stretching 77 kz650

les holt wrote: Concider it done Bradley! When I get home I'll pm you some helpful areas to work with.
650ed, I reread my post to see where I said it would handle like a race bike or better than a well prepared stock bike and couldn't find it, guess it's something gained in translation. I guess I didn't know you couldn't make a stretch bike handle at all.

Les

No problem Les; I know you didn't say stretching it would make it handle like a race bike. Regarding being able to make a stretched bike handle at all - I believe it depends on how much stretch and how much work one puts into maintaining good geometry. I suspect we agree that the loong yellow BMW in the picture I posted is never going to handle well. Bradley77 has a KZ650, not a 900 or 1000, and the KZ650's handle very well with the normal length swingarm. What is needed to improve their handling is a set of high quality shocks because the originals gave up the ghost very early; a sticky set of tires; and properly tuned front forks. Stretching the swingarm is not something that will enhance handling, but as you pointed out other mods can be engineered to help compensate up to a point. However, all the compensation in the world won't make a bike with a really long (we've all seen them) swingarm handle curves well. So the longer one extends the swingarm beyond stock the more difficult the challenges will be to make the bike handle curves well.

Regarding my preference for stock over modded bikes I confess it's absolutely true for the most part. However, I have made a few changes on my bike from stock - namely, quality shocks, tapered roller steering stem bearings, an electronic turn signal relay, Halogen headlight, and a few other bits. I'm happy to make actual improvements over stock items but only when they keep in the spirit of the original bike. This is the result of my having made very radical changes to my earlier bike (BSA) including a radically different sized engine, etc. etc. which made me appreciate stock. Everyone has a perfect right to mod their bike as they see fit, but I have seen too many modded bikes that have not been well thought out and end up junk or parts bikes, and I have read (as we all have) far too many threads that start out something like: "I cut off my exhaust system 10" from the cylinder head and put on pods, now my engine stumbles - what could be the problem?" :laugh: Peace. Ed

Thanks for the pics. It looks like the bike started life as a 1977 KZ650-C1. Aside from the engine, frame, front brake rotors/calipers and possibly the fork pretty much everything else that's visible has been changed with most everything coming from newer bike(s). It looks like the real wheel is a 16" wheel and has the later rear brake caliper, so it's very likely that the swingarm also came from that donor bike and is not original to the C1. In any case it should be a lot of fun to ride. Since so much work was done by previous owner(s) to be safe I suggest before you do a lot of riding on it you use a Kawasaki Service Manual and check the fluids, torque on the critical fasteners, etc. to make sure everything is in good order. Ed

I'm sure I myself took it way too personal. :blush: I've invested MANY hours and LOTS of my own money working on preserving the heart of these bikes and still create a respectable running and handling bike. If you'll notice, my last build was centered around not cutting anything up on the original chassis. Not 1 kz part sacrificed itself in that build. I honestly work with an engineer on some of these designs putting their motions thru simulations and I'm sure there is still room for improvement. The results were way better than I had hoped for. With only minor flaws, under a hard launch and full suspension travel I got the tire into the turnsignal stems and cut the wires in two, the feedback in cornering is delightful and predictable, it's very stable at even speeds we shouldn't be riding at on public roads, the brakes are a blessing compared to stock. The way I got it figured I need to sell a couple hundred arms to pay for this homework. Was it worth it, Yes! Would I do it again, Yes. I have the utmost respect for the die hard enthusiast and thank those of you doing it! But some of us prefer to personalize our rides and I try to offer up the chance to do so without taking away from what the KZ started as. Minus the work that was done to my bike before I got it, it could be put back to original. That in itself makes me proud that I'm working toward saving the heritage of these bike while still making them safe and fun.

Les

thanks ed and i ride the bike daily and all fluids are good

The GS 110 swing arm, what year would that be? I have a 77 kz as well and my original guy cut it and hardtailed it, without my permission. It does still have the holes for the swingarm and I'm putting one back on. How much longer is the gs 1000 swing arm than the 77 kz original? thanks