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Went to go look at a KZ900, a bike I've wanted for years and it was really, really rough. It just so happened he had KZ1100 ltd in fairly good shape, excellent mechanicals and didn't want much for it. So switched gears and picked it up!

Oh and we grabbed another KZ440 and some other fun stuff...

I operate a custom metal/fabrication shop where my main business is building offroad armor for Jeep Cherokees and Xterras but also do just about any kind of work locally. It's been really busy and no space to work on my own but the nice weather today lit a fire under me. My goal isn't to build a traditional bobber, cafe racer or rat bike...but what I'm calling a MuscleBike. Keeping the vintage aspect of it with the forks and rear suspension, but trimming down some of the fat and putting some good lines on the bike.

Slapped a set of lower bars on to figure out cable lengths I need. BTW, anyone offhand know of 6" shorter choke cable? I'm going to look around for a better alternative on the master cylinder and ditch the stock throttle housing/kill switch. Go with something more compact. Ideas are appreciated of course...


I've been staring at this pic and editing several things, making sketches... I just don't like the rear setup at all past the shocks. Took some measurements and looking at some universal steel fenders to chop up and do more of a traditional strut type arrangement.


This is how I left it today. Besides the basics of new fork seals, check the valves and go through the carbs... The gameplan is pull the wheels off for new rubber and have the rims powdercoated. Rework the rear framework and build a fender. Seat I'm just going to custom make one and try to utilize a steel backbone with fiberglass pan so I can still flip it up like the stocker. But make it more low profile with better materials for padding. Originally was thinking of a different tank but I like the lines of it now.

Here are some photo edits I've done to get an idea of color schemes with trimming front and rear fender and slimming down the stock seat. I'm going a different route on the rear seat and fender but not sure on how blacked out to go if much at all. Definitely doing the wheels black though.

Not bad mate. Looks beefy and strong. Good concept, looking forward to seeing what you turn it into.

Good score looks like you got a vision cant wait to see how it unfolds

"Fairly good shape"... ? damn compared to my original POS that thing is gorgeous as is...

Hell fix the wiring and leave her be, she's beautiful... Maybe pictures are deceiving.

Score!

Thanks, pics are a little deceiving but it really was in great shape. I debated on keeping it as is but knew if it were kept original I'd be wanting to make the chrome perfect, repaint, new decals....money pit.

I'd debating stretching it a little, would only be 2" so it's kinda not worth the time and effort...then again if I don't I'll wish I had. lol can't win.

If that paint is as nice in person as in the pictures I wouldn't touch it except to wax it. I like the paint scheme as is much better than just a one color job with no decals.

650ed wrote: If that paint is as nice in person as in the pictures I wouldn't touch it except to wax it. I like the paint scheme as is much better than just a one color job with no decals.

Paint is shot, a lot of hazing and cracking in the clear. Top of the tank around the filler almost down to steel. Graphics are all cracked and peeling on edges...definitely needs to be redone. I have debated just repainting it black (not brown) and using the same style of graphics in a different color though.

That bike looks to be in pretty good shape. Get some paint on it that makes you happy, service it and enjoy it They were a pretty comfortable cruiser and very reliable.

Nothing like a day shopping for motorcycles at Kmart to put a smile on your face

Decided to go a slightly different route. I want to keep it fairly stock but with just some custom tweaks to make me happy. The weather is getting too nice to have it sitting in pieces.

Tore into the forks, what a nasty mess they were. Had a buildup of sludge at the bottom that took a lot of cleaning to get out. Have new fork seals and 10wt oil, just waiting on the dust boots since I'm not going with the accordian style.


Petcock was leaking and it was the vac style. For what the rebuild kit cost I just put a traditional petcock in. Eliminates a vac line and just simplifies it.



Started to smooth out the tank the other day. I'm not a big fan of using body filler so I started it out with some weld first.



Won't take much body filler at this point to smooth things out.


So as of right now the tank is mudded, sanded, waiting for the glazing to dry so I can sand it. Then filler/primer, sand and paint. Color is.....not sure but thinking of going two-tone with the same scheme as it had, just different colors.

Waiting on parts, cable ends to shorten up throttle and clutch. Spark plug ends, oil filter, dust boots for forks. Got new rubber for it, fit up the fenders and do all the basic maintence...fire it up!

Nice work !
Cant wait to see it done. I like the mostly Black pics you edited.