Curious:
I have been constructing a modified KZ 900 for the last few years, it's 80% complete.
Anyone else out there attempting the same sort of thing?
What would be good is to pool ideas, cause I often find myself starring at problems for hours, the solution usaully takes alot less time....once I find it.
So this may be a pole of sorts, but if you are in the same situation on any other older bikes of simular vintage, chime in here.
I wish i could share with you whatever knowledge my dad has regarding the kz's. Unfortunately he's back home in the Philippines with the first bike I ever rode, a modified 76 kz 900.
From what I know, he dropped in kz1300 pistons (if i'm not mistaken), re-jetted the mikunis, slapped on dual front vented discs, koni shocks and custom 4 into 2 exhausts.
I'm not sure if he's been able to ride it again since i last went home 2 years ago. He said that he was having some sort of problem with it's timing chain/belt and that he's loving his bmw r1150r (rockster), that he's really not paying much attention to the kz.
Anyways, hopefully you'll be able to completely restore that baby soon! Good luck on your project!
KZ 1300 Pistons, I will look into that..
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Z1 Rider,
I spent way too much time trying to get that photo in, so a quick explination.
The bike has been under construction, since March of 03. Sometime in 03, I was deployed to a very nice place called Baghdad. So the project was put on hold. Now I am trying to get the final stuff done.
The KZ 1300 piston thing, I am going to look into that. Open the attached image, they say a picture says a thousand words, but the real work is covered by the tank and seat, as we spent a great deal of time tig weldind gussets in everywhere we could.
Hopefully next summer, the bike will get a shakedown cruise on a track day.
Thanks for your interest.
Cant wait to see this thing in action!!!!!!!!!
Nice work on the kz. is that a zrx1200 swing arm? renthal fatties and os clamps, sweet rig. see if you could get a 636 triple crown and fork and do the front end conversion (radial brakes and adjustable boingers are always good).
try snooping around z1000.net too. thay might have a bunch of ideas for you too!
good luck with your baby kz!
just noticed the text on the pics. zrx1100 swingarms, my guess was close enough. gixxer front end, sweet set up.
i wonder if you could mess around with it's jetting to squeeze out a bit more off of that motor. nitrous?
anyways, good luck again and keep us posted.
Hey Good eye,
Interesting the ideas...you would be suprised at how hard it is to find a set of Inverted forks. You need 31 1/2 inchlong forks to give you enough ground clearance. You would be suprised at how many modified KZ's are out there, with short forks.
I went round and round, finally decided on the Gixxer 1100 forks, they are long enough. Imagine being at 90 percent braking with the front end almost bottomed and leaned over hard in a turn, pipe will almost drag, then the cases.
Anyway the point is it's a whole bunch harder than it looks. After I get the bike running dependable like, then it will be nitrous etc.
Thanks for the compliments!!!
keep up th good work cobra!
Dedication dedication,
There I am all Sunday afternoon, sorting out the wiring on a Honda 90 owned by a freind of mine. He offered to machine the new KZ rear rotor, in exchange for me fixing the wiring on his Honda 90. Ahh that sounds easy right??
Ohh boy. Yes some electrical "Surgeon" had already done some transplant procedures involving the switching of the blue wires for the..ahh ahh oh yes here is some green wire...oh and the grey wire...ahhh blue will work. If wiring could be scrambled, and recolored, and then melted against the rectifier, and oh yes, there is a aftermarket turn signal system installed. Frankenstein, Maaakee me nooorrrmalll!!
Eeeeek.......I hope the rear rotor, takes him a very long time to modify for me.
I plan on mounting a CRF 450 Caliper, so the ZRX rotor, needs to be smaller Diameter, and thinner. Yeaaaaahhhyy light weight rear brake. The CRF master cylinder just looks like if I polish it, you know like fine jewelry, mounted to the frame near the rearsets.
I plan on mounting a CRF 450 Caliper, so the ZRX rotor, needs to be smaller Diameter, and thinner. Yeaaaaahhhyy light weight rear brake. The CRF master cylinder just looks like if I polish it, you know like fine jewelry, mounted to the frame near the rearsets.
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Bling Bling 8)
This bike is way cool, I think I like building bikes (one-offs) as much as riding em' this looks like a fun project...but all kawasakis should be green and mean
ok ..so I'm staring at the picture to try to figure out if its green or red (I have this color blind thing) and I see the kick starter !! I forgot about that kinda stuff, I can't imagine kick starting that monster....awesome !
I'ts a Pearl orange. Orange, until the sun hits it, then you can see just a lttlt pearl.
I had an Eddie Lawson replica, they do't get any Greener than that. I like the green, but wnted a more 'modest" color. The green is funny, I repainted the lawson replica, oredered the green paint from Kawasaki, the color is harder to replicate than you might think.
Anyway it was so nice, but people either love that green or hate it. I remember showing it off to some youg lady, who promptly responded with "you made it that color on purpose?".
Unfortunately the kick starter will be removed, as it smacks the rearsets. Yea, there are hundreds of little thing you would never think of just like that problem.
Kick started just adds that old school look and feel, I like anybike that doesn't fit the norm. Maybe a black racing stripe just off center from front to rear? But it's very sweet the way it is. Plus screw what people think it's what you think that matters.
and since the orange was in the kawi line up in 03? why not
Ahh yes got the Rotor Machined to fit the CR 450 Caliper this weekend..1 more thing done many to go.
hey cobra, anymore updates on the kz? pics would be greatly appreciated too.
Well.
I've been re wiring my buddies Honda 90.....eeee gaaad. anyway turned into a can of worms, another week it should be done. My buddy he is a tool and die guy has his own little machine shop. We are gonna build a set of shock mounts for the swingarm.
Put a chain on and its rolling stock.
Then tear down to paint the frame. Slow process. I'll crank up a couple mre photos this week.
Thanks for the interest, it helps motovate me, you know you stare at it all the time it don't seem too special. All the good comments put it back in to perspective.
Any paint guru's out there, i would like to put stripe on it, just like the Ducati Monster, you know off center, the shelby stripe.
AHhh
Took it all apart yesterday and today, time to paint the frame.
Powder coating?? is there a reasonable (priced) source for that around Reno? How well will the coating hold up to the header heat baking the frame rail?
Oh yea, the Honda 90 is turning into a Bonneville Salt flats project...
Ok it's Saturday night,
Thought I would post a photo or two..
The frame has been modified. First I ordered a gusset kit from Kosman, had it tig welded in by a good freind of mine. Then Powder coated it silver/grey.
After that was complete, we decided on a ZRX swing arm because they look like the S1 of the 80's Eddie Lawson super bike era. I actually owned an Eddie Lawson Replica, which was heavily modified. 160 Horsepower, yea that was a wild ride. It was pretty mild til you hit 6000 RPM, then "WHAM". :o
So the swing arm we figured was really stiff. This would put more stress on the tailsection, so round two, we boxed int the shock mounting area, and added a few more gussets.
Of course welding in the bushings to fit the swingarm, and the new Gussets toasted the powder coating.
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Bored yet??
Ok here is a better veiw of the rear tail section of the frame, which we fabricated the gusseting for. I am in the process of smoothing all the welds, so the finished frame will look real nice.
Most of you probably don't remember what a stock KZ frame looks like. We trimmed all the fat off, brackets, foot rest's for passenger, all kinds of excess crap, lost about 12 pounds doing that.
The gusseting must weigh close to the same, so we got a real nice frame, that weighs the same as a stock one, but a whole bunch stiffer.
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Ok here is one of the engine,
When I got the bike it was really scaled over from moisture, so I just started cleaning it up, then my buddy says...you'll never get that thing clean....
I am a Patternmaker, or was, in Washington. It is very hard to leave your work; you think about it all the time, one big jigsaw puzzle. So to forget about work, I would just go out into the garage and start polishing with a number of tools. Most of it was done with a die grinder and an assortment of buffing wheels. Dirty Dirty job. My buddy has a Baldor industrial Buffer, we used on the cases, the rest was very time consuming.
Anyway he lost that bet. It looks much better when it is clean, I just pulled it out of the frame today so it's all smudgy.
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The bike has been under constrsution for a long time. I started it, then was deployed for 18 months. Got back home to Washington State after some fun in a very big city in a very hot place.
When was time to align the front to the rear, which was done with a strange looking jig built on a weekend. I got real fussy about it.
Troy Knapp who raced GSXR's supplied me with all kinds of donor stuff to figure out what would work best on the forks. Troy thought I was taking the alignment too seriously, so he grabs a marks alot while I'm busy and writes "ass Crack over centerline of rear wheel" on the frame. Funny guy.
Anyway, a year later I moved to Reno. So the bike project was on hold again while I sorted out all the moving issues.
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i cant wait to see this thing. You will be a proud PAPA when its done....
keep up the good work cobra!
Ok gearheads...Motorheads.......body and fender artists.....
Got small problem with the KZ... The sanblaster at work is about 12 inches too short to do the frame. I powder coated it a few years ago, then of course decided to do some more orthopedic surgury on it. Powder coating is real hard to sand off.
Soooo...any body out there available to sandblast the frame for a reasonable price??
I know where there are a couple.. How long does the cabinet need to be?
The frame is 54 inches long X 29 inches tall.
We are going to do a little work on it this weekend, well Friday, in Reno. that would be a great time to take it somewhere.
Thanks.
Sorry Ted Ive been out of town working...
All good,
hey your working, that is good!!
Last Friday we brazed the steering stop on the neck, and another plate on the lower frame, for chain clearance. Now I am going over all the frame welds one more time with a round file, smoothing them all in fillets.....ohhh it's beautiful..............ahhhh ohhhhh...feeling for that perfectly smooth weld..ahhh...oops ok I'm back now...i r engineer, strange things arouse me. :o
I could get it to a sandblaster this friday. This weekend I will post m a couple more photos. I am still thinking about powder coat vs. paint, so if you know a good powder coating service, i could use a tip on that.
