I believe a stock arm is 19 1/2" from center of pivot bolt to axle in center of axle slot. The GS is either 1 1/2" or 2" longer...

What is the stock length of a 1976 KZ 900 swing arm and the GS 1100 swing arm ?

if I remember correctly pretty much a direct swap, with a thin washer on each side at the pivot shaft.(the gs was slightly narrower than the kz).Also the gs has eye to clevis shock instead of eye to eye, look for shocks that meet your ride height standards.

I am thinking about purchasing a GS-1100 swing arm for my 1976 KZ900. I have seen where this swap has been done before, but I am confused as to what needs to be done. The swing arm I have on it now has the center of the rear wheel bolt 22 1/2 inches back from the center of the front pivot. Will the GS-1100 swing arm allow me to keep the wheel back that far ? Will the shocks mount up to the swing arm ? Thanks for any help.

I was stationed at Ft. Bragg NC and right after getting there I bought a brand new 1340 Super Glide. Put about 120K on it over the next 10 years. Sold it and bought a 57 Panhead which I had to sell a few years later due to cash needs stemming from a divorce. Was kinda broke but couldn't stand not riding. A co workers boyfriend had a 70 1000 LTD that he wanted $1800 for. I had always liked the KZ's but being a dyed in the wool HD guy I never even rode a another brand in my life. But I needed to ride and offered him $1500 which he accepted. It had a 1075 kit, pods and a Kerker. Rode/ crashed it for a couple years then added a 79 900 with GS forks and swingarm as well as other goodies then a 99 ZRX1100. With the ZRX I thought I was done with KZ's but there is just something about the KZ's that just rock my socks. I found a 77 1000A1 leaning up against a shed. Had a tattered tarp and lots of rust as well a a few mouse nests! It only had 9k on the odometer and he took $400 for it. Sold the ZRX and went to work on the "Purple Pimp Ride" with sissybar, hirise bars, fringe and excessive chrome just to list a few nasties! Put my personal touches on it and have never looked back. Not gooing to sell this one no matter what.

Thanks Leon, if all else fails ill send it out, looks like the bearings might work, Still messing around with it at the moment. Ill be getting with you in the future for that swingarm setup,

Building a KZ650. Swing arm and shocks are from a GSXR. Machined a triple tree with uprights for super bike handle bars. Heated the tail to fit in with today's bikes tails. Need to do some gussets then off to the poweder coater.

martin_csr wrote: It may be that your overflow tubing is supposed to be routed to the airbox. Some 750-4s have a couple of grommets & Y-fittings that connect the tubing to the airbox. Check out the airbox & carburetor diagrams at Kawasaki.com for your model.

If not, the tubing is typically routed behind the engine & forward of the swing arm and away from the chain & mufflers. Some models don't have the neato tubing harness in Patton's photo.... my 81 650-CSR doesn't.

The dripping fuel could be from a defective petcock. Z1Enterprises.com sells a petcock rebuild kit. If the petcock seems to be in good shape & the rubber parts seem fine, a diaphragm repair kit may be sufficient... it's cheaper than the complete kit.

Thank you, I have been forever perplexed as to what those grommets are for. it would seem that the dirt or condensation would get in there and putting those hoses in floods the fool mixture.

First off, thanks for helping the new guy out!
You guy's have been great. I just wish this forum had "stickys" for tried and true solutions.
The info is spread all over the place and I find it hard to navigate and soak up all the info I want.
One example is, "GS1100 SWINGARM CONVERSIONS". This opens up a whole can of worms, like tires size, axle size, bearings, brakes, shocks, sprockets and I'm not even talking about the street fighter conversions, but that's another story.

My wife seen the 74 and she wants to ride now also.
I have this 75 I found in the weeds, so I started to work on it for her yesterday.
Besides, I can test out some of these polishing ideas on this old motor.



Tins from Craigslist


This is the donor for my wifes Z1. (Nothing for sale at this time)


My wife is short and that's why I made the comment about using GS1100 swingarm and shocks.
This build will be another thread though.

I fitted an 03 ZX6 to my KZ900. Don't know if the KZ750 is similar. I didn't have to modify the frame or swingarm but you will need to build some spacers and reducers. The ball bearing is recessed so you need a spacer to take up the gap to the frame, sized to fit the seal and matched to your axle. I ran the spacer into the bearing as well. There's a long aluminum tube with bearing flanges that rides in needle bearings. The id is too big and needs to be reduced to fit your axle. I don't think you need to reduce the whole lengh, I just made a couple bushings out of aluminum about 1" long or roughly the same length as the bearing flanges. After that you would need tabs or a clevis for thr lower shock mount and a bar tying into the sides of the frame to connect the upper shock mount.