Sort of new

This is a GREAT KZ place to hand out. I have been a member for a couple of years, but I just got off my tail and started taking apart my 76 KZ900 (orginal green & 10 years in my garage). I will post "before" picks, when I remember what I did with the digital images I took last Summer.

This site is why I am rebuilding this Kawasaki and not tossing it to go find a good ZRX1200.

Thanks for all the inpiration. The Gallery sections of KZ900 or KZ1000 are great. There is some real talent on this site.

Welcome Sactown900! What you really need to do is rebuild your KZ and then go out and buy a ZRex! One cannot have too many bikes.

Well here it is, after 14 years under a tarp in the backyard. I am FINALLY going to rebuild this 76, The kids are grown and the 21 year old son is bugging me to turn this thing into a Street Fighter. I yanked the HUGE Windjammer fairing, Cobra alarm, ape-hangers and cigerrete lighter 12 years ago. The paint is oxidized and it has 95k on the odometer. The carbs and tank were empty, when I got it, but they smelled like varnish, in 92. I took about 50 "before" photos Monday. I will shoot hundreds of stills during the rebuild (so I remember how to re-assemble it). LOL! This site will save my hide. You guys are a Gold Mine.

Post edited by: Sactown900, at: 2007/03/27 12:03

Looks pretty good for 95k miles and 14 years under tarp.

Where are you located?

Sacramento, CA. I lived in Iowa City in the Summer of 69, when my father was teaching History during Summer school. Great little college town. The engine has all this wierd oxidation on it. I put engine oil in the spark plug holes when I got it, then tried the kick starter a few days later. It seems to have OK compression. I bought a new battery last month and tried the electronics. Most lights went on. A friend, who just did a complete restoration of a 67 CB450, said I should rebuild the fuel petcock, replace the non-existant fuel lines, and try to start it. TEMPTING.

Your 900 looks roadworthy already!
Where do you live?
I say change the oil, put some gas in it, install a new battery, try to start it, and see what happens.

That red 76 LTD was a dream of mine in 76. Way ahead of it's time. The ex wife (7 months of agony) even tired to convince me she would buy me one. Yea, Right. My 2nd wife (26 years this month) is very excited that I am FINALLY going to get this 76 KZ900 on the road, as a project with our son. He needs to know how to do common repairs anyway. I need the headlight bracket rings to put it back in, but I see Web sites that sell those new. There is allot of little broken things on it, but starting it now is very tempting.

i hope you keep it green i have a red 76 LTD and want to change the color to green. currently looking for spare tank and panels to have painted. PLEASE PLEASE keep that bike as close to original as possible. you can get all your needed parts from Jeff at Z1enterprise.com in NY. Or on e-bay. GOOD LUCK!!
Wish I could talk you out if it...LOL
Ed

You sure got a good starting point...Thats for sure!
www.z1enterprises.com , www.redlinecycle.com , and E-Bay are gonna be your new best friends.:woohoo: :laugh: ;) :whistle:

Post edited by: indykaw77, at: 2007/03/27 22:51

Welcome aboard! Nice Z, How is life in Sacto? I lived up there for a few years a while back:whistle:

I am keeping it GREEN. My plan is to get it as stock "looking" at possible, but with "modern" upgrades. That might be mag wheels, three disc brakes, a new 4 into 1, a big bore kit, if it needs to be rebuilt, those smaller turn signals, etc.

What is a safe big bore kit for a KZ900?

Anyone know if I can just go buy an ex Police bike engine and drop it in a KZ900? If that one needed to be rebuilt I could do a much larger bore increase and still be reliable.

rstor003's green 76 looks "perfect," The only look I would add to it is drag bars. Beautiful bike.

Post edited by: Sactown900, at: 2007/03/28 11:06

Redline has some serious talent! I hope we have an engine rebuilder THAT good in California. YES, there are some great Web sites for finding parts. I am looking foreward to getting this 900 back on the road.

Thanks for the tips and inpiration. It's great to see these on the street. I onlt paid $500 for mine, over 14 years ago, then biried it in the garage. So, putting a couple grand in it, to put it back to new, is a no brainer.

I will repaint it the original green, from 76. I notice we can even buy new decals stripes for the body.

rstor003 has a beauty.