Building the steering stop, and clearancing for the 630 chain, on an 1/8 inch offset sprocket took about 6 hours on Friday. Everything takes longer than you think it will.
Especiallu smoothing all those welds oohhhhh yeaaaaaaahhhh..oops.
The bike sounds awesome!
Jerome had some powder coating done on his ZX9 that looked pretty good so I'd drop him an e-mail and see where he got his done.
Well attempted to take digital photos....
Mrs. took the card out of camera, so no photos right now.
It's all set soon as I find a sandblaster, and/ or powder coat people, arent they the purple ones? I think it will be basic blak, you know traditional.
Ok so i had to borrow the camera from work...
This is a photo of the steering stop and atabilizer mounting set-up we brazed on a couple weeks ago. Ed G. a bicycle frame builder did the work for me he is a dam genious, and artist at that. The brass fillets are so cool looking I don't want to paint them, but will have to.
Today is sanblast day.
Thanks for looking!!
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Dropped the Frame off at Advanced Powder Coating and sandblasting, Friday.
First I was just going to have it blasted so i could do the trusty rattlecan paint job.
They showed me a part which was powdercoated a dull silver, then clear coated. Thats 2 coats one base, then 1 clear. Ohhhh it was beautiful. So I took the plunge and in two weeks we will have another photo. The color is simular to bare metal, but shiny without looking "Pimped".
All the welds have been ground to a fillet, and polished, lots of extra gusseting. The engine will remain pretty stock, it does have a big bore (998 cc) kit in it already. Next up I will have my buddy in Washington polish the ZRX swingarm.
Would have started that today, but the dreaded Honda 90 still has scrambled wiring to deal with. Put that thing all back together, I am sure the wiring is right, and still no improvement. GRRRRRRRRRR. :-\
Here is a photo of the seat under construction.
You would think you could just run the pan down to a shop and have it recovered. Not so fast .....We did not like the "Hugeness" of the stock seat, so I cut an inch out of the pan all the way aroound, except for the area right behind the tank.
The idea being it would expose some of the frame work.
Then had it "Foamed" and drew lines out where it was kinking, so the seat guy could cut the foam where it was needed. Then make a cover for it.
Every little thing takes longer than you think it will.
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Well People in Washington who haved helped a great deal, like to see the progress, so a couple months ago i took this photo.
You see I hung around with folks what are fitness nuts. I may have been one myself at one time not long ago, so ignore the pillow stuffed into the sweatshirt. They make fun of me cause I dont stay in shape much anymore. Naturally I try to over illustrate my condition. Reno I tell them is a littel more laid back than the mountains of Eastern Washington.
This is another view of the bike though, a good one I think.
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OK well the day came to start it a couple months ago Nervous, I was, but everything worked fine.
All the work paid off. It was time to take it apart once more to braze the steering stop on, and get it powdercoated, or painted. The order of posting is a bit mixed up now, but there are more photo's to look at if your interested.
Most people just look at it and go, yea another KZ. He... ;) he thing is there is a whole bunch of engineering there you gotta look to find. Exactly what we were trying to do. ;D
Now the frame is at the powder coating place. And once again the shelves are full of KZ Parts. Eeeekkk. I gotta put it all together one more time.
oops forgot to attach the photo....
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The stoey of the Orange Paint.
Good friend of mine in Washington "stoppee" on PNWrider forum. He pimped out his 929. We had it stripped down to nuts and bolts. Polished everything. This bike was racing in the WMRRA series, then he turned it back into a street bike. Hundreds of hours in the project.
So we take it out he first day it is finished. Stoppee he naturally wants to see how it looks while he is riding but that is difficiult. He askes me to switch bikes, he is now on my old CBR, and I am on his 929.
Now I have ridden many other bikes which belonged to Stoppee, and never had a single mishap...till that day. Went to put my foot down at a stop,and happend to put it right in a hole next to the street. Down goes the bike. I was at a standstill and feeling extremely bad. The only damage was a 4 inch hole in the bottom of the fairing.
He ebayed another part, and I had it painted, with all the KZ parts, so there you go, the orange is all about guilt.
ahhh forgot to attach photo again...I need to lay off the Scotch!
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Might as well show you Stoppee's other bike. Think he has brain damage, all his stuff is orange.
This one is an 07 CBR 1000. Same deal polished, stripped own to nuts and bolts, then all put back together again.
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must have some sort of citrus fetish?
Good story on the color, it adds up sort of now. To each his own but I can't see ever owning anything but green or black on a kawi. Then again, a lot of non bike people HATE the green. cest la vie.
What have you got put into the project? Sounds like a lot of time and usually the costs add up really fast or is that just when I do something? :D
Time,
18 months away from home right in the middle of the project really slowed things down.
Well thats a tough one. It's all theropy of sorts for me. If I had to build a second one I would know exactly what fits, that experimentation takes a whole bunch of time. For example; the forks on it are the second set, because the first set was too short. All that trial and error. I bet I could build a second one in a couple months if all the parts were available, and I worked on it 40 hours weekly.
We spent a few hours just cutting all the extra crap off the frame.
Welding, brazing the gusseting I think about 15 hours, grinding and filleting the welds about 20.
Starring at it....about 20 hours. (trying to figure stuff out.) But you just do that when you feel like going out to the garage and "chillin". Then I got it all done, powder coated it and added more. So almost double those hours (the first round of improvements). It's now at powder coat for the second time.
6 or so hours just doing the fixture to get the swingarm bushings welded in. Lots of help there (the Wizard).
Polishing the motor..no way to know.
All the other stuff...no way to know, the front end, steering stem, the header the rearsets, the rear brake set-up., figuring out what bars (pro Taper) to put on, and how to mount them.
Several hours looking at different stuff to see if it would fit. We took "Stoppees" ZRX 1100 apart to see if the zrx swingarm would fit before I looked to buy one.
There was the fixture built to figure out what size the spacer on the oppisite side of the rear sprocket was needed in order to have the front and rear wheels in perfect alignment.
I bet I have about 400 hours so far. But it's mostly easy stuff, enjoyable time with other bike nuts debating what would fit and what would not.
Dollars..about 4500 so far. I promised my wife, it would only cost 1200 he ;) he ::) he. :o She calls it the "Defense Project" takes wayyyy too long and runs wayyy overbudget.
Added expenses like 1 Ice Cold Beer per hour of starring at the frame. Lots and lots of beer. On really tough decisions, I would employ the secret weapon........ expensive Scotch.
Friday, tomorrow we pick up the frame from powdercoating.
This time I am trying a different approach to installing the engine into the frame. Usaully in the past I have just bribed a gullable freind into blowing out a disk, lifting the motor horizontal like, and slipping it into the frame. After much hefting, and of course the scratching of the new frame paint.
This time the motor is mounted vertically on a dirt bike stand, then lower the frame over the engine, and bolt it up.
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The horizontal engine installation worked perfectly, no scratches.
I found a picture of the stock KZ frame on line, for comparison.
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Engine in Frame.....
Advanced Powdercoating did and outstanding job!!!! ;D
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:D here is a photo of the engine mounted vertically on the dirt bike stand, with the frame dropping over it.
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awesome updates!
Thank you,
As long as there is a little interest, I'll keep posting. :P
I cant wait to see the end result..
Swingarm work this weekend..
Need to move right side shock mount .375"..
Then remove all the extra bracketing, and sand it smooth, so the aluminum can then be polished to a mirror finish.
Getting sooo close.. a long weekend would have it running. Yeaaaahhhyy the little honda 90 from hell is fixed. No more spaghetti farm house wiring. (no insult meant Alberto)
Have you ever ridden one? 43 mph seems like a 'Buck Fifty". The littel fella gets all kinda twitchy at it's blurry top speed of 43. :o
Ordered a new wiring harness from Z-1 enterprises.
Moe Money .......
Oh well.
Thanks for the compliments, a guy can get burned out on a project like this!!!
Ohh Ahhh, Wiring harness all the way from Japan via Z-1 Enterprises...
Oh no Honda 90 flashbacks........
I'm a Doctor Jim !! not a brain surgeon..so many nerves, all those colors.....
Nothing a shot of Scotch won't fix. :P
Ahh the wiring harness..
Looks so cool I had to photograph it...ir engineer..
wierd things amuse us..
This was purchased from Z-1 Enterprises, a great place to find anything vintage. The prices are not low ball, but their stuff is always super good quality.
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In an effort to reduce weight, a guy by the name of Taber, who rides the Baja 1000, suggested using a dirtbike rear brake.
The rear rotor has been machined down to the thickness and diameter of the CR450R, to fit the Caliper from the CR(F?) 450, you know the bikes in Supercross.
The stuff looks like jewelry. Weighs about 1/3 what a typical streetbike rear brake weighs.
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hey ted whats up.
Ok fellas..
Sometimes I think I am "blogging to myself", then I look at the number of views (lots) so this must be interesting to a few of you. Thank you for the interest, it really helps.
This weekend while you was all hav'n the fun, and I was sneaking up to the track on the Honda 90...during the Easter Family weekend....at great risk to life and limb...Mrs. Cobra23, and daughter Cobra23 were not happy when I suggested a track day instead of Easter Sunday with the family. By the way the top speed of a Honda 90 on ALt 95 running late for dinner is 53MPH...just a note. ;D
I had to get the steering stop squared away, used a little Milling machine to machine a chunk of urethane to make a "soft stop". it really did not have anything to do with the fact that I miscalculated the lock to lock travel, and had to do something to shorten it...really nothing to do with that. ::)
I put the forks back on for the very last time, it's actually getting assembled..Wooo-hooo. Steve helped me find/order longer front brake lines (2wcp), thanks Steve!! Hopefully they will show up about the time that Bikini wash is going on.
Ok so thanks for motovating me by looking at this stuff.
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Interesting ...
After I build all the stuff my wife wants......do the grocery shopping, clean the house, etc. etc.
run to Costco on Saturday mornings....
Do a track day now and then...
