Wonderings about the KZ 900

[cobra23]

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.

[z1rider]

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!

[cobra23]

KZ 1300 Pistons, I will look into that..

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[cobra23]

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.

[trent]

Cant wait to see this thing in action!!!!!!!!!

[z1rider]

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!

[z1rider]

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.

[cobra23]

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!!!

[z1rider]

keep up th good work cobra!

[cobra23]

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.

[z1rider]

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

[Mike Cullen]

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

[Mike Cullen]

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 !

[cobra23]

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.

[Mike Cullen]

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.