1981 KZ 750 Convert FROM chain to shaft drive

Hello everyone!

I have a 1981 KZ 750 LTD that I want to convert FROM chain drive TO shaft drive.... Can anyone help me out??.. I have searched this site over and can only find the reverse conversion... I figure it can be done, but wondering what I will need for parts.... or any advice.?.?..

Thanks...

Spectre,noob!

Buy a shaft drive bike :laugh:

The sensible thing is to simply buy a Spectre or later LTD with shaft drive.

From what I can see from the drawings on Bikebandit,com, the engine is the same right down to the output shaft, indicating you only need to bolt on the front bevel gear assembly. So far, things should be simple. But the frames differ, so I think you will have a hard time fitting the rear swingarm to your bike, along with the shaft and final drive, of course.

Thanks... I do already have 2 KZ 1000 ST's... (79's).... Looking at doing this to the 750 just to have a "unique" 750...different than all the rest.. At least around here, I have never seen a 750 LTD shaft drive...*LOL*

There was an 83 750-F1 Ltd-Shaft. Also, 84/85 ZN700 Ltd-shaft.

Don't know where you live, Kalidor, but if it's in USA, importing a Z750GT shaftie would certainly ensure you don't run into an identical bike anytime soon :lol: As a bonus it's utterly practical and looks like a real UJM

That is a nice lookin one faffi!!... I'm in Ontario, Canada.. KZ's in general are few and far between around my neck of the woods (that are still in rideable condition anyhow).... One of my two 1000 ST's is actually a bare frame rebuild cause it got layed down really hard by another guy... So to make this one stand out, I'm doing it all "Blacked Out"... No chrome or polished / brushed aluminum anywhere...The only thing on it NOT black is the lights

Thats one of the reasons I want to shaft drive this 81 750...Dare to be different!

Here's a shot of the "Evil 1000" so far... still a long ways to go... This was just before the engine came out...

faffi wrote: The sensible thing is to simply buy a Spectre or later LTD with shaft drive.

From what I can see from the drawings on Bikebandit,com, the engine is the same right down to the output shaft, indicating you only need to bolt on the front bevel gear assembly. So far, things should be simple. But the frames differ, so I think you will have a hard time fitting the rear swingarm to your bike, along with the shaft and final drive, of course.

The engine cases, and transmission output shaft are different, for the front bevel gear to attach.
Best advice was to buy a Shaft Drive bike, but it could be converted.

Well, mate, if you are dead set on making the conversion and have access to a welder, I'm sure it wouldn't be all that difficult to alter your LTD to shaft final drive - provided that the transfer case really is a bolt on thing as it seems to be. You can always make the frame suit the new swingarm. However, finding a crashed or otherwise neglegted donor bike with the final drive complete would probably be the cheapest and simplest solution as you can then also cut out the frame swing arm section and weld to your own frame.

Thats pretty much what I was thinking.... I'm gonna start scrounging bone yards around here for one of the models martin_csr mentioned above... I have a nicely equipped shop... I've seen lots of conversions the other way around (although WHY I don't know, who would wanna give up shaft for a noisy, constant maintenance chain??)...

I am admittedly still learning Kawi's so I thought I would ask about the 750 LTD specifically to see who might know what...*LOL*... I have found out what I needed, which is that the conversion wont be terribly easy... but it'll sure be fun!

thanks much everyone!!!

Motor Head wrote:

faffi wrote: The sensible thing is to simply buy a Spectre or later LTD with shaft drive.

From what I can see from the drawings on Bikebandit,com, the engine is the same right down to the output shaft, indicating you only need to bolt on the front bevel gear assembly. So far, things should be simple. But the frames differ, so I think you will have a hard time fitting the rear swingarm to your bike, along with the shaft and final drive, of course.

The engine cases, and transmission output shaft are different, for the front bevel gear to attach.
Best advice was to buy a Shaft Drive bike, but it could be converted.

I must have misread something over at Bikebandit since the output shafts looked the same to me