'80 KZ750 Twin - Project:WARHORSE

dp9

Coast to Coast
Ok, so I need a website for my business, but I'm inept at html, css, etc. I have a friend who is getting his motorcycle endorsement on his license this spring and is inept at turning wrenches. He works for a computer programing firm, though. so we thought we would trade services. Here's my end of it. I picked up an 80 kz750 twin that was a daily rider two years ago, but has seen better days. it was free, but i gave the guy a case yuengers to help me load it into my civic, like so:


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Thats not his bike, but thats how I carted it home. This is his bike:


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I cant weld, so his options are limited by that. He says: he wants a bobber, drag bars (i think he means superbike bars), the stock tank is ok, he wants a single seat, the headlight lowered, lose the idiot lights, no speedo, just a tach, smaller and closer in signal lights, pod filters, the electronics hidden under the seat, shorter tail section, but not sure about the design of it, paint is going to be flat black, and not sure about the exhaust.


things I'm concerned about are: getting rid of the rust thats on every-f*ckin-thing, especially the spokes (might get new wheels or just new spokes if the ones on there arent salvageable), he's a big boy and might not have room for anything other than a seat on this thing, so I'm not sure where I'll mount the rear lights.


Here are a couple more pics:


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This is the third bike build I"ve been involved in, and the second kz750 twin. first things first, I'm going to make it run. new plugs, fresh gas, charged battery, starting fluid, see if that does the trick. if not, check spark and compression. if ive got those things, rebuild the carbs and go from there.


should be a fun ride.
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

good luck man...looks like you got your work cut out for ya
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

WOW where did he have it parked under a down spout or off the end of a dock, keep us posted on the progress.

Aaron
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

thanks for the reassuring words guys, laugh. I think it was next to his shed (that he parked his HD in) for two years. might finally have to break down and buy or make a parts washing station.


on the up side, the engine kicks over easily.
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

nice. so will a sand blaster lol can use coke as in cola and aluminum foil but that rust is crazy thick. my spokes were not even half that bad and nothing cleaned em up. just blasted then pc'd
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

yeah, the spokes are pretty trashed. Ive been looking for deals on a set of rims. pretty sure thats how im going to solve that problem.
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

if youre going to do that you gonna step up to a 21 in front?
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

honestly, im gonna ask my friend if he wants spoke or mag and get the cheapest set i find that'll work. If that happens to be a 21" rim, then so be it. I doubt it will be though.

Edit: The guy i picked it up from finally got me the key for the damn thing, so now I can start trying to break all the bolts free to break it down. should have some progress posted by the end of the weekend.
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

dp9 said:
Edit: The guy i picked it up from finally got me the key for the damn thing, so now I can start trying to break all the bolts free to break it down. should have some progress posted by the end of the weekend.

pb blaster everything for a day and let it sit. believe that. i dont know what kawais deal is but their bolts love to break. i sprayed all the bolts about every 4 hours for a day then the next day tore apart. still broke a couple
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

my94f2 said:
pb blaster everything for a day and let it sit. believe that. i dont know what kawais deal is but their bolts love to break. i sprayed all the bolts about every 4 hours for a day then the next day tore apart. still broke a couple

+1 I've owned quite a few and I agree. Or it's maybe the fact that we are too strong, which I'm willing to think that as well.. ::)
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

also for the motor case if youre tearing those apart, get an impact screwdriver. saved a buncha time and headaches
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

Ive got one of those, but its never really worked. i hit it so hard the bike falls over before the screw breaks free. I just use a drill doctor for all the bits i dull while drilling screws out. also, the local auto parts store delivers me cases of PB and starting fluid like once a month, laugh.
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

Finally got out to the garage tonight, just for a little while. disassembled the bike from the carbs back, except for the electronics. bolts are surprisingly easy to get out. have had to touch the pb blaster or torch yet, and havent broken any either. im pretty amazed about that. when i took off the seat, i found a huge nest in the tail section, and there is a hole eaten through the owners manual which doubled as the base of the nest. nothing in it though. I also forgot to take a pic of the before i threw it out. when I took the tank off, all i heard was dust and debris rattling around.. great.


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surprisingly, the carbs look really clean on the inside, and everything appears to move freely. theyre getting rebuilt anyway, but I was impressed.


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Edit: I was looking at mag wheels and spoke kits today. i can buy a mag wheel, with a tire and rotor and have it shipped from nevada to nj all for less than the price of one spoke kit. wtf?! My friend decided that he absolutely wants spoke wheels. great. I have no experience lacing wheels; could you guys help me out with a little knowledge? inner and outer spoke kits, whats the difference?


Oh yeah, I checked the compression the other day and got 130 lbs on each cyl kicking it over.
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

Ok, I'm tuned in. Probably because I like to root for underdogs, and I want to see you revive that poor guy cuz he defines an underdog. ;)
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

take lots of pics of the wheels. notice the lace pattern and position of the hub to the rim. the 1st time scared the sh!t outta me. but now its not hard at all
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

I also think someone just did a little how-to or something recently on here....anyone know where I saw that? Or I could have been dreaming...
 
Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

a couple 'firsts' tonight on the bike. first stripped out screw, first drilled out screw, first snapped bolt and first spritz of PB Blaster.


kinda slow going on this build. just took apart the bars, controls and lights. The throttle was rusted to the bar, so thats going to be replaced with a plastic unit so that it never happens again. Took apart the headlight bucket so I can soda blast the rust off of it.


Gonna keep the stock headlight and bracket, make up some spacers and lower it an inch and a half to two inches while retaining the stock upper mounting points, and moving the lower mounting point to the lower tree. Dont worry, I'll take a pic once its fab'd.


Did i already say that the drag bars have been ordered? the black drag bars have been ordered and shipped.


There are some rust spots on the top parts of the forks btwn the trees. The decision has been made to clean it up as much as possible (lightly) and wrap it with black athletic tape, kinda like exhaust wrap.


The exhaust will be wrapped in black exhaust wrap. Its also (probably) going to be cut short a couple inches after the welded seam so it has a very short megaphone. Some race baffles will be inserted into the ends.


Ive got to order a little blast cabinet so I can soda blast all these little rusted bits. Then I can spray them. whats the most durable rattle can paint you guys have used?


I want to use copper lines from the fuel petcock to the carbs because its vintage as hell and no body does it, which has always disappointed me. If i can use it for any other lines, I will. Im concerned that it will corrode and turn green though. any thoughts on this?



I found this and thought it was interesting:
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This is the owners manual/animal nest base:
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Re: '80 KZ750 Twin - Project: <yet to be named>

"I want to use copper lines from the fuel petcock to the carbs because its vintage as hell and no body does it, which has always disappointed me. If i can use it for any other lines, I will. Im concerned that it will corrode and turn green though. any thoughts on this?"


Maybe a clear coat of some sort? Or a wax that will hold up to some of the heat? I'm sure someone will chime in, otherwise you just have to polish/clean it every once and a while! haha
 
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