Buying KZ1100 a mistake maybe?

After looking at the post here I'm wondering if buying the KZ1100 was a mistake. It seems the KZ's dont last very many miles and even then not without LOTS of problems. I was hoping to be getting a reliable bike capable of at least close to the 200,000 mile mark before it needed to split the case. It looks as if even 100,000 miles is as rare as chicken teeth. Every KZ listed on ebay has less than 60,000 miles. :S

200,000 miles without a rebuild!!! You were seriously misinformed if you thought that was possible. I don't think any bike will go 200,000 miles. Bikes are not cars. Their engines are high performance racing motors when compared to cars. Maybe, just maybe, 100,000 miles but the bike would be blowing smoke out the pipes real real bad. KZ's are known for reliability and the ability to get way more ponies out of them then most other motors of that era. What you bought was a bike which in various incarnations can be made to do 6 seconds in the 1/4, win you a superbike title or cruise from one coast to the other without breaking into a sweat.

Mikes82KZ1100 wrote:

... I'm wondering if buying the KZ1100 was a mistake. I was hoping to be getting a reliable bike capable of at least close to the 200,000 mile mark...

Not trying to be flip, but you want a Toyota.

You can get a ton of miles out of them. Ask Ron. I think a lot of his bikes have a lot of miles on them. But if your thinking about 200K plus you should stick to Jap cars. Bikes are not made to go that far, especially new bikes. I think they realized thier mistakes of making them too reliable in the seventies and didn't make enough money for repairs. Nowdays the bikes would be lucky to last ten years before serious engine problems.

I got 75000 klicks out of my 95 GPZ1100 and the cams and rockers are worn out. And they tell me I got huge mileage out of it. Would hate to see how long a ZX10 will last. Had a buddy with a Z1 at 100000 miles it literally puked oil out every hole. Put new rings and valve seals in and away he went good as new.

Mikes82KZ1100 surely you're having a laugh.....200000 miles.I wish!

I knew a guy that had a 75 Gold Wing that had 250k miles on it, he asked me to help him install a 1100 motor because the 1000 had started smoking a little

I'm sure there are other people here that remember when cars were worn out at 100k or less.

Every motor lasts a finite number of revolutions, the faster you spin it the faster it wears out.

Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/08/16 07:16

I see police bikes with 100k miles. Aside from displacement and covers, not much difference in the engine.

old high mileage bikes and cars will both be 'loose'. if you want tight, you rebuild. Otherwise you fix stuff as it wears to the point of not working as it should, which is a relative state

i'm trying to find a used block for my 1100. on the forum with the guys with $ rolling out their pockets the only solution is sending it out for new sleeves. i'm happy with used and 'still in spec' maybe from a 10k or 20k mile bike (no $ falling out of pockets here. have to wait for $3.25 pitcher special before I go drinking with buds).

back to bike. if you want a tight bike, buy a new one, i like the bandit 1200 because it doesn't need water. to make one of these old bike feel like a modern bike will cost a lot of time and $.

Post edited by: Duck, at: 2006/08/16 08:33

Well I guess I'll get it running and sell it :blush: For me there is just no sense in having a bike that will only last a year or two. I didn't think about the difference between air cooled vs water cooled. I know of several Voyagers and Goldwings with over 200K and still run great and use no oil. The Honda PC800 I ride now also falls into that catagory but it's a bit small for me. I haven't seen any KZ1100's for sale. If I get this one running nicely, What do you think I could get for it?

Well I can't $1200 for a good runing 1980 gs1000 shaft drive but could sell the chain drive model in a heartbeat. Do not know if kaw fans are similarly biggoted. Likely not as conversion is possible with the kaw and not with the zook.

LIke I said in the previous post, plenty of police KZ1000 with 100k miles and still going strong and it's practically the same engine.

Mine needs jugs at 20k miles because PO effed one up. Otherwise it would have good for another 60K+ easy if the PO hadn't run the snot out of it with too lean a mix.

-Duck

My feeling is that it all depends on how the miles were put on. A Goldwing tends to be all highway cruising. Years ago, I had a XS750 that I bought with 63k on it that ran like a top but it had all highway miles on it. You take a Goldwing or a Voyager and drive it for short bursts or city stop and go all the time and you wouldn't get to high miles either. Also, many of these bikes have spent a year or two, or more, years sitting around with no one paying attention to them whatsoever, that doesn't usually do great things to them either.

I have a 1995 Subaru that I bought 3 years ago with only 65k on it--it will never see 200k, while many other Subarus will. Not a bad car, but most days I only put a mile on a car and it kills them. Bikes are the same.

Mikes82KZ1100 wrote:

... there is just no sense in having a bike that will only last a year or two. I know of several Voyagers and Goldwings with over 200K and still run great and use no oil.

What's up with the negative waves so early in the morning?

There is nothing on the planet that will not need maintenance to get you through 200,000 miles.

NOTHING.

Not a pair of shoes, a bicycle, or sailboat, or Segway.

If you don't beat on the bike it will be fine! Will it need work? Yes.

oh wait, I forgot about the Perpetual Motion machine I have in the shed. You can have it for an even up trade. PM me.