I was up until 4 am last friday night doing the steering stop gizmo.. (she was sleeping). ;D
She is really a good woman, she finances the whole thing.
The tools I have been collecting for 25 years. I was employed as a Patternmaker at a Foundry in Washington, we had lots of bridgeports welders and cool stuff. Lots of very talented friends. ANNDD they is all much smartr thin meee!!
Now I works for a company that makes Machine guns, more machines, more friends that are even more smarter than me.
;D ahh yea!! of course, lets see started this bike in 2003, so should have the RC 30 in about 2014.
Going to work on the rear swingarm Friday, shock mount. More machining with Ed, who has the best fresh roasted Coffee in Nevada.
You keep showin me the "line" at Fernley, and I will have no choice but to help you build that RC 30 :)
Thanks for the help on the track, I am now much more relaxed, a little faster, and having alot more fun!!
My camera battery is dead, soon as it's charged I'll post what we did today on the RC 30, ah oh yea I mean the KZ.
Had many a nights whilestt tryin to sleep thinkin about how I would get the dirt bike caliper and carrier mated to the ZRX swingarm and axle, well it finally turned from pipe dream to "metal".
I had centered the front wheel to the rear wheel via a nasty looking jig I built one weekend. Evidence/witnesses of that jig have since been destroyed and silenced so as not to place doubt on my professional abilities. Lets just say it worked. There may have been some wood and Bondo involved though, I are after all "Patternmaker".
So the spacer width was cyphered from that jig. Then I had to center the Caliper on the rotor. The Rotor was machined to CR 450 dimensions, by Ed the toolmaker. Today Ed let me machine the 2 piece flange/bushing on his lathe...ahhh yes making chips again!! I miss that.
So to kinda prove the point that every litttle thing has to be reengineered, thought I would post up a couple photos here on the e-mail machine for your entertainment, and/ or ridicule :P
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Remeber there was only a little wood and bondo involved..it was mostly "steel" the jig that is.
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That jig with no bondo or wood involved, yea thats right...well ok a little bondo and wood...mostly steel, yea thats right precision gound steel..yea the shiny stuff..yea no wood or bondo...no no..yea it was real pretty too you know all shiny and precise lookin with no wood or bondo in it ....... ;D It got the two wheels lined up within .005" Dawggee!!
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This weekend the new front brake lines go on, oredered them from Steve at 2wcp.
you know the way it's going I may just be on the track this summer for a "shakedown".....the old KZ.......yea!!
would love to see the KZ out there.
I really .... really wanted a bike lift, but the cost for a good one is prohibitive.
For about 50 bucks I built one today. It is stationary, just a table of sorts. but I put the bike ramp on the back, like you would when loading, and just roll the bike up on to the table.
Really handy. thought this may give others an idea.
;)
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Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh I put the front wheel on last night for the LAST time!!!
I know that sounds trivial, but when you 've had like three different wheels on and three different sets of forks, and you finally put the front end together for the last time, it's a really big deal.
WOOOO HOOOO!!
Ever seen the Movie Gran Torino??
I feel like Clint Eastwood. I am proudly showing my Daughter this "thread", and all she has to say is ..hey!!..did you tell them I ge the KZ when you DIE??
Matter if fact I have been told I may be alot like the character Clint Eastwood plays in the Movie. ;D
Quote from: cobra23 on May 19, 2009, 10:52:39 PM
Ever seen the Movie Gran Torino??
I feel like Clint Eastwood. I am proudly showing my Daughter this "thread", and all she has to say is ..hey!!..did you tell them I ge the KZ when you DIE??
Matter if fact I have been told I may be alot like the character Clint Eastwood plays in the Movie. ;D
Well make sure your daughter gets the bike and not the kid next door! ;D :D
Unicycle now with Brakes and cool brake lines.
And the neighbor kid needs to start mowing the dam lawn over there before he is even in the running!!
Steve at 2wcp took some wire I had cut to length amd some very crude redneck type specifications, turned them into custom lines that are exactly what I wanted.
Thanks Steve.
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Ok lets see improvements / progress for this week.....well..ahhh
Ok I laid down 50 dollars for my share of a 200 dollar bottle of Scotch. Scotch I realize is not a direct improvement it is however a method of relaxing, meditating, focusing...ah yes.
We sit in chairs in front of my buddie Eds shop, we sip the scotch and discuss things like a Honda 90 for Bonneville, and how we can improve the KZ...then presstoe!!!
Magic happens.
Beside this weekend its off to Miller for the WSB, Thursday through Monday, see you all there.
Ahhh... nothing like taking a sip and figuring out how to spend more money on our bikes... ;)
Have fun at Miller and takes lots of pics...
Hey thanks Dino..
Miller was fabulous, i mean perfect, i mean ....dam check out this photo, Zemke invited me into his pit and actually taked to me, he said he wanted to ride at Fernley, he knew about it, thought he said Migel knew about it....
I MEAN DAAAAMMMM !!
I was so choked up I could hardly make a sentance!!!
How do you top that?
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woah! SCHWEEET! That would be way cool to go to RFR and see some of these guys ride it. I can only imagine what they would look like going into turn 1 *fantasy*
This weekend:
built a new front motor mount, yea busted the old one being stupid. Snap on Impact wrench+ 1 beer= Waaaaaay tooo much torque.
I got the front brakes all set up, and bled them. Boy did that take a while. Totally dry system, about 4-6 hours of patiently pulling fluid through the lines. But the brakes feel great.
Next ceramic coating for the header.
Ignition, Carbs.....TRACK time!!
Hey!!! Hey hey!!
I cant up load photo's anymore?
How do i fix that?
Ok third try..
no more photo's for me, I dunno how to fix that. I have been posting the progree on the KZ rider forum, so if your interested......
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097
This weeekend I finishe dputting the clutch together, Braided stainless oil lines, and a couple brackets to hold the lines in the perfect place.
Thanks for checking it out.
Ted
Oh yes By the way...
If you find yourself reading the whole bolg deelee, disregard any photos, ellegied facts or warped rumors about me crashing the scooter at Seattle (Pacific Raceway) and/or Spokane (Spokane raceway park).
These hiddious rumors are the work of two friends of mine in Wahington, who both have frequented the sight. ;D
The story may or may not be true, I will never admit to either.
More progress has been made.
The Header is on it's way back from Performance Caotings in Seattle they ceramic coated it for me. 200 bucks.
Swingarm, i thought it was done, need to make another shock mount bracket.
take a look...
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097
I really hit "the wall" this weekend.
I had to cover the bike, and just take some time away from it.
It is so dam close, Carbs. shock mounts, and a battery will basically get it on the track. Spent 400 buck son it in June.
July will be a dry month, as the "Budget Office" is "concerned" about over expenditures.
Yea.. so today I put a swamp cooler in the dog House, Huskies are not good at handling the heat. Yep covered it up ... yup hit the wall there. Yup.
Ok recovering now....
If you are reading this and have a stretch of 630 O-ring chain....
I need a Mock up chain, could be all worn out. I just need to check chain clearance before I buy. The O ring is what I want, but if it does not clear everything, I will go with a non o ring.
Had thia all sorted out a couple years ago. Now I am double thinking again.
http://www.goobike.com/cgi-bin/search/spread.cgi?8502005B30090411002+
Here you have a great internet sight from Japan, the ebay of Japan. Goobike.
Take a look at this example of old school custome KZ. Notice that at first glance the bike looks stock, but looking close reveals a complete custom package. This is what I am shooting for.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097
Ok so I spent the weekend building the plate that now holds the CR 450 Brake caliper in the correct position. Check it out.
I think it is beautiful. However I cannot believe how difficult it was to get that little dirt bike brake on the rear end. Machined the rotor, machined new bushings, then fabricate the plate. put on, check fit, take off mill out another section, put on check fit..etc.etc. Now the line needs to be run to the master cylinder,and it will be complete (the brake that is).
Thanks for looking. Hoping you all had a great time on the swim ride today. ;D
http://www.goobike.com/bike/stock_8501762B30090221005/
Ohhh ahhhhh........check this one out.
You have to be nuts not to appreciate the craftsmanship. This is why I am building the KZ.
I thought briefly when I started the project about building a Panhead Harley. Well how many custom Harleys do you see out there.....hmmmmmmm.
Quote from: cobra23 on July 22, 2009, 08:55:47 PM
http://www.goobike.com/bike/stock_8501762B30090221005/
I use to moderate that message board. . .
good times.
Hey Tino,
Is it realistic to buy from that site what with customs/ overseas shipping and all that?
I got a set of carb kits Monday, this weekend rebuilding Le Mixers'.
The KZR forum is turning into some rake and trail discussions, soon as I have a new photo there I will repost the link, unless you are interested in frame geometry.
Actually there are many folks setting up the old KZ's, and they dont always think about what the short forks do to steering geometry.
I admire people who can dive into a project and get it done quick, but you really need to think things out to make the end product better than the beggining product.
AHHHHH Rebuilding carburators............lots of little parts!!!!
I feel like McCoy working on Spocks Brain (ok young guys won't get that) aHHahhhHA!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097
Well the Giant Hat oh wisdom held out till the end..the operation was a success Bones it is.....
Hey Allan by the way I am picking up a track bike in two weeks..(older R-6)...wooo hooooooo!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=220#310997
Carbs are done...el duuno, le finito........ ;)
Quote from: scotinexcile on August 03, 2009, 09:44:24 AM
Quote from: cobra23 on August 02, 2009, 09:25:41 PM
Well the Giant Hat oh wisdom held out till the end..the operation was a success Bones it is.....
Hey Allan by the way I am picking up a track bike in two weeks..(older R-6)...wooo hooooooo!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=220#310997
Carbs are done...el duuno, le finito........ ;)
I am an avid Trekie, I have seen the new movie 3 times now and hear/see something new every time I watch it. They did a great job res erecting a dead series
Good job on the track bike, now you wont have any excuses left *LMAO*
Trekie!!! Did not see that.. I knew there was something with the accent.. j/k ;) I saw the new movie twice :P
Cobra... Congrats on the new trackbike!!! Hope to see it soon..
