Pushing a KZ1000 aint fun

Today was pretty warm before it started down pouring like crazy here in Sioux City. I figured i would pull my 81' KZ1000LTD out for a little spin around the neighbor hood just to get it out of my system. I turned my fuel on and fired the beast up after it sat for a few weeks. Of course it fowled a plug on startup and i had to start touching pipes to see which cylinder was still asleep :whistle: Found out it was cylinder 1 for once so i pulled the plug out, wet and stunk like gas. Wire brushed it off and stuck it back in the bike.
Needless to say my bike wanted to fire off into space after i cleaned the spark plug I took off and started up the street. Roared up the block and got way into the neighborhood when suddenly, the engine started to get all fluttery. After a backfire my bike rolled up to a stopsign dead. I got it started again and revved it a couple times. The motor seemed to take off on all 4 for a second and then poop out again on one or more of the cylinders and then the bike died again. I got it going again and sputtered and backfired up the street, neighbors laughing and all. Even had one guy start a rev competition with his little impala :woohoo: of course my bike died again and i started pushing it home. Dumped some gas in the tank and it ran like new again. I really gotta fix that damn gas gauge and start watching how much fuel is in the tank. Going until it wont go no more might really bite me in the ass one of these times when i get far away from home

I pushed my 1327 6-7 miles one time,damn ltd tank thats when I switched over to the z1 bodywork on it! :woohoo:

Get a decent petcock and forget the fuel gauge. Original petcocks have "ON" and "RESERVE" positions. My KZ650-C1 has no fuel gauge - those are new-fangled things meant to be on cars not bikes. :laugh: With my petcock I ride with it in the (ON) position and if I forget to get gas; when the engine starts to die I flip the petcock to the RESERVE position and I'm good for at least another 15 miles of moderate running. I've never run all the way out of gas yet in more than 53,000 miles. I love the simplicity of it. Ed

My GS300 didnt have a fuel gauge either. I just forget to slosh the tank around from time to time to see how much is actually in there

use the trip meter on your odometer.
a lil math and you won't run out no more :whistle: .


leon

531blackbanshee wrote: use the trip meter on your odometer.
a lil math and you won't run out no more :whistle: .


leon

X2

i reset my tripometer evry time i refill the bike.
i refill my kz1200 every 100miles.and that leaves about 15miles reserve. this way i can look at my tripometer before i leave the house, and i know if i can get to my destination.

Kitten Tooth wrote: Today was pretty warm before it started down pouring like crazy here in Sioux City. I figured i would pull my 81' KZ1000LTD out for a little spin around the neighbor hood just to get it out of my system. I turned my fuel on and fired the beast up after it sat for a few weeks. Of course it fowled a plug on startup and i had to start touching pipes to see which cylinder was still asleep :whistle: Found out it was cylinder 1 for once so i pulled the plug out, wet and stunk like gas. Wire brushed it off and stuck it back in the bike.
Needless to say my bike wanted to fire off into space after i cleaned the spark plug I took off and started up the street. Roared up the block and got way into the neighborhood when suddenly, the engine started to get all fluttery. After a backfire my bike rolled up to a stopsign dead. I got it started again and revved it a couple times. The motor seemed to take off on all 4 for a second and then poop out again on one or more of the cylinders and then the bike died again. I got it going again and sputtered and backfired up the street, neighbors laughing and all. Even had one guy start a rev competition with his little impala :woohoo: of course my bike died again and i started pushing it home. Dumped some gas in the tank and it ran like new again. I really gotta fix that damn gas gauge and start watching how much fuel is in the tank. Going until it wont go no more might really bite me in the ass one of these times when i get far away from home

Tim,

Since you mentioned fouling a plug.......

Here's a simple little job to assure you're getting good voltage to the spark plugs.

Next time you have the tank off, do this.

Unscrew each plug cap from the wire. Make sure you won't short yourself on wire length first, then if you're OK, trim about 3/8" off the end of the wire and screw the plug cap back on. They go hard at first so make sure it's biting in.

If you have a meter, you should check the plug caps for resistance while you have them off. You'll see about 5K ohms. If any are low, get yourself 4 new NGK caps when you can swing it. Make sure you get the right caps. Call Z1E and they will help you or look them up on NGK site.

Ive had to push mine alot. its horrible as im 5.3 130lbs. charging issues and leaking floats ugh im glad im doin a revamp this winter. fresh paint fresh powdercoating and rings and turbo and..... hopefully i dont have to push this fat girl at all next year lol

Hey, at least yours rolled.

I recently took my newly completed bobber for a quick 40 mile spin before work. Everything was great until I got back to my hometown. Coming into town the bike was bogging down bad like I had no power. I stopped at a stop sign and happened to look at my rear rotor. It was glowing red hot. Oh crap. That ain't good.

I tried to take off and get to the house which was only about 1.5 miles away but no go. It was locked up solid. I waved the traffic behind me around and tried to push it off to the curb. Try pushing a kz1000 with the back brake set solid! I moved it maybe 3" with the rear tire skidding. I ended up having to lift the rear over a few inches at a time till I got it to the curb. Then I found a good Samaritan with a couple small wrenches in his truck. I had to bleed off the brake fluid at the caliper to get the brake to release. The fluid came out as steam. And I was very afraid of the bike catching fire if the fluid made contact with the hot rotor but I released the pressure very slowly and eventually it released the rear brake. Then I was able to get home (with the good Samaritan following) with just the front brake.

Everything was toast. New brake system and rotor in the mail.

dang that sucks bad fivestring. i locked up a motor on a cafe racer fj600 i built but my clutch stil worrked i cant imagine trying to move that. i can barely move my kz rear. all the other bikes ive had i could im small but strong but im no match for the ol kz. kicks my ass every time i break down then i about pup my pants cause i get exhausted and almost drop it and my super human moran strength kicks in and i save it by the skin of my teeth ps i just broke two hundred posts yayyyy