How to check swing arm bearings?

I tried to find a part diagram for 80 KZ1000E.
Is it in frame? Which diagram?
36 years old bike, is it time to replace?

They used two heavy duty, good quality roller bearings. Like all the KZ1000E parts, basically the best of the best quality and heavy duty, made to last. I wouldn't worry about the bearings unless you're up in the 200,000 mile area. Age doesn't matter to a bearing.

Greas them.
Steve

RonKZ650 wrote: They used two heavy duty, good quality roller bearings. Like all the KZ1000E parts, basically the best of the best quality and heavy duty, made to last. I wouldn't worry about the bearings unless you're up in the 200,000 mile area. Age doesn't matter to a bearing.

It matters if theyve never been greased! :laugh:

True.
Steve

If I remember right,back in the day,Kawasaki swingarms had a reputation for drying out bearings.So much so that people would drill a hole under the pivot area and thread in a grease nipple.
Maybe an urban legend but twas one of those things,like Yamahas were known for seizing brake calipers and Suzukis for bad electrics and Hondas for dodgy camchain tensioners.

Dealing with the aftermath of what happens when the swing arm bearings aren't greased. on my 82 GPz750.Those nice heavy duty roller bearing can be turned into so much rust.Got to replace the sleeve,bearings and the pivot bolt because it was so stuck it had to be pounded out.Unlike your KZ1000 most of those parts are NLA from Kawi :S Swing arm and shocks have they're own fiche on the ones I've looked at.Yes I'm going to ad a grease nipple to the swing arm.

Do I have to remove drive shaft to grease left bearing? (shaft model)

Isn't it lubricated internally? My grease zerk was backwards so I couldn't get to it. Got another one that would face the right way, by that time the damage was done.
Steve

You guys are all talking of other motorcycles which use either a sleeve and bushings or a sleeve with little needle bearings. Yes these need lube quite often, and even then aren't heavy duty. The shaft used real roller bearings. Not to say they don't need lube, but chances of them being in bad shape is definitely less than on other Kawasakis.
They built everything on the shaft heavy to last, then in 1981 went to the KZ1100 shaft and all heavy duty was replaced with regular duty parts.

bummer
Steve

RonKZ650 wrote: You guys are all talking of other motorcycles which use either a sleeve and bushings or a sleeve with little needle bearings. Yes these need lube quite often, and even then aren't heavy duty. The shaft used real roller bearings. Not to say they don't need lube, but chances of them being in bad shape is definitely less than on other Kawasakis.
They built everything on the shaft heavy to last, then in 1981 went to the KZ1100 shaft and all heavy duty was replaced with regular duty parts.

Opps looked closer at the PO's sig.The shalft drive would make a huge difference obviously..The way it's set up on the chain drive is stupid without a grease fitting.Getting 4 bearings for the GPz and thinking I'm going to use all 4,yes they'll all fit.