Irish-Kawi wrote: Very nice Larriken, keep up the good work

- Brett

EDIT: Larriken, on the first page I read that you said the 1100 foot pegs fit the 750 and vice versa, can I just confirm with you that's true? Any modifying needed at all etc? I've started to compile a list of parts that swap to the 83'-85' GPz's and wanted to confirm. Is that the passenger pegs or the rider's pegs or both do you know?

I have used the pegs front and rear from an 84 750 on the 1100 so no worries on the fitment their. Not a lot else swaps over though. The 750 is a lot smaller than the 1100. I have used the ignition barrel and gas cap and the headlight which all fit too. Top fairing and the screen swap over as well but the top fairing is a little different in the shape. Tail light and tail are the same too. Swingarm is the same by the looks too. Will keep you posted as I find out more.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationNo eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configuration

GKBO wrote: What about these? Do they replace the needle bearings?Would still need a new sleeve right?Looks like it would replace the seal?Seems odd that it fits the old smokes and the GPz/KZ's :dry:

I keep forgetting the KZ750 twins,I think that's what the bronze bushings are for. Speaking of the twins I found these for the 83/4 twin belt drives and later 1000/1100's.The pivot bolt and seals are the same PN as the 82 GPz750 so if I cut my sleeve as a spacer and it should be good to go..At 1/2 the $$ of the other kit it's easier on the finances.
If someone knows the width of bearing on this list
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 J Sports 1981
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 J Sports 1982
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 K LTD 1981
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 K LTD 1982
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1982
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1983
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1984
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1985
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1986
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1987
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1988
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1989
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1990
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1991
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1992
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1993
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1994
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1995
KAWASAKI KZ 1000 Police 1996
KAWASAKI KZ 1100 B GP 1981
KAWASAKI KZ 1100 B GP 1982
KAWASAKI KZ 750 K LTD 1983
KAWASAKI KZ 750 K LTD 1984
KAWASAKI Z 1000 J KZCJ1BA 1981
KAWASAKI Z 1000 J KZT00J 1982
KAWASAKI Z 1000 K LTD KZCK1BA 1981
KAWASAKI Z 1000 K LTD 1982
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1982
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1983
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1984
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1985
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1986
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1987
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1988
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1989
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1990
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1991
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1992
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1993
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1994
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1995
KAWASAKI Z 1000 Police 1996
KAWASAKI Z 1000 R 1982
KAWASAKI Z 1000 R2 KZT00R 1983
KAWASAKI Z 1100 GP B KZT10B 1981
KAWASAKI Z 1100 GP B KZT10B 1982
KAWASAKI Z 750 K Ltd Twin Belt Drive KZ750K 1983
KAWASAKI Z 750 K Ltd Twin Belt Drive KZ750K 1984
I'd like to know.Suspect they may be wider than the 16mm of the HK2216 that the fiche conveniently tells me they are.Have no problem installing wider bearings.

I am trying to not lose the momentum that I have going on my project. As the weather warms up so does my schedule. Motorcycle safety classes are looming large and my summer is starting to vanish plus the wife wants to go for rides also - not complaining, just another consumer of my time albeit very pleasant.

I pulled the swingarm off to scrub off the rear foot control tabs off - no going back now - to allow the new swingarm to move freely. When I put it back on, I shortened up the linkages significantly, I liked the stance that is has now. it is setting with the tail up in the air a little more, with more weight on the front tire helping with ground clearance. In the spirit of not getting bogged down in too many details and make it a runner, I am going to keep the GSXR clip-ons for now.

I bought a used GSXR1000 sprocket, flipped it around to push the chain inboard another 1.5 mm (the chain will clear the frame and the tire).

I put a straight edge on the rear sprocket, and measured that I need 23.5 mm from the outside face of the front sprocket to the face of the drive assembly. My question now is, there is 1/2" of spline sticking out of the transmission. The old drive sprocket is 1/2" thick, the offset sprockets from PBI that I see are only .350 thick . a 30mm flat washer is about .150" thick per McMaster.com. So, it will be very close with a 3/8" offset sprocket with a 30 mm washer on the back side so that the nut is resting on the sprocket and not the shaft and there isn't any in and out slop (if I am mis-guided in my thinking, please let me know), How do I make sure I am not pinching the sprocket against the engine? should the nut be landing on the shaft and not the sprocket? What type of material should I be looking for the shim so that it doesn't harm the engine casting?

