[Britcheflee]

So, got all my bits and pieces together and took my new old KZ 650 for a run (totally illegally of course :twisted: ) it idles fine and for a bike that has been sitting for 7 years actually ran pretty good. It seems very sluggish though - the clutch is not slipping - if you give it gas it just does not take off with a zip - do you think this is a sign of poorly adjusted carbs, clogged jets or poor timing..........or all the above brakes are not binding either.

Lee

 

[QKENUF4U]

have you been thru the carbs yet ? thats the first place i would start AFTER
checking the AIR FILTER
& putting new plugs in
& making sure the gas is good and the tank is clean
& if there is one that the gas filter is good/replaced. :wink:

 

[ronboskz650sr]

kz650 sluggish

Agreed...When I got mine, it had champion plugs, two of them wrong heat range, air filter clogged...bad battery. The bike ran, but fouled the plugs rapidly...running too rich from dirty air filter, and poor ignition spark...blah,blah blah...I changed those three items (use ngk plugs b7es, not chumpions), and did an oil change, and what a difference...Oh yes, seafoam in the tank since the gas was an unknown, too. Try that first, it's all easy to do, and might get you going until you can clean the carbs (I'm sure they need it after 7 years storage!). Your kz should feel like it won't wait for you if you don't hang on. If it doesn't, keep plugging away at it until it does...One of my favorite parts of riding an old bike (just kidding). It will be worth the trouble if you can't remember how it ran before ( was this your bike in storage, or did you just buy it?) Good luck...God bless! 8)

 

[Hiker]

Hey Lee... That sluggishness could be a build-up of crap laying in float bowls of the carbs clogging the flow of gas thru the jets. The bowls can be easily removed with a stubby phillips screwdriver. The air/fuel mixture and carb sync adjustments don't come into play after 1/4 throttle or more. Those tweeks and adjustments are more for low speed smoothness. Also.. I'm not sure of what year the KZ is but you may still have points under that ignition cover.. My 76'KZ900 had points but my 80' Z1R did not. If you have them they can be your problem also. Check gap and check for pitting....hell..just get some new ones. It's been so long since I've tweeked with points, but I do remember it made all the difference in the world when they where adjusted correctly. Good Luck...

 

[Britcheflee]

Thanks guys!! i kinda thought that this bike should be a 'whoah nellie' kinda ride - it does have the points and in fact I saw a kit on e bay for sale with plugs, points and condensers - the air filter is ok but probably needs to be replaced - Ill try cleaning out the carbs - I put fresh gas in and a little gas line, carb cleaner stuff (not sure if it works or not) - it certainly idles nice but is very sluggish when you open it up and when you go uphill - its already so much better than when I first got it - poor thing had a broken vetter fairing, covered in dust and the previous owner had dome some painting in the garage where it was stored so it had a fine white layer of paint spots on it flat tires, crud all over it- just been polishing away, cleaned up everything, replaced headlamp and turn signals, new cush, totally cleaned chain and adjusted, oiled cables and generally fiddle and fart with it when I get home late at night from work - next project is to replace gaskets in exhaust system (old ones non existent) re-cover seat and decide what to do about painting the tank, side covers and rear 'spoiler' - kinda, sorta thinking of doing this myself....
Lee

 

[kyhick1]

Lee,

Welcome to the forum. We would be interested in seeing the before and after pictures if your new old bike....We resurrected two kawis from neglect. My 750 is running like a scared rabbit after I had a carbs syncd...changed all the fluids, fuel lines (installed inline fuel filter before the carbs to keep them clean)

I paid 800 for the 550 and 1050 for the 750 and only have about $200 in parts and labor...did most ourselves..not much investmentfor two great looking and running bikes.

Heather

 

[Britcheflee]

Yep, got a before picture somewhere....I picked this bike up for $60!
I think I was lucky though as I have subsequently learnt that it is a pretty bullet proof motor and although it looked pretty ugly (the torn up seat really makes it look bad...any experience with seat cover replacements as sold on the internet?) it inherently is a solid bike with no evidence of being dropped or bent - each time I run it, it sounds better and an oil change certainly made a difference - I got an old Moto Guzzi 850T in pretty bad condition and now it looks sweet - if I can get that sorted out - it is interesting to see the difference between Italian and Japanese engineering and design on these two bikes - Italians sure made it complicated - I can do it with this bike.. I am a member of a Guzzi forum as well but promise to have a split personality as I like both bikes for their respective traits and for the fact they have made it this far in one piece - just like the smell, design and general feel of older bikes I guess.....(OK I'm odd...and a chef, so smell for me is an important thing...I can tell you each vehicle I own blindfolded by its smell.......normally a combination of dripping oil, gas, empty wine glasses (hey, Im sophisticated man) and blood from my fingers!!!!!
I also have found that people who freqent these sites are great and super helpful with any questions you may have as well!
Lee

 

[Stuart]

re: internet seat covers, I'm sure even you could do it, I had mine professionally repadded and covered in a different leather and style...but if you buy an internet one I assume you just pull it over tight with a buddy and take an industrial staple gun, just make sure you get it on there straight...get new tires too

 

[ZX-2R]

SeaFoam/RPM's

Using seaFoam as per instructions willl clean ot the fuel system, replace the fuel filter and keep the revs up...H-D and some bikes will run lower rpm's and pull...some Kawasaki's love some revs to run smoothly

 

[Britcheflee]

Sea foam - I have never heard of that - will check it out. Thanks,
Lee

 

[ronboskz650sr]

Seafoam rocks...I got my sr for $895 on ebay. I did the things listed above. Yours may need more. Good point about the revs! The kz650 is no torque heavy cruiser...nevertheless, if you get on the power curve your takeoffs should be strong and smooth. I can roll on throttle from 20mph in 5th gear and stay with traffic in the 40mph zone. I don't usually do it, but it is a good test to see if it's running right. Stay on it, they're good bikes. Ride safe..God bless!

-Ron 8)

 

[Britcheflee]

Got some other good feedback for seafoam - will get some this w/e and give it a go - bike is much improved after cleaning points and getting some other fuel additive through it - just needs to be run a bit more and I am sure it will improve even more - it has a bit more 'go' now which is great - its suprising how all vehicles seem to suffer from not being used on a regular basis!
Lee