1978 Kz650c

rstnick · 03-10-2007

My ride will be 30 years old this year!

I bought her in 1984. She came with a Yosh 4 into one with no baffle. Very loud!

I painted the wheels yellow, removed the rear fender, put on pod filters, Dyna Ign., Cir Cycle coils and wires, Cir Cycle clutch.

Pipes painted Silver:

A few years later; Bike painted Candy Apple Blue with Gold stripe, engine re bored one size over, 3angle valve job, mild porting, disks drilled and braided steel lines with Dot 5, quiet Kerker exhaust added, ATK fork brace, Koni Shocks, Magnum progressive springs, Derale Oil cooler, 1/4 fairing:

Some years later with a Cheatah seat:

Spring of 2005:

End of 2005, now in Cruiser mode:

rstnick · 03-10-2007

Early 2006; Rickman fairing installed, wheels painted Gold:

Spring 2006:

Video of her warming up before a ride, January 2007:

D-Day · 03-11-2007

Fine looking KZ. I like it. The wheels aren't too hard to take off, are they? Just a few bolts and such, right? Did you use any cleaner on the wheels to take off grease or grime before paint? What kind of paint; just spray paint? Looking to paint mine as well.

*Tod* · 03-11-2007

Nice, I love what you've done with your KZ over the years.

She doesn't look a day over 20.

zedx11 · 03-11-2007

looks really good. I like the color.

jdpenn · 03-11-2007

Wow, that Kaw has 9 lives. Way to keep her going all these years!

Tattoomarc · 03-11-2007

nice looking rides you have there

SureClassic · 03-14-2007

I love this post............... It great to see the transition over the years and the fact you kept it that long it wonderful................. !!

ptzpntbll · 03-15-2007

nice bike, my friend has a couple of those, a 650 and a 1000

rstnick · 03-15-2007

Thanks for the kind words.

The Gold wheels were sprayed with DupliColor Gold. I used steel wool to clean and ruff up the wheel then soapy water to clean off. Masked the tires and centre area and sprayed away.
Not too difficult to take off the wheels. Just unbolt and remove. The rear has the chain to get around, but with slack on the chain you can slip it off, once the axle and spacers are removed.

PNKFLYD · 03-15-2007

That is a nice ride you got there. I can only hope mine comes out half as nice.. The 1st time around I just did a $30 driveway paint job to get it looking OK for the summer now its apart in my garage just waiting for some dry weather so I can start painting.

dropdfocus · 03-20-2007

I never get tired of staring at your bike & the progress you've made over a very short time. If the fairing and exhaust ever turns up missing, don't come to my house...

kawasakikid38 · 03-24-2007

nice lookin kz you have their.

kawasakikid38 · 03-24-2007

here is my 1978 kz1000 I've restored and did some mods.

OmahaRider · 03-26-2007

Its like a pictoral evolution of the sport bike----very cool.

*ispeed77* · 03-26-2007

great pics and vid Rob, i love what you've done with that bike !

*ispeed77* · 03-26-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawasakikid38

here is my 1978 kz1000 I've restored and did some mods.

that thing is sweet !

kawasakikid38 · 03-26-2007

thanks guys, here is what i'm doing to the rear tire. from a stock wheel as you see in the pic's to my modified KZ hub that i had done from a 18"x3.00 rim to a 16"x5.5 aluminum rim lased to my hub with a 200 size tire. thats ganna look sweet i hope.

HUB BEFORE.

AFTER,

HUB LASED TO THE 16"X5.5 RING,

THE DIFFERENCE WHEN ITS DONE.

*ispeed77* · 03-26-2007

that's cool !

dropdfocus · 03-26-2007

I'd like to see that thing in person! That bike is very sweet & you live in PA too.

03-10-2007	#1 (permalink)
rstnick Can't find time to ride BTK Expert Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 594	1978 Kz650c My ride will be 30 years old this year! I bought her in 1984. She came with a Yosh 4 into one with no baffle. Very loud! I painted the wheels yellow, removed the rear fender, put on pod filters, Dyna Ign., Cir Cycle coils and wires, Cir Cycle clutch. Pipes painted Silver: A few years later; Bike painted Candy Apple Blue with Gold stripe, engine re bored one size over, 3angle valve job, mild porting, disks drilled and braided steel lines with Dot 5, quiet Kerker exhaust added, ATK fork brace, Koni Shocks, Magnum progressive springs, Derale Oil cooler, 1/4 fairing: Some years later with a Cheatah seat: Spring of 2005: End of 2005, now in Cruiser mode: __________________ Vid pics http://www.kz650.info/ Last edited by rstnick : 03-18-2008 at 01:53 PM.

03-10-2007	#2 (permalink)
rstnick Can't find time to ride BTK Expert Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 594	Early 2006; Rickman fairing installed, wheels painted Gold: Spring 2006: Video of her warming up before a ride, January 2007: __________________ Vid pics http://www.kz650.info/

03-11-2007	#3 (permalink)
D-Day Dead man walking BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Northwest Ohio Posts: 1,962	Fine looking KZ. I like it. The wheels aren't too hard to take off, are they? Just a few bolts and such, right? Did you use any cleaner on the wheels to take off grease or grime before paint? What kind of paint; just spray paint? Looking to paint mine as well. __________________ Live fast, die young, and leave a good looking corpse.

