'78 KZ1000 makeover

I'm fairly confident I will have an overall net loss in weight for the machine. While the stock swingarm and wheel set is heavy, the single sided swingarm isn't exactly light weight either. I still need to weigh the stock front end and the GSXR front end for a comparison, as well as the Triumph rear wheel.

Just to put in my $.02 -

The cross bracing is probably overkill but if you're talented enough to do it - why not? It looks cool and will provide at least as much added rigidity if not more than the standard single brace.

Every ounce is critical in serious racing where less is more, but in the real world I don't think you'd ever notice the difference in weight - probably not in frame stiffness either - so whatever you want is just fine. Here's what a professional shop did to my MKII frame back in the early 80's:

79MKII wrote:

Just to put in my $.02 -

The cross bracing is probably overkill but if you're talented enough to do it - why not? It looks cool and will provide at least as much added rigidity if not more than the standard single brace.

My sentiments exactly!

Soooo, minor setback last night. I had loaded a bunch of tools (including my welder) into my truck and headed out to my fathers old place to fix a few things. It was a long day and I didn't pack everything back into the bed as carefully as I should have. I was 80 miles into my return trip home at 11:30 pm and this guy pulls up beside me on the freeway and starts honking and pointing at the ground. I think he's a nut and ignore him. I've got my wife and 3 girls sleeping, and I'm leary of a stranger honking and telling me to pull over at midnight on a SoCal freeway. Eventually, I roll down my window (he was persistant) and he yells that I have a hose hanging down and sparking behind my truck. I knew right then what had happened. This is what happens when you don't pack your tools up right-

This is whats left of my mig gun So my work will slow until I can get it replaced...Those RS34's need to be cleaned and rebuilt..

that blows

:pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :ohmy: :whistle: :pinch: :pinch:

That sucks. luckily its a simple fix. i hope there not tooo expensive.

Damnit! No good deed goes un-punished. I saw all of these new posts on your thread, and I thought "Cool, Adam's been busy."

Yup, I've been busy alright....learning a $100 lesson! I can't get too mad, I could have prevented it with 2 minutes of time and $.03 worth of zip ties :blush:

A trip to the welding shop and my bank account $112 lighter, I have a replacement Radnor mig gun. It was cheaper than the Lincoln tweco replacement gun AND heavier duty. Though I doubt it would hold up to the "drag behind the truck on the freeway" torture test the first gun failed to endure.

The repair of my toy has allowed me to contiunue the shock mount fabrication being chronicled in my Chassis thread
kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...imitstart=300#369819

Thanks to a $20 donation I made to another member here, supercharged, I have donor aftermarket side covers.

BTW, supercharged has a very nice collection of bikes including his bad ass roots blown KZ :woohoo: I could spend hours pouring over his bikes
The plan: to use these covers as plugs to make tooling molds and replicate these in carbon fiber. I still need to order some tooling gelcoat for the molds, and a vacuum pump :whistle: Harbor freight, here I come!

I hav enjoyed reading your build up so far. Lots of great info and love the porsche with the small block. Here is a pic. of my last hotrod motor in an old 78 ford truck (its a redneck thang). It was a blast to drive and before I put the 2x4 intake and scoop on it everything was under the hood. I loved the look on the kids faces driving the new mustangs when my ratty old ford 1/2 ton pick up blistered them taking off from a red light.