Hi ok so I"ve tracked down a kz1100 swingarm.

it's 30mm longer than the 750 shafts swing arm. Just have to make it fit now. It measures 275mm at the pivot point. The 750 stocker is 290mm. Anyone have some examples of how to go about making bushings to take up the difference?

thanks

All in, new front and rear wheel bearings and quick swing arm polish.
sorry for blurry handy pic.



btw, here is the bearing puller set i used.



Michael

with the force of elbow grease, the swing arm get some little polish,(some groves and dots are left but i will do it later).
I hate polishing things because this is one of the few skills i have to learn.
Any advise in polishing aluminum parts are welcome

some progress in my project

chain cleaned



swing arm bearings checked and greased (left side bearing have some little marks from the chain force, right side is in really good condition).

barney wrote: It kind of sounds like swingarm pivot to me .

Scirocco wrote: You have to check the rear/front wheel bearings,air pressure in the tires,steering neck bearings,fork oil level,acts the
bike with different (soft/medium) rear suspension set the same? Steering damper installed?
Under hard acceleration the swing arm bushes are not in the same condition as proof by hand.

Thanks. It seems like I have to check everything carefully and might do this when painting the swing arm.

You have to check the rear/front wheel bearings,air pressure in the tires,steering neck bearings,fork oil level,acts the
bike with different (soft/medium) rear suspension set the same? Steering damper installed?
Under hard acceleration the swing arm bushes are not in the same condition as proof by hand.

loudhvx wrote: I never noticed any difference between the gpz head and a kz head, but maybe there is some porting done (that was the rumor according to magazine articles, but I don't give that much weight considering how much else they get wrong). Obviously, since the gpz and kz use the same carbs, the inlet of the intake ports have to be the same. Maybe Kawasaki ported the heads on the bike that was lent out for reviews (the kz came out 1 year before the gpz, so magazines would have been able to inspect/compare the gpz test bike against a showroom kz).

The Zx 550 motor uses the same Kz550D (81 gpz) cases. The motor mounts are different on the Zx. It has more rubber mounting, but I think the motor is compatible to a Kz frame. Either way, the 82/83 motor bolts in. That's what I have in one of my 81's.

But I am also of the opinion you should keep the bike with the good motor in it. Once you change the motor, you will want the gpz brakes/wheels.

If your bike is running perfectly, I (like Nessism said) would leave it in tact. Just look for a hashed out project bike to play with. There are always plenty of bobbed/chopped incomplete bikes on craigslist for cheap. It would be great to see a chopped up Ltd become a decent gpz replica.

I have 3 bikes. One is a really nice kz650. I prefer not to perm mod that bike. My other bike is a 73 rd350. I have a lot done to that bike and it's on it's way out to have the motor all redone etc.

My 3 rd bike is this 81 kz550. It is a decent running bike and I rode it a few thousand miles last year as my primary bike. I have recently upgraded it to gpz forks and dual disk brakes up front. In the back it now has a gpz swing arm and rear disc brake wheel. I have a front fork brace for the bike also. Just ordered some exhaust from japan also. It's a good running bike but just wanted to give it a little extra. Not trying to make a superbike out of it. But if I could make another 5-10hp I would be plenty happy with it.

Does the 84-85 65hp motor bolt in?

Evening guys! Man! its been a very long time since i've been here. Lots of stuff happened over the years; Hit a deer on my CX500 (totally fine, I walked away with battered and my hand bloodied (only one glove flew off? weird...)) Moved from NY to Ohio, bought a SL350 to putt around with while my KZ650 stayed stored away for three years.

Now... that im comfortably situated, I've made the decision to pull my poor KZ out with the goal of making it to Ohio Bike Week at the end of May. There are a few things I'd like to do on top of just putting back together and getting road worthy but i've ran across a few things which I'd like to verify with you guys here, some may seem simple but i'd just like the peace of mind with a confirmation.
Ok, here goes:

1. Im planning on running K&N pods instead of an airbox, I've seen people saying that you have to support the carbs somehow so they don't crack the runners off the head (Airbox added rigidity and support?) Whats the common solution for that? I have an idea but it comes across as half-assed and jerry-rigged in my mind

2. on top of the pods, im looking into a 4-1. One i've seen floating around is Delkevic's 4-1's Anybody here run those? how do they perform?

3. I saw on a thread here i believe... of people using aluminum GS1100 swing arms as an attempt to shave weight and that it was an easy bolt-on solution, give or take, shimming a bit. Is this true?

4. With the pods/ 4-1 I'll need a re-jet. According to OldKawMan, he suggested K&N's 4-1 w/ Baffle and a 10 - 15 jet size increase over OEM jet size, while adding to not touch the needles. True or do i need more info?

5. Also from OldKawMan, to quote his site; "For all round performance, go with a 15 tooth front sprocket and a 39 tooth rear sprocket. Put a new chain on, 94-96-98 links will work for most applications". So with that, what exactly am I gaining with the different sprockets? better acceleration? more top end speed?

6. Cams. I may or may not do cams in an attempt to have her running for Bike Week, but i see that KZ750 cams are a good drop-in while utilizing 650 sprockets due to 750's being Hy-Vo chain styled. I've also seen people recommend a Web Cams #118 grind street cams. All of this true?

If these are true, false or are true but need more info, please let me know. Any other little bits of information are always welcome too. Thanks guys!

Source: www.oldkawman.com/oknd.html

Nice bike!! Welcome aboard -

Here are some tips that you may 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 (and pretty much all 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. Zinc and phosphorus additives (ZDDP), important to protect engine components from metal to metal contact, has been reduced since it’s been found to shorten catalytic converter life. Today’s auto oils contain about ½ the ZDDP they used to and different additives have been developed as substitutes. Unfortunately, some of these newer additives, in particular molybdenum disulfide, don’t get along with the wet clutches in our bikes. Newer oils, especially those labeled “Energy Conserving” (EC), which have a high quantity of friction reducing additives, should be avoided. These oils work fine in automobiles but there are better choices for motorcycles.

KZ bikes need oil which is suitable for wet clutches. That distinction was defined by the Japanese Engine Oil Standards Implementation Panel (JASO), and can be noted by oils that meet the "4T” (4 cycle) specification, MA (wet clutch) classification. These oils, which include various synthetic, semi-synthetic, and non-synthetic oils, are sold as specific motorcycle oils. Another type of oil which works well in our bikes is diesel engine oil. These oils are governed by the API (American Petroleum Institute) CI-4/CJ-4 spec and don’t contain clutch-damaging EC additives. You can even purchase Shell Rotella oil which holds a “JASO-MA” certification assuring it will get along well with your wet clutch. All of these newer oils have a reduced ZDDP level too (about 1/3 less than before instead of ½ like the auto oils) but the substitute additives get along better with our bikes needs than automotive oil. Oils that do not hold the JASO-MA rating have either failed the wet clutch test or have not been tested for use in engines with wet clutches. Good luck with the bike! Ed

Front and rear wheel bearings.



Swing arm out for cleaning and polish



More will come after the weekend

By the way, i need some recommendations or opinions for digital classic speedometer, tachometer or 2 in 1.

Michael