I can't wait.....
If I could still attach Photos........(Hmmmmmm my folder iis full) I would post a photo.
I will be out there soon, just getting my ass kicked by the fast guys with no excuse...Ohhh I cant wait!!!!
I think the link to KZ riders is working. I thought I would try the phot bucket dealee.
This should be a scanned photo of what the bike looked like when i got it in April of 2003. (http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af83/tk11b40/April03.jpg)
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=240
I got the carbs on and the throttle cables hooked up so now I have a little more realism..you know what with Isle of Man going on I like to hear the throttle slides opening and closing, while I sit on the bike making the motor noises, pretending I am on the Isle.....
Ok well .... so we make a discovery combining the ballistic people with the restoration people. I bought a brass tumbler at Sportsmans Warehouse, for about 70 bucks, then some abrasive media, about 15 bucks.
Fill the bowl (the tumbler bowl) with media, toss those nasty looking fasteners and small parts in, turn it on, wait twenty four hours, and the parts look like new again.
Hit the link to see the fuel petcock before tumbling, then after tumbling....interesting.
Would work well on a new bike too.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=240#313810
Resetting the rear shock mounts Ed fabricated for me. The ZRX 1100 shock mounts have a different spacing, so we reproduced two new aluminum shock mounts (brackets), now i am squarring them up, re-positioning them on the swing arm.
They will get tig welded in place once I clamp and pin them, so the welder dude does not worry about them moving while he is tiggn away.
Thanks for checkin out the work!!!
Wow 3000 veiws... :o
That is pretty cool.
Thanks all...
Ted
Back from vacation..... a week of modifying the old green truck in the wizards shop. big work but now Mrs. Cobra 23 has power steering. ;D
Did not get the flatbed done, the power steering prooved to be very interesting.
Struck out on the track bike.... I will be looking for another one this winter when you are all deperate to sell.... :D
We made three cardboard templates, then finally bent the aluminum sheet. Pure old school teknologiee baby.... right down to the fuel line over the sharp edges of the sheet.
Check out the photo's...
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=280#319804
Well....
The swingarm is now getting welded, it's like a second tier favor. But this is what makes the project fun right?
Mrs. Cobra 23 has taken advantage of the "lull" crated by wiaitng on the swingarm, we now have a 12 ft. X 12ft. deck started on the back yard.
Rest who needs rest...the only easy day was "yesterday".....
23 ...out.
You know I keep thinking aint nobody interested in this thing this labor of love, but then I log in and watch the counter, (3 thousand views) it makes me feeel alll warm inside.
Thanks to ya all. And by the way, I was at the track Saturday, on the Duc had a great time. Jerome the heel foot positioning was a bit different for me for a bit, but it does make a big differance. I felt much more stable.
Ok so.. I post the link cause i think I am barred from ore photo's by the IT police...but it seems to be working.
Check out the swingarm welded new mounts for the shocks. Ignition, and chain.....then it is off to the track!!!!!!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=280#324864
Well I got the swingarm mounted up for the last time. New picture....probably looks like many other new pictures.....
Remember the "final assembly". I dunno I bet I have put the swing arm on and off about 50 times trying to get different things lined up, but the shock mounts were the final adjustment to make to the swing arm.
Thanks to those of you who are watching the build, it really is cool to see how many views there are, and they keep on climbing.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=300
My good friend Ed is back from the Vermont bicycle vacation, the deck in the back yard is almost completed. Mrs. Cobra 23 will soon release me from the labor camp. .....
Friday heading over to Ed's to sip expensive Scotch and clearance the Countersprocket cover for the chain offset.
Then discuss the Bonneville 90 project, you know the one I can't get any interest in ... except for Al who insists I should avoid Irish Girls..... something bout the sizes of .......
Quote from: cobra23 on September 30, 2009, 10:05:35 PM
You know I keep thinking aint nobody interested in this thing this labor of love, but then I log in and watch the counter, (3 thousand views) it makes me feeel alll warm inside.
relax it is a labor of love and I cant wait ti see it in person ;D
I went to see my good friend Ed today. We had the big plans of the machining of the countershaft cover to match the offset sproket, you know we were gonna do a little work on the Bonneville 90 too. Planning and brainstormng etc. etc.
Well Ed had some 12 year old scotch, and ahh well we did a whole bunch of brainstorming, and the scotch was good too. After sipping the scotch the machining did not seem so important.
Ahh another relaxing creative day of not machining.
That was some very good scotch.
Good news!!
The deck in the back yard is complete!!
Mrs. Cobra23 has released me from the Deck duty!! ;D
So last Friday..
I ran over to Eds house. We is gettin smarter about the process...
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=320#331403
If you do some machining first.....
THEN...drink the scotch......
You DO get more work done..
LOL ::)
Well....
Changed jobs, this will somewhat interrupt the project. Soon I will be in the Foundry, working in Washington, commuting to Ferntucky.
If you are a Quality Manager looking for a job.....I know of a vacancy here in the Reno area...
LOL!!!!! :D
>:( A CHAIN...
all I need is a chain, and to be home long enough to put it on and start the bike, but I am sitting here in Washington State.
New Job is great though. Any club activities around 23-28 Dec, I'll be home then.
Quote from: cobra23 on December 11, 2009, 10:15:35 AM
Any club activities around 23-28 Dec, I'll be home then.
None that i know of. i'll keep you posted
YEaahhhhYY...
Came home for Christmas with the grandson there, and all that happy family stuff. Managed to rebuild the petcock.
At this rate I will be done in the year 2020.
Dam.
Home in January, dead battery in Ducati.
Too many household chores to get done to work on the bike.
What is the best dry cell battery out there for the Ducati, I will use the same batt. for the KZ.
SPL are you there....I have heard the odyssey is good. (dont think I spelt that right)
OK,
Where can I get an Odessy dry cell (or Gel Cell) battery?
I need one for the Ducati, and another for the KZ, preferably the two are same size, so I would be ordering two Ducati Monster batteries.
OK what is the El ninio thing...
I spend 3 weeks in the Washington wet dreary weather, looking foward to coming home to Ferntucky and sunshine. So I flew home last weekend......and there is friggn 8 inches of snow in my yard....
I want to complian to the management...
Basically did nothing but clean the garage and watch TV. World Superbike first televised race of the season is on Speed this Sunday 28 Feb. at noon (shamefully I am turning into a telivision expert).
I'll be in the Washington apartment...watching it whilest the mist and rain be coming down outside. Hope you all have the nice weather in Reno.
5000 views...amazing.
Thanks.
Bike is still sitting in Ferntucky garage, waiting for a chain, and some lighting. Perhaps a month or so.
Working away from home is a bit of a bummer for progress.
Well here's another to add to your collection......read the whole thing.... Thought that I kept secrets well 'cause if you mentioned this project before I surely missed it. Anyway GREAT JOB Sgt. keep it up you'll get it done. Keep the faith Bro. Oh yeah when yer done wanna help me w/ mine? 75 Z1 900 ......Have single malt can bench brace...... ;D ;D ;D flagger out
Oh yea..
I work for single Malt.
I got a whole bunch of odds and ends you could probably get started with some of the stuff.
Take care RC!!
Going home this weekend, gonna get the dam chain.
All last year I was hoping to get it to an SSA trackday, now hoping for 2010.
Bummer. Maybe I will bring it to a trackday just to show it.
AHhhhhhhHhhh...
16,000 mile Ducati service 900 Dollars WHAT!!! wait... American dollars??
Desmodronic cheaper than crack twice as addictive.
Thats 900 I could have spent on the KZ.
RC Flagger..I will be home 1st week of June...you going to WSB?
Well after a weekend at Miller WSB, I got a few days at home. Got the seat finally bolted on, the petcock installed, and checked the chain to inside frame rail clearance.
Next rip home it will be blasting down the street...woo hoo!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=340
Dang man I was there. I missed you. How's that Duc, still sound awesome?
You gotta be kidding me Alberto.
Next year I will get your cell number and we will hook up. I was on momentum mountain, the evenings we drank the cocktails, the mornings the coffee.
The duck still sounds awesome, I had to take it to Bellevue for service and an ECU tune as Jay had it tuned for 4000ft elevation at Reno. Jay is one good tech.
I am planning on a track day this summer at Seattle and/or Spokane. (you Interested???) Mike Sullivan has a school there as he is the "old Timer" here in Washington; raced with Spencer and Lawson in the 80's, Formula Extreme Champion about 1999 I believe. Mike is a real nice guy.
I will probably be back in Reno working eventually, we still live in Ferntucky...Karen does not want to move. I Miss the SSA group, very good people.
More better planning next year. I'll see you at bike night soon.
Yeah Ted. We miss you too.
Woooo Hooo...
Thanks to the miracle of shipping....Mrs. Cobra23 shipped the swingarm up to the Foundry, now I can do a little work on it on my off time. After hours of course.
Swiss Cheesed the brake stay.....
Best of all I am sitting here in a Pattern (tooling) shop where there be many toys around to help, the foundry is my playground ;D
Here is the link to the project.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=340#377823
Where do you live, I have a old 78 KZ1000 super bike that I started building in the 80's . I used to have a shop called Rising Sun Engineering.I would like to finish building but I need some motivation and help. I live in San Leandro CA. and would like any help. Thanks Rich
I live in the reno Area.
Post up a photo of your bike, I would like to see it. The KZ forum I have linked here is the best source I have found for the old Kaws.
PM your e-mail address.
Well I am starting the long laborious task of polishing the tubular aluminum swingarm. This is the second ZRX swing arm I have polished, the first one was a few years ago for a buddy of mine.
You would be surprised at how long it takes, cause you gotta blend all the welds into nice fillets, to make it look right once you get to the polishing wheel, which is actually the easier part of the deal.
Photos....
