TOPIC:

after putting on the NOS grab rails from Ebay and a seat from a guy I know in the salvage biz. The seat is not/not NOS but it's close enough to get me by for now....and it allowed me to TAKE OFF THAT DOPEY KING/QUEEN POS that came with the bike originally.
Here are the pics:

Bike looks super cleanB) ...great job!

Nice...very nice.

Why the heck can't I ever find bikes like that? I've got a 77 C-1 but it has taken a ton of work to make it look good and I'm still not done. That was a real nice find, consider yourself very lucky.

Edit: I was just looking at the pics again and I'm curious do you know why the turn signals have been changed? It's not that they look bad or anything it's just that they are not correct for that bike.

Post edited by: The Gringo, at: 2007/05/17 11:09

Great looking C2!

Nice bike, if that seat is not NOS, it sure does look like it.

Damn, that is one great looking C2 you have. Not that I'm partial to them or anything like that,,,

With my old butt I look the KQ seat, keeps me from sliding off,,,

I was just looking at the pics again and I'm curious do you know why the turn signals have been changed? It's not that they look bad or anything it's just that they are not correct for that bike.

Ahhhh....I can see by your 'signature', Gringo, that you have the odd KZ in your collection and I just knew that someone like yourself was going to call me on the signals thing.
I gave the signals some thought before deciding to use the later style items.
The OO binned the original large-style signals when he put the butt-ugly WindKutter fairing and bags on. NOS original signal heads are VERY difficult to find for what I would consider a reasonable price. As we all know those signal heads were OE on the H2's, later H1's and the Z1/KZ900's. Sooooo, with original articles bringing HUGE bux on the resto market there are very few to be had by mere mortals like me.
Yes, I could have put on the correct signal heads by using knockoff items but I'd STILL have to find the correct stems and even THOSE are hard to find in good shape. The knockoff manufacturer does NOT make the correct stems. As well, IMHO, the later style signals are more suited to this particular bike. It's a "taste" thing and the later signals just looked "better" to my eye.
Soooo....I ordered up a set of knockoff later style heads and stems and found a knackered OE set of the same style heads BUT with the 2 filament sockets in them for the front signals, along with the internal chrome reflectors. I had to do this because the knockoff heads only come with single-contact sockets. I took the sockets and reflectors out of the junk OE heads and mounted them in the knockoff heads and....presto....running light type front signals, nice shiny chrome stems and heads and a cleaner look, again IMHO.
Now, I'm going to find a second set of internal reflectors for the rear signals and a set of single wire OE sockets and convert the rears over to OE spec equipment. No one else will know what's been done just by looking at them but I'll know....and I guess anyone reading this post will know....but I'll have to ask you guys not to tell anyone....right??!!??
The knockoff signal head shells are perfect repros of the originals but the Taiwanese bulb sockets are for shite. Amazingly enough, the genuine Kawi (Stanley??)
sockets bolt right in and the reflectors also fit correctly....and are of FAAAAR better quality.
The knockoff stems are one piece whereas the OE stems were 3 piece so the knockoff stems just make everything "cleaner" and more "modern" looking, IMO.
Now, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for a set of NOS OE lenses to go with the signal heads....although that's probably going over the top with the whole thing. The knockoff lenses work as well as the OE items but are more prone to fading from sunlight and the amber colour of the lenses can vary from lot to lot.....and, of course, they don't have all the funky
approvals letters/numbers moulded into them either.
Still awake after all this ?? This is all pretty arcane stuff, I realize.
At some future time I may stumble onto a nice set of OE "large-style" signals and stems but until then, I've got signals that work and look good....at least to me.

Thanks for all the compliments guys but, in all honesty, the bike itself and the OO deserve most of the credit here. After all, with only 2254 original kilometres (~1400 miles) what could really be wrong with the old girl ??
A good cleanup, some Turtle Wax, finding the stock seat and, pretty soon, new rubber and....presto.....it's 1978 again.
Sure, I did a few little BS things (clean/set points/timing; adjust cam chain tensioner; change fluids; change air/oil filters; see post above about the whole signals thing) but, all in all, this is by FAR the easiest AND cheapest "resto" I've done, no question.
Actually I'd be embarrassed to call it a "resto".
More like "fettling".....another fine old English mechanical term.
Now, f'r instance, my first H2 was bought as a REAL basket case and took 10....count 'em....10 years to complete. THAT was a resto....and I'm not embarrassed to take all the kudos I can get for that one.

Post edited by: H2RICK, at: 2007/05/18 00:00

WOW that's one SWEET 78. who cares about the turn signals the look great..
Mark

Here's my 77 with the stock paint on.



Post edited by: Mark Wing, at: 2007/05/18 03:32

Rick, sorry to make you do all that typing. I wasn't calling you on that, its just with so few miles on the bike and as anyone can tell by looking at it, the bike has never been down I just wondered about the signal change. I figured there must be a logical reason and as you have explained there was. I never realized those OEM signals were so difficult to find. I took mine off and replaced them with small Lockhart Phillips units because the originals that came on the "brillo pad special" had seen better days (the chrome was showing it's 30 years). For what it is worth I found some replacement repro units that look pretty good here.
www.americanclassix.com/kawa_reproductions.html

They also sell replacement stems but they are the type for the Z-1. Again I love your bike but inquiring minds want to know.

VERY nicely done!