Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

Injected
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26 May 2023 08:13 #885224 by Injected

Replied by Injected on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

The first bike I owned was a used 1974 Yamaha RD350, nice light fairly quick bike to learn on. I soon got tired of the ring a ding since I was using it as my main transport.
A friend of mine was a mechanic at a Kawasaki/Honda dealership so when I was in the market I went to look at used bikes, my choices that day were between a 1978 KZ650B2 or a 1979 CB650. I took a short test ride on both of them and hands down it was the Kawasaki for me!
Since then I have only bought and owned Kawasaki except for a Honda Z50 when I could not find a Kawasaki mini bike to save my life

For me it was the sound they make, they are distinguishable by ear from other makes. They are easy to work on and built tough.

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blipco
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2002 KZ1000P

26 May 2023 11:35 #885230 by blipco

Replied by blipco on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

sf4t7 wrote:
In 1979 (when I was 24) I owned a Honda 750. One of my buddies had a 74 Z1A and one day we traded bikes for our ride. Holy shit, I've gotta get one of these! Soon after that I bought a 1974 Z1A. Over the next few years it got a few modifications, including a wiseco1015 kit, mildly ported head, Andrews cams with slotted gears, superbike bars etc.
So 43 years later, several other motorcycles have come and gone but I kept the Z1A all this time. Then life got in the way and it hasn't been ridden for 15 years. Now retired, I'm reviving (not restoring) it. Should be riding later on this summer. Whenever I see a Z1 or kz1000 I still think "that is the coolest motorcycle I've ever seen!" Really looking forward to riding it again.

Scotty

~~~>>> Who would make such a statement without posting up a pic?

"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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sf4t7
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26 May 2023 19:52 - 26 May 2023 19:57 #885255 by sf4t7

Replied by sf4t7 on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

blipco:
Sorry not real good with this newfangled computer stuff yet, I'll find out how to include pictures from one of the grandkids
Picture a black tank and covers with plenty of patina over everything. I got my patina the old fashioned way - by letting it sit for about 15 years
Scotty

Scotty

1974 Z1A
1015
welded Z1 crank
Andrews 1X Cams
Delkevic 4 into 1

Last edit: 26 May 2023 19:57 by sf4t7.

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ThatGPzGuy
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More Sparky than Speed Racer

27 May 2023 06:40 #885271 by ThatGPzGuy

Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

I was recently graduated from HS in 1981 and working in a convenience store. In the magazine rack there was bike magazine with the new GPz550 on the cover and I was hooked. I was not a motorcycle fan at that point but something about that black engine, firecracker red paint and bikini fairing did it for me. I eventually bought my own '82 GPz550 with a student loan and that became my sole means of transportation for a couple of years in college. Flash forward a couple of decades and there's a badly painted '82 GPz750 on eBay and I bought it on an impulse. The rest as they say, is history.

Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"

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howardhb
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27 May 2023 10:52 - 27 May 2023 12:08 #885280 by howardhb

Replied by howardhb on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

Finished restoring this young lady in 2020. (1981 D1)

What a sexy little thing she is, and such a joy to ride!
Her nick-name is Pussycat!

'81 GPz 550 D1
'81 GPz 1100 B1 ELR "Tribute" www.kzrider.com/our-forum/11-projects/61...-elr-tribute?start=0
'82 Yamaha YB100 Fizzie
'79 Suzuki GT200 X5 TWO STROKE TWIN - SMOKER!

Last edit: 27 May 2023 12:08 by howardhb.

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blipco
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2002 KZ1000P

27 May 2023 12:24 #885284 by blipco

Replied by blipco on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

sf4t7…
Thats how it goes. You fiddle around for an hour or two and get nowhere. Your grandson will do it in less than one minute. Then the look they give you afterward is priceless.

"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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Nerdy
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27 May 2023 12:55 #885288 by Nerdy

Replied by Nerdy on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

howardhb wrote:
Finished restoring this young lady in 2020. (1981 D1)

What a sexy little thing she is, and such a joy to ride!
Her nick-name is Pussycat!

Looks fantastic!

~~1979 KZ400~~ Gifted to a couple of nephews
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R

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sf4t7
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30 May 2023 05:37 - 30 May 2023 05:39 #885394 by sf4t7

Replied by sf4t7 on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

blipco - here are some pictures

Like I said earlier - I got my patina the old fashioned way: I let it sit in a damp garage!

Scotty

Scotty

1974 Z1A
1015
welded Z1 crank
Andrews 1X Cams
Delkevic 4 into 1

Last edit: 30 May 2023 05:39 by sf4t7.

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Wookie58
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30 May 2023 05:53 #885395 by Wookie58

Replied by Wookie58 on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

There is a great bike hiding in there, you just need to "let it out"

1982 KZ1000 Ltd
www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/617631...-82-begins?start=192
kzrider.com/filebase-alias?view=download...d-fault-diagnosis&ca

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scubaanders
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30 May 2023 07:09 #885399 by scubaanders

Replied by scubaanders on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

After a Yamaha RD125 when I was sixteen and trading it for a Z500 when I turned eighteen back in january 1982. Before the season started it was painted in Gpz550 paint scheme.

Then it happened. The 1982 March edition of Cycle World arrived in my mailbox and I was sold. Before the summer ended the poor Z500 had been replaced. I sold that Gpz750 in 1990 and was without bike until 2015 when I bought what was to become the green kwack.
I don't need a new bike with 150+ hp. I just want the grunt, therefor I just stay with old Kawasakis.

/A

Gpz750R1 1982
Gpz750A1 1983
Gpz1100A2 1984
FZ750 1985
Gpz900R -91

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sf4t7
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30 May 2023 08:24 #885406 by sf4t7

Replied by sf4t7 on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

Wookie - it's not hiding, I just need to go in and get it

Scotty

1974 Z1A
1015
welded Z1 crank
Andrews 1X Cams
Delkevic 4 into 1

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blipco
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2002 KZ1000P

30 May 2023 10:20 #885407 by blipco

Replied by blipco on topic Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

sf4t7..
I see. Thanks for the pics. It certainly needs a little TLC but it’s doable.
Another member here posted up some "turd polish" that seemed to work miracles on another member’s bike. Maybe he’ll chime in.

"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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Why a Kz before another motorcycle?

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