1983 KZ1000P bobber build ... MUTT #3

531blackbanshee wrote: don't let the lack of leg humping run you off. :laugh:
lotsa folks around here are a lil tired of seeing these old bikes chopped and built into unfinished cafe brat rats.
so you are going to have to show your skills and perseverance to build a cool bike before you garner much of a following.
not tryin to be a d!(k just trying to lend a lil insight :evil:
i think anybody tryin to do there own thing with there own hands is cool.
and,
if they are doing it to a kz so much the better.
but i figure i have the skills to turn the most hacked up mess back into an original bike if i want to so it doesn't get me to ruffled up to look at a molested bike as long as someone is trying.

keep us posted as you go.

leon

I agree with Leon^^^^^^^+1 , I did a Resto Mod build on mine not because I wanted to, but because of $$$$ when Exhaust systems are almost $2,000, Fenders are $200 ea. etc. etc. What the Heck? I bought a $300 Mac exhaust system and then bead blasted and painted my fenders because I couldnt afford the new Chrome ones, someone doesnt like it...they can just Sit on it!! You do what you want and or can afford to do, not everyone on here is rich or well funded ( ya, speaking from personal experience) I say you go for it!! Keep pics coming please and Good Luck!!.
Ed

I can't tell you how long I rode around with a scraped up front fender. I hit it with silver paint to disgize the scratch. Recovered my seat with material from a linnen store, etc. I've always had to make due. It's always been piece by piece. After the wreck, I had to get one thing then wait for another. I've had to cut corners too.


That's a Honda front fender I ran for years. The clutch cover and points cover I bought just to get her back on the road. What you can't see is the JB weld filling a chip in the housing. When I finally got enough money together to build her the way I always wanted, my EX and son tried to take my daughters children away. She was stuck there, so I bought her a $5000 car and gave her her freedom. Now I'm back to one piece at a time. That's OK. She's in a much better place, has a good man that loves her, the kids and I can ride up there any time I want to like today. My EX hates me having the bike, my son hates her having the car and O how I love it. :laugh:
Steve

Bossie and the girls.
Steve

Enjoyed the read and the information you have posted. Keep up the good work.

thanks

Got myself some shop tools (vise, belt sander, grinder, etc.) to get the rest of the project going. Bike is stripped down again in preparation for the grinding and welding of new mounts and brackets that were cut off figured out a pretty neat way of mounting the coils, hope I can pull it off.

This is my first build at home, all previous projects were when I used to work at a speedshop, so all the shop tools were my disposal. Now that cost has to be factored in too! ... which sucks ... Still need a drill press and band saw to complete the diy garage space.

while the price of tools up front is a big bite out of any project :sick: .
after the first project is done,
they feel like they have earned there keep.
and,
when the second project starts they start to feel like they are paying off :evil:

glad you have gotten some of the items checked off your shop tool list


keep us posted,

leon

Well I got the tank bolt bracket welded up. I cut the bracket off of the tank and relocated it under the tank and about an inch or so lower to sort of hide it. I can always make the spacer shorter if I want the back of the tank to sit lower later. the bottom of the tank is currently almost parallel to the ground. It also has two holes for the coil packs to mount (pic shows them temporarily taped in location. Have to get some long bolts and tube to make the spacers and permanently mount them ... reason for mounting them on top of each other was so that the plug wire runs would be symmetrical and not have to cross each other.
Also will get some steel rod later and support the end of the bracket by linking it to the frame

Few more pics with the coil packs mounted. Will eventually get spacers made instead of the multiple nuts to separate/locate the coils; it'll also clean up the look by hiding the all-thread rods.

Also, the beginnings of a battery tray. The little tabs will be cut shorter and the tray lowered and welded to frame so battery would sit just below the frame rails. Also there will be a two part strap running around the tray length-wise to strap the battery down and also locate the two cross straps seen here.

One more pic with tank mounted

The coils should be bolted to a frame member or tab. Heat sync.
Steve

Hmm you'd think if it's using the Frame as a heat sync, there'd be more of it touching the frame than just two standoffs. They're currently in an area where it should get good airflow over them when on the move ... will def. keep a watch for excess heat buildup. There's plenty of space there for the stock brackets to be mounted side by side too.

They should be bolted to something solid. The center core dissipates the heat, plus the coils work better this way.
Steve