Seasons greetings to you all.
I've been working to restore and custom a 1983 KZ 250 C.
This is my first full top to bottom project and has so far provided me with hair pulling challenges (due to my lack of experience) and satisfying outcomes.
I'll make notes of everything I can remember as well as the cost of parts I bought for it. I wont mention where, other than to say I do 90% shopping online.
The bike itself is a bit of an uncommon release. the KZ250 LTD, A, B and D all seem more popular.
What struck me as odd was that the A and B were twins with more ponies, the C was installed with a single and a downgrade in power!
I guess it was a corporate dollar decision.
Either way it's a fun little bike on par with an SR250 of the same year.
I picked this one up for $450 with delivery.
Previous owner told me he bought it from some rich bloke who used it to ride around his country property.
Looking at it's history it had a repaint and an engine rebuild back early 2000's.
Since then it was left to rot in the rain. Rust everywhere!
Mechanically it seemed fine but the carbs needed a good cleaning and battery to be replaced and it had trouble turning over.
Inspecting the battery I could see it wasn't holding charge and had low water/acid levels. Rather than mess around trying to fill up and charge I bought a replacement.
This did not fix the weak turn over.
Out came the starter motor, a Mitsuba SM 223c, full of greased mud. Brushes worn away.
I bought what I thought would be the right build kit to replace internals but BEWARE, make sure everything specifically includes the kz250 C <--
the other versions can and do use different parts e.g brake pads, starter motor, sprockets, carburetors, gaskets etc. I'm sure a lot of you already know this.
I ended up cannibalising the starter motor build kit for the brushes as a temporary fix. I'll probably just buy a replacement starter motor as the price difference doesn't seem much different.
Once I reinstalled the SM, it turned over like magic.
Carburetor is a Keihin PW26. gave it a real good scrub. pilot jet was 42, main was 105.
On discussion with the good people at Retro Moto (local moto shop) I kept the pilot as is and main jet ungraded to 120.
Air box and stock flare exhaust has been tossed aside, pod filter and short exhaust installed.
For some reason (probably i shorted something) during all my tinkering I lost spark.
Inspecting the ignition coil showed (surprise) massive corosion.
I replaced the coil and spark returned.
So at this point I had enough of the rust and there were a few electrical issues with indicators and lights that I wanted to tackle.
With the rust I wiped, sanded, wire-wheeled and grinded away at the rust but something things were corroded through so I set up and electrolyte bath and started treating various parts that seemed pretty far gone. These mostly sat overnight or in 8 - 12 hour sessions. I made sure to use only mild steel and galvanised steel, no stainless or chromed. Speaking of galvanised, I did a bit of zinc electroplating however i wasn't pleased with the results, as i skipped on sugar, the zinc was granulated. I think molten zinc would produce a better bond.
Forks, fenders, handle bar, brake pedal were treated along with smaller items were de-rusted. Nuts and bolts got soaked in white vinegar.
Sadly, the front forks are heavily scarred and pitted from the rust build up. I have yet to decide whether to get them hard chromed or find a replacement. Seems they will hold for now.
I've been working to restore and custom a 1983 KZ 250 C.
This is my first full top to bottom project and has so far provided me with hair pulling challenges (due to my lack of experience) and satisfying outcomes.
I'll make notes of everything I can remember as well as the cost of parts I bought for it. I wont mention where, other than to say I do 90% shopping online.
The bike itself is a bit of an uncommon release. the KZ250 LTD, A, B and D all seem more popular.
What struck me as odd was that the A and B were twins with more ponies, the C was installed with a single and a downgrade in power!
I guess it was a corporate dollar decision.
Either way it's a fun little bike on par with an SR250 of the same year.
I picked this one up for $450 with delivery.
Previous owner told me he bought it from some rich bloke who used it to ride around his country property.
Looking at it's history it had a repaint and an engine rebuild back early 2000's.
Since then it was left to rot in the rain. Rust everywhere!
Mechanically it seemed fine but the carbs needed a good cleaning and battery to be replaced and it had trouble turning over.
Inspecting the battery I could see it wasn't holding charge and had low water/acid levels. Rather than mess around trying to fill up and charge I bought a replacement.
This did not fix the weak turn over.
Out came the starter motor, a Mitsuba SM 223c, full of greased mud. Brushes worn away.
I bought what I thought would be the right build kit to replace internals but BEWARE, make sure everything specifically includes the kz250 C <--
the other versions can and do use different parts e.g brake pads, starter motor, sprockets, carburetors, gaskets etc. I'm sure a lot of you already know this.
I ended up cannibalising the starter motor build kit for the brushes as a temporary fix. I'll probably just buy a replacement starter motor as the price difference doesn't seem much different.
Once I reinstalled the SM, it turned over like magic.
Carburetor is a Keihin PW26. gave it a real good scrub. pilot jet was 42, main was 105.
On discussion with the good people at Retro Moto (local moto shop) I kept the pilot as is and main jet ungraded to 120.
Air box and stock flare exhaust has been tossed aside, pod filter and short exhaust installed.
For some reason (probably i shorted something) during all my tinkering I lost spark.
Inspecting the ignition coil showed (surprise) massive corosion.
I replaced the coil and spark returned.
So at this point I had enough of the rust and there were a few electrical issues with indicators and lights that I wanted to tackle.
With the rust I wiped, sanded, wire-wheeled and grinded away at the rust but something things were corroded through so I set up and electrolyte bath and started treating various parts that seemed pretty far gone. These mostly sat overnight or in 8 - 12 hour sessions. I made sure to use only mild steel and galvanised steel, no stainless or chromed. Speaking of galvanised, I did a bit of zinc electroplating however i wasn't pleased with the results, as i skipped on sugar, the zinc was granulated. I think molten zinc would produce a better bond.
Forks, fenders, handle bar, brake pedal were treated along with smaller items were de-rusted. Nuts and bolts got soaked in white vinegar.
Sadly, the front forks are heavily scarred and pitted from the rust build up. I have yet to decide whether to get them hard chromed or find a replacement. Seems they will hold for now.