1978 KZ400 B1
- Thread starter RobK
- Start date
valvesprung
Over 1,000 Posts
Extremely nice build. I'll likely order a set of those progressive springs as well. Let me know how the pre-load works out for you.
beater said:
I'm in central Denver, and it was yours truly who did the drilling. Created the template in Illustrator from a pic of Mike Hailwood's Ducati. Though it's funny, I just looked at the pic again and the pattern is different (2,3,2,3, etc), instead of mine which is 2,2,2,2,etc. Oh well, it looks the part and hey, might even help heavy braking. ;D
...on the subject of drilled rotors. Back a few pages I posted the template of the pattern i used. It was only after I started drilling that I realized the inner-most ring of holes is really too close to the center. For anyone who uses the template - be aware that you might want to print slightly larger.
Also a tip; being a cheap b*stard, the prospect of going through a big bottle of 3 in One while drilling my (cast-iron) rotor chilled my soul. Then I remembered the big bottle of corn oil under the sink (which is something like $2/qt). Well worked a charm and still have plenty left.
Also a tip; being a cheap b*stard, the prospect of going through a big bottle of 3 in One while drilling my (cast-iron) rotor chilled my soul. Then I remembered the big bottle of corn oil under the sink (which is something like $2/qt). Well worked a charm and still have plenty left.
thompsonmx100
Over 1,000 Posts
cool bike I like these kawi twins they are just begging for the cafe treatment. what color did you do the frame in.keep it up. I like this bike too
I keep going back and forth. the wife wants kawi green, but I don't know, I just can't get it to grow on me. It's very cool, but I can't get there yet. If I do, I think mine will be like the h2r, with wide white stripe and to small ones down the middle.
We'll see.
j
We'll see.
j
thompsonmx100
Over 1,000 Posts
Thats a cool bike but its not mine I saw it on ebay a while back. just looks good. nice and light. I'm wanting to do mine in some sort of green with white racing stripes dowm the center and the number 1 on the tail
Beater - funny what you said about the wife - my wife also favors kawi green. I'm thinking of adding a goldish yellow and white. But that h2r is always an option. Good looking machine.
I've also been thinking about something like one of them wrenchmonkee bikes, (like black, dirty bronze and maybe a hint of candy-apple red metal flake in honor of the era when this bike was made).
Also proceeded a bit with my project...
Got the exhausts on, but still need some kind of bracket to attach the pipes in the rear.
Have also primed the seat and tank and now must actually commit to a color(s).
Drilled out the sprocket cover, which I'm very pleased with.
Cleaned, re-installed, and adjusted the chain. (the PO said it was a recent purchase and given the relative lack of dirt and overall good condition of it, I believe him).
I also drilled a few holes in the clutch lever (more for looks it should probably be said).
I'm hoping to finish off installing the sprocket cover and the adjusting the clutch this evening, which means drive train is complete (minus the re-installing the throttle and carbs).
For the carbs, I want to get them back on and get the bike running again before messin' with them. The bike ran before I stripped it. If I did something goofy during the rebuild and it doesn't run when I get it back together, I'd rather not have the carbs on the list of possible problems.
Providing all is well, I'll probably take the carbs apart and clean them. I'm somewhat torn on the air question: pods or velocity stacks (fly catchers). I really like the look of velocity stacks, even with screening. However, Colorado is a dusty and rocky place. Ask any resident how long their car windshield lasts, if they say more than 3 years, they don't drive much. So the prospect of pulling a small stone into the motor is a little less than appealing. Either way, I'm also planning on re-jetting as the machine as it will almost certainly be running lean with the elimination of the airbox.
And here's some update photos...
I've also been thinking about something like one of them wrenchmonkee bikes, (like black, dirty bronze and maybe a hint of candy-apple red metal flake in honor of the era when this bike was made).
Also proceeded a bit with my project...
Got the exhausts on, but still need some kind of bracket to attach the pipes in the rear.
Have also primed the seat and tank and now must actually commit to a color(s).