Here's some info that should prove helpful...........

Here are some tips that you may find helpful:

Many newbies and not so newbies run into or issues with their bikes which could be easily avoided with a little preparation or information. Here are a couple recommendations that I hope you will find useful.

Before riding your KZ you should take a little time to become familiar with it. Simple things like checking the oil, tire pressures, etc. are explained in the Kawasaki Owner's Manual. If you bike didn't come with one (they normally are in a little holder on the bottom of the seat) you can usually find one on eBay - be sure to get one for your exact year/model.


MANUAL

You really should consider buying the Kawasaki Factory Service Manual for your bike. The factory service manual provides instructions on the various maintenance procedures and schedules for your bike, procedures for diagnosing problems, proper torque values for the various fasteners (VERY IMPORTANT), and insight into how each system on your bike works even if you are not repairing that system. Studying the manual before you attempt performing service on your bike will impart an understanding of the system you are working on which will increase the odds of success.

The manuals usually are readily available for most models on eBay and other sources; but be sure to get one that has your specific year and model in it as there are differences between the various KZ650 models. I do not recommend Clymers, Haynes, or other aftermarket manuals as I have seen instances where they provide inaccurate advice. You may decide to use those to supplement the factory manual, but in my opinion they are not a suitable substitute. If you have trouble finding one for your model ask us to help.


TOOLS

WARNING! Do not even try to use Phillips screwdrivers on the Kawasaki cross head screws. Despite their appearance they are not Phillips screws. They are Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screws. The tips of Phillips screwdrivers are too long & pointed to allow the 4 blades of the screwdriver to properly engage the screws, so when you apply force the screw head slots will deform and look like crap. The fact is that Phillips screws were deliberately designed to have the screwdriver bit "cam out." This was done to prevent production line assembly from over-tightening, stripping, or breaking the screws. JIS screws do not have this problem. A proper fitting JIS bit can tighten a JIS screw to and beyond the torque spec without camming out. Here's the good news - you can easily modify standard Phillips screwdriver tips to fit the JIS screws.

I have ground down the tips of DeWalt #2 and DeWalt #3 Phillips to make them fit JIS screws. The large crosshead screws on the cases take modified #3 bits (or genuine #3 JIS bits). To modify the DeWalt bits you need to grind the very tip a little, then test fit, then grind a little more and test fit, etc. until the bit no longer "rocks" back and forth in the screwhead. Picture 1 below shows how a DeWalt #3 bit fits the case screws of my KZ650 after being ground properly. The #2 DeWalt bits can be modified the same way to fit smaller JIS screws. Pictures 2 and 3 below shows DeWalt #2 and #3 modified bits.

I did find a place that sells authentic JIS bits. They don't list the #3 bit, but if you contact them they can provide the #3 JIS bits even though they are not listed on the website. These folks were very easy to work with, and the authentic bits do work great. Here's their site:

www.rjrcooltools.com/shop_item_detail.cfm?subcat_ID=89

Pictures 4 & 5 below show a comparison between my home made modified bits with the authentic JIS bits.

PICTURE 1

PICTURE 2

PICTURE 3

PICTURE 4

PICTURE 5

Before reaching for that wrench or ratchet consider the following. The bolts are steel, but your engine and front forks are aluminum. The bolts are much tougher than the aluminum and if over tightened will strip the aluminum threads. Although these can be repaired, preventing damage by applying proper torque will save you grief, time, and money. Tightening fasteners properly requires torque wrenches. Various vendors, including Snap-on, CDI, Sears, etc., market torque wrenches. The two most popular types are the bar type and micrometer type. Either will work, but the micrometer type is a bit easier to use, especially if you are tightening several fasteners with the same torque - such as cylinder head covers. You will need a torque wrench calibrated in INCH POUNDS for many of the bolts. You will also need a torque wrench calibrated in FOOT POUNDS for the larger bolts. Don't try to use the foot pounds wrench on the smaller bolts as it will not be sensitive enough at low torque settings to provide accurate torque. There are many fasteners that require low torque. These include such things as 6mm oil pan bolts, cylinder head cover bolts, etc. for which the torque in 61-78 inch pounds. These low torque bolts require a wrench that is accurate at low settings and this wrench should be graduated in inch pounds. In addition, there are numerous high torque fasteners such as the front axle nuts (51 - 65 foot pounds) or swing arm pivot shaft nuts (58 - 87 foot pounds). These require a wrench that is accurate at higher settings; this wrench should be graduated in foot pounds. Using the proper torque wrenches to correctly tighten fasteners will help prevent damage and contribute to a safe bike. The Kawasaki Service Manual will list the various torque specs for the bolts. I suggest you get the manual before buying the torque wrenches so you can decide which wrenches best meet the torque specs.

