Look What I Got!! (1978 KZ650B(?))

Got this off of craigslist. Shows a bit over 8K on the odometer. PO told me it would need to have the Dyna S that he had installed replaced.
I got a spark w a jumper box, so I primed the carbs and it fired up on all four.
I could ride it but it wasn't charging. Big thanks to Zuki Dave for giving me a spare 3 phase charging system he had in a box under his bench. Lots of cleaned connections, new wires, and a new spare reg/rectifier I had from my KZ1000 follies and it seems to be charging.
Runs great, airbox is intact, I replaced the carb boots (manifolds/holders) and spark plugs (one was hand tight w visible blow by!)
Thing is pretty clean and complete. Has OG seat that could use reupholster as well as the cafe seat that's on it. The tail was butchered a little to make that seat fit. I've mostly just cleaned it. I did wet sand the bodywork a little.
Roast away, I guess.

This is a good catch with 8K on the odometer, thumbs up
The bike is looking real good.

Nice find indeed!

Nice! What's the build date? Still got the orig seat, right? Say "Kawasaki" on the back of the material? 8k... sweeeet!

I think it's a B2a. Plastic chain guard, not on the early 78' B2. Those were still metal, IIRC.

Rode it this weekend with a little group of old bikes. We put on maybe 150 miles, and the 650 was a little champ. Got over 40 mpg; bike got to sing a little.
It did cime with another seat, though that may have been recovered b/c it has no "Kawasaki" logo. I appreciate the info. Is it little stuff like plastic chain guards/ mags vs spokes and # of brakes that are the biggest differences?

Also, that's a weird Vetter headlight unit. I'd like to go back to a KZ bucket/etc. Would chrome or black bucket be more "correct?" I'm leaning towards chrome, but I mainly want to get the wires in a place up there and just run this thing as a clean little survivor. I don't really want or need to do a resto, and I certainly don't want to cut it up or try to turn it in to something it's not. I'm looking for reliability and utility.

a black bucket would have been stock on the B2. If it has a Vetter headlight it probably was a factory windjammer bike and has a bunch of extra wiring in the bucket for the running lights on the fairing.

Yeah I'm almost certain I saw this same bike a couple of years back further away on Craigslist with a fairing. It does have some funky wiring up front and the aftermarket signals might have added to some of that. Everything works, sanitary or not, and I only hope to clean stuff like that up as I go.

Really nice find. Those are wonderful motorcycles.

DSummerlin wrote: Rode it this weekend with a little group of old bikes. We put on maybe 150 miles, and the 650 was a little champ. Got over 40 mpg; bike got to sing a little.

Nice... well, when you get her opened up... say over 7k, for a long stretch... she should "sing" for ya. Listen for the notes, you'll hear them under your helmet.

So, again... what's the build date? Should be on the neck sticker.

Great looking bike! You done good!

Be sure to go through the manual and catch up all the maintenance. Valve adjustment is almost always overlooked by PO and failing to adjust the valves can damage the engine so...

I'll look for build date. Promise.