Heavy Duty Motor Mounts

I have been looking for some heavy duty motor mounts for my 78 KZ1000. As far a i can tell there are only two companies making them, Kosman Specialties; which is going through some management changes and isn't producing them right now, and D&G Chassis; which don't look nearly as strong (or as cool). I have been checking ebay regularly and the only ones i have seen I was outbid at $200. Im thinking about trying to make some of my own, Not really sure where to start other than making templates of the existing ones and making them thicker and adding over-sized bolts. Any thoughts on what type of metal I should use for this, or how I should go about fabricating these? thanks!

Light and strong(with extra holes for weight reduction) can be Aluminum 6061 T-6 or 7075. if you want steel ones, maybe steel in 1018 would work. Find a member here(BlackBanshee) as he has a shop that might be able to make the plates for you.

OK, I'll bite what are heavy duty motor mounts?

pretty simple to make. just use alum. go up to the next imperial size from the current metric bolt sizes. then u will have an easy time reaming the cases out to acomodate the biger bolts. u will need to weld a small bolt onto the side of the nut that fits onto the motor from below. u can replace the long front mounting rod/bolt with 2 similar nuts,and bolts as well.

Hi, I always made flat aluminum ones. countersuck flatheads in them. 3/8" thick aluminum.
Just liked the look. Always had short distance, hot rod, drag bikes.
I also ruined the cases by threading 1/2" coarse bolts into them.
Never ruined any early # case though.
Check with "oinkjohnson" ebay name. He is always dismantaling dragbikes. He's cornered the market on parts? Always wondered if he has help with his bids???
Oink's like the gold & silver pawn shop. If you got an older dragbike that you can't sell, he'll buy it off you for 1/2 price.
Whatever? Here is a pic of mine

Pingle still makes them. It is part #MMK.

Somebody offered to make up a bunch of motor mount kits and frame brace kits once but nobody was interested in them :laugh:

I talked to Gary "gunsbluemoon" on ebay. He sells the tee fittings, float gauges, manual cam chain tensioners, exhaust flanges, etc. I believe he has Jeff S. sell them also.

I told him to start making motor mounts a while ago.

He does very nice work, precision machinist.

Those counter sunk flathead bolts look pretty cool. I'm not sure what route i'm going to go yet, they seem pretty easy to make, but i don't have much time these days. I might just go with the Pingle mounts, just to get the engine on there and make progress in other directions..

I talked to the owner of kosmanspecialties.com/ yesterday, and they are making the lits again
frame brace
motor mount kit

I just used the stock motor mounts as templates and used 6061 T6 alum. 3/4" thick X 3" wide bar stock (bought @ 4' long piece). I used a jigsaw (& tons of cutting fluid,lol) and cut the rough size & then used a coarse file and slowly worked up to a finer one. I then used a drill press and did the holes. I also found that using imperial bolts (grade fit perfectly in the stock frame holes (no slop at all) super easy to find at any hardware store. I think theres only 2 bolts that are metric and I had to reuse them @ the tapped frame hole locations lower middle right side.

The rear upper (shifter side) mount I had to relieve a triangular shape off of the inside for chain clearances, just for peace of mind.... I don't think the chain will ever contact the mount as the swingarm shd not ever get that close but if you have 2 heavy people on the bike it may.

You will need a spacer to replace the stock steel "spool shaped" one on that side as well (if you want to match the "polished aluminum" effect"). I just drilled out a piece of alum. round bar stock on the drill press and cut it to the proper length. You need to retain the battery box mount at that location.

One other item you need to address (unless your running rearsets) is a mounting bracket for your rear brake light switch. I mounted (drilled & tapped) a small piece of alum angle and drilled 2 holes to mount it to the MM and one more (larger one) for the switch itself. You also need a round spacer on the inside of the MM using the same bar stock as the MM on the shifter side just shorter.

This was one project that was a blast to do and didn't cost much either.

Cheers, Doug

nice!

leon