Puffin wrote: Nice post stazi

Thanks...you would think that there would be a similar post somewhere listing all the front ends that will fit....but what I am finding is smatterings of info in posts all over the place.

From what I am seeing the ZX9R and ZX7R fronts are the most desirable as they have the longest, and closts in length forks to the original KZ1000.

I have seen that one table a few times, and forgot to subcribe to the post, that shows a list of different forks and their attributes, but its a bit harder to sift through.

ETA: I'm only new, but I would think that maybe the mods could create a sticky post at the top of the chassis forum, with this list, and maybe we can add more candidates with info provided by other board members....just a suggestion.

I'm kinda in the same boat and was looking for donor swing arms to fit our 9.25"/235mm swing arm pivot width. I found this on another forum.

Honda VTR SUPERHAWK (all years) - 165mm
Honda VFR 800 (1998-2001) - 165mm
Honda CBR 929 (2000-2001) - 180mm
Honda CBR 954RR (2002-2003) - 180mm
Honda RC51 SP2 (2002-?) - 180mm
1976 Suzuki GT500 - 185mm
Yamaha XS650 - 190mm
Honda VFR400 - 192mm
Honda MC18 NSR250 - 197mm
Yamaha FZR250 - 200mm
Honda XL600R - 200mm
Yamaha LC RD350 - 200mm
Honda RVF400 - 202mm
Honda NS400R - 205mm
Honda MC21 NSR250 - 205mm
Honda CB400F - 205mm
Suzuki RGV250 - 205mm
Yamaha RZ350 - 205mm
Yamaha YPVS RD350 - 205mm
1986 FZ600 - 215mm (without spacers/covers), - 220mm with spacers/covers
Suzuki Bandit GSF600 - 220mm
1992-1998 Yamaha Seca II - 220mm
1990-1996 Yamaha FZR600 - 220mm
2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000 - 225mm
1976-1982 Kawasaki KZ600 - 225mm
1994-1997 Honda VFR750 - 227mm
2001-2002 Suzuki GSXR1000 - 228mm
Kawasaki Z650/Z750 - 230mm (frame width at pivot)
2004-2005 Suzuki GSXR750 - 230mm (without washers on ends)
Suzuki TL1000S - 232mm
Honda Hawk GT650 - 235mm
Honda RC30 - 235mm
2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R - 235mm
Kawasaki Z900/Z1000 - 235mm (frame width at pivot)
Honda RC30 - 235mm
1999-2002 Suzuki SV650 - 235mm
2006 Suzuki GSR500 - 238mm (w/o spacers)
2003-2009 Suzuki SV650 - 240mm
1998-2007 Yamaha YZF600R - 240mm
1990-1993 Honda VFR750 - 242mm
2005-2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R (636) - 242mm
1987 Kawasaki Ninja ZX750R - 244mm
1987 Yamaha FZ750 - 245mm
2006-2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R - 245mm
1998-2003 Suzuki Katana GSX600/750F - 245mm
2007 Yamaha YZF-R6 - 248mm
Honda RC45 - 250mm
Sucati SR4S - 255mm
2003 Kawasaki Z1000 - 255mm
MV Agusta F4 - 255mm
Kawasaki ZX10R (Gen 1-3) - 257mm
2002-2005 Yamaha FZ1 - 257mm (20mm pivot bolt)
2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 - 250mm
2003-2006 Yamaha YZF-R1 - 260mm (without caps) - 264mm (with caps)
Triumph 955i - 285mm
BMW K100 - 310mm

No problem, things are still in the fab stage, but I think you can tell how it goes together. I did the mounts a bit different than what I saw on other builds. I have one good pic of the mount installed, looking down under the seat, even if it looks terrible:

The mount itself is a piece of half inch 6061 mated to a piece of 2" 1/4 wall box tubing:

