Doing Research For Tracker Build Using Kawi Ninja 650 (Probably)

[crazypj]

I thought the same when I first saw it but apparently it does the opposite and pushes front wheel down
I don't remember the article but it went into great depth with charts, graphs and math I couldn't understand.
May have been Cycle World, they did all sorts of interesting stuff back then including stripping engines to see what was inside (plus looking for wear/damage after a month or two of severe abuse they called 'normal riding ;D )

 

[doc_rot]

I have access to a ton of periodicals and did a search of the cycle world archives and didn't see any articles on that. Very few articles on the kz750 at all. I'm curious to read this article, any other suggestions where to look?

One thing I did learn is that the engine spins backwards because they used a hy-vo chain to connect the crank to the input shaft instead of the typical gears so this required the engine to spin in reverse to make the bike go forward. The article I found hints that they used a chain here because they needed clearance for the balancer assembly but doesn't go into detail.

 

[crazypj]

Sorry, I can barely remember what I did this morning let alone 40+yrs ago. I thought maybe Cycle World because they always did 'best' articles (I was learning a lot back then) It may have been in there still but in one of the engine dynamics or handling articles? I still have a few paper copies of stuff I found particularly interesting but noting on KZ750's (wasn't a Kawi fan)

 

[johnu]

Very difficult to find a donor bike in Cali for under $1.5k. I'm going to expand my search to any two cylinder 4 stroke with a steel frame. Still would like to find a kz750 though.

 

[doc_rot]

I feel your pain. I live in the Bay Area, bike prices are ridiculous. Seems like the prices on kz750s have shot up recently a few years ago I regularly saw them for a few hundred bucks. My project 750 I scored for $200, but it was in pretty bad shape. Where are you located?

 

[crazypj]

Oh, one ting I forgot to mention about KZ750twin.
I've only ridden a few but taking one out on a greasy wet road, it's incredibly 'top heavy' with all the stuff going on in cylinder head. When it gets even slight 'sideways' the reverse engine rotation and high CoG become very very noticeable.

 

[canyoncarver]

A 750 twin will show up now and then on Craigslist around here (NM) in various conditions but almost always under 1k. I've seen a few farther south (near the border) for under 500. I'm always tempted to go pickup another spare.

 

[johnu]

I feel your pain. I live in the Bay Area, bike prices are ridiculous. Seems like the prices on kz750s have shot up recently a few years ago I regularly saw them for a few hundred bucks. My project 750 I scored for $200, but it was in pretty bad shape. Where are you located?

I'm down in SoCal, Riverside area. Everyone thinks they have a gem on their hands in Cali! I look around other states and good deals can be found pretty easily. I would go out of state and buy but I don't really know if out of state bikes can be registered in Cali.

 

[doc_rot]

I am still a legal resident of Washington so all my vehicles are registered there. California has some of the stupidest licensing laws in the country. That has led to some deals for me, because i can easily register them in Washington. I sold my kz400 to a buddy here with a washington title and he was able to register it. I forget the details but IIRC the bike has to have over 7500 miles otherwise the DMV considers it a new vehicle regardless of age (post '76). motorcycles are smog exempt so i think its a bit more lenient to register them, i would call up the DMV and see whats up. It will be hard to find a deal this time of year in CA

 

[johnu]

I am still a legal resident of Washington so all my vehicles are registered there. California has some of the stupidest licensing laws in the country. That has led to some deals for me, because i can easily register them in Washington. I sold my kz400 to a buddy here with a washington title and he was able to register it. I forget the details but IIRC the bike has to have over 7500 miles otherwise the DMV considers it a new vehicle regardless of age (post '76). motorcycles are smog exempt so i think its a bit more lenient to register them, i would call up the DMV and see whats up. It will be hard to find a deal this time of year in CA

I will do some dmv checking, I might go to AAA to see if they can advise me about it. I just hear about 49 state bikes that can't be registered in Cali so that is a red flag to me. I'm not in a big hurry so I'll just keep looking.

 

[crazypj]

The mileage limitation and 48 State bikes are relatively new so a pre 1980 shouldn't have any problems.
When Yamaha got fined $26,000,000 for bringing bikes in from Nevada (even tough modified to comply with California spec) it showed various counties how to make money by screwing people over with 'out of state' vehicles

 

[johnu]

The mileage limitation and 48 State bikes are relatively new so a pre 1980 shouldn't have any problems.
When Yamaha got fined $26,000,000 for bringing bikes in from Nevada (even tough modified to comply with California spec) it showed various counties how to make money by screwing people over with 'out of state' vehicles

Ok great, thanks! Is 1980 the cut off for 48 state bikes?

 

[crazypj]

Ok great, thanks! Is 1980 the cut off for 48 state bikes?

I don't remember but think it may be later, some time in 90's when major changes happened.
The only reason I know anything at all is due to some research I did while working as an instructor at MMI,
Florida is way too lenient on some modifications (usually jacked up 'mudboggers' not even close to legal specification)

 

[canyoncarver]

Just a thought on the KZ750 twin, you'll want to skip over any 83's. They changed them to belt drive that year.

 

[johnu]

Just a though on the KZ750 twin, you'll want to skip over any 83's. They changed them to belt drive that year.

Good call!

 

[doc_rot]

Have you seen this? This bike has been on craigslist for months, maybe a year? He recently reduced the price. It could probably be had for cheap. I live close by, I could take a look for you.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/d/1977-kawasaki-kz750-carb-issue/6581877417.html

 

[canyoncarver]

Have you seen this? This bike has been on craigslist for months, maybe a year? He recently reduced the price. It could probably be had for cheap. I live close by, I could take a look for you.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/d/1977-kawasaki-kz750-carb-issue/6581877417.html

I could swear somebody posted that in the CL thread.

 

[doc_rot]

I did, but back then it was listed or $2500 I think it was probably at least 9 months ago

 

[johnu]

Haven't given up on this yet just been busy with other things! I found a 2011 Ninja 650 at a tow yard that is $600, thing is though apparently it was dropped and one of the cases is cracked and all the oil leaked out and it doesn't run. My concern is that there could be bigger issues inside the engine. I don't like buying without hearing it run. For $600 though you can't expect too much and I would doubt that engine internals are damaged. I might just have to go and look at it. Oh the other thing is it is being sold with lein paper work (all correct) so not sure if I would have a big bill at dmv for unpaid registration!

 

[crazypj]

It's probably just an outer cover as modern castings are very thin (even thinner than they were when GSX-R came out) You had to fit thicker covers or slider plates to race them as it became a pretty serious issue pretty quick, even a minor fall over(literally stationary and fell of stand, etc) could crack the cover. Can you check the bolts didn't bend and crack crankcase? That's about the only thing that would make it a 'no-go'