Non kz engine swaps

This is an interesting thread. I've always wanted to put a vintage Kawasaki engine in a modern better handling frame. A Spondon or Harris frame kit looks great to my eye. Putting a high horsepower engine a weak poor handling vintage frame seems like a big step backwards.

80B4 wrote: This is an interesting thread. I've always wanted to put a vintage Kawasaki engine in a modern better handling frame. A Spondon or Harris frame kit looks great to my eye. Putting a high horsepower engine a weak poor handling vintage frame seems like a big step backwards.

I have 2 ninja liter bikes
One is a 2012 zx10 track bike, if I'm in the mood to go fast and get wild I have options
I like the kz stance and liking from a one off to cruise around on

Depends on what you want, I bought my Z1100R replica because I've liked the way they look since I first saw one in 1983, and found one this year for the right price, I'd like it to ride like a modern bike, but the engine is definitely from 1982, so for me the idea of a modern engined bike that still has the looks on my Z is quite appealing.

If you can handle 2 strokes? An automatic drive, no tranny Try a polaris! :laugh: :laugh:
This Guy was in Michigan at US 131 dragway. Ran 10.0's in the 1/4

I have a carb'd bike and I'm content with just one haha
The idea is to have a fun bike to ride that is 100% unique to me
All the swap parts are fairly straightforward but the engine will likely need some work to fit but I like the R1 cross plane sound and a cart kit for that engine is fairly cheap
It's wild how expensive a titled kz frame is though
Holding out for a barn find
I do have a few solid leads on zx10 front end parts tho and I'm going with the gs swingarm and dual shocks as well

z1kzonly wrote: If you can handle 2 strokes? An automatic drive, no tranny Try a polaris! :laugh: :laugh:
This Guy was in Michigan at US 131 dragway. Ran 10.0's in the 1/4

Guys up here in the great frozen emptiness run wicked snowmobiles at the 1/4 mile drag strip in summer quite regularly - wheels on the skis and special dry pavement "slick" tracks, some are into the high 8's and low 9's (I believe) - those 800-1000 cc two stroke are putting out some mean power - and sound!

Lancaster, NY 1/8 mile drag strip too!
Bikes & sleds run the same class. There are sleds in the 5's
We still have a few old Kaws here too.

Found my frame
81 kz1000 with forks triples body work and wheels for $100
Looking to sell all but the frame body work and lower triple tree if anybody's interested
They are the mag wheels

What you are doing is very interesting and it's cool that you are doing it. I have a few KZ's that I tinker with and I also have a literbike. I have always been intrigued by the deals-and-wheels kits out of Germany for the z1000's and the RF Biketech kits for the ZRX's. I don't really like the idea of them being a kit but you make them your own.... Anyways I am torn between the idea of modern performance and the look and feel of a motorcycle from the 1970's. To me on one side it does seem counterproductive to put a modern motor in an old chassis but on the other hand you are leapfrogging the whole process of making major changes trying to squeeze out just a few more horsepower from a very old engine. But that is just addressing the engine. I guess to me I am more interested in trying to improve the handling and braking deficiencies while still keeping it a KZ. After I finish my KZ's I would love to pick up a modern bike with much more performance that are cheap plentiful and just plain ugly to me, like a z1000 or FZ1 or TL1000, and make a unique retro design like the deals and wheels kit. Sorry I don't mean to ramble while I debate myself, just giving my two cents. That being said I am interested to see what you end up with. Subscribed.

KZ802 wrote: What you are doing is very interesting and it's cool that you are doing it. I have a few KZ's that I tinker with and I also have a literbike. I have always been intrigued by the deals-and-wheels kits out of Germany for the z1000's and the RF Biketech kits for the ZRX's. I don't really like the idea of them being a kit but you make them your own.... Anyways I am torn between the idea of modern performance and the look and feel of a motorcycle from the 1970's. To me on one side it does seem counterproductive to put a modern motor in an old chassis but on the other hand you are leapfrogging the whole process of making major changes trying to squeeze out just a few more horsepower from a very old engine. But that is just addressing the engine. I guess to me I am more interested in trying to improve the handling and braking deficiencies while still keeping it a KZ. After I finish my KZ's I would love to pick up a modern bike with much more performance that are cheap plentiful and just plain ugly to me, like a z1000 or FZ1 or TL1000, and make a unique retro design like the deals and wheels kit. Sorry I don't mean to ramble while I debate myself, just giving my two cents. That being said I am interested to see what you end up with. Subscribed.

Thanks for the input I really appreciate it
I love the look of the kz with modern parts on it and putting in a different engine is way more efficient than building a kz engine
My dads doing it now and it's neither cheap nor easy
I love the idea of a retro bike with modern components and honestly my only concern is finding an engine with the character I want
It will be fuel injected and 4 cylinders
That's all I know so far
I'm really excited about this and with the ease of sourcing basically any parts I want I have a feeling this is going to be a lot of fun
I won't have anything in my hands til I meet up with my friend Monday to get the kz frame but I will update this as often as there is progress

Anybody do an engine from 03-04 z1000?
That seems to be a cheap swap