New guy, new bike, several questions!

[87handmedown]

Hi everyone. I just found the site and after a quick glance, I really think this is the place to finally get a bunch of questions answered for me. For starters, I'm just another broke college student who's hobbies always seem to want to take every penny I make. Normally I'm pretty involved in my mustang, which has been in the family a little while and happens to be an 87, thus the username. However, two years ago I was helping a neighbor farmer load some seed and I noticed a bike sitting under about an inch of dust in a rickety old barn. I asked him about it and after some quick negotiation, I had my first motorcycle for $350. It had 7400 miles on it and hadn't been ran or moved in 8 years. I brought it home, cleaned up the carbs which were full of junk, and put it all back together. Started right up and I've been having fun ever since.

From what I've gathered it's a 1981 Kawasaki KZ 650. I still haven't figured out what the CSR on the side means though. Possibly a different model type?(like how my mustang could be bought in a GT, LX, or coupe). Sorry if the analogy annoys anyone but I know ZILCH about motorcycles... kinda having to learn as I go.

Here's some pics though!







Do you think it was a good buy?

Still have some problems left to figure out though. The speedometer gears down by the front wheel have apparently rusted tight. Is there any junkyards for bikes like these that I could find something that would work? Also, the light on my speedometer doesn't come on like the tach does. Any easy way to fix this? Horn doesn't work either. Is there a fuse panel somewhere on this thing that I could check? Finally, I need to replace the tire on the front. Any suggestions?

I'm sorry if these seem like dumb questions. I'm very mechanically inclined, but I want to make sure I do things right the first time. Like I said, this is my first bike and it's fun to ride.

Oh, and where can I get a repair manual for one of these things?

[87handmedown]

Oh, and I'd like to take the tag from 91 off and get one from this century on there. lol Anyone have any idea how much basic insurance costs annually for one of these?

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by 87handmedown

Oh, and I'd like to take the tag from 91 off and get one from this century on there. lol Anyone have any idea how much basic insurance costs annually for one of these?

In Kansas, with a clean record, even at your age, you should be talking no more than $80 - $100 a year at the most.

However, if you play fast and loose on the roads - and have gotten caught at it - you might pay more.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by 87handmedown

From what I've gathered it's a 1981 Kawasaki KZ 650. I still haven't figured out what the CSR on the side means though. Possibly a different model type

Look here for the whole lineup:

Kawasaki Z650 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to the article, CSR refers to "Chopper Stateside Replica". I can't confirm if that's correct or not.

[iron pony]

I had a 650 kz ,79 model, it looks simlar to yours ,but I had a diefferent tail & seat than yours.
Nice bike though.

[W-P Bill]

Welcome to the forum. Yes, for $350 that was a great buy. Have fun with it.

[mcwrath]

judging by the first pic, I'd say you definitely are mechanically inclined! A rare trait these days for most college students! Good luck! Im sure you will do fine with the other minor bugs.

[mbigica]

Yes I would agree 350 is a good deal. There are plenty of salvage yards for bike online.

Welcome to the forum

[lh4x4]

If you find that you don't like it, I'll give you $300 for it.

[87handmedown]

Originally Posted by CTRider

In Kansas, with a clean record, even at your age, you should be talking no more than $80 - $100 a year at the most.

However, if you play fast and loose on the roads - and have gotten caught at it - you might pay more.

Awesome! I'm proud to say that I haven't even recieved a parking ticket yet.

Originally Posted by W-P Bill

Welcome to the forum. Yes, for $350 that was a great buy. Have fun with it.

Originally Posted by mbigica

Yes I would agree 350 is a good deal. There are plenty of salvage yards for bike online.

Good to know! So what does a bike in this condition normally go for?

Also, could you direct me to some online salvage sites?