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=340#383182
I think ahh maybe went over board on this item. You know how the clutch lever on most cable actuated bikes just seems loose, and flops around...
Well I put the lever on the bridgeprot and bored it oversize, then went to the lathe, and made a set of steel bushings to go into the larger bore...
and presto!!! no more slop.
Oh boy is there like an AA group for this kind of behavior??
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=360
Ted that is really trick. It's funny how the little adjustments make a difference. They make it seem so easy. And it generally is. Nice pics they have on that site.
Thanks Jerome!!
Year after year I keep thinking "this spring it will be running", then I come up with some other hair brained idea.
Well maybe this spring. This long distance thing for the third time (Iraq, move to Reno, then work in Wa. from Reno) is really hampering the effort. Still pushing on after seven years.
Gonna do a track day at Spokane in September with Mike Sullivan, (on the Ducati) the KZ is still sitting on the assembly table.
Karen does not want to move to Washington......hmmmmm.
Stay safe out there!!
Ted
Ok it is time to see a theropist.
I ahhh well drilled the center of the bolts out to make them lighter.
Polished the partinglines out of the lever.
Drilled lightening holes into the perch.
Powder coated the perch.
and oh yea the bushing thing.....
hit the link for pictures...
Hmmmm.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=360#385027
I was home last weekend.
I put the OCCL (obsessive compulsive clutch lever) on the bike. Of course I ran it in the brass tumbler for like 12 hours, just to make sure it was all goood.
You know maybe there is something wrong with "Everyone else"...it's not me after all...yea thats it....you should all spend a few hours machining your clutch lever just to get that 1/16th of an inch of slack out of it....
Wow..thats a releif, for a while I thought it was me that had the problem. ;D
Then I had to inventory and store all the old parts.....more issues.... littel bins full of old bolts and stuff all organized like.....labeled.....nice little color coded bins......yea its all of you...I am the only one that is not crazy.
I am about ten hours into the blending of the welds on the swing arm, and about 80% complete........
Sometimes i wonder why I just don't "call it good".
Quote from: cobra23 on August 16, 2010, 04:16:30 PM
Sometimes i wonder why I just don't "call it good".
Then you wouldn't be you. LOL little OCD man ;) ;D ;)
If ever you do call it good, you are MORE THAN WELCOME to come by my garage and ... ;D ;) ;D
Ohhhhh......
CNC machining a brake bracket for the rear caliper tonight.......
Ohhhh....shiny metal......
Ohhh yeaaaahhhh!!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=360#394462
ahhhhh ooohhhhh!!!
ahhhhh ooohhhhh :P :P
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=360
The rear brake caliper assembly is finished yes finished....
Total wt. 1.75 pounds.
BWAAAHhahhahahhahahhhhaaaaaaaaaa....ahhahahhaahahha....
Weigh one of the new fancy sport bike assemblies........
Many hours...many hours deep in the laborrrirtoryyyy....
BWAaahshahsahhhAAAAAAAAA!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=360#397152
all that hard work is unbelievable! good job! :thumbup
I see Terry is cheating. His KZ is at 2wcp :rant
I have a neighbor who every time he catches me pulling in or out of the garage on my 9R tells me of his KZ-900 days. He's funny to listen to, especially after he's had a few. His stories get bigger and bigger. ....something about he and his buddies doing 160 MPH on theirs. :drinking
Thanks guys!!
160MPH??
I had a highly modified 1982 Eddie Lawson Replica, Velasco built the engine. 85 MPH speedo. 33mm smoothbores, cams, ported head, 13 to 1 comp. hand made "Wolf" pipe. The thing bent the main motor mount bolt when you yanked it too hard. You had to run Race fuel all the time, so rides were short. Don't forget bias ply tires, and brakes which would fade if pressed hard.
Later on I bought a CBR 900, another Velasco engine it that. It probably had the same power, but ten times more civilized, and ran on pump gas.
If it did 160, and I was told it was radar gunned on the SIR (Pacific raceway) front straight. The thing is there aint no brakes or stiff frame at that speed. You probably do it once, and then have a long conversation with God.
The early KZ had a speedo error that was huge, your guy may have been in reality at 140-145, if he had the thing modified. It takes great horsepower to push an unfaired bike through the air at that kind of speed. But the stories are great!!! ;D
Thanks for the compliments!!
This bike will be about having fun on the track, goood brakes and suspension. The ELR I had was miserable to ride unless flat out, it was "cammed" up so much it would overheat, and cough in city traffic, I later tore it down and put stock equipment back in just to make it more fun to ride.
Yeah, the old KZ's were great bikes. My uncle Ken had an ELR and a KZ1000 LTD in Black with gold pinstriping. The black one was a 78 I think, I remember always being out in the garage drooling over it and the speedo went to 260 kph (about 160 mph) so naturally, I thought it could do that. Other uncles had CB's and stuff but my uncle on that black one with the black leathers and black/white Shoei lid was the vision of cool. Now days, I'd rather the ELR and classic green but back then that was the cheesy one.
Years later and after driving one I'd guess 135 is about the max if you have the guts. Not quite the beast I remembered being taken on rides on as a kid but memories are funny that way. Part of me would like to restore one someday. Keep up the nice work, I love the project!
Ahh...the cool thing about changing jobs...the week "in between".
Gettting paid by the old job sitting at home.... the KZ sitting in the garage some time on my hands, maybe some progres to report by weekend.
I got to have a beer with Terry Saturday night, checked out his KZ....
Ahh it is the cool. I give it a Bad Assness rating of 9.5 on a scale of 1-10.
WOW!!
I am warching the Nascarilly (speed channel) today and Two guys Garage is on they are building the coolest CB 550 ahhhhh....too cool!!!
Take a look..
http://www.twoguysgarage.com/
Ok the swingarm is completed, welds are blended, and the brake stay and bracket are done and now installed on the bike.
Things area ll caught up now, just waiting for some more money....
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=380#401527
Oh boy!!! :rant
A whole bunch of Bike money (isn't all money bike money) just got spent at the furniture store!!!
Yaaaayyyyyy!!!! :banana2
It's gonna be a dry month for bike purchases....
Quote from: cobra23 on September 30, 2010, 08:25:17 PM
Oh boy!!! :rant
A whole bunch of Bike money (isn't all money bike money) just got spent at the furniture store!!!
Yaaaayyyyyy!!!! :banana2
It's gonna be a dry month for bike purchases....
I dont like where this topic is going... :o
Yahhyy!!
New month, but the Ducati needs fork service......
arrrgghhh.
Stay on it Ted. Looking good. That old KZ is still one of my favorites.
Quote from: cobra23 on October 06, 2010, 08:43:30 PM
Yahhyy!!
New month, but the Ducati needs fork service......
arrrgghhh.
This is a shameless plug for Steve at 2 Wheel Custom Performance....but I don't care.
See i did not want to rebuild the forks on the Duck, I mean maint is just so you know Blahhhh.
Steve rebuilt the forks and they are GREAAAATTT!! Not only that but he was nice enough to arrange a delivery.
If you need work Steve is a great choice
:flagSSA
End of shameless plug...
Quote from: cobra23 on October 12, 2010, 07:13:24 PM
If you need work Steve is a great choice
:flagSSA
End of shameless plug...
It's good to give props where it's deserved!
Spent the day today flagging at RFR, which combined with the last time I spent the day flagging at RFR, gives me enough extra cash to powder coat the swing arm. So next week powder coat.
Two weeks later...put the chain on with the powder coated bit. $00 dollars after that a new ignition system...add gas and start.
Painfully slow.....
:o :egyptian
AHHHHHH... I just ordered my first Titainium Bolts!!!!!! Yea baby Titainium!!!!
48 bucks for two bbbolts and two wwwawowwashers!!!!
I've totally lost my mind for sure now!!!
:crazy
HAAAAA they may not look like much but they are cccccoooooooolllllll.....
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=380
crazyness! 8)
makes me want to build a cafe racer!
SSACR..........
Sierra Sportbike Cafe Racers !!!!
Yea!! I am watching the Telisillyvision the other day and there is a show about building Cafe racers....it the next big thing!!
I guess people are finally tired of watching tv shows where they weld wrenchs, rolls royce hood orniments, helicopter parts and toilet bowls to the frames of bikes. Which of course are powered by an engine that should be retired.
I can't wait to slide up next to a kid on a 600 with the old "Z".....on the exit of turn two at RFR.... :grnbike and pass........LMAO!!!
Yeah that's would be a pretty good feeling. :byebye
Riding less and getting more out of it. Great way to be remembered. :GrnWheelie
Another old Cobra story.....
I think it was 1985--ish.... U.S. 2 in Washington a very good ride before the feds tried to make it "safer" by widening it. It winds throught the Cascades.
We are cruisin at a very illegal rate (this was the 55mph days) thinkin I am all fast when an old guy on a about a 73 KZ goes around me. His throttle never really changed pitch just that nasty growl while I am foolin around on the brakes and throttle to get through a tight turn.
We were all jazzed up about bikes like the FZ 750, and the new "Ninja" 900, smoked by this old bike rider that just knew his stuff. Never forget that the bike was just plain British Racing green, he had rearsets, and a pipe. Also must have had cast iron testicular glands.
It was awsome.
And very humbling.
Well the swing arm is at powder coat, i rolled the bike outside to get a photo, sat on it for the first time since spending a year in Washington. It is so small, feels like an XR 100 underneath you.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=420
Check it out.
Really nice Ted. Thanks for sharing this thread. I really like keeping up with your KZ :thanks
This thing is getting out of control.....this titanium thing that is.... I can see it now.. in a couple years hanging around the dumpster at Pro-Bolt just hoping to find a scrap... Oh dear!!
So I bought two more bolts and two more washers, I won't even admit the price, my family is wondering what has happend to this gentleman, hard working guy, upstanding family man, now begging his wife for 50 bucks to buy....more titanium.
I am purchasing enough roundstock Monday to produce a titanium axle, i'll machine it at Ed's house then have it "gundrilled" making it hollow. My good buddie Troy from Washington popped onto the Forum (KZ riders) to see if the bike is done yet.
