KZ1000 misfire and high RPM breaking up

Hi everyone, I've looked on this site for help for quite a while and finally I got around to making a profile, so here I am asking for help. So here is my issue, when I first got my bike it ran OK but popped a lot at low rpm, (poor carb adjustment.) I adjusted it out and it ran well for a while so it seemed. Then it started out again, ran okay everywhere up to around 6,000rpm then it would break up, practically fall on its face and pop. I figured it was the coils so I replaced them with Dyna coils (green)and Taylor plug wires. and still did the same thing. The bike had 33k miles on it, smoked a pretty good bit and had low compression on #4 so I pulled the motor out and decided to bore it out to a 1075. While I was at it I bought all new stainless steel valves and had my machine shop guy cut new seats and shim it all up (he used to drag race 1000's, their his specialty) So I put it all back together timed it, double checked it and was all right. Started it up and ran good, took it for a spin (not really getting on it because of the need to break it in) but I took it down one of the highways eventually and was all going good until I decided to rev it up a little and when I hit around 5,500rpm it popped sputtered and died.

Same scenario as before. if I let the bike sit for a while it will start back up and run, but if I rev it up pretty good it pops. A weird thing was that when I went to start it right after it died (after coasting off the shoulder of the road) it acted like the battery was low, cranked over sluggishly. I let it sit for almost an hour and it cranked up, but I decided to have someone come pick me up.

It has a dyna III ignition system. Could it be faulty? And when it gets hot, or at high revs it cant handle it anymore? Because it seems to die anytime I drive it fairly far (over 20 miles) but it still breaks up anytime over 6k. Help please, is it the ignition? voltage regulator? any ideas would help. Valves are good, compression good, new plugs, new coils, new wires... old ignition.


Anything would help. Thanks, TKZ

Mine did the sanme thing to a tee. I replaced the battery and voltage regulator after fighting charging problem and it went away. revs as high as you got the jewels to twist it.

had one guy tell me with the demands of the dyna any voltage prob is a prob.

Battery tested good until I load tested it i would start with a load test I probably didnt need to change the voltage reg.

Alright thanks, I see about the battery and Ill post up any news

Also check you're getting at least 12v at the coils - and check for any dodgy earths or connections


Kill switched can be a sod too....


Are you getting plenty of fuel into them carbs - whats the float height?

Have valve clearances been double checked after initial running-in & head re-torque?

Ive always been kind of suspicious of the kill switch, it doesn't work but is still connected. Is there any way I can go about bypassing it?

I also find it weird that i can shut the #4 card all the way and it makes no difference when its idling, like the carb is doing nothing.

by the way it sparks to #4 very well, but when i pull to plug wire makes no difference when idling. no fuel?

alright so i removed the carbs, #4 looked clean and nothing was plugged, but i bench synced the carbs and put them back on. decided to test the voltage to the coils and I have 12+ at the battery but with ignition on and headlight off i have 10.5 at either coil. headlight on = 9.7volts at coils. any ideas on what could be causing this? Thanks.

Think we've now got the problem !!!!! The power supply goes a long route - thru ignition switch/kill switch....

If you've checked all connections - make sure they're all tight & wires good - you may need to do a "Wired George" relay mod !


The fuel issue is easy to check - turn fuel off, stop motor, measure amount of fuel in each float bowl - check float levels.

Also disconnect fuel line & place end from tap into a measuring jug & time how long 1 x litre take to fill - note if flow hesitates or slows after a bit.... Also do it with filler cap open - the breather in the cap maybe blocked???

Keep at it lad - nearly there

Would also assure integrity of ground connection where the negative battery cable attaches to the rear of engine.

And assure clean snug connections of battery cables to the battery posts.

Good Fortune!

Do this too:

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website. Or use any plastic safe electrical contact cleaner(NOT WD-40 !).

On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.

However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach. Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.

Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal responce and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.

The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start.

Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.

The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!

If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you.

Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting). I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.

All battery cables must be clean and tight for maximum current transfer. Check the cables going from the Negative(-) battery terminal/post to the engine mounting bolt

Also the one going from the Positive(+) terminal to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter motor.

If any battery cable feels ”Crunchy” when flexed, replace it as possible corrosion is inside the insulation.

Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.

Some people put the Di-Electric Grease on cleaned terminations/connectors, I don’t, as I’ve read/heard it can cause problems when it gets hot, actually insulating the connections, so the choice is yours to use or not.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........