(New kz owner) - no attachment for side covers

Hi everyone! Like the title says I'm a new kz owner. Incredibly happy about it too. I have a few questions about my bike I'm sure are very simple. I am on vacation at the moment and only have my iPad to assist me so unfortunately I don't believe I can post pictures (no flash). So please bear with me, I'm going to try and learn some while I'm not swamped with work.

Now! Lol to the question. My frame (kz1000 '78) has no attachment tabs for the factory side covers. Nothing at all. The frame does not feel as if the tabs were removed but someone could have spent a lot of time smoothing out the frame after they were ground off. I'm not really certain why someone would do this.

Was there a model that never had them? Assume I'm as ignorant as as a two year old here. Cars are my forte but I have a huge passion for bikes and I'm willing to learn.

Thanks! Sorry for the novel

never mind

No, not to my knowledge, every Kawasaki I've seen or owned, had provisions for body side covers, usually a rubber grommet in a tab or bracket, the side cover rounded stud fit through.

Your bikes previous owner probably removed them,negating side cover attachments. If in doubt, ask at www.z1enterprises.com . Jeff Saunders knows more about the older Kawasaki's than I'll ever learn.

Thanks guys , yeah I assumed they had been removed unfortunately. My roommate has an 82 kz750 so I was able to get a good look of the tabs. I checked the frame serials and it's most certainly a kz1000 frame. Oh well, I'm fairly handy and I'll find a way to attach the side covers I bought.

I appreciate your fast responses. Keep an eye out! In a few days I'll post a pic or two of my green monster.

Post a picture of your frame, where the side cover should mount.

I wish I could but I'm on vacation and I have only my iPad with me. It doesn't allow me to post pictures on forums because of its inability to use Flash. When I get back to reality I'll post a few pictures up. Thanks though !

This is the best picture I have at the moment of where the side panels mount Motor Head, check it out

If thats a 78 A@, then the parts show a bracket there at the rear master, #35, for the 1 mounting point. But I don't see others, and the side cover has three tabs that would go into grommets.
You can see some of the tabs that would be part of the frame, above 32 & 33, maybe?

I agree, looks like on the left just below 20 is another. Previous owner mst ave shaved them off for his own reasons. Lol life can't be perfect. I was thinking of visiting some isles at lowes with a creative mind. I'm sure I'll figure something out that looks pretty decent...

Thanks for the diagram Motor Head!

take a piece of sixteen gauge sheetmetal, cut it a little wide, drill a 5/8" hole in the middle and bend the sides giving it more strength and a u-shaped profile, repeat until all six are made, get the grommets and fit then weld, one side at a time. what I had to do on my 550

Welding will be a skill I'll definetly pickup after I graduate from grad school. But until then, I'm probably going to be stuck using creative grassroots engineering

78 definitely had tabs... AT least my 78 frame does...

Welded tabs is the way to go no doubt.... but 1/8" plate x 1.5" wide curved and clamped to the frame in position would work just fine...

Maybe this will give you some ideas on the bottom tab...