Picked up this beauty of Craigslist last summer, been slow going. It appears to have sat in a field for the last 15-20years. I have since getting it: Got it running after installing a dynatek ignition, rebuilt the carbs, rebuilt the starter, replaced and rebuilt/powdercoated and progressive springs installed in the front forks, powder coated the rear swing arm and installed new bearings, powder coated the front and rear rims and installed new rubber, new chain and sprockets. Here are some pictures of the progress.....

Picked up this beauty of Craigslist last summer, been slow going. It appears to have sat in a field for the last 15-20years. I have since getting it: Got it running after installing a dynatek ignition, rebuilt the carbs, rebuilt the starter, replaced and rebuilt/powdercoated and progressive springs installed in the front forks, powder coated the rear swing arm and installed new bearings, powder coated the front and rear rims and installed new rubber, new chain and sprockets. Here are some pictures of the progress.....

I am thinking Harley again!

I see how the standard push system would not need a lomger pushrod if you did not use a spacer for clearance and extemded the cover somehow but you would need it for a pull type how ever you make the space.

Has anyone had experience with both to compare? Puller seems simpler and more efficient, probably better feel with less complexity and the rack and pinion section is on the oil side unlike the pusher screw system being left out in the cold next to the chain. There must be a reason they changed the design.

The APE KZ1000 extra plate clutch setup? This is for a 650, does the 1000 clutch basket fit on the 650? I've also heard of drag issues with the extra plate setup, which was part of the problem I was already fighting with a worn out ungreased pusher and worn cable. Also I'm using a 2006 gsxr 1000 rear swingarm with a 190 tire and likely well over 90 with a bit of boost so the stock 650 clutch is probably going to be a bit out of it's happy zone upgraded clutch pack or no.

Work in progress

Finally found someone else who had a can (and ONLY one can) of the clear rustoleum, so I got some more finish coats done yesterday. The swingarm got two more coats of clear, and I also coated the bar that braces the rear brake to the swingarm. I finished up with a coat on the center stand. I guess one of these days I should also pull out the kickstand and get it cleaned and painted. Anyway, figured it was time for some pics...





I'm leaving the pieces out on the back patio to bake in the afternoon sun -- we're supposed to be in the 90's for another couple weeks. Should be able to grease up the swingarm bearings and get it bolted into the frame this weekend. I got the front forks torn down a couple nights ago, and started sandblasting some of the smaller pieces. The tough one will be the triple-tree. Lots of old grease buildup under the bearings, so the whole thing will get hosed in brake cleaner before getting taped up so I can blast and paint the bits that need it. I'll finish up with the lower part of the forks, then try to figure out how it all goes back together again.

Last coat of paint went on the frame this afternoon. Took a chance with some clearcoat (I've had bad luck in the past) to add UV protection, plus some oil/gas resistance. I coated both the frame and swingarm, and they came out looking real nice, very glossy. Not sure how many weeks I should let it set before polishing it up with a coat of wax, but I may have to wait until next Spring if we don't get any more of those 90-degree days to really bake the paint.

Regardless, I'll be letting it set until next weekend before doing much else to it. Then I can clean out the screw threads and put the rubber grommets back on. In the meantime, I'll start prepping the front forks and rims for paint. Probably need to let the rims sit for at least a couple weeks before I have them put on new tires, or maybe I'll mount the tires before I start to paint. And I guess it's about time to get some new bearings ordered for the wheels. Primary goal is to get the frame standing back on its wheels again before it gets too cold to paint. I *should* still have at least a month before I need to worry.

Well I managed to find the last can of the oil-resistant clearcoat today. Tested it on a small piece after wet-sanding, and it was looking good an hour later. So in between final coats of paint on the frame, I wet-sanded and did another light coat of paint on the swingarm, let it dry for about 15 minutes, then hit it with the clearcoat. I let that dry for about half an hour, with no bad results from doing the clear so soon after the paint. By this point the frame had been drying for almost an hour, so I finished off the can of clearcoat to cover the frame.

That was about 45 minutes ago, and it's looking really good. And *really* shiny! Just have to let everything dry for a few hours before I move them back into the garage for the night.

I am going for reliable on a dime so mostly stock oem stuff unless someone points out parts that are a huge improvement and reasonably close to oem parts, I like many am an over worked under paid grunt, I have seen front fork swaps and swing arm swaps, but honestly i do not have the equipment at my disposal nor the money to pay someone else to do it. So, I wad eyeball deep into this shit. I have stripped the electrical out, removed the forks(oil also) and rear swing arm, I have replaced the front bearings working on the rear bearings. The two in the hub were red in color and sealed the one in the sprocket hub, cush drive?( I am still learning the language I speak profanity fluently though so I think I will catch on quick) It is open ball bearings packed in grease. I bought a set of rear sealed ball bearings. I think I am safe to pull the circlip and knock out the packed ball bearing as well. I started to remove the rotors but a bolt stripped out then I tried to use a back out tool and snapped the carbide tip off, kind of F-ed there. I am going with OD green on the tins with gold foil frame and accents. I have a 4 year old and I wanted her to dab on the gold foil. The KZP mags have aluminum and black. The plan was to paint the black OD green and gold foil the aluminum. I need to buy a torch to try heat up the bolt on the rotor, I scored it with a rotating tool, but it is still to thin to get a screw driver into. Not really sure what the best plan of attack is from here. I bought bearings for the swing arm, not sure how to go about getting those out yet. The ones I bought got caught in the rain rusted up, working outside with saw horses and some plywood. So the list of parts I need gets longer. Pics to come Thank to one and all for the advice and encouragement. I have been lurking on a couple other builds and I know Swest advised another unfortunate KZP owner to go ahead and buy valve springs at the same time as the valves. Not sure what all I have to buy, I do not want to have to replace shit that will not wear out for a bit, but I do not want to have a shim or cam chain explode and end up having to scrap the bike. I have to much sweat, tears, and bloodied knuckles and when I call it names, yell at it, and drag it though the dirt I think I am making it combat ready

Steve,
If the width of the arms at the pivot tube is the same, ( I do not know if it is), then is there a reason why those lovely, adjustable pivots could not be machined to fit the chain drive bearings? Perhaps the shaft drive bearings will fit the other swingarm.....?

Hey thanks everyone i'm really pleased with the out come , Doc that is exactly what i was going for keeping with the angle of the frame , makes it look clean , the swing arm and hose clamps are from a 2003 gsxr 600. More pics to come