Drilled out the sprocket cover, which I'm very pleased with.
Cleaned, re-installed, and adjusted the chain. (the PO said it was a recent purchase and given the relative lack of dirt and overall good condition of it, I believe him).
I also drilled a few holes in the clutch lever (more for looks it should probably be said).
I'm hoping to finish off installing the sprocket cover and the adjusting the clutch this evening, which means drive train is complete (minus the re-installing the throttle and carbs).
For the carbs, I want to get them back on and get the bike running again before messin' with them. The bike ran before I stripped it. If I did something goofy during the rebuild and it doesn't run when I get it back together, I'd rather not have the carbs on the list of possible problems.
Providing all is well, I'll probably take the carbs apart and clean them. I'm somewhat torn on the air question: pods or velocity stacks (fly catchers). I really like the look of velocity stacks, even with screening. However, Colorado is a dusty and rocky place. Ask any resident how long their car windshield lasts, if they say more than 3 years, they don't drive much. So the prospect of pulling a small stone into the motor is a little less than appealing. Either way, I'm also planning on re-jetting as the machine as it will almost certainly be running lean with the elimination of the airbox.
And here's some update photos...
beater said:let me know if you need help with that bracket/brace for the exhaust. I have all sorts of stakes and an anvil plus all the normal metal stuff. I got rid of my press brake though... :
Thanks - I'm looking at something simple - but we all knw that it doesn't always work out that way.
Jfishsolevibe
Coast to Coast
RobK said:
RobK: Which seat was it from Airtech that you were looking at? My buddy is after one for the KZ750 -
Bike looks AWESOME!
Fish
Jfishsolevibe said:
Fish,
I'm afraid you've accidentally opened a wound. I saw that design on a pic of an H2 online somewhere. I really liked it, so fabricated one myself. I had never done anything similar before so it took a looooong time. About the time I finished it, I saw one almost identical on Airtech for ~$130. So I think I paid myself about 50¢/hr for my efforts!
To spare your buddy the same pain, check out....
http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/kawiz/H1H21969-76.htm
I'm not sure if the frame rails are the same width for the H2 and the KZ, but from what I can see, the frames look pretty similar, and given that a) the Japanese actually understood standardization (unlike say, the Brits), and b) that the H2 was also a 750, that seat may well fit perfect-like first try.
Jfishsolevibe
Coast to Coast
Thanks a lot man - He was pondering the same thing, regarding the same seat you linked to.
He and I just did the seat for my CL ourselves this weekend, and I think in response he has little to no interest in ever working with fiberglass again haha. I can see the appeal is locating one thats ready to go.
Thanks again!
John
He and I just did the seat for my CL ourselves this weekend, and I think in response he has little to no interest in ever working with fiberglass again haha. I can see the appeal is locating one thats ready to go.
Thanks again!
John
thompsonmx100
Over 1,000 Posts
Hey the bikes lookin good. I like the sprocket cover. That bike on ebay went for something like 3000. It was a well done conversion.
78kz said:Nice work on the KZ Rob.
I've always liked the style of seat you made. Much more than the rounded down versions out there.
She's coming along nicely.
Kinda reminds me of Dutchz's KZ:
That's a great looking machine. I'd love to see more pics.
Just put a taillight into my KZ (which I was a little apprehensive abt but now I'm very pleased). I also like the idea of having a BIG tail light as I don't really fancy being rear-ended becasue my brake light was the size of a lollipop.
...and having been messing with colors/schemes. The colors in the pic are rattlecan, but I went ahead and bought some real auto paint this weekend from the good folks down at Allen Paint on Broadway (no connection, they just treat me well). Looks like dark metallic gray (think gun-metal), dark metallic brown (it's a '70s bike, after all) and some burgundy pin-stripping. Pretty close to the mock up but it should look a lot deeper.
valvesprung
Over 1,000 Posts
LOVIN IT!I dig a good retro throwback paint scheme any ol day...
