Speedo Re-cal ?

Collecting all the parts ( rim, tire and spare hub so far ) to covert my 77' KZ1000A's front 19" tire to an 18", What are you guys using for the speedometer recalibration ? I'm assuming that the speedo will read even more faster now than the actual speed.

Can the speedo gear be changed out or are you using a different speedometer drive gear from a different motorcycle that will fit the KZ axle ? I think that the KZ400's axle is smaller than the KZ1000 ?

The gears in the speedometer drive are replaceable. After a quick perusal of the parts diagrams at Partzilla, it looks like Kawasaki used the same 9 tooth pinion gear on virtually all of its street models in the KZ era. However, there seems to be both a 25 tooth and 26 tooth ring gear. Both gears fit a wide variety of models, so you may want to copy the figment list from Partzilla before you go shopping.

Speedometers are usually re-calibrated by changing the magnets.

Within the realm of possibility. Assuming it will fit, install a 24T speedo drive gear. 41060-1025. This will lower the speedometer rpms to about 2070 which is approximately 8% less than the typical 2240. Doing this might get your speedo closer to the actual speed. I've never heard of anyone doing this.

Martin, it seems like the 25-T Speedo gear is for the KZ400 with the 18" Front Wheel and the 26-T Speedo gear is for the KZ1000 19" front tire like mine ?

I always thought going to a "Higher" teeth count speedo gear, since the front wheel is turning faster, would help correct the speedometer reading which I "think" would be registering higher in indicated speed with the 18" front tire installed ?

Am I looking at this wrong ?

Also, I'll order that speedo drive gear ( 24-T ) if you think it will fit and match up to speedometer "pinion" gear ?

Here is the list of bikes using the 24 T. It is a long one.

www.partzilla.com/product/kawasaki/41060...c3318993ddbf8d652953

Well I ordered it. Hopefully it will fit and work?

Fingers crossed.

Am I looking at this wrong ?

I could ask myself the same question. hee. A 24T lowers the number of cable revs per mile, so this should fool the speedometer into a lower mph output. If the cable spins fewer times per mile, this has the same effect as spinning it fewer times per minute, which lowers the speedometer reading. At 60 mph w a 26T, the speedo cable spins 2240 times per mile and per minute. If you're going 60 mph w a 24T, the cable is only spinning 2070 revs per mile per minute and the speedometer will sense a lower speed & give a lower output than the actual speed. A defective speedometer that was showing an incorrect 65 mph, will now show a speed closer to the actual 60 mph with a 24T.

My numbers were for a 19" wheel. You may need to go with a 23T. ZX600 et al. again, assuming it fits.
The KZ1000-P police has an 18" front wheel w 26T speedo gear & 9T pinion.