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New Member, Seasoned Rider, New pipe Dream haha
- JaysKawaZ1000
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Tomorrow im going to pick up a 79 KZ 750 twin, bikes all there, price is $375, my ideas for this bike are, front fork swap to latest style (zx6?), swing arm swap (zx6?), a mono cafe style fiber glass seat, mono rear shock (zx6? R6?) and... this is the most important one of all, remove and replace the 750 twin with either an 05+ 750cc FI or 1000cc FI engine, ZX10 perhaps? Now i did alittle research on here before i became a member and i am familiar with what needs to be done concerning structural integrity of the frame, my friend and i have an a pretty decent shop and we both weld, i have a few questions in mind about the engine/tranny swap
Are there any major mods needed that would negate this swap, making it a complete waste of time? Should i try a 600cc FI engine instead? Questions for me? Comments?
Thanks,
Jay
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- 650ed
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I'm not trying to be judgmental, but when you are done there is nothing left except possibly the fuel tank (if you decide not to change it) that is remotely similar to a KZ750 twin. So why not buy a newer bike and use that as the base platform from which to make your changes? At least then you would have a frame that has the structural integrity to handle the increased horsepower/torque of the newer engine and an electrical system that matches the engine. If you want, you could just put a KZ750 fuel tank on the newer bike; after all, isn't that sort of what you will end up with if you do the build the way it is envisioned? Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- kaw-a-holic
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What ever you decide to do I'm sure will be great. In the end your the one that needs to be happy with the build. Just make sure you sell the parts you don't use so the rest of us can keep the old KZs on the road.
Jon
1977 KZ1000a1
Mesa, AZ
Phoenix Fighter Project
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- damarble
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If you do it send me the motor! It may be low on HP but it's high on the fun factor.
Go green, buy a Kawasaki!
82 KZ750M CSR Build Thread
89 ZX600C Streetfighter
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- wireman
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- The most interesting prick in the world
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Hey people have been shoving chevy drivelines in fords long before most of us were born! :woohoo:kaw-a-holic wrote: I have to agree with Ed here. It would be like taking Ford body and mounting it on a Chevy frame and motor and calling it a Ford. Hope this does not squash your enthusiasm. KZ's are awesome bikes but when that much is changed its no longer a KZ.
What ever you decide to do I'm sure will be great. In the end your the one that needs to be happy with the build. Just make sure you sell the parts you don't use so the rest of us can keep the old KZs on the road.
posting from deep under a non-descript barn in an undisclosed location southwest of Omaha.
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- ramtough_63
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I am thinking he will call it a Jaykawa when he builds it. :laugh:
Building a bike can be as theraputic as any shrink and probably cheaper in the long run.
125.00 an hour 3 times a week for a year yeah a Jaykawa is probably less expensive.
with that said Congrats on your recent purchase Let the bikes character decide where you go with it modern stuff on these old bikes makes all the difference in the real world building something unique is
a labor of love unlike putting a 454 in a pinto chances are when your done (if you complete it) your the only one who loves it.
If you have a zx6 laying around that is ridable in allot of peoples minds you will destroy 2 motorcycles if you dont have one laying around then that level of changeover would be strictly a vision that most wont understand but then again very few understand converting a perfectly good motorcycle anyway.
if you were chopping up an early Z1 i might cringe as the 750 twin guys are now. but the reality is its your bike, your vision, and i am here to help if you have any questions or need any imput
as you will see there are threads and projects that are several years old with soome pretty cool builds heppening and i am sure there are more than that that have been put in boxes and lost in storage lockers landfills and bone yards.
Cheap price to pay for the mental clarity DR Kawasaki will give you
good luck with your build and post some pictures dont let the neysayers keep you from going to therapy
1978 KZ1000 A2
Thrown Together To Ride Til Winter
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1982/83 750R/GPZ
1984 Goldwing 1200 Interstate
1982 Yamahopper QT50
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2 79 HD sporty XLH
02 HD FLSTS Heritage
60's HD Hummer
70's Honda 550 Four
70 Yamaha 100
and various enduros dirtbikes minibikes...
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- JaysKawaZ1000
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2.bp.blogspot.com/-42DbITeDlXI/T4umHyirr...iddleton+%281%29.jpg
i didnt want to upgrade to a newer engine (whatever FI engine will fit with least mods) without upgrading the suspension.
im hoping i havent offended kawi purists?
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- 650ed
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BTW, I may be mistaken but the Honda in your link appears to have a Honda frame that matches the engine. Notice similarity to Honda frame below:
Attachment 00000_2012-07-14.jpg not found
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- Tomolu5
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Mine:
04 Honda rebel 250(wifes)
04 GSXR 750(bolt on galore)
98 CBR 600F3(filter, pipe, adjustable cam sprokets, dyno tune)
76 KZ900A (LTD gauge pods, crash bars, LTD(style)pipes, dyna coils and ignition,headwork and mild port cleanup by cavanaugh racing, K&N filter pods, heck I dunno.
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- JaysKawaZ1000
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- faffi
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Back in 1981, Kawasaki introduced the then new KZ1000J and GPZ1100 with all new frames. Frames with racing in mind. A frame good enough to give Kawasaki 2 Superbike titles. But even gusseted by chassis experts like Muzzy and others, it still flexed badly when asked to tame 140 horses. And the tyres, much less grippy than what street bikes have today, still had enough grip to bend the frame visibly out of shape, sending rider and machine into weaves strong enough to make seasoned sailers seasick.
The 750B frame is much weaker.
If you are destined to mix retro with 200 horsepower, do yourself a favour and start with a Zephyr 750. Or even better, a Zephyr 1100.
OTOH, you can make a very nice bike that handles respectably if you put let's say an ER-6 engine into it instead of a Ninja 1000. Or if your want a wailing four, an old Ninja 600 for the 1980s.
However, it's still your bike and your project and you will do as you see fit
1977 KZ650B1
1980 F1 engine
B1 3-phase alternator
B1 Points ignition
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- 650ed
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1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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