‘79 Kz650B - Semi-Trackbike Build

[canyoncarver]

I have a love the for KZ650's. I dig the direction you are going with this. Love those wheels too.

 

[Streetfighterkz]

without the hose clamps, safety wire and zip-ties that I would probably have used.

I have all those supplies but it’s been waaaayyyy overdone. Haha!

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

I have a love the for KZ650's. I dig the direction you are going with this. Love those wheels too.

Thanks! I started street riding on my dad’s ‘78 Kz650C back in high school. Oddly enough, it’s also in my garage to be resurrected. It’s pretty much been sitting since 2000-2001 when I graduated. The only add-ons are a crash bar and backrest with luggage rack added back in the early-80’s.

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

With the upper mount done, I set about machining up a lower bracket. Starting with a 1.5x6x0.5” bar, I started whittling away. The bracket not only spaces out the headlight bracket to match the upper mount but adapts the narrower Ducati mounting bolt spacing to the wider Zx brake junction bolt spacing.

And bolted up…

The stock Ducati headlight ears place the headlight a bit forward but quite a bit lower than I’d like so I guess I’ll need to form new ones.

Later, Doug

 

[Luugo86]

I was curious how you would work around the misaligned bolt holes on that bracket. It looks like a great fix man

 

[Streetfighterkz]

Still chipping away at the 650, just not as fast as I’d like. I’m still trying to figure out a front light. I’m on the fence of OG 7” round headlight or a number plate with a really nice Hella bi-halogen projector that I picked up for about 25% of retail. It is a bit bigger than I want at 90mm diameter.

The premade number plates are available in two sizes: 7x10” and 10x12”. If I go with a plate, I think the smaller will look more proportional.
7x10”

10x12”

Side number plates may be a bit too poser-ish?

Later, Doug

 

[ridesolo]

Side number plates may be a bit too poser-ish?

Maybe, but I say, "Do what makes you happy."

 

[Streetfighterkz]

In my last post I was holding onto a 90mm Hella Bi-halogen light. I think it’s a bit big, but remembered I had a pair of 3” (75mm) dual beam projector lights in my “For Sale” pile along with a H11 HID kit. The 75mm might be small enough to work…

Be a bit like this:

Later, Doug

 

[teazer]

I had the same issue with an ugrade to the Phat Trakka's lights. I ended up with a 5.75" LED lamp and mounting ring because I couldn't find a decent hi/lo small form factor lamp.

What are the 3" lights and are they true Hi/Lo or high power/lower power type lamps?

 

[Streetfighterkz]

What are the 3" lights and are they true Hi/Lo or high power/lower power type lamps?

I bought it from eBay a couple years ago. I looked it up in my e-mail archive and it was advertised as a foglight with hi/lo. It has a powered shutter and uses a H9 or H11 bulb.

Still on the fence on an OG 7” round or the number plate and projector setup…..

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

I bought. Z900RS front reservoir bracket thinking it’d work since it mounts to the M/C. The M/C I bought didn’t have a threaded hole so I marked, drilled and tapped one. Then it turns out that reservoir was not going to fit with the low rise handle bars. So some tweaking and all is clear.

I also think I’m going to hold off on a number plate for now and stick with an OG round light. I have two options at my disposal. I have the original Kz 7” assembly or a 8” Gs1100 “train light”.

Here’s the 8”..

And the 7”…

I think the 8” is a bit too large but looks good with beefier USD fork legs like I have waiting for my Kz900 Prostreet project.

So back to mounting the 7” unit. I found some 16ga aluminum scrap and used the Ducati ears as a rough template.

I liked the shape and the bends but the headlight is too far out in my opinion. So I re-drilled the hole 20mm further back. Looks much better to me.

Now that it’s close, I’ll fab the ears from 1/8” (3mm) sheet.

Later, Doug

 

[doc_rot]

7" looks good. Have you considered lowing the gauge/headlight cluster?
Its a bit of work but i think once you swap to lower bars these bikes benefit visibly by streamlining the mass.

 

[Streetfighterkz]

Have you considered lowing the gauge/headlight cluster?

I definitely wasn’t planning on it. I could probably flip my lower mounting bracket upside down and add spacers under the triple to space down my upper mount. It’d lower everything about 1-1/8” or so.

Later, Doug

 

[JerryAssburger]

Really nice work! I love the "Train Light" description! Wow! 8" !

 

[Streetfighterkz]

Changed the brackets slightly so the top is close to level instead of angling down. Much cleaner looking IMO. I used 1/8” alumiyummy sheet which is close to the stock Duc material. I may polish it, bit may go for a brushed finish…we’ll see.

Next up is mounting the 900RR fender to the Zx6R forks. Thinking of making some brackets like the headlight mounts.

And an overall view.

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

I turned up a couple turn-signal stems. The signals I bought have M8 x 20mm long stems. The headlight mounts require a minimum of 25mm length plus threads. I didn’t feel comfortable with a 1mm wall due to M8 internal threads in a 10mm OD spacer. I’m still not completely set on them but they’ll do for now.

Next up is mounting the front 900RR fender. The OE brackets that go inside the fender are made from unobtanium it seems and the SS aftermarket item looms great but is $$$. So some round bar, a bit of time on the lathe, a few good tack welds and we have a couple replacements. They’re not pretty but they won’t be seen. I’ll clean them up a little and paint them black.

I ran out of time last night to start making the template for mounting the fender to the Zx6 forks.

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

Onto the fender brackets. These were a bit challenging as the Zx6’s fork mounting lugs aren’t directly across from each other and aren’t away from the centerline symmetrically either.

First template and try. The fender was tilted a bit too far back leaving the space between the tire and fender closer in the rear. I also didn’t like the shape and how it was exposed on one side but not the other.

So my second attempt fixed the tilt but now it’s ever so slightly too far forward but that’s an easy fix for the final bracket which will be made from the same material as the headlight mounts.

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

Onto the fender brackets. These were a bit challenging as the Zx6’s fork mounting lugs aren’t directly across from each other and aren’t away from the centerline symmetrically either.

First template and try. The fender was tilted a bit too far back leaving the space between the tire and fender closer in the rear. I also didn’t like the shape and how it was exposed on one side but not the other.

So my second attempt fixed the tilt but now it’s ever so slightly too far forward but that’s an easy fix for the final bracket which will be made from the same material as the headlight mounts.

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

I was planning on making the final fender holders but my bandsaw said it needed a break.

So, I started blocking off the SMOG ports. The bike had the normal cross-over hose fix. I know it’s not visible but it bothered me so I popped the covers off and set to work. It turns out that the hose nipples are just pressed in and can be driven out using the appropriate size socket. That left me with a larger hole but without the unsightly hose connection. Never fear though as I have a lathe and some 0.75” 6061 round bar.

I also started to clean up the harness a tad. There were some extra wires in the headlight bucket that I wanted to remove. I’m also going to use Zx14 switches so I have to mod the harness for the proper connectors.

Later, Doug

 

[Streetfighterkz]

Time for spaghetti or a bird’s nest to some. I found an online manual for a Zx14 which donated its switchgear for this project. The right side is fully functional and the left is with the exception of the horn, which I haven’t tested. I have some fused relays on order as I don’t feel comfortable running the coils or headlight directly through the Zx switches. The Ninja’s wire gauge is much smaller than the Kz’s was.

Later, Doug