KZ550 build thread. "Little Bastard"

Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Got a lot of work done in the shop after work. About 90% of the rear sets are done, drilled some speed holes (going to drill holes in EVERYTHING) and played around with making some custom velocity stacks.

Holes make things go faster. Plain and simple.

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Here's the brake side. Was going to use the original brake rod but that was about as stiff as a twizzler so made a new one out of some 1/4" rod and threaded the ends. I find something new at the mom and pop hardware store every time I go. They had the nicest cast iron rod ends. I machined some stainless clevis pins and they are held in place with an E clip. Very clean and strong. A little over kill I know for the rear break but I don't that shit falling off.

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The shifter side isn't quite done, I still need to do some fine tuning to make it comfortable. Again, the hardware store had 1/4 inch heim joints. Awesome.

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I machined the toe pegs out of an old bolt because I'm a cheap bastard.

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After all that and a few beers I got to thinking about some stacks for the carbs. Didn't want to run pod filters and didn't want to pay out the ass for a piece of spun aluminum (even though Dime City Cycles has some for 9.99, they are too big for my carbs.) Just happened to have a 1 1/2" copper pipe around and with some metal voodoo had this little guy done a few mins. More to come soon.

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Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

I am not going to envy you for your jetting fun...haha You'll have to have 150's and the pilots are going to have to be huge!!!! hahaha Very cool, loving every bit of this, what's the process for doing something like that with V-stacks. It's cool to see another person with this bike and where they are going/have gone with it.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

hahah I was thinking that. There's going to be some foam and a screen over those so won't be that bad, but no telling until I get it running. Did you rebuild your carbs? If so do you still have a float seat and needle even if its shitty, I'll buy it from you. Can't find them anywhere.

And for the stacks I'm a jeweler so working with small metal things it my specialty. SO you take the piece of copper tubing, put it on top of something that is round (in my case a hitch ball) and press it in a arbor press. It's tricky because it has to be perfectly lined up to be even. Then you change the buck (hitch ball) to something a little bigger, like a cap from an oxy bottle. Then it goes in the lathe to make it all square.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

That's pretty slick man. Great idea! And I have all of those materials handy!

As for jetting, yikes. I don't have an extra float seat and needle. I remember I found them somewhere though..or so I think. Let me do some digging and see if I can find them again.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

thanks, I'll keep looking around for one. Dealer price is $55... FML. Also I need to find some aluminum tubing that's the same diameter. Even though the copper looks good, it's not for this bike.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

You must not know Z1 Enterprises.....they are your Kawasaki warehouse gods! haha. And if you call up and ask questions, the guy is super knowledgeable!

http://www.z1enterprises.com/Float-Needle-Valve-Assembly-Kawasaki-KZ550-2557.aspx

Much cheaper. Also PartsNmore, but they have a minimum purchase if I remember right.

And I agree the copper isn't for this bike. Unless you were doing multiple things in copper of course.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Cheesus crust... Why I haven't I heard of this place. Just ordered some stuff. Thanks!
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

That's why we have forums. Knowledge is awesome. (As long as you aren't a jerk about it) ::)

Enjoy sir.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Totally saving those links... thanks Bruno.

Sweet looking build thus far Six206! Now I need to look to see if I still have some of my old BMX pegs lying around...
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

midgtmn said:
Totally saving those links... thanks Bruno.

Sweet looking build thus far Six206! Now I need to look to see if I still have some of my old BMX pegs lying around...
Click to expand...

Not a problem, and ditto on the pegs...I may make them into passenger pegs on a dirt bike! (foldable of course!) haha
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Thanks! Yeah keep an eye out for stuff like that. Or go to a local shop and see what they have in the extra parts box. I travel a lot doing flea markets selling and buying stuff and I'm always dragging home tons of shit. I just got a 50s vacuum cleaner that has the coolest trim on it. Think about using parts that aren't strictly motorcycle stuff...
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Not a huge update, just a few things done. Still waiting on a few parts. But in the mean time I've been taking care of a few details...


A box to hide the back of the ignition switch... don't want to see any wires on this thing.

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Then a curved tag bracket for the DMV chuds. After that I might hide it up on the swing arm in front of the rear tire.

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Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

I'm sure it's illegal too but I know a few guys that run their plates that way and haven't had any trouble yet
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

cool beans bro, i mean, thats how it is in cali n i see dope asses getting pulled over all the time. Im just gonna make a curved one like urs lol
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Yeah I'll see how far I can go with the other set up I was talking about. I just hate having something hanging off the side like that.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Awesome build, Six! Looking forward to updates. I too ran my plate of the side like that and got dinged as soon as I brought it in for annual inspection. Had to change it up for it to pass. Said they were cracking down on that everywhere. Don't know what the big deal is.

Hey, really dig what you did for the rear lights. HTF did you do that? Any chance of an more detailed explanation of the process? Any pics? Having a hard time envisioning it.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Got the bike running today... fuck it's loud. Also as Bruno had predicted, velocity stacks + open header = jetting nightmare... I drilled the jets to 102 and 39. It's good from 2000 rpm and up but won't idle at anything below that. Played with pilot jet screws and a little improvement but not much. Still running lean. Don't want to open them up too much... any ideas?

Thanks Roadrash. I don't get the plate thing either. If a mini truck can have it's plate frenched in to the tailgate at some stupid angle then we should be able to have vertical plates! Around here there's no annual inspection and there are pretty relaxed on equipment, but if the ope decides to be a dick I'll get more grief about the open header before the tag.

And as far as the tail lights go it's pretty simple. inside the cowl there a little flange that holds 2 sockets and bulbs. The trick was making that part removable so you can change the bulbs if you had to. I'll put a photo photo of the pieces and it will all make sense.
 
Re: KZ550 build thread. Gross Cafe!

Great build man. Really cool stuff so far. Just my opinion, but you should definitly rock clip ons instead of clubmans. Much cleaner look and personally, I find them more comfortable.
 
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