1980 KZ250 Cafe Build
- Thread starter phomeniuk
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phomeniuk
New Member
Well I pulled the motor today so that I could do some spot sanding and paint the frame. Wanted to be able to flip the frame to weld the bottom of my electrics pan too. Upon flipping the frame I noticed there was a small crack on the passenger peg bracket so I cleaned it up and welded it. Thought I'd inspect the rest of the frame and found 2 more hairline cracks so I did the same to them. Glad I caught all that. Well I got the rest of the unused brackets cut off and ground smooth and was able to get the frame, engine mounts and triples primed and first coated then I ran out of paint (Sunday so no stores were open by the time I needed more paint)
Need to do a little cleanup on the motor then everything can go back together.
While everything was drying I tried to spoon on my new front tire and punctured the tube. This was about 10 minutes after I punctured a tube spooning a tire onto my DRZ, so I've decided to retire from the tire changing game. Apparently I don't have the patience for it.
Anyway, after I get another coat of paint on the frame and engine mounts and get everything back together the only thing left to do will be the tank. It's got a hole in it where the nameplate mounts which I can fix easy enough but I also need to weld a small bracket onto it so i can bolt it to the frame. Working up the welding courage to do this but might just take it to a buddy that has a tig so I don't frig it up.
That's all for now. Hoping to have mostly everything wrapped up within the next week so I can get her out for a couple short test rides.
Need to do a little cleanup on the motor then everything can go back together.
While everything was drying I tried to spoon on my new front tire and punctured the tube. This was about 10 minutes after I punctured a tube spooning a tire onto my DRZ, so I've decided to retire from the tire changing game. Apparently I don't have the patience for it.
Anyway, after I get another coat of paint on the frame and engine mounts and get everything back together the only thing left to do will be the tank. It's got a hole in it where the nameplate mounts which I can fix easy enough but I also need to weld a small bracket onto it so i can bolt it to the frame. Working up the welding courage to do this but might just take it to a buddy that has a tig so I don't frig it up.
That's all for now. Hoping to have mostly everything wrapped up within the next week so I can get her out for a couple short test rides.
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Looks like yours has a Mikuni VM carb. Mines an '82 and it has a CV. Hmm..may be worth a look.
phomeniuk
New Member
I found your build when I started to consider doing mine and really liked what you did with it. Nothing like a free bike to get w build started eh?advCo said:
I never really question the carb that's on my bike, but I do know that it was the source of some poor idle issues until my father rebuilt it about a year before giving me the bike. Now that you've mentioned it though I'll have to check next time I'm in the shed and then reference that back to the shop manual.
phomeniuk said:
Mine wasn't free. I wish it was
I'd rather have the VM, I hate CV carbs lol
Was this bike running well with the Mikuni on it/without the stock airbox? Mine didn't come with the airbox and I have a couple VM's lying around. If yours was running well I may bug you for jet/needle sizes etc.
Mine came to me with that Mikuni carb. That bike is long gone. Any info on jetting would be in the build thread somewhere, if there is any. Unfortunately, I don't remember what they were.
It ran fine once I got it sorted. Sold it to a guy who rode it all over the place for years. I saw it for sale on eBay or Craigslist a few years ago and it was still going strong.
Search for "The Mosquito KZ250" here. Unfortunately, the pics are dead. I think I lost that entire album when Photobucket showed their ass a year or two ago.
It ran fine once I got it sorted. Sold it to a guy who rode it all over the place for years. I saw it for sale on eBay or Craigslist a few years ago and it was still going strong.
Search for "The Mosquito KZ250" here. Unfortunately, the pics are dead. I think I lost that entire album when Photobucket showed their ass a year or two ago.
phomeniuk
New Member
Short little update today. Finally at the reassembly stage of the project. Engine is back in the frame and rear end is put back together complete. New brake shoes and rubber, polished the machined bits on the wheel and lightly polished the cush drive hub. Chain was relatively new so I just cleaned it up and I'll hit it with wax after all other assembly is done.
My multi pin connectors finally came in so I finished rewiring the headlight cluster this morning while my wife and daughter were still sleeping. Only wiring left to do is to clean up a bit under the seat and mount a few things (regulator, battery, fuse box etc).
That's all for now. Waiting for a new tube to come in for the front tire since I punctured the last one then the front end can go back together. If all goes smoothly I should be able to get her out for a test ride by next weekend.
My multi pin connectors finally came in so I finished rewiring the headlight cluster this morning while my wife and daughter were still sleeping. Only wiring left to do is to clean up a bit under the seat and mount a few things (regulator, battery, fuse box etc).
That's all for now. Waiting for a new tube to come in for the front tire since I punctured the last one then the front end can go back together. If all goes smoothly I should be able to get her out for a test ride by next weekend.
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phomeniuk
New Member
I got a little ambitious the other night and started stripping my tank. Had to fill a hole with weld, which I was a little nervous to do but it went well. Then, because I am not putting the tank badges back on I decided to mix up some body fill to smooth out the sides. There were a couple little dents that I took care of at the same time.
I also spent about 20 minutes staring at different red paints at Canadian Tire the other day, finally deciding on a deep metallic red, which I think will pair well with my brown seat and shiny new black frame. Hoping to get some paint on over the next couple nights.
I also spent about 20 minutes staring at different red paints at Canadian Tire the other day, finally deciding on a deep metallic red, which I think will pair well with my brown seat and shiny new black frame. Hoping to get some paint on over the next couple nights.
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Sderbyshire
Into Sailing, classic Triumph cars and motorbikes.