I had to admit my addiction to this shiny new substance in my life, and he will probably mock me for it.
Another winter of trying to get the bike done for Spring. But what a day it will be for the Hanger Queen, out there glistening in the sun at RFR, waiting for that C group session.
Still waiting for the Swing arm from powder coat.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=420#413722
Wooooowwww..
1.25" titanium bar stock arrives today. Ordered 15" length.......51" arrives......
Bill is 250, thought it would be 85, Mrs. Cobra 23 gonna have a fit. I am now in the titanium business.
Your cool I can keep a secret. :hiding
Wow... wait a second, yea there got the snap cuffs off, ....drying off now...
Whew.
So the credit card bill is on the kitchen counter, that Titanium only cost about 45 minutes of "waterboarding".
It's really not that bad I dunno why they insist on calling it torture.
Yep the gig is up I had to confess. You would to after artificailly drowning a few dozen times.
yea i don't think waterboarding is all that bad either. most places you have to pay for a moist towel over the face!
:rainday :surrender
Woo hooooo!! the Swingarm, is back and it looks GREAT!!
Advanced Powder Coating & Sandblasting...a shameless plug it is but they sure do of the nice work, twice now.
1823 Deming Way in Sparks. 358-4610
Check it out....
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=440#415734
So now I get to assemble the swing arm for the very last time....again!!
Crap.
Damaged one of the needle bearing cups whilst removing the swingarm bearings from the swingarm. Soooo order new ones waiting waitn....
Merry Christmas SSA!!!
Wow, this is like the Noah's Arc of motorcycling ;D
U R Killin me Alberto!!!! :cheers
it is the long project..
Christmas eve...
Family cancels trip to grandma and grandpas house. Bummer...oh well
I will just go out to the garage and work on the KZ.
Merry Christmas all...
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=460#418489
That works! No shovels needed for the possible track time then? lol Looking great
The old KZ's are bulletproof in reality, I will just set the rev limiter a little lower than redline, it all be good. I was at Thunderhill a couple years ago watching the super dinosour class, and this very angry sounding KZ was chasing down a CBR 900 RR, struggling as to who to root for as my favorite bike was a 93 CBR....Long story. At any rate that sound compared to the high winding CBR was just intimidating.
So this weekend being short on funds for ignition it was decided to construct a drafting table for the next BIG thing.
:DTHE WORLDS FASTEST HONDA TRAIL 90!!!! :D
This has been in the making for a couple years, and now we are starting. I have a front end and a pile of Chrome Moly Tubing. The frame will be trellis (Ducati style) and very small. The powerplant right down to the centrifical clutch is all Honda Trail 90.
We'll be famous i tell ya FAMOUS!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=460#419031
hahaha, bring on the 90 classic! I try to imagine what my kz would be like on the track. (For some reason, I am not seeing that right now.) lol Good to see your kz's progress. Good luck on your new project.
Was just talking on the phne with a freind from Washington, he is encouraging me to take the DUc to Miller, something about frame flex over the "Attitudes".
Frame flex...Phooey!!
I still hoping to get the KZ on that track, the sound...ohhhoohhhhAAAA .... THE SOUND!!
Ok got the swing arm and the rear end back together....
Zoran will be seeing me around for one of them high tech batteries here in a week or so, then I can start it on the points......
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=460
Points, ha! what's that? something on my DMV record.... :rotflmao
:grnbike
Yes yes youngster...way back in the old days there were the POINTS!!! Old guys all over rejoiced when the were replaced by electronics...and now digital ignition....
Got the chain on today, and finished plumbing the rear brake...
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=480
I can't wait to get a few photos on Miller right before that old engine lets go.......
Wow..
You guys are great (and Ladies) I just noticed the thread has now gone over 10,000 views.
Thank you for all your interest!!!
Ted
One more thing about Zoran.....
Zoran is king of the lightwieght battery world.
This thing just shaved a good 9 pounds off the total wieght. The battery looks like jewelry, really nice.
1.68 pounds !!!!!!!!!!!
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=480#420852
http://www.sierrasportbike.com/smf/index.php?topic=3209.0
So, I got fix for both problems in one shot, obesity and dead battery.
Here it is, click on battery http://www.twfracing.com/zparts.html
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
Spent all day Sunday tinkering and reassembling. Now I drink the Scotch, 12 year old thank you (a gift from my boss).
I think it be all ready to start it next weekend. Still need a gas cap. details details. Either way it sure looks like I will be bringing the bike to Miller for WSB weekend, and then taking it out on the track on the following Tuesday track day..........hope she dont greneda on the straight awayah.
Rearsets...... click the link deelee...
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=480#421154
Your woried about weight, lose the curb feelers on the bottom of your foot pegs! lol :D
Good point they will be amputated shortly.
I like the forum, as it gets others looking at the bike. often pointing out things I never notice.
Thanks!!
Made super cool aluminum tray for the new battery from Zoran today....
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=500#422823
That guy Mark that asked you about battery. He is reading text for LFX09 which is smaller one we use for racing. It has less cca and will not crank bike as long as one it should be in there. It is only issue if bike does not want to start and you keep cranking until battery is dead. We don't have that problem on race bike, our bikes start easy and they are wide open most of time with charging working at full speed. If you ride in town and stop and go all the time you should run the one that is sized for bike. 1/4 pound extra weight is not issue on street bike and physical size is same as small so no reason to run small one. Racers are just to sensitive on couple ounces :)
Thanks Zoran,
I copied a link to your response and posted it on the KZ forum, Mark read this thread and is now understanding the difference.
Cool. Other ones in last posts are basically same technology as shorai except cells are different shape. I had turntech on my sv and worked good. Full Spectrum is also known good battery, so are any of this lithium technology batteries. Whatever brand they choose they should run at least LFX14 or with others that would be 8cell. 4cell are only for race bikes just like LFX09 or 07 is (except dirt bikes which use smaller batteries stock). Shorai is just newest one on market with better pricing, warranty and nicer package.
Well I am so nervous about starting the bike I did not get to it again this weekend.
Ended up at work both Saturday and Sunday.
Next weekend....
Need moral support?Should I bring wine or beer? I am there man, let me know when :D
Of course cheese an ciabatta as well...... ;D
Thanks Alberto!!!
So I get a few minutes at night between the Oriely Factor, and the Jeopordy game show deal that my wife is always watching on the television deelee.
Tonight I "Cheffed up" (thats you Alberto) a foam insert for the very small battery from the Zoranmiester.
Maybe Saturday the vroom of the primative KZ 8500 RPM redline inline screamer will awaken the neighborhood.
http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=116&func=view&catid=11&id=274097&limit=20&limitstart=520#428018
ITS ALIVE!!
I started it tem minutes ago!!!!
And now... the celebritory Scotch.
Nice!!!! I wanna see it! tell me a good time to come over and see the Dinosaur exibit? ;D
are you kiddin me! with over 10,000 views SSA should make this an Event!
:bowdown
Dammit I missed it! Ok, you are riding it to the March bike-night next month!! :D
I will put it in the truck and bring it to bike night.
Many thanks!!
Quote from: Scott on February 07, 2011, 10:58:49 AM
are you kiddin me! with over 10,000 views SSA should make this an Event!
:bowdown
I love that one!!
So I started teh bike last weekend, and started it like three times. yup good to go !!
Honey grap the ramp i am gonna ride this thing!!
Roll it into the street hit the starter button.....and Nothing!!!
the charging sytem was way out of calibration and over charged the cute littlle battery i got form Zoran..smoked it in fact.
Daammmmmmmmiiiiiitttttt!!
what kind charging system that thing has??
Has the old rectifier/ regulator. OOOOOllllllDDDDD.
I was going to get a conversion kit to electronic, but got in a hurry to hear it run.
Dammit.
We had one sv do that few years back, overcharge up to 20V and than it fried R/R, CDI box and battery.
Kewl !!! Love to see it !
Got your PM, you are near where I work, trying to get a few minutes to come see your shop.
I'm not sure when the March bike night is, but i will load it into the truck and bring it into Reno.
Quote from: cobra23 on February 18, 2011, 08:33:38 PM
Got your PM, you are near where I work, trying to get a few minutes to come see your shop.
I'm not sure when the March bike night is, but i will load it into the truck and bring it into Reno.
thru the winter, It's the first tuesday of the month.....
That would be the 4th of March ...yes??
march 1st. ;)
Visited the HossZX14 shop today...
Pretty cool!!
well i did not make ti to the March Bike night, I am sorry, really wanted to be there. I ended up on some emergency thing at work.'
We'll shoot for April now.
Well i was gonna buy the ignition with the 250 bucks I had kickin about in me wallet...
Spent it on a track day instead.
Couple more weeks.
Steve, (2wcp)
What do you think about finishing the thing for me?
Heres why:
http://kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/274097-1975-kz-900--zrx-swingarm-89-gsxr-front-end?limit=20&start=540
Well,
After the Big wreck, and the birthday party in the hospital, I am finally just about good to go again. Rode the Ducati to Reno Sunday great pain in right wrist, great joy in heart.
The KZ will resume construction just as soon as hospital bills are paid. (about 1 month).
Big air on dirt bike is now officially a taboo item for this old fella.
Welcome back. those bummer OFFS can certainly delay things. speedy recovery to ya.
Thank you!!
Quote from: cobra23 on June 20, 2011, 10:05:08 PM
Big air on dirt bike is now officially a taboo item for this old fella.
LOL :D
Alberto,
Dinner was fabulas, I have never enjoyed a dining experiance more.
Thank you, thank you!!
Ted
Well it's on again.
Just bought a stator, ignition system, and rectifier from Z-1 enterprises!!
This should make it "track ready".
Sweet! We saw a KZ-900 parked on Cannery Row when we were down for MotoGP a month ago. There are still some out there people are riding. Man that is a big motor when you get up close.