Consider buying a can of Kroil penetrating oil and use it to soak stubborn fasteners for a couple days before trying to loosen them. Remember, the original screws and bolts were installed on your bike when Jimmy Carter was President, so many of them may be hard to remove. Kroil can be bought online, at guns shows, and at some other venues.


MOTOR OIL
The ingredients in oils have changed over the years. For example, today's Castrol GTX oil (and pretty much all other AUTOMOBILE oil) is not the same as it was in the 1980's. Back then it worked great in KZ bikes. But, things have changed. Early AUTOMOBILE oils contained zinc phosphorus compounds (ZDDP) to protect engine components from metal to metal contact. This was good for engines, but it was found to be destructive to catalytic converters. Consequently, in AUTOMOBILE oils ZDDP was virtually eliminated and replaced with different chemistry generically referred to as "Friction Modifiers." These work fine and offer good protection for normal AUTOMOBILE engines. However, today's AUTOMOBILE oil "Friction Modifiers" are destructive to wet clutches. KZ bikes (and many other brands) have wet clutches. As a result of these oil chemistry changes a distinction needed to be made between those oils which are suitable for wet clutches and those which are not. That distinction was documented by the Japanese Engine Oil Standards Implementation Panel (JASO). JASO developed a number of different oil specifications for different applications. The specifications that apply to 4 stroke motorcycles fall under the "4T Specifications." Within the 4T specifications the JASO MA class oils are specifically formulated for 4 stroke motorcycles with wet clutches.

There are synthetic, semi-synthetic, and non-synthetic oils that meet the JASO-MA standard and any of them will work ok. However, using oils that are not designated as meeting the JASO-MA standard is destructive to KZ clutches.

Good luck with your bike. Ed

Well got to put in a good 3.5hrs tonight work in the bike after wrapping up at my day job lol. Got all but two things left in my "list to riding" done! Got the collar spacer sanded and polished down a bit more, spent a few hours sanding and shaping down a PVC flange plug into a custom made PVC washer to ride between the grip and the brass collar, throttle responds flawlessly now

Flushed the front and rear brake system and bleed all the fittings and components. The front MC under the cap and the rubber seal was horrid, filled with crystalized salt looking deposits that looked like a corroded battery deposits actually. Cleaned those pieces up and removed all of it and clean with wire brush.

Replaced the spark plugs and gapped at .75mm right in spec and saved the old plugs to examine closer tomorrow. Checked the chain deflection and set it to within spec, looked at the eccentrics to see about flipping them but when I looked at the identical swing arm three feet away on the other 85' donor/project bike those eccentrics were 180 out from mine. So one of them has already been flipped by a PO but I have no idea which one is stock and which one has already been flipped???

heres a pic of each swinger...

Donor/Project 85'

Mine:

Set the tire pressure, tried to adjust the antidive units to find out that yes the dials do turn but unless it is set on setting 1 the dials spins like it's not even connected, so no mechanical click or detent or anything like when the dial is on 1, so thinking the units are likely shot but don't know. Set the air pressure and dampening up in the rear shock too and checked the end okay if the clutch lever and within spec. A lot of very small little things but thanks to all of that there are only two items left until I can't start riding her whenever I want and have her live here, and that's to bolt in the reworked to manual petcock, and do a running/dynamic tune in the carbs and setup idle. Then it's slap back on the tank, put the body pieces back on and head off into the sunset calling phase 1 of the resto-mod complete!!!

