What can you tell me about this bike?

I need a couple of you intelligent fellow to please give me a run down on this cycle. I know that it is a plethora of parts. Just wondering what year, and what bikes they came off of. Such as, and not limited to, Frame, wheels, tank, side covers, wheels, etc. Thanks so much in advance!

Joe Phillips

It began its career as a 1986 kz900ltd

I don't think a 1986. :laugh: I'm not an expert on KZ900 or Z1, but the main look is 1976 KZ900 with LTD wheels possibly. Possible a 1977 KZ1000A base also. The forks with brakes in front are 1977 or earlier, single disc on a 1976-77 KZ900 or KZ1000A. Fender looks like a KZ900 standard or 1977 KZ1000A. Turn signals are standard 1976-77 KZ900 or KZ1000A, not the LTD. Carbs look standard issue 1976-up mikuni. I'd guess a 1976 KZ900 standard as the main base, with 1977 KZ1000A next choice.

Frame is most probably a 1976 KZ900-B1 LTD (see exposed rear master cylinder).

Good Fortune!

rear brake is 1977 only, but wrong rotor. Rear wheel looks 16" and seat is L'T'D', I'm leaning toward 1976,77 Ltd parts mixed bike.

In my neck of the woods, we call it a "bitsa"! :laugh:

Yep. something built out of parts on hand. All Kawasaki ,though!

The frame number would help narrow the search down. The engine serial number will also give you lots of information - the stuff before the 'E' is what's important.

I've got a '77 KZ1000A1. I'm looking at the pictures to see what is the same as mine, but keep in mind that most of the liter-class bikes (650, 900, 1000, maybe 1100) from this era used a LOT of the same parts. FOR THE MOST PART the frames were largely the same for all of these bikes, as were the forks, swing arm, brakes, etc. Anyplace where I say "'77" I mean that era of '75-ish to '79-ish.

The single front brake with the dual rotor LTD wheels is one of the things that I've done on that bike. I've added an LTD front brake system to mine to get the dual front brakes onto the calipers.

The seat is definitely off a different bike - the rear fender mount is exposed, and normally it's covered by the seat on the original A1 seat pan. There are aftermarket seat covers that will convert the flat seat to an LTD seat, but I think the pan is from another bike, so that's probably why the LTD seat.

The carbs are the older mechanical slide carbs that are stock on the '76 through '78.

The front brake master cylinder is the older '77 era. The gauges look like the standard gauges from the '77.

The rear fender looks identical to the '77, but the missing front fender and missing 'Kawasaki' cover on the front forks don't say anything conclusive.

The tank and fuel cap are right for a '77.

The rear brake master cylinder is definitely different than my '77, but there appears to be some bolt-on metal there that could mean the rear MC is from something else.

The headlight mounts are the same as on my '77 (except that mine has a Vetter now). The headlight looks like it's not chrome, but it seems to me that this was an option, rather than a differentiator.

The "DOHC" point cover was a specific part from the '77 era bikes IIRC.

There's something missing under the left side cover. That's where the rear MC sits on mine,

Fuel petcock is a mechanical petcock from the '77 era.

The handlebars look after-market - pseudo "cafe-racery". The throttle is a standard dual-cable system (which makes sense with those carbs).