I GOT ME WIRES HANGIN ALL OVER THE PACE AGAIN!!
MMMM HMMM....
This here eeeelektronic ignition its got alot ah wires...
Worked a little this weekend, i am thinkin it will be running down the street about next Saturday...but not with a "Plate". The whole title thing is yet to come. I may get it on the track by the end of summer this time for sure..
http://kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/274097-1975-kz-900--zrx-swingarm-89-gsxr-front-end?limit=20&start=560
Well this is a big night...
After 8 years of working, the parts are all on, the last thing was the charging system, and Dyna 2000 ignition, they are on.
Re-assemble for the 40th time, and the bike itself is done. Then its on to the DMV, add a headlight and tail light...then track it, and ride !!!
Yeah!
http://www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/274097-1975-kz-900--zrx-swingarm-89-gsxr-front-end?limit=20&start=580
The question is: No job is complete without what? :D
(http://www.kzrider.com/media/kunena/attachments/11411/themess.jpg)
You should bring it out to Wednesday Bike Night for show and tell. I'd love to hear its story while downing PJ's $3.50 beer specials.
Taht is a good looking KZ Ted!! When can I test ride?
Soon as i can get it to the track.
:o
Today was to be the day...it's all done.
Put fuel in it, charged the new battery.
Error light on Dyna ignition.
Bummer.
Perhaps a bad wire splice?
When you get it running, you should bring it out to Wednesday Bike Night. It's a lot of fun and there's always a couple of classics for people to gawk at.
I am starting to think I should take it to Steve @2wcp.
He will not be in the mood to take a ball peen hammer to it, and may be able to quickly figure it out. I on the other hand am ready for the ball peen hammer theropy.
I could put it in the back of the truck for a wed. night thing @ PJ's.
Just e-mailed Dyna with the problem with the ignition maybe it is something simple?
Talked to Stev at 2wcp, it will be going there next week.
If it stays in my garage, i am certain a fatal accident will soon occur..... death by flamethrower?
yes Flamethrower, i could build one in a couple weeks......
Hope Steve gets the thing going before the Flamethrower is completed. ;D
If the home-made flamethrower doesn't ignite, it will really send you mental.
How's Steve coming along with it?
LOL that would be my Luck, Steve gets the Bike on tuesday.
I think a fresh set of eyes will have it running in no time.
The Bike is at steves now, in good hands, and i crumpled up the Flamethrower blueprints.
Thanks Steve!!
this is like R&R I can now walk into my garage without getting frustrated....ahhhhhh no fire required.
Two projects collide this weekend.....
A 99 R-6 will be in the garage on Thursday...track bike is finally here. Former WMMRA bike number 177.
Steve called today as it turns out the Brain of the Dyna system is messed up. I had it hooked up correctly all along....ah piece of mind at lasst.
Sometimes having a professional look into it is exactly the second set of eyes necessary. Glad it's working out.
Ted, just saw the KZ at Steve's.....holy cow that's a beauty!!! :o Maybe it'll be up for sale in awhile :thumbup
Hmmmm....
Thanks for the compliment Alberto!!
A few weeks ago it almost went to the scrapyard, but thanks to Steve, I think the Dynatek folks are fixing the brain.
Well, if you ever need it spanked.....I am there for you!! :flagSSA
Roger that Alberto..
I stopped to visit it at Steves today.... just waiting on the ignition now, it's coming together. Steve rebuilt the forks, and adjusted valves... and some other stuff i cannot remember.
Steve has the new ignition, and will be starting the bike Tues. Wed. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY !!!
On it's way to the Dyno...
I went down to the Hospital to visit the KZ, it is in good hands with Dr. Steve.
Super Lean, Jets on order.
So it's running then? Sweet! Do we have to go over to TWCP to see it or are there pics and riding impressions in our future?
It's currently at 2WCP, I'm sure Steve would not mind a visitor or two.
I am in the process of pulling a 99 R6 out of mothballs, so the KZ while it's at Steves, is just waiting. The track bike (R6) will get squared away, then it is headlights and tailights, and the KZ is on the road.
It is running, and starts right up, but the carbs are one of two sets I had, and it looks like they are very very lean. Steve is re-jetting it.
Well I got a day off from work today, and headed out with my Buddy Ed to visit the KZ at Steves !
I am starting to think more about the greatness of the bike, and less about taking a Flame thrower to it.
After stopping at Steves, Ed and I went to Big Valley Honda to get some exhaust gaskets for the XR. I am putting a new growly pipe on "the Mule". BVH actually had them in stock, I would also mention they have the customer service thing figured out there (some dealers DO NOT). I try to avoid most Dealers, it was a positive experiance.
We then decided to swing by 4th street to see what is up with Ed's (rest in peace my friend) Dyna Reno. Big news for you Ducati nuts, Ed's Son "Chris" has the shop open Fridays and Saturdays. What a great thing. Chris asked me to spread the word if I could. The phone number is the same. Those of you who knew Ed of Dyna reno, should stop in when you get the chance.
The bike is still at Steves 2 Wheel Custom Performance. The Ducati is up on the bench for maint. so no need to rush Steve.
I watch the view count go up on this thread daily, and sure appreciate all you checking in on its progress. Soon.
This winter I spent alot of time getting the track bike ready for the season, then (now) the Ducati. When the Ducati is done, the KZ will go up, get lights and street gear. The bike is running at Steves, just needs a dyno run for jetting. I may take it to a track day this summer just to shake it down. I have said the same thing "track day this summer" for I think 3 years now, but this year it looks good.
I am gonna re-paste the link so you can see pictures if interested:
http://kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/274097-1975-kz-900--zrx-swingarm-89-gsxr-front-end?limit=20&start=680#505350
Thanks again for checking this out almost 18,000 hits wow!!
:D Is he going to do a CO2 dyno check for tuning it?
O2 and Dyno..
Is it finished yet?? Never-mind, still with a broken leg.
It will be ready when your leg heals Alberto.
You are prioriy one test rider...
Get well soon my friend !!
Update:
The bike is still at 2WCP. I am back from Miller, after a week of vacation.
Starting to ponder selling.
Steve is back on the case...
for about the 4th year in a row now it "looks" like the bike might see a track day in August..
Yippppeeeeeeeeeeeee !!
Is it read ye :Pt?
I'm gonna ride in Oregon and Washington this weekend, then I go bug Steve.
(the travel trailer is road ready when you are Alberto)
Went to Moto GP..
Maybe I'll bug Steve later.
Good fun there at the Moto GP.
Now back to work.
Visited the KZ in its foster home again. It seemed to miss me.
The tow strap and the propane torch are still too tempting.
Looks like Steve is working at it.
:o
Wow!!
20,000 hits, I gues I should get the old girl out of the shop!!
Steve?
Well, it is a 4 year old thread.
Ouch.. but well taken. ;D
It's really a matter of me not setting fire to the bike at this point. It has been in protective custody at Steves 2WCP for almost long enough.
Who is ready to buy the KZ?
I have had enough between the DMV, and the insurance people.
One streetbike that is all I need.
hELLO !
I have been berry beerrry busy again. The bike has been painted. A new coat of clear and some striping added.
Just sitting in the garage looking at the bike wondering if it will ever be done. Now I have the neighbors 86 GSXR 750 ready to go home. Looks like a new set of carbs are in order for the KZ. I got the title thing straightened out. It's all legal now.
Two weeks ago I trailered the Ducati to Portland where it transferred to my buddies trailer, and went on to KFG racing for suspension mods, and tune. this week the Ducati is at Ducati Seattle for a pipe, service ECU reflash, and dyno tune. Dollars that should have gone into the KZ once again went to another project.
This winter the headlight gets put on, and the taillight. Then I get it licensed.
Damn! Nice work.
(http://www.sierrasportbike.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=721.0;attach=1803;image)
That looks bad-ass! So too does the GSXR. The KZ reminds me of one of those motorcycle collector bikes you see at auctions. Beautiful!
Thank you !
:)
SWEET BIKE TED
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
The Monster got a few modifications last month in Seattle, the budget for the KZ has suffers another set back...
Exhaust, and suspension work on the Monster... eeek several G's worth.
Going to the Vintage Bike show in San Jose end of March.
Saving pennies for a set of flatslide carbs.
This is easily the longest build thread ever.
(laughing)
I cannot argue this point. I can't.
If I could post pictures, I would show you the "other" bike that got built while waiting to finish this bike.
The garage always has something going on.
Hey I could post a picture !!
Hey Cobra, to help those unfamiliar with how to post pictures and links on SSA, I made a How-to. If you like. It's probably a much better way to post large pictures.
<Click here (http://www.sierrasportbike.com/smf/index.php?topic=2834.0)>
Sold a Dirt bike I was not using, I now have the 900 Dollars American Munnie needed for the flatslide carbs.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
ORDERING THE CARBS TOMORROW.
;D ;D ;D ;D
It's funny that you essentially traded an entire working bike, complete with carb, for just another carb on it's own. lol.
Quote from: cobra23 on March 15, 2014, 01:06:15 AM
Going to the Vintage Bike show in San Jose end of March.
Saving pennies for a set of flatslide carbs.
What became of this?
Ahh first the bike show...
Fantastic. Mostly English bikes, about 500-1000 of them. there was a Spondon framed CBX there I have a photo of, it was beautiful. Well worth the time. There is a vintage Japanese bike show in Auburn in July. I will try to get to that one as well (no more Moto GP at Laguna) that weekend is now open. Some of those English restoring guys are real serious, so I did not talk much. Well I don't talk much anyway.
The perfectly great pit bike went to a guy who was looking for a bike for his wife. He was very happy to get it, and a colleague at work. I spent about 8 hours making sure it was as clean as new and everything worked right before I delivered it. Now I will have to pit on the Honda Fitty. But I sold the TTR for 900, and the whole carb set-up came to 900.85.
So for 85 cents over the pit bike revenue, I received the carbs I need to make the bike I have dreamed of building since the 80's fully operational. The carbs should be here in a few days... OH BOY !! I'll miss the brahhp of the TTR but it is a small price to pay.