Speaking of riding off into the sunset, since she is going to be parked and living on the back patio under the 10' X 10' awning, I got a few goodies in the mail today and built the little ramp I need to bridge the 6" step up from the parking lot to the patio. Picked up a disc lock and came with a long helmet lock and disc log reminder cable. Scored a super heavy duty steel cable that used to be used in construction sites from Pops and will be able to fully lock and secure behind the fence and gate out of view and covered by the awning to keep most of the elements off her.

Will post up the last chapter in phase one tomorrow when I get it tuned and fully back to beautiful and riding, and will try to get a video as well!

Brett

Irish-Kawi wrote: As for the physical task of flipping them, is it truly just as straightforward as loosening the pinch bolts on each side and sticking a steel rod into one of the eccentric openings and rotating it 180* from where they are currently at, then testing and adjust chain tension and deflection again?

Thanks,
Brett

yes


leon

daveo wrote: A couple years back, I junked the air-ride shocks for a set of Progressive's, after finding a barely used set (with springs) while scouting ebay. Forty bucks later...
I now had 12.5" (one inch shorter) shocks on my bike, and could finally set my feet flat on the ground.
The immediate effect was dramatic, and the change has significantly improved my riding confidence. The bike feels more comfortable and responsive, like a whole new ride.

Glad to hear and yeah being able to get your feet flat completely changes your confidence when you are on the bike, at least thats how I have felt in my very limited experience. In my case with the air assist rear uni-track mono shock thats not easy to change, but it is something to look at down the road when I magically have money leaking out of my ears haha (those replacement ones are SUPER pricey).

Brett

Tyrell Corp wrote: Do it, then carefully road test it...you'll might enjoy the look and feel of a raised rear end and notice a faster turn in on steering, you may also get a little less stable at illegal speeds. It is really about how you like the stance of the bike and how it fits you.

I reversed mine onto a plank of wood 1 inch thick and so on... you can notice the slight difference in weight distribution just sitting on it and turning the bars.

Technical issues are chain clearance - not usually an issue unless the frame is braced - I goofed up here on mine.

There are also some chain run / angle of chain from horizontal across the axle/SA pivot engineering considerations, but on both my 550 and 750 I have done it with good results. I am 6"4 so seat height isn't an issue...also they look and steer so much cooler in a slightly hunched over stance. imo

if you are determined to lift it the back but keep the frame geometry closer to factory the you could lift the forks and dump the clip ons with a handler bar coversion for another 15mm or soi...

Thank you Tyrell, this type of info combined with Leon's was spot on for what I was looking for, thank you!! In terms of high speed twitchy-ness I am less concerned about that as this bike will never see a track and rarely see anything in the triple digits. I feel it would be the height of foolishness for me to take a 30 year old bike to those speeds consistently without having done a full frame up rest and knowing that every single nut and bolt and component is solid since I don't want some 30 year old component or piece to fail at the absolute worst time and turn me into human jello splattered over the pavement. In rare cases sure I will see those speeds but that is the exception not the rule. The seat height is the only thing I am marginally concerned about and that is because plain and simple I am short and the shrimp of my family. I am 5'9.5" on my tallest tippy toe day, with my SIDI Vertigo boots on I crack 5'10" at least. Currently my feet sit flat on the ground when I am on the bike, so long as after flipping the eccentrics I can still get my feet flat or at least darned close to it I should have any issues but testing it out will be the difference.

As for the physical task of flipping them, is it truly just as straightforward as loosening the pinch bolts on each side and sticking a steel rod into one of the eccentric openings and rotating it 180* from where they are currently at, then testing and adjust chain tension and deflection again?

Thanks,
Brett

A couple years back, I junked the air-ride shocks for a set of Progressive's, after finding a barely used set (with springs) while scouting ebay. Forty bucks later...
I now had 12.5" (one inch shorter) shocks on my bike, and could finally set my feet flat on the ground.
The immediate effect was dramatic, and the change has significantly improved my riding confidence. The bike feels more comfortable and responsive, like a whole new ride.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationWhat about these? Do they replace the needle bearings?Would still need a new sleeve right?Looks like it would replace the seal?Seems odd that it fits the old smokes and the GPz/KZ's :dry: