TOPIC:

Key folks, I have a 1981 KZ100 LTD (K1) that has been leaking oil from the front forks for awhile.  I finally got around to having a shop tear them down, and found one of the upper bushings completely missing, and all of the bushings need replaced.  Does anyone know of any rebuild kits for these older bikes?  I've been checking with All Balls but it doesn't look like they have anything.  Guessing I might just have to get every individual part, but the best I've come up with so far is individual NOS bushings on ebay.

From the parts diagram it looks like I need upper bushing 44065-1012, and there's no part# for the lower bushing (just a vague outline on the diagram).  While I'm at it I might as well replace the dust seal too, but I already have the oil seals.  Is there anything I should replace since I have it apart?  And are there any kits that might have at least the bushings and other parts I might need?

Thanks!

Pics would help.

Pics of the old bushings?  Or all the pieces?  Or what?

Overall pics. I have a set of forks that might work or other forks will work on your bike. 
Steve

I have these shots from when I originally built the bike, if it helps?  The axle is mounted to the side of the fork instead of at the bottom.  If there's some other detail you need I can grab more pics of the disassembled forks here in a few minutes.

sourpuss.net/projects/vehicles/kz1000/2015-08-25/IMG_8741.JPG
sourpuss.net/projects/vehicles/kz1000/2015-08-25/IMG_8740.JPG
sourpuss.net/projects/vehicles/kz1000/2017-06-22/IMG_9378.JPG

Oh, and for what it's worth... those forks are what came on the bike, however the frame is actually a J1 so these forks are almost certainly pulled from another bike.  They look the same as the LTD fork, and I've never had any trouble with how they handle on the highway even though I know there's a slight difference in the angle, but I have no opposition to using either style.

Those are "Leading axle" forks. They will make the wheel base longer giving more stability at speed but slow down steering and widen the steering radius. If you like them I'd look for some of the same kind on eBay. The ones I have came off a late model KZ 750G and will fit other KZ's of the same era. The early Z1's had frame flex issues the later ones didn't so I went with a longer swing arm and gusseted the frame along with a fork brace. Basically with the longer swing arm I did the same thing. No more wobble. 
Steve

Well it's good to know this setup actually *helps* the stability rather than hurting it!  I guess it's a flip of the coin whether or not another used pair will be in better shape than what I have, but considering how badly the previous owner screwed up assembly and/or forgot parts on the rest of the bike, I think anything he hasn't touched is going to be in better shape.

The upper bushing is 44065-1012, or superseded number is 44065-1091. 

www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-kz1000k1-ltd-1981...fork-pipe_440651012/

The lower is not sold separately that I can find. Looks like it’s part of the upper stanchion. Once you pull them apart you might find they are good, or hopefully the upper and lower are the same. 

Look here, section 7, pages 43-46

www.kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/K...Service%20Manual.pdf

It's interesting that the shop's manuals had a part# for the lower bushing (#25 on 7-44) which they said they could order from All Balls, but they could not find a part# for the upper bushing.  The parts diagrams I had from Kawasaki show 44065-1012 for the upper (same number you had above), but neither the diagrams nor my Clymer manual show the lower bushing as a separate part.  In my forks, one of the upper bushings was completely missing, and the teflon coating was completely worn away from the three remaining bushings.  I even asked them about the oil, because I had cleaned out both tubes and put new in them when I got the bike running 5 years ago, and yet the oil I dumped out looked like silver sludge, but they said there were no signs of wear inside the tubes (and the smaller tubes actually do still look pristine).

So I dunno... I realize I'm rolling the dice by grabbing another set of tubes off ebay, but I'm betting they will still be in better condition than these, and at the very least I would have enough extras to ensure I have a full set of parts on hand.  So I think I'll go ahead and place the order for a pair that have clean sliders, and then check the condition of the oil in them to determine if I'm going to pull them apart or use them as-is.

I think the one big question I have now is -- were there different lengths of forks for the various 1981 models?  The ebay listings are shown with a tape measure, but since mine are already disassembled I don't know what the original length was.  Seems like the listings are showing about 33.5 inches from the top to the center of the axle hole, but since they're also all for a 1981 KZ1000 I would think that should match my bike anyway?

Do they look the same as yours?