I got a t-shirt at the show that says "BSA Motorcycles; turning ordinary men into mechanics since 1910" hilarious. Anyway my Dad (RIP) flatracked BSA in the 60's so that was cool. Also picked up the Cycle World Aug 1981 mag that tested the GPZ 550. I bought one new and Squid-crashed it a few months later... another story. And another that tested the 82 Eddie Lawson Replica, had one of those until 1994 sold it.
Carbs are supposed to be here tomorrow...
Woooo Hoooooooooooooooo !
Meanwhile at the bike show some porn popped up!
I would live to have a CBX, all factory though.
They are here !!
This is the second major KZ rebuild, the first was the ELR...
Toda is my 23d Wedding anniversary.
My lovely wife gave me the day to get the KZ up and running, it was a gift from her. normally there are many things to do around the house on weekends we are not riding off road, on the street or at the track. It was a gift from her to me, she even sat with me while I installed the new carbs, and synched them.
I RODE IT !!! IT RUNS PERFECT !!!!!!
Then it blew the main fuse. Oh well I got about 15 minutes of testing and joy out of it. Now it is time to put the lighting on. I will be checking for a bare wire somewhere. It is also possible that the main fuse should be heavier, I need to look into that as well.
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!
It's alive!!!
Isn't that a great feeling?
Oh what a feeling...
Now ..more work.
Congratulations my friend. The long and tedious riggers of a rebuilt finally have come to an end. Be safe and ride like its your last day.
Rode again last Sunday, the headlight and taillight wire are all just hanging, along with the ignition switch. We I get the nerve up to really gas it something is getting shoved into bare metal. blown fuse again.
I have a very god friend who speaks this strange alien language of electrical, and a head light is ordered. I will hook these things up and find the bare wire hitting metal.
The Ohilins shocks need to be re-sprung an rebuilt, this will cost 500 dollars..... arrrrghhhh. So much the money !!
The ceremonial "Start Up" video !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t4P-5Y5GME&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc0dEmyA0aw&feature=youtu.be
Short is fixed !
She certainly looks great and starts easily.
Are you riding her over to the coast for WSBK in July? :|)
thank you.
There is so much more to do to get it street ready, I don't see a long ride yet in the near future. I work about 50 hours a week so it is hard to get things done. Slowly but surely.
Working n the wiring right now, I have almost all of the wires identified and ready to hook into the lighting.
Then Gages are needed.
Shocks rebuilt
install a horn... ;D
build a bracket to hold the taillight and headlight.
on and on.
Well I have spent the last couple weeks getting the wiring figured out. Labeling all the connections, and getting ready for the lighting. Went to Lockhart Phillips today and picked up the turn signals, and taillight stuff.
The turn signals would not work. I thought I would check everything all over again and after 4 hours of checking and rechecking the connections, I took the brand new handlebar switch apart and found a broken wire. I had to re-solder it, so now the lighting is all set. just need to assemble it and make a couple brackets.
Wiring is not fun, especially if has been ten years since you took it apart. I am so proud of figuring out the turn signal debacle, here is a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGSmS-dz2cg
Well that video was "swell" ;D
Believe me those three blinks represent a whole bunch of the workee... workee !!
Think about all that when you are wondering why this is taking so long. Got to hit the sack, back to my regular job in about 6 hours.
OH BOY !!
Getting closer.
Tail light on and working. Brake light in the LED tail light does not work.
Everything that should be easy is a struggle. I will walk the light into Lockhart Phillips, thay will probably say "its an electronic part..no return"
The Dyna ignition was same story it took 4 weeks of trying everything, before I got a new unit from them. I even talked to the ignition guy (at the SEMA show)... this bike better run good for ten years, or I will personally cover it in gasoline, and light it on fire.
Got the brake light working. I have no idea what kind of spell the gremlins put on it, but it just started working.
The lighting is done on the rear half, now to the headlight.
http://www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/274097-1975-kz-900-zrx-swingarm-89-gsxr-front-end?start=820
Soldered up all the lighting on the rear end, all buttoned up.
Now starting on the headlight, and gages, front turn signals.
Gages: Cut the ignition switch boss off the Gixxer top clamp, then roughed out a plate to support the gages, using two threaded bosses already on the underside of the top clamp.
Speedo cable too short ordered another longer one from a Suzuki Bandit 1200.
Tach cable, the oil cooler will cause interference, so the oil cooler needs to move up one inch. This means longer braided oil lines...i.e. many many more the work.
Saw this on FB, reminded me Ted's build never ending KZ build.
(http://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/58802_489663791169988_3945229030913682078_n.jpg)
You started this thread in October of 2008, almost 6 years ago. In the OP you said you had been working on it for a few years. So that makes you about 9 years into this build now? That's some dedication right there. Slow and steady.
Eleven years to be exact.
As an example, I could have finished it this weekend, but Cobra capital is limited, and Mrs. Cobra wanted to build a pation table..... lost KZ revenue right there, and time too.
Quote from: dub on August 01, 2014, 03:09:36 PM
Saw this on FB, reminded me Ted's build never ending KZ build.
(http://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/58802_489663791169988_3945229030913682078_n.jpg)
I like this humor. Yes understood. Yes. I refuse to give up.
The bike is a bunch of mechanical parts, and besides the tires and battery has an infinite shelf life. I will have it done SOON.
Got the gages mounted tonight..or ahhh very early this morning depending on your point of view, its almost 0300.
Headlight is next, followed by getting the Ohlins shocks rebuilt. Anyone know who in Reno might be able to do this rebuild?
Looks like it will be another 5 weeks before I can purchase anything else, the car needs tire, that cost almost 1k. Stupid cars.
Has it been taken to PJ's yet. It's sure to win 'best in show' there.
Why do the shocks need to be rebuilt? It's only been ridden up and down the street.
I would have to trailer it to PJ's but that is tempting. It is sitting on a 9/16 long pattern Snap On wrench right now, instead of a rear shock(s). This is to simulate the rear shock bottomed out for some travel checks, chain tension etc. Funny though, I was cussing my daughter thinking she used and lost my wrench, when my good neighbor Fred piped up .."isn't that the wrench holding your bike up?"..insert foot. My wife was not too happy about that.
The rear shocks: they were purchased on e-bay, and must have been sprung for a Harley, there is like 1mm sag when I sit on the bike in the rear. They need lighter springs, and leak fluid.
I had to purchase a set of expensive ties for the Family cage today, a months worth of Motorcycle budget on four tires for the car... it will be 4 more weeks before I can rebuild the shocks, and purchase headlight brackets. the brackets I like are 200 a pair.
I think you need to call in reinforcements in the way of a 3D printer.
Who in Reno can drain the Nitrogen out of the Ohlins shocks, replace one o-ring, refill with oil and recharge the shock with nitrogen?
hey can probably get me the right spring as well.
While building the KZ I have been helping a friend with his GSXR 750....
That bike is now done and back in California with the buddy who brought it here about 2 years ago.
Delivered the Gixxer a couple weeks ago. Its all done. the day m neighbor picked up the bike we took a look at an 83 GS750E. These bikes were supercool in their day, and when I was in my twenties, I wanted one real bad.
Ahh so neighbor (known only as S2) texts me to say "call Adam so you can pick up your new bike".
Hmm seems S2 liked the gixxer so much he decided to buy this GS for me as a gift...
Jerome is back?
I am back.
2nd place at the Auburn Classic Japanese show.
Quote from: cobra23 on August 03, 2015, 09:12:49 PM
Jerome is back?
I am back.
Glad to hear it! And congrats on your showing. Did you get the carbs sorted?
That a nice clean bike. Congratulations on the 2nd place.
Got the carbs sorted. They are now Flatslides. lol.
34mm Mikuni flatslides, what a difference they make.
So small when you think most big-bore Kawis from the 1990's used 40's and people talk about those being small.
Sold it today.
Its got a California plate now, and don't be surprised if you see it strafing by while you are riding in the Sierras. !!
The new owner took it out for 350 mile shakedown ride todayand somehow lost the front fender, which is very strange as it won't come off unless you remove the front tire. Anyway I was stressed out all day, nothing like dropping the bike straight into a 350 mile canyon ride...
Maybe 50 miles would be better...then check all the fasteners?? Jus say'n
All went well. Myke is super happy with the KZ, and I am super happy with the Guzzi.
I rode the Guzzi over to help the new owner fix a needle and seat dripping (dirt between needle and seat on one carb from storage) on the way back had dinner in Sierraville (I think) with a guy name of Doyle, AKA "radar". Doyle was riding a new KTM adventure bike, so we were able to ride together to Truckee.
I've been here 8 years, not been on the 49 / 89 trip from Auburn, that was a very nice ride. I would like to thank Doyle for leading me out of there, it is kind of a maze of highway signs placed just a little later than they should be.
Congrats on the quick sale! Hope to see the new owner out riding some time. He's welcome to join our group rides for whatever distance he chooses, if you want to pass that on. In fact, I've intercepted SCR (Sacramento Crotch Rockets) riders on their way through the sierras. It's always fun to tag along and meet new people.
I will certainly pass that on. He is an upstanding guy, and would enjoy a ride.
Well the life of the KZ continues. I am in constant contact with the new owner, and have offered to machine a few parts for him. He is an upstanding guy.
He is putting some real nice EBC rotors on it now. The best news is this !!
The bike has been selected as bike of the month on the KZ Riders firum. When you open their page there is a photo spread of my bike (well Mykes bike now). Sure makes me feel good.
Check it out:
http://www.kzrider.com/
I liked that both of you were recognized online. It's satisfying that the new owner appreciates the bike too and isn't going about chopping it up and hasn't crashed it in pure squid fashion. Maybe we'll be seeing it around for many years to come.
I will try to get Myke into an SSA ride this spring.
The more the merrier. If he likes to ride with others, he'll get plenty of opportunities with us. ;)