I have a problem

I have a problem, apparently just like most of you. It involves 2 wheels. After lurking here for about 6 months I am finally stepping out of the shadows.

A rambling story:
The day I announced to my parents that I wanted to buy a motorcycle my father responded that "that is the day I buy you a coffin". That big vein in his forehead was very visible at the time. I was about 13. I didn't buy a motorbike right away, I thought it best to let things settle and let him calm down.

I finally have the means to buy a motorbike and I am not (too) scared of my dad anymore so I bought myself something over the winter. My first bike. And just like most people that buy their first bike, I bought a lemon with too many problems for too much money and I couldn't be happier. It is an iceberg: you can only see about 10% of the problem.

The short story:
I bought a 1980 Z1R (sortof). I later found out that the original engine was blown and that they dropped in a G series from the same year and bolted over the injection ports. Hmmm. I am still stoked, I have always loved the lines of the Z1Rs.

The good:
I have a bike. It starts. I have a manual. I have already started tinkering and am having a ball. My dad has calmed down after about 20 years.

The bad:
I don't know what the hell I am doing. I have never worked on a bike.

The ugly:
The exhaust is pitted and rusty, the seat pan is dead, all 4 signals are shattered, the left fork ear is broken, the clutch lever was smashed, the bubble is toast, the dash originally came as a single piece but has evolved into multiple pieces of which about half of them are missing, there is no fuel gauge, half of the fasteners are rusted up, it looks like it has a case of leprosy.

I bought the safety gear last summer, did the training course and got my license. I would have liked a smaller bike but I am 6'6" and the only bikes that fit are larger displacement. My plan is to get the bike running, replace some of the parts, clean it up a bit, drive it for the summer, and most importantly: NOT GET KILLED by some jackass eating a big mac, drinking a starbucks, yelling at their kids and talking on the phone to their friend about Yoga while driving their suburban. Next year I will see if I can do more work to it.

THe problem with this place is the same thing that makes it so good: there are a ton of people that have done tricky and creative projects (e.g. Leon, Les, Oz, OMR etc - see, I told you I was lurking). I want to do so much to the bike but I have to keep reminding myself that I need to start with getting it to run.

I WILL be using you as a resource, I WILL do my best to contribute.
Good night.

S OWHAT DOES IT DO WHEN YOU START IT?

Welcome Oarhead...sounds like fun

Welcome big fellow...you have come to the right place for assistance.

Don't be scared to have a go yourself.....we are here to help.

All the best with your Z1R....

Congratulations. I can totally relate to your story. Back when I was a kid and I told my parents that I wanted a bike, my father chuckled in that, "Yeah, right." kind of way, and my mother said, "Over my dead body!" Well, I was about 10 at the time. Fast forward 15 years. I'm in my mothers kitchen, and I mention that I want to get a bike, (I still hadn't gotten one by this point). My mom kinda laughs and then proceeds to show me the classified section of the newspaper, and even points to a specific ad. Thanks mom for pointing me to my first motorcycle!
Keep up the good work. At least you know what you have on your bike. I didn't know didly squat when I got my first. These people on here are great. All help is available for the asking.

Welcome to KZ manhood... Your life will never be the same...

Now onto the situation, as mentioned good start, just get the bike running to specifications first and worry about all the nasty upgrades later on... And for KZ Gods sake, be patient, take your time and don't expect miracles in a weekend so you can go ride for it's just not going to happen.

Soooooooo many have failed in this concept and have had a miserable experience so good call...

Study the living piss out of your manual and I don't mean just read it, learn every thing you can studying what each section/component does and how it supposed to operate (mechanically or electronically)... BTW, KAWI OEM manual or other? Use the FILEBASE search for there are OEM manuals there for FREE!!!!

There's a whole slew of ppl on this forum that are more then happy to help out....

Have a digital camera then picture are worth more then anything describing an issue or question to a problem...

Start a project file then post away....

Good luck and we just LUV images here....

OMR

Welcome aboard and pace yourself! Treat your bike project just like life, you must walk before you run, don't get in over your head and pace yourself. Your skills will grow as you work on it. Do your homework! Myself I think you picked a great project bike. I can't suggest you start with a plan, although it isn't a bad thing, cause a lot of nice finishes have started with something as simple as just changing the turnsignals or a tuneup. Do create an album of your build be it on here or in a photo album. I really miss working on mine but life has taken priority. Quotes are in for the new pole barn but the house is first.
If possible, get pics up and definitely ask questions, only dumb ones are unasked ones.
Later and good luck
Les

Hey guys...looks like we caught another one!!!:evil: :laugh: Everyone is trying to build a better mousetrap and all that we need to do is put a KZ within eyesight and we nab another one everytime time!!! :whistle: Welcome to our little world...enjoy...we look forward to helping you in any way we can and for your future help with our projects. Contrary to what some believe, no one knows everything so that's why you are needed here...to help us finish our projects. Take your time, do it right the first time and you will have another nice KZ to add to the many already here.

Welcome Oarhead! I am also a don't know what the hell I am doing person with my first bike, but its uup and running now! Hang with it! Any pics?

welcome, iam glade to hear you got your childhood dream !! what made you get a Z1R somthing you seen as a kid?? wondering what you where going to do with it keep stock or go custom ?? if you go custom make sure you have a plan check out other builds that way you only spend your money once keep posted

Thanks for the welcome all. To answer some of your questions:

I live downtown in a small apartment with no room for the bike. I have to drive an hour out to my parents barn to do work. I have about 5 hours a week that I can spend on the bike because I work so much. As other have said, I need to be practical and steady. I will start a project thread that will slowly but surely get added to. Don't hold your breath though. I am still in the process of stripping things down and haven't even started to put it back together again. I am going to leave the motor alone for the first year until I have my own space and I am comfortable opening it up. I have limited tools as well - most of them are for my pedal bikes although I have to say I am very grateful to Mr. Kawasaki for making most things 10mm-13mm.

There have always been a couple of bikes that I liked the lines of: THe Z1, especially the tail piece; the GS1000 Cooley, 70's Ducati SS, old beemer airheads, classic norton commandos and the Z1Rs. I live in Calgary so there are not too many bikes as down in the US so i was super excited to see a Z1R in some farmers barn even though it was in crap shape.

The plan is to get it running, nothing custom yet. My wallet is not that thick and my skills not that deep. Yet. We will wait and see what happens though. I love the look of the front end and rear end swaps that people are doing. It seems to open some more doors for options as well.. THose can look great because they don't mess with the original lines.

The bike started when I got it but it has pods, no airbox. It was missing a pod and so the bike would run but only when the choke was open. I will probably need to do a full carb synch and maybe even more work. I opened them up and they were pretty cean to my uneducated eye.

For the person who wants tools, without having loads of money, in Canada, you might want to check out: www.princessauto.com/workshop/list-all
Or if you make it down to the States, check out: www.harborfreight.com
And they ship! For anyone on a budget, these places should be our friends.