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Love hate this bike but love it more......I was lucky enough to get my hands on 1978 KZ650B 10 years ago. 1st bike ever at 50 years of age.  I tinkered but mainly had someone else do any work needed. Each time feeling robbed. The last mechanic didn't secure the fuel lines and two miles into the ride, me and the bike went up in flames. I'm ok thank god but my beautiful bike quietly burned to a crisp in front of me. Every stock part I found and put on the bike gone!  Fast foward 8 weeks later. Found a good deal on this 79 KZ 650 SR - only issues were a bad horn and stuck rear brakes. And I noticed the tank was rusty rusty.  Fixed horn and brakes to pass inspection. Rode ok, for a couple of weeks but it got worse and worse I think because of the rust in the tank and decided to clean it and my carbs myself! Bought new boots, carb rebuild kit. Looked at every video on how to clean carbs until I felt comfortable. I finally dove in and was able to take the carbs off fairly easy. Two of the bowls drained as soon I took them off. RUST all over and clogging the jets. My plan was to clean the bowls, floats and only swap the gaskets and the jets.Tightened it up and reconnected. The new soft boots on both sides made the reconnect a breeze. Filter boots took some elbow grease for sure. But easier than I thought. Now i looked up everything on cleaning a tank. Vinger was at the top of the list, followed by Muriatic Acid. I did 3 days with the Vinger and noticed spots that did not really work and Flash rust came back super fast. Went back to this Forum and learned more about the Acid way and how to nutralize. Did the acid for about 3-4 mins, flushed with wated and baking soda for a couple of mins then I just flusehd with cold wated for 5 mins. PEOPLE the inside of my tank looks brand freaking new. Just be careful and have baking sada on standy and DO NOT leave your petcok on or the gas cap. I did not, I understand the acid will eat through what's needed. So I put the tank on - replaced the fuel line and added a fuel filter just in case. She started right up and sounded amazing. This is where the fun starts. I took it out and got about a block and back. Noticed my fuel line was pinched. Fixed that back ont he road. After about 3 miles, RPM's started screaming high. All I could do was trun off the bike and have a WTF moment. Tunred it back on high RPM again. after about 15 mins and a quick search again on this Forum, I noticed I had not tightened my throttle cables and they were nolonger in place. Took the tank off, put the cables back int place and tightened them as best I could. Bike STARTS, adust throttle screw and I was off and back home.Tightend everythin up again, checked fuel lines. Started with no problem ,idled after choke with no problem. Ran better than my other 650 for damn sure! Sat for a week due to rain a little snow. Went to start on 1st warn day. BIKE WILL NOT START. CRANKS but nothing. I replaced the oil, changed the spark plugs (black tips) - the bike started with the start button SLOWLY but it started and again after warm up  it sounded perfect. I let it run for about 15min. Then stated again after about 10 min no problem. Went to walk the dogs (20min) came back ready to ride!!  NO DAMN START! Cranks, lights up, blinkers everything but the damn engine. New battery I should add. I feel like its something very simple. I've got compression, spark, gas. please help me figure this out. I refuse to tow it. It's been two days and its Friday and its 75 outside. Gas it almost $5 here.    Help Apprecaited I

Howdy. Maybe the kill switch?

For vacuum petcock, is the vacuum line conected?
For Manual petcock, is it turned on?
Petcock not clogged up?
It has gas?
Fuelline filter installed?
Fuses checked? Maybe time for more modern auto blade fuseholder?
Coils getting Voltage?
No malace inferred. Just things to check.

What do your plugs look like?
You mentioned you had black tips last time it had trouble starting.

UPDATE :  FInally got htis bad boy back up and running. Turned out IT was the rusted battery leads. .....I ended up having to take it into my local shop and had them replaced with what i ordered online. They Sync'd the Carbs for me and I am back on the road! I do have a little issue with my right Brake Calipar. I'm missing the SPACER (part 43040-004) that goes up aginst the PAD and because its not there I have a rattle. I've got a makeshift one in there but if anybody knows where I can find that part? I'm finding it unavailable everywhere I know to look. 

He sells the spacer #43040-004 you needed.

z-fever.de/shop/en/product_info.php?info...ibe-bremssattel.html

 

@ Scirocco - Thank you! I'll definatley get a couple and report back. Really appreciate it.