Aside from cleaning the carbs, I haven't done anything to this bike... which makes me a little nervous because I know the guy before me didn't do anything to it. Isn't there some sort of maintenance schedule for these things? I'm pretty sure I don't have it all tuned up correctly because it's running out of power(acts like fuel) at around 80-85 mph and a quick search on here tells me that it should be able to do more than that.

Thanks for the welcome guys.

[StarGate]

The light in the speedo should just pop in/out of the back of the speedometer. You will probably have to take it off it's mount to get to it though. For the horn, you can test it with a different battery/charger or get a meter and see if it's getting voltage to it. My contacts in my horn button got dirty and I had to clean them to get mine to work several years ago. Look under the seat for a fuse panel and check for blown fuses. For the rusted speedometer drive at the front wheel, your best bet would be to watch ebay for a replacement. If the bike doesn't have one, install an inline fuel filter between the tank and carbs to catch dirt and rust before it gets in the carbs. Would be a shame to waste all the work you've done on them. For the first purchase I would recommend getting a service manual for the bike. Will give you loads of info on how-to for your bike as well as other useful information.

[87handmedown]

Originally Posted by StarGate

The light in the speedo should just pop in/out of the back of the speedometer. You will probably have to take it off it's mount to get to it though. For the horn, you can test it with a different battery/charger or get a meter and see if it's getting voltage to it. My contacts in my horn button got dirty and I had to clean them to get mine to work several years ago. Look under the seat for a fuse panel and check for blown fuses. For the rusted speedometer drive at the front wheel, your best bet would be to watch ebay for a replacement. If the bike doesn't have one, install an inline fuel filter between the tank and carbs to catch dirt and rust before it gets in the carbs. Would be a shame to waste all the work you've done on them. For the first purchase I would recommend getting a service manual for the bike. Will give you loads of info on how-to for your bike as well as other useful information.

Really appreciate all the information! Thanks. On the fuel filter, how many microns should the rating be?

Is this the correct service manual for my bike? It only says KZ and not CSR.
eBay Motors: kawasaki kz650 service manual oem kz 650 81 (item 140233007120 end time May-21-08 06:58:30 PDT)

[Utah Motorcyclist]

Welcome to the forum.

[Andy the gringo]

Yep that is the correct service manual for your bike. I have an 81 650 CSR as well and it remains one of my favorites. As to value I would imagine you could expect it to fetch about $1500.00 or so. I don't think I'd let mine go even at that price, I just like the bike too well. As to the CSR designation back when they were new Kawasaki said it stood for chrome spoke rims. Myself and all the other guys selling them said it stood for cheap street ride, take your choice.

[87handmedown]

WOW... the news just keeps getting better and better! I had no idea it was worth that much.

Do you have any suggestions for an in line fuel filter?

[Nate]

Welcome! Good to see another Sunflower KZ650 Chapter owner on here.

Bikes shops will carry a porous brass filter that will work well. Stay away from lawn mower filters and the like. If there is no local shop, then Z1 Enterprises, Inc. - Specializing in Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Parts is a good place to get maintenance items. BTW, I've been able to get oil filters at Walmart of all places.

Right now any running bike that is ready to register and ride can command $1500 or more. As gas gets to the $4 mark in a few days, more people may be inclined to give an older bike a go to save a bit of gas for a while and park the 12 MPG truck.

As for CSR, that was a model line that had a lower MSRP than the similar Ltd line. The main differences as I recall were spoke wheels, badging, and paint. Andy knows more about the exact differences, though.

Oh, yeah. Looks like you've done a stellar job and have a steed that will give you many miles of good riding and smiles.

[MSGAmling]

Congratulations on a good buy. The 81 is a nice bike.

The speedo lights are changed by removing the speedometer cable then the two nuts on the backing. The speedometer will lift right out. There are two rubber bulb holders. I've seen both the press in type bulbs, as well as the twist in.

As was already stated, e-Bay is a good place to find parts, such as the speedo gear for this. Z-1 has cables, bearings, etc...

