Bike of the Month.

Back in the UK this month for another from Warren's stable. A great example of finally having the means to get what you wanted but couldn't have "back in the day"
Originally bought unseen for £500 as a parts bike should I need anything for my all original green 650 B1 but everything on the green bike was sooooo much better condition than this bike. (pic1). So with a stash of parts that I had accumulated over the past 40+ years I decided to build the 650 I wanted in the 70's but didn't have the money or engineering confidence to do it back then. So first was a complete engine rebuild. Adding in piper cams, piper high compression pistons, skimmed head, cosmetic head gasket but still stock 652cc. Resulting in a compression of 220-230psi.Complete engine paint using simonez tough satin black. Stock vm24 carbs jetted to suit with stacks and tea strainer mesh filters. (pic2). Back in the 70's the exhaust of choice was a piper four into one but they rotted out pdq so finding one was next to impossible so I made a stainless replica and added a Moriwaki badge for bling. (pic3). Wheels are CMA race mags off a 900 at about half the weight of their road mags. Dresda box section swingarm. Forks are stock which have been altered to accommodate adjustable preload (pic4) and progresive springs. Ohlins on the back. Converted to twin discs which I surface ground and swopped the callipers to behind the forks with ebc red stuff pads with braided stainless hoses. (pic 5)Foot controls were originally period Raask but hated the levers so made some new ones to my liking. (pic 6/7) and added in a spacer to lower and move the footrests further back. Instruments couldn't stay standard but keeping with the period or home built parts only theme, the stock speedo stayed but the idiot lights changed to individual led's and a mini 2 inch rev counter all housed in a ally housing. Pic 7It's one of those bikes which is never really finished as it gets bits and pieces changed or built for it every winter. Then I found an issue with the rev counter drive ratio. When the engine was idling at 1000 rpm the rev counter read 1400 rpm. Apparently Kawasaki are the only ones that use a 7:1 drive ratio whereas the rest of the world use 5:1. That prompted the next little mod! Built a small inline reduction gearbox to correct the ratio issue. Pic 8&9Home made tail tidy, and tucked a smoked lens tail light in under the tail piece and built indicator into it. Pic 10. Relocated and changed the front indicators to a more tucked position and less obtrusive style. Homemade alloy chain guard, pic11. Renthals bars and black base with silver coach lines on all the body work. Pic 12.There's probably loads which I've forgotten to mention. 




























 

Back in the USA this month for Docrot's awesome 750 twin, over to Doc

Origin StoryI originally picked this bike up for a friend for $300. I was helping him get it back on the road and he ran out of money and interest so I bought the project from him. I wanted to do all the same things that guys were doing to the Z1/KZ1000 with a focus on improving the chassis and handling while reducing weight. It's been through a few iterations over the years to really dial in the ride experience -  I can't stand a bike that doesn't function well. I rode this bike to my college graduation and was doing wheelies and burnouts on it in my graduation robe. I have had it on several road trips and a few years ago sold it to a good friend with whom I regularly ride with. 
Chassis & GeometryFirst up: geometry. I cut off part of the subframe and moved the shock mounts forward to improve progressive movement through the swingarm’s arc. The motor mounts were fabricated in aluminum plate, the engine cases were reamed to accept oversized bolts—eliminating factory slop and tying the chassis together more rigidly. A custom pair of Works Performance shocks were installed, and I raised the rear ride height to improve rake and trail while also adding cornering clearance. A hand-fabricated aluminum swingarm beefs up the rear end, finished off with a hollow chromoly axle.
Front End & SuspensionTo retain a factory-like appearance and ride height, I stayed within the KZ lineup. The front forks are from a KZ1000, now running Race Tech cartridge emulators and a custom chromoly axle. The heavy cast wheels were replaced with spoked units from a KZ650, dropping unsprung weight. The front brake setup includes a lightweight EBC disc paired with a Brembo caliper on a custom mount and master cylinder. A Tarozzi fork brace ties it all together.
Bodywork & VisualsThe KZ750 twin isn’t exactly a looker out of the box—it’s bulky and awkward. I wanted a design that felt cohesive, like something Kawasaki might have built as a special edition. The bodywork is a mix-and-match of KZ parts, chosen for visual balance and consistency. Stamped fenders maintain an OEM vibe, and I went the extra mile with details like early-style engine covers and a designed and cast an aluminum ignition cover featuring the classic Kawasaki flag logo.Up front, the headlight houses a GPS tach from Speedhut, and out back, I fabricated a custom tail light shroud. The handlebars were swapped for Fat Bars mounted with custom clamps that preserve an OEM feel. I relocated the ignition switch and integrated the oil light into the stem bolt to clean up the dash.
Paint & Finishing TouchesThe paint needed to feel period-correct—something that could’ve been on a showroom floor. After agonizing over color swatches, I landed on Jeep’s “Commando Green,” but added extra green toner to bring it closer to Kawasaki’s palette. The badges are from the JDM Kawasaki “Z2,” which felt like a fitting nod. The seat was done by JP Custom Seats in Los Angeles, whose craftsmanship really helped pull everything together.
Engine WorkThe current engine iteration is fairly stock but warmed over. The top end was stripped down and rebuilt with 1mm over pistons. Compression was bumped up, and the head received a light port and polish. It now breathes through a set of RS34 flat slides from Topham Germany and exhales through a custom-fabricated stainless steel exhaust. The real game-changer was the optical multi-spark ignition from C5. From the factory, timing was overly conservative—now corrected, throttle response is crisp and immediate.
The RideThe result is a refined version of the original—lighter, faster, and far more composed in corners. It feels like something Kawasaki could have built if the accountants weren’t in the room. Every rider who throws a leg over it is surprised by how fun and agile it is. I’ve ridden everything from cruisers to sport bikes to dirt bikes, but the way this thing tips into a corner is totally unique.

Excellent work, excellent solutions, excellent bike! =  It is more than worth to be BOM,....that result  looks like a "bike of the year" for me! ( And normally i am not a big fan of parallel twins , but that complete bike looks amazing!!)
Congrats!!!

Sharp looking build.  I've never looked twice at twins but I really like that one!