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So it begins! I am starting my first ever bike build with my 79 KZ650 SR D2, which will be transformed into some sort of a cafe/fighter mutt. I like to think less is more and I'm trying to keep that in mind with this build. To begin i got a box of 07/08 GSXR 1000 parts off craigslist for a hell of a deal. ;D Whole front end (minus wheel) rear swing arm, rearsets pretty much everything i need to keep me busy for a couple years. But this year I am just going for the front end swap and am leaving the rear swing arm for next winter. Trying to keep in mind this is my first build so I don't want to get to far ahead of myself. Here is what I am starting with
Just mocked up to see what I am up against. Now i just have to find a good machinist around the Cleveland area to machine my kz stem in the gsxr lower triple. Just moved into my first house last month so excuse the mess of parts laying around, I am still trying to organize and get my lab setup.
At this point i have the whole front end off, carbs pulled, air box removed, exhaust off, battery box and almost all electronics removed.
next on the to do list:
1. Steering stem machined
2. front end reassembled
3. Carbs cleaned
4. Electronics relocated under new seat
5. 4:1 exhaust
6. Possibly rearsets mounted?
Very cool. Is the gsxr stem too short? When I converted my gpz over to a zx7 frontend that I was able to press my stem into the old stem. You'll have to grind or machine the weld off of the bottom of the stem. Then press the stem out from the bottom. What year and model gsxr are you working with?
Thanks for the link dave! I found it on some uk site, good to know where it actually came from originally. I'd like to get ahold of him see how that front was bolted on. When I zoomed in it looks like he has it bolted into the steering stem from the bottom some how?
It's been awhile since i updated this but non the less. I have finally tracked down some rims for the build What a pain in the A$$ that was! Carbs are being dropped off tonight to a local guy who is pretty much a master of all things KZ... Front stems will be shipped out to be machined this week to button up the front end so i can use the kz bearings and everything will mesh together perfectly.. Sandblasting the tank and battery box this weekend... I have to figure out what I am going to do as far as the seat and electric panel goes... Any suggestions?
A number of the guys (myself included) are installing cafe seats with the electrics hidden under it, with the battery relocated to the hump. It takes some thought and planning, but it isn't terribly difficult to do. I've put a metal plan under the seat that is flush with the underside of the rails and give a couple inches of clearance for the electrical bits. Seats can be bought off the shelf from Airtech Streamlining, Ebay, Roccity Cafe etc OR you can make your own. You'll need to take some measurements to make sure you get one big enough to fit the frame. Any seat you buy will take some fab work to get it fastened to the frame.
I appreciate the input SBURTON.. but I think I’m going to go with a brat style bench seat (my girl would be pissed if I made it a solo rider lol) and leave the battery hanging and just fabricate the battery box a little to make it fit in a little better with the build. Going to run with the idea of a electronic tray to sit flush between the seat and frame like you were saying. I like the idea of having a café seat but between the weekend camping trips and passengers the bench seat is the way I’m going to go. Unless I could figure a way to have a café seat that can fit 2? Maybe a step up instead of a cone shaped rear? Now that’s an option to run with.
A bench seat will look badass! I've seen some photos around with that style of seat, no rear fender and smaller tail light that looks great.
I agree... you've gotta look after the significant other. I'm fortunate that my wife HATES motorcycles I guess fortunate is a bad choice of words, but at least she won't be looking for seat on one any time soon ;D
Are you planning to keep your e-starter? If not.. you can go to a significantly smaller battery which might be easier to tuck away. Either way, I'm sure it will look cool.
Little bit of an update... shipped out my front stem to be machined by Maxum Machine, LLC in Richmond, VA they are expecting it to be done by the end of the week... My carb guy just had a kid so who knows when i will get my carbs back.. hopefully around the same time i get the front end put back together.... Tonight i am going to attempt to pull the motor and rear assembly... Then its time to start chipping away at the frame and painting my rear rim.
UPDATE: Carbs are finally finished and will be ready for pickup tonight… Along with my new 4 into 1 Mac Exhaust, and Uni pod filters… Now I’m just waiting on the return of my front stem from Maxum Machine, which is looking like it will be ready in the next few days…
On a side not my girlfriend wrecked her car a couple weeks ago and her car happens to be the same color I want my bike to be… So with a little schmoozing I think I’m going to get my tank and plastics painted along with her car!
Last night I was bored and anxious to tear into the frame a little more so I took off all turn signals and rear swing arm assembly. I then took my GSXR 1000 swing arm and did a mock up to see how it would fit if I decided to go that route. To my surprise it fit relatively easily.. would just require about a mm on each side to be machined down for it to be perfect… Now the question is whether to have this done this summer or wait until next year to have someone fab up the mono and customize a rear sub frame. The way the budget is looking so far I’m thinking closer to next winter for this project… Here is a pic of the mock up of the rear GSXR 1000 swing arm.
well i have finally got the bike down to just the frame and motor and will begin stripping and painting the frame. Parts of the motor will get polished and painted as well. Stripped the tank down a little new with old for now.. Next year will come the mono shock and powdercoated frame and tank.. Got all my parts back this weekend hopefully will have front stem back this friday so i can begin reassembly. Here are some pics of the tank naked frame and the future seat mock up.
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