Once you have the manual, start on all the services due at 8K. In addition to these, you may want to consider spending a weekend taking apart, cleaning, and putting a dab of dielectric grease on ever electrical connection under your seat and inside the headlight bucket. Removing the chain (if it is original it will be continuous without a master link and will have to be removed after the rear wheel is off), checking, cleaning, and lubing it good would be a good idea as well as checking the condition of the sprockets and rear brake shoes. The master cylinder will likely need to be bled and the fluid thats in there may have a close resemblance to mud instead of DOT3. Even so, if any of the fluid gets on a painted surface, it will ruin it. So, use plenty of protection when removing the reservoir cover and a tube on your caliper bleeder valve. If your cover is like mine was, the screws may be corroded in place and even an impact driver may round them out.

The only two mods I've done to mine were to disconnect the air injection system to avoid the annoying low level popping you will get in the pipes on deceleration. As well as the Wired George coil modification to make sure the coils get a constant 12V. I d . There are several members that keep the air injection system and have no problems, but I was bothered by the popping. While you are on Wired George's site, you may want to check out his write up on valve clearances. wiredgeorge motorcycle carburetors - Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Carburetor Sales, Rebuilding and Restoration - Valve Clearances He describes the procedure for "over bucket" shims, instead of the "under bucket" shims you have. But, the idea and importance to a strong running bike are the same. The biggest headache is that you will have to remove your camshafts to get to your "buckets" to change the shims. The manual will walk you through it.

Here's a link to a good article on changing the front tire FAQ: Tire Mounting and Balancing at home . You may want to have a dealer mount the new tire though. There is only one rim lock on your front rim, but it can be a bear to get the tire bead seated correctly. You will eventually need new forks seals (probably soon after you put 8-10 psi of air in the forks). Heres a link on changing them How to replace motorcycle fork seals - Tech - Motorcycle Cruiser

Have fun with and enjoy the bike.

[87handmedown]

Originally Posted by Nate

Welcome! Good to see another Sunflower KZ650 Chapter owner on here.

Bikes shops will carry a porous brass filter that will work well. Stay away from lawn mower filters and the like. If there is no local shop, then Z1 Enterprises, Inc. - Specializing in Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Parts is a good place to get maintenance items. BTW, I've been able to get oil filters at Walmart of all places.

Right now any running bike that is ready to register and ride can command $1500 or more. As gas gets to the $4 mark in a few days, more people may be inclined to give an older bike a go to save a bit of gas for a while and park the 12 MPG truck.

As for CSR, that was a model line that had a lower MSRP than the similar Ltd line. The main differences as I recall were spoke wheels, badging, and paint. Andy knows more about the exact differences, though.

Oh, yeah. Looks like you've done a stellar job and have a steed that will give you many miles of good riding and smiles.

Thanks for the info and compliments!

Originally Posted by MSGAmling

Congratulations on a good buy. The 81 is a nice bike.

The speedo lights are changed by removing the speedometer cable then the two nuts on the backing. The speedometer will lift right out. There are two rubber bulb holders. I've seen both the press in type bulbs, as well as the twist in.

As was already stated, e-Bay is a good place to find parts, such as the speedo gear for this. Z-1 has cables, bearings, etc...

Once you have the manual, start on all the services due at 8K. In addition to these, you may want to consider spending a weekend taking apart, cleaning, and putting a dab of dielectric grease on ever electrical connection under your seat and inside the headlight bucket. Removing the chain (if it is original it will be continuous without a master link and will have to be removed after the rear wheel is off), checking, cleaning, and lubing it good would be a good idea as well as checking the condition of the sprockets and rear brake shoes. The master cylinder will likely need to be bled and the fluid thats in there may have a close resemblance to mud instead of DOT3. Even so, if any of the fluid gets on a painted surface, it will ruin it. So, use plenty of protection when removing the reservoir cover and a tube on your caliper bleeder valve. If your cover is like mine was, the screws may be corroded in place and even an impact driver may round them out.

