It's been a pretty big week... Started off by welding a bit onto the side stand so that it doesn't slam into the shifter. I'll add a stop to the frame when I've torn the bike down.
After that I got the brake lines on, the chain and sprockets properly aligned (third time lucky!), then I made a rear fender and a license plate bracket (will get a plate laser cut and weld it on for mounting the actual license plate). Got some holes in the side of the tank vent fitting and made some brackets for the brake lines. Finally welded the nuts onto the oil cooler brackets.
After all that it was time to roll the bike out of the garage for a few photos. I'll be tearing everything down over the next couple of weeks. I need to get some minor changes made to the swingarm, straighten the tail out and get a guy to make me a catch can (don't fancy trying to weld an aluminium box that doesn't leak). After that it's time to start bead blasting and painting before reassembly.

EDIT: I should note that the forks are pretty soft (new springs are still on the shelf). The static sag is about 40-50mm so the front end will sit a bit higher when it's done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I installed a Suzuki GS1100 swingarm, '77-'78 rear brake rotor and caliper, and a KZ rear brake master cylinder on my 1973 Z1-900.  I made a mount for the rear brake master cylinder that bolted on the thick aftermarket right engine mount. 

Thanks everyone. Here are pics in chronological order of purchase. Please remember all these bikes were bought with work needed to varying degrees
As it arrived, not been run in 10 years with lots of strange parts fitted
.
Still a scruffy beast but now mechanically sound

 

The GPz11 was the next one. As it arrived
 
With a very seized engine

 
Stripped the wheels, forks, swingarm, engine casings, matt blacked the rusty downpipes and spent too much money on the carbs
 

Next up 'Batfink'

 
Now had it's clothes removed, It has got normal bars now as well

 
This will be attacked when the GPz is done.
There you go, not the prettiest bunch, but I like them.

Finally got back to this thing on the weekend. Most of my time was spent taking stock but I figured I'd post an update...

I have decided to get somebody to integrate the brake light in the tail section. I could try my hand at it but I have no idea what I'm doing and really have absolutely no desire to do the work - this has made me realise I'm best just paying for it to be done properly. I'll concentrate on the metalwork and get the oil cooler bracket done this week. 

I am also still back and forward on the front fairing. Current plan is to get the front mudguard done and then paint the tail, tank, mudguard and fairing. I'll make a bracket for the fairing as well. Then I can put the decision off until everything else is done and I know I'm not just deciding against the fairing because I can't be bothered

The only thing I actually got done this weekend was align the back wheel and see how much needs to come off the sprocket carrier (the guy who made the hub set the offset too wide). This job wasn't as easy as I was hoping. The swingarm is from a GSX-R 750 and is offset to the left as it usually has a monoshock. The offset is hard to measure so I didn't want to rely on it. This basically means I needed to get the wheel centered and aligned without knowing what size spacers I need on the rear axle. I started off with some spacers that were in the ball park and then projected points from the frame to the floor with a square. Then I could draw a centre line under the bike and align the wheel to that. This sort of worked but the line was about 5-10mm off from the centre of the bike (going off the steering stem). I'm assuming this was a combination of the frame not being symmetrical and me not being very accurate.
 
In the end I used a laser on both the rear sprocket and the countershaft sprocket as I figured that was the only thing that really mattered. I adjusted the angle of the back wheel until the offset was the same whether measuríng from the rear or countershaft sprockets. This meant the sprockets were parallel and the rear wheel was pointing in the right direction. The rear sprocket ended up being 5mm to far left and the wheel was 12mm to the right when I measured it against the swingarm mounts and the frame bracing above the swingarm. This means I can send the sprocket carrier off and hopefully the guy can shave 11mm off it. Then I can get same spacers made up based on the makeshift ones I used for the measurements. 

To start off, THANK YOU EVERYONE for all the information so far!!! And my apologies for being mia from the post, apparently my email decided everything from this site needed to go to my spam folder so I had no idea y’all had even seen my post. I believe I fixed that issue so I should get notified whenever some posts on here.

So after spending more time with the bike thinking about the issues surrounding the. Entire rear end of this bike, it’s nice to know that I was on the right track in noticing all the incorrect things. I don’t know anything about motorcycles other than how to ride and I would say I only know the basics on that, I bought this after a test ride of it being in decent operational condition, and it does run, but its not great, I suspect it to be a carb issue but that’s for a later date. I feel I might have been taken advantage of when purchasing, but I also should have been more attentive and cautious.

There was concern of me riding it in its current state and I can assure you that the moment I saw the rubbing on the swing arm and torque link (which also has grinding marks with sharp burrs on it still) that I parked it until I can fix all of it. 

Torque Link
so from all the diagrams I found (and the ones you guys shared as well) the torque link for this swing arm and caliper combination is a straight bar with 2 holes on both ends. It is currently mounted incorrectly and has been bent to clear the coil spring on the shock, you guys are correct. It’s all had a grinder taken to it to ”clear” the tire so it won’t rub. Neither of which I’m cool with. There’s a few bars up for sale on the internet and if I can’t get a hole of one I planned on machining one at work, possibly one that’s slimmer in design to allow for more clearance now and in the future.

Swing Arm
The swing arm is stock and looks to be in good shape, one of the brake line grommet loops or whatever they’re called is bent out of the way and the grommet is missing, because the PO installed the brake line upside down, idk why because from what I can see it would have cleared everything regardless of aftermarket shocks and exhaust. Also yes the exhaust is aftermarket and he made a bracket to mount it but that does not currently cause any visible issues with the shocks, swing arm, rear wheel, or breaks, it’s just….ugly… sounds good! Just ugly.

Rear Wheel
I didn’t even think that these wheels would have spacers so that’s very helpful! It is not aligned correctly which I believed was the reason why it rubs on the swing arm but it very well could be spacers missing or installed incorrectly. So I will be looking into that, I don’t have the tire size on hand at the moment but from what I remember it’s a correct size/a size that people on this forum have posted about running successfully, so it’s not oversized which is one less thing to worry about right now. I did notice the axle nut being stopped short of the end of the bolt but I didn’t know that was a problem, again my ignorance on motorcycles, so hopefully I can solve that issue as well and correct it.

Again thank you all for the help and interest, I’m hoping I didn’t spend money on a lost cause.

Kind of miss building the KZ.
I wonder how it is doing, it's somewhere in California now with the new owner.

.... Anyone seen it at a show or on the road?

Been a busy week, while waiting for the frame to be powder coated at Triple S in Bingley. I painted a few small parts that I didn't take to be powder coated, including the swing arm. I didn't take the latter as it was in good condition, with little rust and perfect bearings. The bearings would have to be removed, and no doubt destroyed in the process, as if it went for powder coating, as in the oven the grease will melt and perhaps ruin the finish. Used etch primer followed by a few coats of smooth black Hammerite, which gives a hard wearing finish, similar to powder coating.

I've also cleaned up the points cover, which had some deep scratches, still got to polish the other engine covers, but at least they are in good condition. Also had the cam cover vapour blasted, which cleaned it up, but not so much that it looks new, as that would make it stand out compared to the rest of the engine. 

I'm waiting for a big order from Z-Power to arrive, along with some stainless fasteners for the engine. Also found someone on Ebay who makes new side panels from ABS, which have stronger than OE mounting lugs. Was cheaper than some of the used side panels on Ebay too.

Should have the new stainless engine bolts finished by Saturday, while the rear wheel and engine spacers have been replicated in stainless. 





Cam cover before


After


Spacers old and new