to find a range of engine numbers acceptable.

You could buy the bike and ride it as-is then wait for a engine to come up for sale, doesn't matter what number as long as it's a Z1 engine. They pop up, I found one locally with carbs a few years back for $100. I sold the carbs and a few other pieces, no one wanted the engine and I needed the room so I scrapped it.