The only two mods I've done to mine were to disconnect the air injection system to avoid the annoying low level popping you will get in the pipes on deceleration. As well as the Wired George coil modification to make sure the coils get a constant 12V. I d . There are several members that keep the air injection system and have no problems, but I was bothered by the popping. While you are on Wired George's site, you may want to check out his write up on valve clearances. wiredgeorge motorcycle carburetors - Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Carburetor Sales, Rebuilding and Restoration - Valve Clearances He describes the procedure for "over bucket" shims, instead of the "under bucket" shims you have. But, the idea and importance to a strong running bike are the same. The biggest headache is that you will have to remove your camshafts to get to your "buckets" to change the shims. The manual will walk you through it.

Here's a link to a good article on changing the front tire FAQ: Tire Mounting and Balancing at home . You may want to have a dealer mount the new tire though. There is only one rim lock on your front rim, but it can be a bear to get the tire bead seated correctly. You will eventually need new forks seals (probably soon after you put 8-10 psi of air in the forks). Heres a link on changing them How to replace motorcycle fork seals - Tech - Motorcycle Cruiser

Have fun with and enjoy the bike.

Wow... I can't thank you enough for all the help you just gave me.

As far as the brake fluid goes... boy was that a fun experience. Part of that stuff was beyond mud... it had gotten to the point of clay! But, I took my time, cleaned it all carefully, put it back together, bled the system (another rather large pain) and it has been problem free ever since!

However, I did spill some brake fluid on the master cylinder and thus, the paint came off. Is it ok to just use some rattlecan black to make it look good again?

[A2rider]

So where you at in KS? Inquiring minds want to know.

[JG6_oddball]

did u spill it just on the top of the MC? or down the side aswell? if is just on the top strip the rest of the paint off and rattle can it so u get an even coat,

S!

since you are new to biking here r 20 helpful hints to safe riding.
"
20. The two most useless things to a rider are the braking distance behind you, and nine-tenth of a second ago.

19. Remember… gravity and centrifugal force are not just good ideas, they are laws and are not subject to appeal.

18. Keep looking around. There’s always something you’ve missed.

17. Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, the experience usually comes from bad judgment.

16. In the ongoing battle between objects made of metal, rubber, and fiberglass… going 100+ miles per hour, and the ground going zero miles per hour, the ground has yet to lose. Same holds for cars, large trucks, and animals taller than you. Draws don’t count.

15. If all you can see in your mirrors is sparks and all you can hear is screaming from your passenger, things may not be as they should be.

14. You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.

13. There are two simple rules for riding smoothly and fast in snow and on ice. Unfortunately no one knows what they are.

12. Always try to keep the number of times you put your side-stand down equal to the number of times you put the side-stand up.

11. Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn’t get to three seconds earlier.

10. You know you’ve left the side-stand down when all left turn are bat-turns. You know you’ve left the center-stand down when you are in 1st gear at 4000 rpm going nowhere.

9. Learn from the mistakes of others. You won’t live long enough to make all of them yourself.

8. When in doubt slow down. No one has ever hit something too slow.

7. The rear wheel is just a big fan on back of the bike used to keep the rider cool and his/her butt relaxed. If going into a corner too fast, slamming on the rear brake causes the “fan” to abruptly stop.
When this happens you can actually see the rider start sweating and his/her butt become tense.

6. The only time you have too much fuel is when you’re on fire.

5. It’s always better to be on the sidelines wishing you were on the track, than on the track wishing you were on the sidelines.

4. Riding isn’t dangerous! Crashing is dangerous!

3. If you push the bars left, the bike goes left. If you push the bars right, the bike goes right. That is, unless you continue pushing the bars all the way, then the bike will go down.

2. Every ride is optional.

1. A “good” ride is one from which you can walk away. A “great” ride is one after which you can use the bike again.