New to me

duffer

Active Member
Picked up this 78 kz 650 for 1000$. Pretty much mint. Are these decent bikes? I'll take everything you know... Parts location? Technical stuff? Things to look out for? Any pics of what you may have of your kz650? Thanks
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Looks like an excellent basis ........... for what?

Restore, Cafe Racer, Tracker ............. Wire wheels would be a bonus for me!

I'd go Cafe Racer myself.
 
This investment will give you better returns than any stocks or shares ....
So long as you don't butcher it, keep all original parts and don't do anything irreversible.
I had one of these back in the day and they are damn fine pieces of engineering.
Nice one :)
 
Values of straight z650's are climbing as people look for alternatives to the mega priced Z1's and z900's. They're also nice bikes in their own right. Lively middleweight for the period, good handling, and oh-so pretty.

Watching with interest.
 
The value of all 4 cylinder old Zs seem to be rising in the UK, so probably the same in the US, make it as standard as possible if you want to make money on it, otherwise ride it and enjoy it, great bikes, more fun to ride than the 750s that replaced it.
 
I had a KZ 650 1978. freaking fast bike. More power than that year Honda 750 and lighter. I would take it up to the Ton and hold on. Snap the throttle and feel that there was soo much more.

Never had the guts to take it to the top. 110 was all Ii was ever good for. The bike definitely had more.
 

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You lucked out on the deal. The KZ650's are awesome. Like CoffeeGuy said, lighter and faster than most 750's of it's day and better looking. Getting harder to find good running ones at a good deal like yours. I have enough parts to build two but I've been too cheap to buy a running one. I would keep it close to stock or go 80's kawi superbike style.
 
Such a clean n stock bike, it'd be a shame to butcher it.

Interesting to see what modern day improvements could be made within the factory style.

So maybe sticky new tyres, uprated suspension - forks and shocks and maybe some head work, carb re-jetting and performance zorst...even rear sets and dropped bars wouldn't go amiss.

I'd be reluctant to be de-tabbing, podding and generally fucking it up.

Good luck fella.
 
Thanks for all the feed back. Wasn't going to chop it at all. It runs mint, and yes it does go very fast. Went with a pair of MX bars. The bars that came on it were drop down Cafe style, the previous guy tried to Cafe it. Was thinking of making the seat thinner and straighter from front to back. Found this tail section and next step is to match up the paint. The paint appears to be original and is in great shape. No scratches and not even one scratch on the chrome wheels or fenders.

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I did the flashers, tail and brake all in one up under the rear fender. Here are pics of the MX bars. Also added a pic of the bars that it came with. Semi mild scrambler or road tracker is the way I want to go, keeping it simple.

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Btw thx for the pics coffee guy, I did have mine opened up all the way, a ton no prob. But I was to be a paratrooper back in the day so have always had the guts to try...stupud or not I don't know but I'm here to tell about it..... So far... Lol

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There are two ways of getting butt hurt, one is by being a brainwashed liberal, the other is by cutting down the padding on a very comfortable good looking well designed seat.
;)
 
Erskine said:
There are two ways of getting butt hurt, one is by being a brainwashed liberal, the other is by cutting down the padding on a very comfortable good looking well designed seat.
;)
I would add more high density foam, did it once on an old shadow bobber build. Came out a little more comfy than the original factory foam that has seen it's days

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I know all about butt hurt.. Lol.... Did a 6 week your out east a couple of years back on a Stratoliner I owned. This bike would never take trips like that anyway. More of a back and forth to work and around town bike. Not enough time in saddle to give me to much negative feedback... Lol

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duffer said:
I would add more high density foam, did it once on an old shadow bobber build. Came out a little more comfy than the original factory foam that has seen it's days

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It's important to keep the 'crown jewels' well padded lol.
 
Erskine said:
This investment will give you better returns than any stocks or shares ....
So long as you don't butcher it, keep all original parts and don't do anything irreversible.
I had one of these back in the day and they are damn fine pieces of engineering.
Nice one :)
Thanks

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