I have really been struggling to get time on the build since Christmas but managed to get a day on it today. I've finally finished up the light panel/rear fender (this has been a complete PITA to scratch build in plastic) I'm really happy with how it's turned out. I also managed to score a chain guard on evilbay, this is an OEM GSXR item which is correct for the swinging arm I am using. It was removed from the donor 20 years ago when it was almost new. The condition as you see it is how it arrived (like new)

 

Following on from Lee's stunning modified 650 last month we have now jumped across the pond to take a look at Jim's (Wheelhop) rebuilt KZ. Close to stock and doing an excellent job of replicating the classic Z1. I'll let Jim give you the story.
It was in spring of 2020 (during start of pandemic) and I started looking at Kawasaki 900's and 1000's online.  I always wanted one since I had a friend in High School who I raced motocross with and his father had an early Kawasaki Z1900 and I would always drool when i saw the bike!  I knew that I couldn't afford a early Z1 900 at the time so I was looking for more of a project than a completed bike.I emailed a guy in New York who had listed a 76 KZ900 on ebay and we started exchanging phone calls and a deal was made for him to take a 1978 KZ1000 LTD he had in his inventory and put spoke wheels on it, a reproduction seat / body kit from Z1parts. I thought I would be getting a more complete bike but when I brought it home I realized how many things were wrong with it and began to take it apart immediately.The frame was then powder-coated along with all the bits and pieces including swing arm, battery box, triple clamps, headlight bucket, and “Kerker” exhaust was jet-coated. Reproduction wiring harnesses were purchased, brake systems rebuilt, and new switches-controls, fenders and handlebars were installed.The Z1parts body kit had come with painted side-covers for an earlier Z1 that didn't fit on my 78 KZ so I had to get a set of side-covers and have them colour matched to the tank and tail.Many thanks go out to Matt "Mikaw" who was able to help me with some wiring / electrical issues which had been holding me up for many months.with more help from Matt "Mikaw", Dave (Street Fighter LTD) and the guys up at the Zukey Lake, Michigan get-together we were able to get the bike running for first time since I owned it.The bike took two years from purchase to getting it running again and I am still doing some things this winter to it so it will be ready for the spring of 2023 season.

 

To re-launch BOTM we are starting with a heavily modified 650/1170 from Lee (Bevelhead) in the UK. The intention is to use BOTM to showcase the passion and hard work of our members in their quest to preserve KHI’s finest from the “glory days”. With this in mind I am looking to feature a mix of modified/stock/restored and survivor bikes of the era, if it “has a story” drop me a line. I don’t intend this to be a haven only for mega buck show winners (although they are also welcome) I want BOTM to inspire other members around the world to get out in the garage and smother their rides in love and attention.
The project started with a badly 'bobbed' 1978 Z650 frame, GPz1100B1 engine cases, Z1000 tank, and not much else. The project belonged to a good friend, who'd already cut the rear part of the frame to widen it to accommodate a wider modern rear wheel and tyre, without the need for spacers on the shock top mount. The frame has now been braced to cope with the extra power and now uses a 20mm swingarm spindle.<br />Since the frame had been widened, a standard seat and ducktail would not fit, therefore a new seat base had to be made in fibreglass and the tail piece widened. The seat then went to specialist upholsterer who did a good job, except he'd got front and back mixed up!! the assumption was made (don’t ever do that) that it was obvious which was the front and which the back, but apparently not.<br /> Bodywork is early Z1, but the tank is from a Z1000. Paint is similar to OE, but with a few changes. For example the upper tank stripe is dark mica blue, not black, to match the blue of the front callipers. The plan originally was to fit a cockpit fairing, but the BMW R90S fairing that was purchased didn't look quite right, so wasn't used. Lee has a “Z900RS café” fairing on his Z1000A1 build which would look much better on the 1170.. perhaps something for the future.<br />The rear sets were made long before the engine was ready, and turned out to be too low, so Lee had to make new mounts to raise the pegs and clear the exhaust. The latter is a Delkevic, whose 4 into 1 collector had to be cut and widened to clear the now wider back end of the bike. Since it had to be cut, Lee also altered the silencer to a jauntier angle.<br />The front end consists of forks and brakes from a 2001 Yamaha R6, in one off billet yokes. The back end uses ZRX 1200 swing arm, Brembo rear calliper on a one-off mount, along with K-Tech shocks built for the bike by the factory. Wheels are also one off split rims, made for Lee’s old drag bike by a friend (the one who sold Lee the project).<br />The engine was taken out to 1170 cc using Wossner forged pistons, the crank has been balanced and welded, while carbs are Mikuni RS34s. Clutch and points cover are home made, as are the rear sets.. levers pivot on roller bearings, hydraulic clutch conversion, and an gearbox output sprocket outrigger. The latter has been causing Lee problems as it has an oil leak, but then he had to use a “home-made” gasket, and that could be the problem.. Lee is still working on that. That's why in some pics the chain has been removed, as Lee was working on the outrigger inner plate at the time.<br />Wiring is done by Lee using a “Moto-Gadget M-Unit” which helps simplify the wiring, along with their matching switchgear. Ignition is Dyna S with Dyna coils. It has an electronic Daytona Velona combined tacho/speedo gauge. <br />Brake and clutch master cylinders are by a UK company HEL, as are the brake lines.<br /><br />Once the outrigger oil leak is fixed and the engine is run in, Lee will take it to a dyno and have the carbs dialled in, but it was snowing at the time of writing, so that will have to wait until the spring.<br />The build was without doubt the most frustrating Lee has done, as there were countless problems, while Covid lockdown didn't help. The engine case was found to be cracked, after they had been ceramically coated at great expense. Thankfully they were repairable.<br />