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Scored a 74 Kawasaki z1a 900
- FiremanRob
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So a great buddy of mine is a die hard Kawai guy... He's got like 6... Well he's retiring from work and me and him have been talking about building a bike for a long time now... Long story short he gave me the bike because he couldn't make his mind up on how to approach this bike.
Now, I'm really interested in cafe builds. Bare metal, upgraded preformance parts, stripped down... I'm sure you get the idea... That's where I visioned taking this bike... But after poking around online it seems like there is some people that want big money for these, I've seen people asking $12,500 for these online... In perfect shape, and that's what they're asking... I'm sure there not getting that?
So where my heads at.... 20 minutes of tinkering we got the bike thats sat for 20 years in his garage to start up... She ran!!! Awesome! Ok, but it's not looking so hot, dents in the tank. Surface rust. It's been indoors forever but it's still needs a lot of work to get it back to prime. After looking around for parts it looks like the original exhaust is like $1,500?! Fenders going for $200?!
So even though I got the bike free it looks like I could dump 5-6 grand into this project. Spend years tracking down original equipment, and when it's said and done have maybe 3-4 grand of profit on a totally original survivor...
I'm sure some of you purists are cringing waiting for this next paragraph but don't worry!
I'm about 80% sure I wanna build the bike my way... But here's the thing, I can do it all without cutting anything or ruining anything... I'd keep everything I took off the bike and make whatever custom parts I want. That way if I sold the bike if someone wanted to bring it back it wouldn't take much...
I'm hoping to get any opinions on what you think I should do? I know this is a survivor bike but the original bike just isn't what I'm after.. Thanks for your time!
Rob
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- floivanus
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And no, a lot of people ARE getting that price for their's if the condition demands the price point. There were only 80,000 or so Z1's made. They are a colloctor bike and any of them in fairly original shape should stay that way IMHO.
my bikes; 80kz1000(project), 77 gl1000, 74 h2 (project)
Past; 78 kz1000, 83 kz550
Andrew
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- 650ed
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Just clean it up, sell it, and use the money to buy a KZ1000 that is not in great condition. You should end up with enough money from the sale of the Z1 to pay for the KZ1000 plus many of the mods you care to make to it. In the end you'll have a better performing & handling bike than you would with the Z1. Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- Street Fighter LTD
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- TURBO, Its Better to be Blown than Injected
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Nice find !! Take your time finalizing your game plan so you only do it once. Lots of folks here will give you their opinions on what should be the direction of your build, but in the end Its your Bike....
Ask lots of questions and be a sponge and you will absorb the facts you need . But Again. Don't rush the plan.
Price out everything first and this will be a great experience
Dave
Original owner 78 1000 LTD
Mr Turbo Race Kit, MTC 1075 Turbo pistons by PitStop Performance , Falicon Ultra Lite Super Crank, APE everything. Les Holt @ PDM's Billet Goodies . Frame by Chuck Kurzawa @ Logghe Chassis . Deep sump 5qt oil pan. RIP Bill Hahn
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- Mcdroid
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- Gone Kwackers
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Michael
Victoria, Texas
1982 GPz750
1977 KZ1000A
1978 KZ1000A
1982 GPz1100
1975 Z2A
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- MDZ1rider
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www.z1enterprises.com/Z1NumbersGuide.aspx
You're not far off in your estimate of $5-6K restoration cost assuming you can do the work yourself. You'd still be doubling your money. How much do you think your Cafe racer project parts are going to cost? I see mag wheels, inverted forks (requiring custom clamps) new exhaust, rear disk brake and dual front disk brakes to start. That's probably $3-4K in parts right there, and you won't get it back. Starting with later year KZ donor bike would get you closer to your vision. If you sell the Z1A as is, you'll have enough to buy that bike and a good chunk of the parts.
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- SWest
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- 10 22 2014
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Good luck
Steve
Attachment Bossieandthegirls.jpg not found
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- MDZ1rider
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I just did a completed listing search on EBay for Z1A's. An original restoration Z1A did recently sell (Jan 31,2015). It sold for $19,500!
Couldn't add it as a direct EBay post. Here's the listing:
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- SWest
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- 10 22 2014
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- GregZ
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If you want to sell your 74 pm me I will make you a good offer
don't cut it up
cheers
gregz
MDZ1rider wrote: Just for the record...
I just did a completed listing search on EBay for Z1A's. An original restoration Z1A did recently sell (Jan 31,2015). It sold for $19,500!
Couldn't add it as a direct EBay post. Here's the listing:
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- 531blackbanshee
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you already said you had no plans to do anything irreversible.
so have at it.
save the stock parts you take off.
never admit in public that it is any older than a 76,
so you don't have to hear more of the "save the stocker" crybabies drivel
and have a helluva time with it.
or do what the other guy's said.
that's my .02,fwiw
leon
skiatook,oklahoma 1980 z1r,1978 kz 1000 z1r x 3,
1976 kz 900 x 3
i make what i can,and save the rest!
billybiltit.blogspot.com/
www.kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/325862-triple-tree-custom-work
kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/294594-frame-bracing?limitstart=0
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- etbike3135
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1973 Kawasaki Z1
18 years in dragbikes
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