KZ Owners

[tough2beet]

Yea, I have a 1980 kz 750 that I'm trying to put together.

[Rick_in_P.A Wa.]

I'm in

[Kawa 1982]

I ride a 1982 KZ1100 A2. It had the full Vetter kit when I bought it as you can see that has been removed.

[badnproud]

heres my 83 440 ltd this is my first legal bike had 9000km on it when i got it 4 months ago and i have 20,000 on it now changed original exaust and rear tire set valves this week and carbs only thing left is a new head light i want a brighter one

[Cpt.Dangerous]

i have a 77 KZ650c only has 20k

[blake RDJ]

Im having trouble finding anyone who has info (nevermind parts)on my 1978 kz 650sr. i have a coil that tests 4.5 -4.6 ohms i think this one is where it should be at and the coil that fires 1&4 tests 1.4-1.5ohms what is the resistance they should have? oh yeah i did inspect the points and wiring and didnt find anything wrong

[plc17]

Just purchased my first bike... a 1983 KZ 550 Spectre.
zoom, zoom, Baby!

[oldcoldankles]

Congratuations plc17 and welcome to the forum. Your bike is very similar to my 550!

[PNKFLYD]

I guess I should add my latest 2 purchases. A 1980 KZ650 LTD and a 1975 Z1 900. Pics soon...

[onkelb]

Originally Posted by blake RDJ

Im having trouble finding anyone who has info (nevermind parts)on my 1978 kz 650sr. i have a coil that tests 4.5 -4.6 ohms i think this one is where it should be at and the coil that fires 1&4 tests 1.4-1.5ohms what is the resistance they should have? oh yeah i did inspect the points and wiring and didnt find anything wrong

I suspect you have a mixed set of coils there. 4 - 4.5 ohms sounds about right for a coil for points ignition (readings may vary slightly depending of the quality of your meter). 1.5 ohms on the primary suggests a coil meant for electronic ignition, they should read 1.5 - 1.8 ohms on the primary. My guess is some previous owner fried a coil and replaced it with what he could get - the 1.5 ohm coil should work fine but your left set of points (1/4) will wear a little faster.

Btw, if you need 650 info/help check out KZ650.info.

[Andy the gringo]

Originally Posted by Skunkwurcx

I just picked this bike up yesterday. It appeared on a buy and sell site the other day and I got there first. The guy selling it was the original owner and it has just over 30,000 miles on it (50660 kms) and is a very very strong running bike. The paint is original and is Black Cherry Metallic, I think is what it is called. It came with a box load of goodies, including a brand new removable windshield. I removed the luggage rack that's shown in the pics and had put the grab bar on it but have since taken it back off as I like the look of that tail section too much to have it cluttered.

I want to make it into a standard, and change the colour, but as all the parts are original paint and in awesome shape, except for some blisters on the tank from something that spilled on it, I'm in the market a standard's tank, a tail section and side covers. Anyone have some that they want to part with or suggest where they can be had ?

There are not a lot of bikes I lust after on these internet forums but your bike is the exception. You have a first year bike that was built before emissions were an issue. The only thing I don't care for on your bike is that the PO turned the brake rotors into swiss cheeze with his over use of a drill bit. I have all the needed parts sitting around my house to put that bike back to original condition. My suggestion to you is that if you want a standard model bike buy one, but for gods sake leave that cherry alone. Or if you bought it really cheap just sell it to me.

[Skunkwurcx]

Originally Posted by Andy the gringo

There are not a lot of bikes I lust after on these internet forums but your bike is the exception. You have a first year bike that was built before emissions were an issue. The only thing I don't care for on your bike is that the PO turned the brake rotors into swiss cheeze with his over use of a drill bit. I have all the needed parts sitting around my house to put that bike back to original condition. My suggestion to you is that if you want a standard model bike buy one, but for gods sake leave that cherry alone. Or if you bought it really cheap just sell it to me.

Thanks for the compliments on the bike Andy, and rest assured that everything I intend on doing do it will be easliy changed back to original. I've no intention doing anything to the bike other than bolt on stuff and I have already found all the body parts I need so that I won't have to mess with the original pieces. As for getting an A model around my neck of the woods, there's about as much chance of that happening as winning the lottery unfortunately, and the odds of getting the parts for them around here are only slightly better. I'll be getting them all on the net and everything I want is available.

As for the brake rotors, while I agree that they aren't original, they sure as heck work good. They were done by a guy that used to race bikes and the holes are even tappered !! I rode my friends '75 900 the other day and when I went to put on the brakes nothing happened, in comparison. I ended up having to go in the next entrance rather than the one that I was wanting because I was used to the brakes on mine, and on my Vulcan for that matter.

[79SR650]

I will play along.

[Andy the gringo]

Now that you told us the brakes were drilled by a racer that makes sense. They look like they were done with the idea of saving the maximum amount of weight. I'm sure they stop much better than stock especially when it is wet. Kawasaki started drilling the discs starting in 79 but not to the extent that yours have been.

Since I have finally figured out how to do the picture thing, here are some pics of a few of my bikes.

[jharold]

Originally Posted by Andy the gringo

Now that you told us the brakes were drilled by a racer that makes sense. They look like they were done with the idea of saving the maximum amount of weight. I'm sure they stop much better than stock especially when it is wet. Kawasaki started drilling the discs starting in 79 but not to the extent that yours have been.

Since I have finally figured out how to do the picture thing, here are some pics of a few of my bikes.

Andy where do you live - I'm gonna sneak in there and steal those side-covers off that 750. I can't find those emblems anywhere. Even Z-1 can't get them.

[Andy the gringo]

Jharold I live in Akron, Ohio but it won't do you much good that bike is missing the left cover entirely. I called the local Kaw dealer to check on an emblem because I thought I found a cover with GPZ emblems that I wanted to change so it would match. They said it was still a good number about $24.00 IIRC.

[jharold]

Originally Posted by Andy the gringo

Jharold I live in Akron, Ohio but it won't do you much good that bike is missing the left cover entirely. I called the local Kaw dealer to check on an emblem because I thought I found a cover with GPZ emblems that I wanted to change so it would match. They said it was still a good number about $24.00 IIRC.

Hey thanks! You don't have that number by any chance do you? The Kaw dealer's up here in the great white north seem a little "thick" when it comes to vintage bikes.

[Andy the gringo]

Sorry this took so long the Kawasaki site was messed up earlier. The part number you want is 56018-1356

[jharold]

Originally Posted by Andy the gringo

Sorry this took so long the Kawasaki site was messed up earlier. The part number you want is 56018-1356

Thanks very much Andy the gringo!

[aaronrkelly]

Heres a picture of my 1980 KZ1000 - recently picked it up for the princely sum of $900.