new here. - FRONT END SWAP. - XS400 TO KZ650

New to the forum, about a few months ago I got a 78 KZ650 dropped off, it was laying in the weeds for a decade or so.
We got it started last week, so now the tear down and build up . probably gonna chop it.
I got a friend with a front end of a XS400 but what I need to know, Does anyone know where I can find information to see if the front end from a xs400 will fit on a z650?
thanks for any info.
-Ian

XS400 forks on a KZ650? :blink:

Egads! That's a pretty darn flimsy set of forks for a KZ650. I wouldn't do that swap.

Keep in mind that those forks were engineered for a bike weighing 100 pounds less than the KZ650 and a bike with 38 hp instead of the KZ650's 64 hp! What are you trying to accomplish? Ed

frankenstein bike.
ratty and ugly.

and deadly to the rider. I added to my original comment; please take another look at it. Ed

thanks! - I will keep looking. need forks.

Ed - by chance out of curiosity do you know if the diameter on the sx400 forks is the same as the kz?

They are definitely smaller diameter than the KZ650. I believe they are 33mm vs the KZ650 36mm. You may want to check with the folks at the link below. Ed

www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4712

thank you so much!

Spend $150 and put in new fork tubes, seals and dust covers. Chop it? Lost me. :dry:
Steve

The Ohio Cafe Racers site has a fork tube conversion chart, so you can check to see what models have the same sized forks.
Also, All-Balls-Racing has various sizing charts.

I'm a little confused. What is wrong with the stock forks? Are they bent? If not why wouldn't you just rebuild them? If your going to chop it up you might as well put a bit more modern forks on it, not down grade to something like XS400. Not hating on you, just trying to get more info out of you so you can get more help. Keep in mind, quite a few guys will not offer help if you chop that bike. I usually recommend not doing anything that can not be reversed. I wish I would have had someone tell me that. I threw away parts other guys could have used but that was before I found this site. It would also be good to know your mechanical abilities. Is machining a new triple tree to advanced? Do you need to keep it to just bolt on items? That type of info. Did the bike come with tank, panels and/or tail?

Welcome and good luck with the build.

thanks! - the top cap on the forks was open and got filled with rain water then layed flat in the mud for a few years. I was told I need to replace them, then a friend said he had the xs400 set and to see if it would fit, so that's why I was asking, I have never built a bike, I have ridden for decades but never built - so it's youtube and manuals and here. Another friend suggested I get on here and start digging, so here I am - I know nothing about building for sure. so lots of questions. Oh and I have very limited funds so it is going to be challenging, plus I really like the ratty look of the choppers and bobbers, I was going to try and sell off all of the stock parts that are worth anything to help finance the build, I totally get it that some people don't like when bikes get chopped and customized. but whatever. - I'm gonna build a runner one way or another.