'78 KZ1000 makeover

I'll take the jugs, head and valve cover to J&P's tomorrow or Thursday, and get the skinny on their process for those of you who are dying to know :woohoo: Then I just might take a trip to a Long Beach wrecking yard and look at a late model Speed Triple SSSA they've got

Did you go see the Speed Triple yet? Are you using the Triumph wheel as well?

No, I didn't get down there today like I had planned
Instead, I spend 2 hours with a wood chisel scrapping the base gasket off the jugs BUT, I did pick up the materials to build a simple frame jig. I figured a frame jig would be the best way to check alignment of the original frame, as well as ensure all modifications such as the swingarm and subframe are installed in referenced to a common center. I do plan on using a Speed Triple 1050 wheel. I really like the look of their stock wheel sets. Now that I have the base gasket off the jugs, I'll take it to the cleaners, then head down to Long Beach Now lets just hope the salvage yard is willing to deal a little big. They say cash is king; I hope the wreckers feel the same way.

You are definantly gonna need your frame jig when you start to widen the swingarm pivot area. Of course we need to see pictures of the jig when you build it. Are you gonna dyno your motor after the bike is running or just use the butt dyno? BTW what year speed triple are you looking at? I want to google a picture so I can visualize your finished bike.

I will be using the swingarm from an '05 up swinger, and rear wheel from an '05-'07 like in the pic. I will surely document the frame jig construction and all the mistakes I make along the way :laugh: and yeah, I'd be afraid to ride the bike if I modded the frame extensively free hand :whistle: When I do build the frame jig (soon), I'll probably make it a new post in the Chassis forum.

That wheel ought to work! Shouldn't have a hard time checking your tire pressure. :laugh: I think that the Triumph swingarm should look better on your bike then it does on the original. It's crowded by the exhaust on the triple. Too bad you can't steal the exhaust noise from the Triump also. Triples sound soo good to me.

So true Josh! Now I was thinking about the exhaust, the swingarm has a notch in front of the wheel for the exhaust to pass behind the rear set and up to the mufflers so.........I'm thinking undertail exhaust like CBR1000RR???
Like this one...

i see this going somewhere awesome

porchev914 wrote:

So true Josh! Now I was thinking about the exhaust, the swingarm has a notch in front of the wheel for the exhaust to pass behind the rear set and up to the mufflers so.........I'm thinking undertail exhaust like CBR1000RR???
Like this one...

If you go that route, then make sure that you are well shielded from the heat. I am a fan of the undertail exhaust in apperance only. I originally had a high mount Leo Vince pipe on my zx-10r when I bought the bike. It did a fair job of roasting my right rear quarter-panel if you know what I mean. I switched back to a low mounted Yosh pipe, and I ain't going back. Heck if your going undertail, then go all out. Up through the undertail. Desmosidici baby!

Well Jordan, with some luck, patience, advice and a kick in the ass from fellow KZR members from time to time, I'll have a fun ride in the end! :woohoo:

porchev914 wrote:

Well Jordan, with some luck, patience, advice and a kick in the ass from fellow KZR members from time to time, I'll have a fun ride in the end! :woohoo:

Thats about all there is. Without this forum none of my projects could be possible. A little extra $$$ always helps with projects too though, haha

Dude, Josh, a through tail exhaust exit would be sick as hell :woohoo: but then I'd have a hard time getting the Mrs to go for a ride...or would I? :laugh: :laugh: I hear ya on the heat shielding though, and is my primary design concern for that kind of modification Looks like I'll need to make a monoposto subframe and a biposto setup for the little woman