I've owned my KZ650-C1 for 38+ years (about 60,000 miles) and it uses points ignition. Points and condensers normally should be replaced about every 10,000 miles or so. They may also need to be dressed (remove any high spots) and re-adjusted every 5,000 miles or so. That's not to say they will fail if you don't do that, it's just that the bike's performance will very gradually be reduced as the points eventually start pitting. The points set in my bike today have been in there for 9,500 miles and are still working perfectly.
Replacing points is a pretty simple task, when you know how, and it takes 30 minutes at the very most including having a beer. To set them dead-on you should have a proper feeler gauge, a timing light, and a dwell meter. I did mine for 28 years without a dwell meter, so it is not an absolute must, but they are cheap on eBay so I bought one. You actually can set the points extremely close to perfect with just a feeler gauge and a meter or light that that shows continuity of a circuit, but a timing light let's you easily check the setting. Decent timing lights are also very cheap on eBay.
One really nice thing about points is that unlike electronic ignition systems they don't fail hard, they just gradually wear, so they won't leave you stranded. You can get a set of points and condenser off eBay for around $20 - $25; sometimes even less. Electronic ignitions are set and forget unless they fail, then they are set and walk. :laugh: Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