Mounted in the bike, the shocks travel is straight upward to clear all sides of the swingarm opening. The shock is pretty tight probably because its from a GSXR600 and the swinger is a ZX636. I read OMR's writeup last year or so to get an idea, I liked the way it looked and followed that almost to the T (it seems that conduit tubing really is just about the right size :silly: ). I pondered the upper mounting for a while before I decided to make it bolt in. For some reason I was worried about it being in the way, perhaps for battery clearance, but I went a different route there as well. I thought about ditching it and welding in a steel mount just to be safe. But it seemed that since most of the load (most of the time) would be upward, distributed across the 1/2" plate to the frame, and therefore the weak spot would be the tabs on the frame. So the mount has four weld passes on it and the frame tabs are made of extruded steel angle and welded on with three passes and then capped with 1/8" sheet to gusset to the lateral support tubes. The lower mount took less engineering. The ears are made from 3/16" steel that came from a.... Wait for it... Case VAC of about mid 50's vintage :lol: I welded the tabs to some DOM and used a pipe clamp to hold it to the frame so I could sit on it and set the ride height. Too bad I don't have pics of that setup, but it made getting it close much easier (but it still sat too high for my liking and I ended up using some Protek lowering links to drop it again :pinch: ). The goal was to have the bottom of the shock knuckle sit parallel to the ground.
I'd like to get some better pics but I think it will be a week or two before I get a chance, work has been killer the past couple weeks. I hope to get some parts cleaned and painted this weekend and hopefully installed.

Hey. Long time since I was on, but I got a project I have to get done. My dad was trying to get back on two after 25+ years and failed his class. between his feet and knees he is finally admitting being two up is out. So I'm planning on building him up a KZ police trike but I got some mental road blocks.

I need to get it down some so it doesn't keel over on a turn when triked. How much am I going to be able to lower it? I can can do an up-swept the swing arm to lower the rear and put on shorter shocks to keep angles right and the tires will soften it up some to help it glide a bit nicer for his aging bones, and dropping the rear is less issue with no tire in the fender. But with the front how low am I going to be able to take it without scraping every time he leaves a lot or comes across a speed bump. I can work the exhaust a bit running oval or rectangle pipe underneath. and the bags can be lifted.

Does anyone know the distance from the drive sprocket to the bike center line?
gotta get a spec before I go buying an axle. I'd like to use an old Harley unit as they can always be found, but I need to know it'll fit.


Pop is beating the hell out of himself. Gotta show him the world hasn't ended for getting back in the wind.

kzz1king wrote: That bike is pretty sweet the way it is Russelm. It is difficult to go back. You can change the arm and use longer shocks to increase ride height. Those are things that are easily undone. There are alot of hacked up bikes out there a guy can mod on and save some dollars. That is what my current project is. Good luck
Wayne

Thanks Kzz1king for the comment. I am leaning to keep it as it is, and just change out the swing arm, rear shocks, and if I can find the right fit for the right price, then also the front forks/triple tree. Checked out your threads, your bike looks sweet! Love the old pics as well!
Cheers.

Cynjut wrote: 1. I have a KZ1000M with a KZ1100J motor. If it fits, you're fine. Wiring might be strange, but just follow the lines on the wiring diagrams and you'll probably be fine.

2. How stretched? The frame on the KZ1000 changed in 1980, so there might be some problems getting a swing-arm from a newer bike to link up. The test will be the bearings/bushings. If the sizes are the same (diameter and distance apart) then go for it. After that, you'll need a custom brake brace so you can stop. Note that most of the stretched swing arms for this frame family are actually custom parts and will not come cheap.

3. The wheels on most of the KZ1000s are reasonably interchangeable, just remember to get the brake caliper that goes with your wheel and brake assembly. That was the biggest jam I got into - I bought the wheels and couldn't attach the old calipers with the new wheels on.

4. Don't upgrade to a newer bike's fork, upgrade the springs to new progressive springs, replace the seals, and switch to non "F-type" automatic transmission fluid. Much cheaper and very responsive. Unless you have some aesthetic reason for changing the forks, in which case you are probably looking at something custom. Also, once again, the calipers have to line up with the new forks AND the new wheels. Start mixing and matching here and you could end up with a garage full of pieces that 'almost' fit.

5. I'm opposed to the extended swing-arm. It screws up the handling and makes the bike look like crap. If you want to build a drag bike, build a drag bike. A street bike that handles like a drag bike is unsafe and (to me) aesthetically less appealing.

You have THE bike that people think of when they think classic motorcycles. Doing stupid sh*t like bobbing it, making it a solid rear end, or extending the swing arm to ridiculous limits are all things that make me sad when I see them. Just my opinion, of course. The first round of what you want to do is reasonably simple.

