Looking great! How does it ride?
Did you ever figure out a mount system for the steering damper?
And did you paint your engine silver or just clear coat?..

2 wheels are heaven!

Thanks for the great read!

Okay, so while fiddling with my rear end (er...) I found a caliper hanger that matched the spindle diameter, but which needs some machining to make it the right thickness for what I'd discovered on the left hand side of the swinging arm. And I bolted on an SV650 caliper I hand hanging about.

I dunno if you can see here, but it's right for the offset of the disc (zero) but not for the 210mm diameter.

So, with some guesswork and a ruler waved in it's general direction, I reckon I need a disc of 230mm diameter. Either that, or get a new caliper hanger made, and I think that the disc is the easier option! So, anyone know of any online disc dimension lsitings? Some quick measurements show that the disc fitted to the Dymag is a six bolt fixing (so a three bolt one would also do the trick) of PCD 109mm, with the central hole being 99mm diameter.

When the Dymags were first fitted, I got some bloke to make up the wheel spacers,along with the caliper hangers for the Yamaha blue spot 4-piston calipers, and a rear caliper hanger for another blue spot. But, at some p[oint, I decided that I didn't want a big 4-potter on the rear, so threw away / lost the spacers and hanger. So, I needed new ones.
So the rear wheel needed centralising and measuring up for some spacers...
Hmm, looks a bit close to the swinging arm on the left.


The shock mounts and centre casting mark on the Dymag gave convenient reference points.


Stacks of room on the right hand side, and I'll get a mate to machine up a spacer before I start thinking of a caliper hanger (mainly because I don't know what caliper I'm going to use yet)


So it was all measured up with the wheel in place and a couple of spacers ordered. When they arrive I'll be able to bolt it together solid, and check for chain alignment...

You may not be able to tell from the pics, but once it was centralised there was a bit more room between the sprocket carrier and the swinging arm...

pete greek1 wrote: Besides the things you mentioned, you will need bearings all around wheel ,swingarm steering stem, chain ,sprockets, clutch plates could be frozen, where the pistons & rings sat in the same spot for 20 yrs. cylinders will be rusted & or pitted, seals in engine & head will be dry rotted, you would need a complete engine & head rebuild, you don't know what electrical problems there are ETC. ETC,.....I wouldn't give him no more than 500.00 for a non running 76-77 bike ...at least you could always part it out & get you money back for 500.00
That's my opinion Pete

You've got the poor thing condemned already! :woohoo:

Besides the things you mentioned, you will need bearings all around wheel ,swingarm steering stem, chain ,sprockets, clutch plates could be frozen, where the pistons & rings sat in the same spot for 20 yrs. cylinders will be rusted & or pitted, seals in engine & head will be dry rotted, you would need a complete engine & head rebuild, you don't know what electrical problems there are ETC. ETC,.....I wouldn't give him no more than 500.00 for a non running 76-77 bike ...at least you could always part it out & get you money back for 500.00
That's my opinion Pete

I've been vintage racing a '75 Z1 for 10 years.Started out stock and as I improved I switched to racing rubber and then the problems began.The street Metzlers would slide predictably when pushed but the sticky rubber transferred the stress to the frame and became dangerous entering high speed corners(front became vague and would run wide).My buddy found what looks like the same info from Japan.I made cardboard templates and then cut out the metal and my buddy welded them in.I took a front end off of 6 cylinder shaft drive and replaced the stock front end and put in Progressive springs.Mikes XS (Yamaha) makes emulators for the 650(cheap $60) .Too small but we made a recessed washer the right size for the larger forks.I found a Suzuki box section swing arm for $50 to replace the stock.By moving the forks up in the triple clamp I found where they work best.The bike works far better than I expected and is great fun to ride.I actually touch my knee down now..My buddy and I got a podium in the 3hr endurance at Grandbend last summer because the it worked so well.Cheap but worthwhile fix.

I use to be a frequent flyer here at this site back in 2006. That goes to show how long I've been away. Why? I dont really know why. I've recently started to get back into the KZ build and I happen to remember thus site and how much it helped me in the past. With my first KZ build done, I feel it's time to start anew. This new build will be a bobber build. I'm thinking of using the same bike. I'm just not into the "Fighter/Naked bike" look as much anymore. I still appreciate a well built bike no matter what style it is but I feel I need a more gritty bike... That's kinda my taste with stuff now lol, rat rods, bobbers, old beetles, VW Vans... You get the gist.

So a little update since the last time I was on back in 2006. I meet this girl. Turns out she liked me enough to put up with me and we got married in 2010. I couldn't be happier to be honest, she is perfect. Likes all the same stuff I do, which is awesome. We ended up moving to Arizona in 2012 to figure ourselves out. Kinda thought we needed to learn what it was like in a place were we had no friends or family and start new. Its been tough but we have managed. I feel we have both grown up since the move. Learning how to do things without the support of family, you learn quick what's important in life and the things you use to take advantage of. Still no kids but maybe someday...

So that was the quick and easy on my last 9 years of life. Now back yo bike talk. Below are some up-to-date pictures of my bike. As you can see the transformation from a 1981 KZ750 LTD to what it is now it dramatic. Its got a custom seat, ZXR swingarm, Kerker exhaust, Bual cowl and dual headlights, completely rebuilt engine, eBay bought blinkers, and little stuff here and there.

I've been having troubles keeping the battery charged while on a ride. I have come to the conclusion that it might be the headlights pulling too much charge from the battery and it drains it. Would this also cause the bike to die if the battery is completely dead? I figured that the generator would generate enough charge that the battery wouldn't be used while driving it. The last few times u have driven it since the headlight swap I have gone from a full battery to an hour later the bike dies and I'm stuck on the side of the road. Anybody might have an idea if what's going on, shoot me you thoughts. Anyways check out the pictures. Glad to be back!

Welcome aboard! Here's some information you should 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

K.D. HART wrote:

tucsonKZ1kP wrote:

K.D. HART wrote: Any pics of the build, while you were building it?

Yessir, I have gobs of them. I will post more here real soon. Any part of the process you're interested in specifically?

As a matter of fact, yes.
I've been playing around with a updating a Z1, but never considered a cop bike. Yours turned out real nice.

1. What if any mods had to be done for the swingarm to fit on the KZ1000P frame? (Not the mono shock mounts)
2. What did you have do for the duck bill (tail piece) to fit?
3. How is it and the seat mounted?

1. Swinger was just customs bushings and notching the frame to allow the chain to be in a straight line. Only other thing that was special was a stepped out front sprocket to align itself with rear sprocket to account for the 190 tire.

2. Duck bill was pretty straightforward. Once we chopped the frame in the rear, you could easily place the duckbill on the frame and slide it forward or back to try and get the best look. (See pic)

3. See pic.

Bolt on gull-wing design complete with gauge mounts & steering stops
Plug-n-Play Les Holt



19" wheel conversion
Plug-n-Play Les Holt

1/2" 520 offset counter sprocket
Plug-n-Play Leon 531blackbanshi


03 zx6 rear swing-arm
narrowed with bushings
Plug-N-Play Leon


I have 100's of pics of their work
pure art!