Kawasaki Z1000 mk2 restoration

Hey everyone!

I bought this mk2 few years ago. It was a bit ratty and was listed pretty cheap, but I ended up trading my Royal Enfield for it. Of course the bike crapped on me after few weeks of riding, melting the Boyer ignition. I let it sit over the winter back then and then with the help from this great forum, I got the alternator and rotor swapped from wrong model installed to it and replaced the broken ignition module. Well, haven't done anything to the bike since, with other projects keeping me more than busy but now it seems that I would have some time for myself this winter and I thought the time for the mk2 has come!

I wanna be honest: first when i got this I didn't know much of Kawasakis and thought that I'm gonna cut it and make it something else. You know a cafe racer or some Mad Max -style Kawa with fairing. Now that I've been staring at this skeleton of a bike I've been thinking that's not the thing to do. Mk2's are pretty rare at least here in Finland and the bike will keep it's value better if I restore it. Not having done a restoration work ever, I'm pretty excited about this. Bike has a lot of original parts, it just needs a total go-through, lots of cleaning, rewiring, powdercoating, painting etc.

Any tips how to approach a restoration project? I would be glad to hear some experiences and get some tips from more experienced people

Here's a pic of the bike when I got it. It's still pretty much same.

I'm thinking to paint bike like the mk2 in this picture, although mine probably never was this color originally. As you can see, now it's a lovely mix of black and burgundy

Gonna paint the engine too, so guess I'm taking it apart. The top end is already in pieces so what's to keep me from getting the engine out and splitting the cases.

I still should have original airbox somewhere, it came with the bike. Although I already have bought expensive K&N Pod filters for it, maybe for original look I should go with the airbox?

I like the red. You can get the pin stripes. I'd keep the air box and sell the K&N's.
Steve

Yeah that red is really gorgeous with the yellow flake pinstripe. Just need to get some more reference photos so I can nail the correct color for it. I doubt I can get that same paint anymore

Did the original mk2 have 4-2 exhaust? I currently have 4-1 Vance&Hines on it and it might be that there's no budget for new exhaust system at least for now, but I'm not in a hurry with this project so I can get parts every now and then.

Another nice red mk2:

Congrats to a beautiful score.
You are darn right, if you want to build a bobber pick up a pile of junk for cheap. MkII are much to rare to chop up, not only in Finland it goes for the rest of the globe and the original burgundy is a lovely color.
Tips.
1. Find a FSM
2. Dont break the bike in pieces. Start from the front and make sure everything is mechanicaly sound and fix all problems. All to many bikes gets taken apart and their owner later down the road finds out they cant remember how to put them together again.
This gives you time to get to know the bike and by fixing one thing at the time you can always put it together and go for a ride.
3. Then when every thing is ok. Then you take it all apart and paint the frame and the engine.
4. Make sure to get the right tools needed so you dont damage anything.
5. Ask this crowd when in doubt before using violence.

Happy wrenching
Anders

Stick with the Vance & Hines as a start. Original exhaust can be pretty expensive.
If there's nothing wrong with the engine, dont split it now, fix the head and get to know your bike

Beautiful bike! Probably the best looking of the big bikes.

I always loved that tail. It's a shame Kawasaki had to go to the later super-ugly tail. I suspect DOT regulations were behind this monstrosity.

Yeah it would probably be better step for the first winter to fix everything and go through the bike as you said. Then I can test ride it next summer and think how to proceed from there. Not to mention, this would be much cheaper too for now

This is actually what I've been thinking too. Just put the cylinder and head back and see if I got the problems fixed they had (leaky valve killed compression on cylinder #1) and well ,the bike does need a full new wiring loom. I've rewired a lot of bikes lately so that shouldn't be a problem but if I remember correctly, the new wiring loom isn't that expensive and it might be good idea to get it now so it's ready for the next step in the restoration.

Thanks!

Haha yeah the mk2 tail is pretty nice! Has nice muscle vibe in it without being too ridiculous. Although I must admit, I do like the KZ900 "ducktail" even more

loudhvx wrote: Beautiful bike! Probably the best looking of the big bikes.

I always loved that tail. It's a shame Kawasaki had to go to the later super-ugly tail. I suspect DOT regulations were behind this monstrosity.