I agree with much of what you have stated. I just purchased a '79 kz1000 and my first thought was to modify it similar to the Sanctuary bikes from japan. Now, I am thinking about a cafe racer'ish style look. I just purchased a JMC swing arm which will be powder coated and is roughly the same length as the stock swing arm. I am looking to get Progressive rear shocks as you stated, move the upper shock location a bit back on the frame to increase the rear height a few inches, and up the rear tire to a 160. I am hesitant to mod it out as I love the look of the bike as stock, yet I also like the look of the cafe racer with a modified seat. I would like to change out the front forks for something a bit more 'bulky' as I like that look, so I am researching what works well without too much modification. Anyhow, I just wanted to comment and thank you for your thoughts on what to do and not to do to these sweet KZ's. You got me rethinking my direction again... confusion!!! I think I will need to get another bike and go with both options. Cheers.

1. I have a KZ1000M with a KZ1100J motor. If it fits, you're fine. Wiring might be strange, but just follow the lines on the wiring diagrams and you'll probably be fine.

2. How stretched? The frame on the KZ1000 changed in 1980, so there might be some problems getting a swing-arm from a newer bike to link up. The test will be the bearings/bushings. If the sizes are the same (diameter and distance apart) then go for it. After that, you'll need a custom brake brace so you can stop. Note that most of the stretched swing arms for this frame family are actually custom parts and will not come cheap.

3. The wheels on most of the KZ1000s are reasonably interchangeable, just remember to get the brake caliper that goes with your wheel and brake assembly. That was the biggest jam I got into - I bought the wheels and couldn't attach the old calipers with the new wheels on.

4. Don't upgrade to a newer bike's fork, upgrade the springs to new progressive springs, replace the seals, and switch to non "F-type" automatic transmission fluid. Much cheaper and very responsive. Unless you have some aesthetic reason for changing the forks, in which case you are probably looking at something custom. Also, once again, the calipers have to line up with the new forks AND the new wheels. Start mixing and matching here and you could end up with a garage full of pieces that 'almost' fit.

5. I'm opposed to the extended swing-arm. It screws up the handling and makes the bike look like crap. If you want to build a drag bike, build a drag bike. A street bike that handles like a drag bike is unsafe and (to me) aesthetically less appealing.

You have THE bike that people think of when they think classic motorcycles. Doing stupid sh*t like bobbing it, making it a solid rear end, or extending the swing arm to ridiculous limits are all things that make me sad when I see them. Just my opinion, of course. The first round of what you want to do is reasonably simple.

Well No-One said it couldn't or shouldn't be be accomplished, by all means with $$$ & time, anything (for the most part) is possible if it truly is your desire.

As others mentioned, minimum requirements...
output shaft
inner transmission cover
gear selector shaft
outer sprocket cover
gaskets and seals

Then you have...
swing-arm and bushings
Possibly new shocks (not sure about this due to heights & mounting)
Front counter sprocket (offset version)
Rear sprocket
chain
Rear brake rotor, possibly if used e-bay setup.
Rear wheel w/hub, possibly new tire.
Possibly front rim/tire to match rear rim/tire.

Then there's the modifications for...
brake rod/caliper/mounting etc...
swing-arm bushings, centering, mounting etc...
miscellaneous hardware

Sure it can be done, probably looking at anywhere from $500-$1000 (minimum) for a chain drive configuration...

If you decide to do so, definitely post a project w/images, parts obtained (year/model etc...) for we'd love to see this from start to finish no doubt. Over the years this has been brought up but haven't seen any project postings on the tasks at hand.

Good luck...

Old Man Rock wrote: Lowe's has the Brown Tripoli (medium cut) and White (fine cut) compounds and the buffing wheel. They way that looks now, most likely only need the white compound to Mirror/BLING it out.... All depends how deep scratches are.

Mothers or similar would be used to keep it shiny afterwards.

Feels good don't it to see what a little work transforms this old stuff to... ANd you did it yourself versus [paying someone $200 plus to accomplish.

Seriously, looks awesome!

I'm going to try and stop by Lowes on the way home. Thanks for the info.

It won't be perfect but it's not for a show bike anyway. The whole reason I went with the GS arm was to keep the cost low. The cheapest price to polish was $365! Glad you shamed me into it!

Lowe's has the Brown Tripoli (medium cut) and White (fine cut) compounds and the buffing wheel. They way that looks now, most likely only need the white compound to Mirror/BLING it out.... All depends how deep scratches are.

Mothers or similar would be used to keep it shiny afterwards.

Feels good don't it to see what a little work transforms this old stuff to... ANd you did it yourself versus [paying someone $200 plus to accomplish.

Seriously, looks awesome!