Good job on the tank!
phomeniuk
New Member
The day has finally come! Slapped the plate from the DRZ on her and took her through the gears. I went down the road about 4km and back and learned a valuable lesson in using lock washers. My left side rearset had it's footpeg rattle loose and fall off. I went back to look for it with no luck so I guess I'm going to custom make 2 new footpegs. Other than that everything went smoothly. Small little oil leak that I thought I had taken care of is still there so I'll have to do a little more troubleshooting to sort that out.
In the meantime I have drawn up a set of stickers for the tank that should be ready within a couple days. Getting a safety done Monday and will get it licensed and insured.
IMO this thing looks pretty good for a little budget build
In the meantime I have drawn up a set of stickers for the tank that should be ready within a couple days. Getting a safety done Monday and will get it licensed and insured.
IMO this thing looks pretty good for a little budget build
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phomeniuk
New Member
Well it may be "done" but I'm still tinkering. I wasn't too thrilled with how the headlight looked with the rest of the bike so I moved it down as much as my wiring would allow and I moved it bacl on the ears by 1 hole. I think it suits it alot better.
Also, I noticed my front tire barely rubbed the side of my fender. I've pulled the fender off for now but would still like to run a front fender. I know alot of cafe style builds are without one but I just don't want the potential hassle by the boys in blue. Does anyone have any experience with a good universal front fender? I'm also open to fabbing my own if it comes to that. Hoping to keep it quite small, just enough to be legal.
Anyway, I've attached an updated pic of how it looks with the headlight modified and the fender off.
I haven't really asked the community here for a ton of input but now that I'm at this stage and am quite happy with how she looks I want to ask you guys: If you were to suggest any small changes/additions on my build, what would they be and why? Keep in mind that my aim was never to build a show piece, but just a neat little bike that I can put around on.
Thanks
Also, I noticed my front tire barely rubbed the side of my fender. I've pulled the fender off for now but would still like to run a front fender. I know alot of cafe style builds are without one but I just don't want the potential hassle by the boys in blue. Does anyone have any experience with a good universal front fender? I'm also open to fabbing my own if it comes to that. Hoping to keep it quite small, just enough to be legal.
Anyway, I've attached an updated pic of how it looks with the headlight modified and the fender off.
I haven't really asked the community here for a ton of input but now that I'm at this stage and am quite happy with how she looks I want to ask you guys: If you were to suggest any small changes/additions on my build, what would they be and why? Keep in mind that my aim was never to build a show piece, but just a neat little bike that I can put around on.
Thanks
I would add a rear fender or at least a mud guard to keep road grime and debris off the air filter. Check out Jadus' front fenders they are pretty slick and would probably fit this bike just fine.
Other than that it looks good though.
Other than that it looks good though.
phomeniuk
New Member
I was toying around with the old rear fender trying to make it look good but I couldn't get it to where I wanted it so I just kind of fo4got about it. My brother had suggested that a small fitted fender like you'd see on a modern sport bike would look good on the back. Will have to do a little more tinkering with the fenders to find something that suits the bike. I'll check out Jadus' fenders too, thanksadvCo said:
phomeniuk
New Member
I had some free time tonight after my daughter went to bed so I slid out to the shed to ponder about these fenders. I ended up modifying my existing front fender to suit. Had to bend the ears straight and then re-bend them at the same angle but 1/2" further up. This ensures clearance on my front tire. Next, I got the masking tape out and decided where to cut it. In all I took 3.5" off the front and 3" off the back, maintaining the stock roundovers for each end. I think it looks pretty good and it suits the bike just fine.
Since I've been cutting and grinding, I've compromised the chrome plating so now I'm at a crossroads: do I paint the fender the same black as the frame so it is almost unnoticeable, or do I paint it the the tank colour to give it a little more pop and help the tank look more like it belongs? I'll sleep on that decision I think, but what do you guys think would suit it better?
Since I've been cutting and grinding, I've compromised the chrome plating so now I'm at a crossroads: do I paint the fender the same black as the frame so it is almost unnoticeable, or do I paint it the the tank colour to give it a little more pop and help the tank look more like it belongs? I'll sleep on that decision I think, but what do you guys think would suit it better?
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Black or red would look good. Often you can modify the stock inner fender for the rear which is usually plastic. On my 360 build I trimmed down the inner fender and used it as a mold to make a fiberglass fender which I mounted to the swingarm
I agree with advCo, your ride looks slick man and a rear fender of some sort could really tie it together, especially if you painted both front and rear fenders red. I did what advCo suggested on my bike - chopped up the stock rear fender and it looks pretty sharp.
I also cut up a plexiglass sheet to fit between the two vertical rear subframe posts - this will stop any road cack from being flung into those pods and at the same time is pretty inconspicuous.
I also cut up a plexiglass sheet to fit between the two vertical rear subframe posts - this will stop any road cack from being flung into those pods and at the same time is pretty inconspicuous.
phomeniuk
New Member
I tossed around the idea of using the stock inner fender as my finished rear fender but it's in pretty rough shape so I elected to avoid using it. That being said, I had never considered using it as a mould, however I don't have any experience with fiberglass and I'm sure I'd make a mess of it. I could use it as a template though, to cut apart an existing fender, perhaps I will try that. My original rear fender is in pretty good shape but it's got so many holes in it for bolts, wires etc that I'd be forever patching the thing. Will be a bit of work i guess but nothing an afternoon and a six pack can't handle though eh?
And I think I like the idea of doing both fenders in the red. Thanks for the advice guys. Hopefully I'll be able to work on that in the next few days and post what I've come up with
And I think I like the idea of doing both fenders in the red. Thanks for the advice guys. Hopefully I'll be able to work on that in the next few days and post what I've come up with