Kawasaki Z750 E Brat Build RSA

Hi Guys

My Name is Mike,
I am an Honours Engineering student in South Africa
I am new to the Cafe scene but I have been on MX bikes for the past few years...

This weekend I bough my first road bike, a 1980 KZ750E





I paid R10 000 for it (US$950) and it runs decently
The front brakes are shot and the speedo/tacho dont work
The bike is fitted with a porformance Cowley 4-1 exhaust which may prove too loud for me...

I think this bike is a great lil starter project for me to learn the ropes... Im well accomplished with the normal shed builder tasks so I am not too worried about the overhall

The carb balance and any Gearbox issues will go to a specialist tho...

By plan is to build a Brat style bike with low riser bars (purely because I am 6 foot 7 so I dont like being couped up...)
I will stick to black and white as my main colours, bringing in some Kawa Green here and there...


I am going to follow the following process order:
1- get the wiring all sorted out and looking clean (Including relocating the electrical components and battery)
2- get the engine running decently (mostly starting first time etc)
3- Fix the brakes
4- Complete strip down
5- Remove all the add ons and unneeded frame tabs
6- Mould a seat pan and fit a rear curved pipe for the tail section
7- Work on the front and rear mudguards
8- Paint EVERYTHING!!! hahaha
9- Buy add ons and lil trick bits
10- Rebuild the engine
11- Refit everything
12- Final tuning

Let me know if you have any ideas or advice about my work plan.

Regards
Mike

I started a little bit of tear down today and found the following problems

-Broken petcock (always open hahaha) Will strip it one day and see whats going on inside...

-I tried to bleed the brakes, the one caliper went well, the other would leak fluid from around the nipple rather than flow out of the nip (do you think the nipple could be blocked and if so, how would I try fix that? complete strip?
also noticed the reservoir lid screws are stripped so I will have to get out the dremel to try make a groove to make a Flat head fit... Just as a temp fix then its onto a new master cylinder (want front and rear from a MX bike)

-I was starting her and she was taking a bit longer to take, then I popped the fuse on the starter relay
decided to just bypass it, but now the relay just clicks once when I press the starter button and once again when I let go of the starter button..
Did I fry my Relay?

Other than that, all is going well...
Here is how she currently looks:

Making slow progress this week as I spent time registering my bike and my dad's new car and doing some work for him...

Sorted out the crap shift lever and managed to make up a almost stock linkage.
replaced some stripped screws and bought a new Starter relay

I have finally removed the wiring harness so now its just a matter of simplifying and sorting out some switches and new positions in the new seat box / battery bay..

I love KZ's. The 750's are a bit harder to find but worth it imho. Should be a fun bike.

That's a pretty clean and all there kz750. Looks like you got a good starting point. Does the starter work? Most of the KZs have start clutch issues.

It's in very good condition, starts well but now as I am making my way through the elecs I have seen that the guy has managed to bypass the rectifier completely...

So I guess I am going to have to redo the entire harness and buy a new rectifier...

Will keep updating this thread on my progress....

Kawasaki Z750 E Brat Build RSA - Harness Complete

So I have finally finished my harness!!!

Here are some pictures of it and how I plan to layout the electrics tray.




Also I have made my own wiring diagram for the way I have constructed the harness. Maybe it can help someone else wanting to create their own...



I have actually been enjoying getting stuck into the wiring and I feel more secure in the fact that I have done ALL the wires and that they follow a logical layout that I understand. Hopefully that wont turn around and bite me in the backside later!



Since the bike came with no regulator-rectifier, I have had to order one through Ebay.
Hopefully it arrives in RSA before I get back from Holiday so that I can fit it and carry on with the restoration.

I have also ordered the following add-ons/accessories:
- New brake a clutch levers
- Stainless flush mount switches for on/off switch, Starter and lights to fit into the elecs tray
- Minimalist indicator switch
- LED headight
- Intergrated tail light
- Footpegs

I have decided to go with a single small Speedometer with intergrated indicator/neutral lights, I am undecided about if I want to add the Tacho. I prefer the single gauge but the tacho will be useful?

What are your opinions?



I love going around looking at all the guys ideas and amazing work! Really Inspirational stuff!

This is my vision in terms of the electronic tray and seat look (yes I know its long).
Note that I am very tall and I still ride like I do my MX bike, so I like a longer seat. This will also help when I want to take my GF along.
The cross hatched area will be the tray I have in mind... busy making some cardboard mock ups at the moment.

So I just started her today! Im so relieved that she is working after 100% new wires!

Now its strip, tail loop and paint time!!!!

cant wait!!!!

Looks like it's going to be a great project, welcome to DTT.

Thanks for the Welcome Warped worm! I am hoping she'll be feature worthy in the future....

My First running video..... 8)

http://fbcdn-video-e-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xfa1/v/t43.1792-2/10869069_10152977582756043_1679360668_n.mp4?rl=1500&vabr=397&oh=55c6fdfdd2b14b1a1d4c0199405df930&oe=54BD214E&__gda__=1421681919_0344da2883c8764062daa07c32281da3

Finally have her all stripped...
Now its time to fix the sub frame and prepare for paint!!








This is a warning, dont trust cheap tools... one bolt was seized and the cheap older socket lost out to my decent quality one....

Got my rear loop bent and the battery tray today! I have also decided to keep the stock inner mudguard and thus keeping the stock amount of wheel clearance so I am glad about that!

So happy with how its looking and how quickly the progress is coming!

Got some serious progress done recently!

Got the Frame back from the powdercoaters! ;D


Got repainted the engine


Started putting her back together, adding the little dress up parts such as the new levers, master cylinder, speedo and pegs...












Just waiting for the battery... wow but MotoBatt batteries are a bit pricey! but I think itll be worth it...


Let me know what you guys think?
Hopefully the lights will arrive this week so that I can get started on the seat....

Looking good. Will be interested to see what you do with the seat.

Awesome. Looks like great progress.

Nice!

So the build is coming along nicely now...

Got the bike together now...






Now its onto getting the seat sorted out and mount the lights...
http://www.keepandshare.com/userpics/k/w/a/s/hi/2015-02/sb/dsc_1232-57352700.jpg?ts=1424069438

Heres what the battery tray will look like all set up, still waiting for the regulator rectifier! DAMN South African EMS sucks! already two months!



Still not sure as to how I am gonna do the tank, torn between leaving it green like this (my favourite colour) or do a ghost image on a black tank....

Finished up the wiring for my lights....

As you can see the dim beam is only the outside ring of LEDs while brights is them all...
The lighting seems to be good, haven't yet driven it at night so cant comment much more than that...




The tail lights are awesome! I'm very impressed with them!




Also checked that the speedo is wired up correctly and it is, just took some diodes to enable one bulb for both indicators



Here is a view of my cleaned up triangle and the battery tray, the ignition and start switch are like a car ignition so its nice and simple, also cleans up the handlebars.

So its been a hectic past few weeks with Engineering honours getting busy...

But as you will see im nearing completion...

Here's how the seat is currently looking...

the pan is made from ABS plastic heat shaped around the components.
the pan was then covered with closed cell spray foam which I will now shape before I put on the final foam layers....

So without further adieu here are some photos:

It's looking awesome. I dig the keyswitch relocation. Kinda makes sure you are in neutral when starting. Any more photos of how your seatpan is supported?