03-11-2007	#4 (permalink)
Tod I yam what I yam Extreme Forum Supporter Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 21,991	Nice, I love what you've done with your KZ over the years. She doesn't look a day over 20. __________________ “Saying what we think gives us a wider conversational range than saying what we know.” - Cullen Hightower

03-11-2007	#6 (permalink)
jdpenn Ready2Ride Forum Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Carlisle, PA Posts: 1,430	Wow, that Kaw has 9 lives. Way to keep her going all these years! __________________ JD . 2006 Red Vulcan 900 Classic Latest Pics SCPAVRA

03-11-2007	#5 (permalink)
zedx11 Banned BTK Expert Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 22,566	looks really good. I like the color.

03-11-2007	#7 (permalink)
Tattoomarc T,J&R 4ever Forum Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,363	nice looking rides you have there __________________ *It does not matter the name on the bike... Its the wind in your face that is important!!!!*

03-14-2007	#8 (permalink)
SureClassic "Rode hard put away wet" BTK Expert Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NB Canada Posts: 544	I love this post............... It great to see the transition over the years and the fact you kept it that long it wonderful................. !! __________________ 97 1500 Classic (Black is beautiful)

03-15-2007	#9 (permalink)
ptzpntbll Life is a Ride, Ride Hard BTK Expert Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Manchester NY Posts: 340	nice bike, my friend has a couple of those, a 650 and a 1000 __________________ 98% of Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home ZX9-R

03-15-2007	#10 (permalink)
rstnick Can't find time to ride BTK Expert Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 594	Thanks for the kind words. The Gold wheels were sprayed with DupliColor Gold. I used steel wool to clean and ruff up the wheel then soapy water to clean off. Masked the tires and centre area and sprayed away. Not too difficult to take off the wheels. Just unbolt and remove. The rear has the chain to get around, but with slack on the chain you can slip it off, once the axle and spacers are removed. __________________ Vid pics http://www.kz650.info/ Last edited by rstnick : 03-15-2007 at 04:41 PM.

03-15-2007	#11 (permalink)
PNKFLYD I Ride Nekked!!!!! BTK Expert Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mid Coast Maine Posts: 870	That is a nice ride you got there. I can only hope mine comes out half as nice.. The 1st time around I just did a $30 driveway paint job to get it looking OK for the summer now its apart in my garage just waiting for some dry weather so I can start painting. __________________ 1981 KZ440-D2 LTD Rat BIke 1980 KZ650-E1 LTD Cafe Racer (in style) Chrome: Just say no!!

03-20-2007	#12 (permalink)
dropdfocus Lowridin' Minitrucker BTK Expert Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 1,204	I never get tired of staring at your bike & the progress you've made over a very short time. If the fairing and exhaust ever turns up missing, don't come to my house... __________________ Jason Rymell '80 KZ750 LTD (H1): Cafe Racer / Sport Bike PA Kawi forum rides ROCK!!

03-24-2007	#13 (permalink)
kawasakikid38 Finally Got Into First Gear BTK Beginner Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: ephrata pa Posts: 62	nice lookin kz you have their.

03-24-2007	#14 (permalink)
kawasakikid38 Finally Got Into First Gear BTK Beginner Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: ephrata pa Posts: 62	here is my 1978 kz1000 I've restored and did some mods.

03-26-2007	#15 (permalink)
OmahaRider NO---I ain't dead--yet BTK Intermediate Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 266	Its like a pictoral evolution of the sport bike----very cool. __________________ 2004 ZZR600---traded for an 05 Suzuki Bandit 1200 (4-11-06)

03-26-2007	#16 (permalink)
ispeed77 RIP Deron Harden :-( Extreme Forum Supporter Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gardner, MA Posts: 32,533	great pics and vid Rob, i love what you've done with that bike ! __________________ David - Moderator 2002 Suzuki DRZ400 2003 1500 Meanie, scraping pipes and frame :-) In loving memory of Deron Harden, forever in our thoughts :-(

03-26-2007	#18 (permalink)
kawasakikid38 Finally Got Into First Gear BTK Beginner Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: ephrata pa Posts: 62	thanks guys, here is what i'm doing to the rear tire. from a stock wheel as you see in the pic's to my modified KZ hub that i had done from a 18"x3.00 rim to a 16"x5.5 aluminum rim lased to my hub with a 200 size tire. thats ganna look sweet i hope. HUB BEFORE. AFTER, HUB LASED TO THE 16"X5.5 RING, THE DIFFERENCE WHEN ITS DONE.

03-26-2007	#19 (permalink)
ispeed77 RIP Deron Harden :-( Extreme Forum Supporter Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gardner, MA Posts: 32,533	that's cool ! __________________ David - Moderator 2002 Suzuki DRZ400 2003 1500 Meanie, scraping pipes and frame :-) In loving memory of Deron Harden, forever in our thoughts :-(

03-26-2007	#20 (permalink)
dropdfocus Lowridin' Minitrucker BTK Expert Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 1,204	I'd like to see that thing in person! That bike is very sweet & you live in PA too. __________________ Jason Rymell '80 KZ750 LTD (H1): Cafe Racer / Sport Bike PA Kawi forum rides ROCK!!

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