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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 08:33 #798643

  • WarrensKZ
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Hello everyone.

My name is Warren, recently retired engineer and father of 5 boys, in sunny California. I used to lurk on 650.info but it seems thats been shuttered for some time, so ive lurked here for about a year.

I have a 1977 KZ650 B that I bought about 15 years ago. Rode it for two years and put it in the barn under a tarp when my wife got sick. Two of my sons have become interested in vintage bikes and want me to get mine back on the road to ride with them. Im retired and bored so Im game.

Full tune up has been done including valves and the works. My only problem is the carbs and I have bought a new set. A gentleman on eBay had for sale a set of vapor blasted KZ650 carbs 1977-1978. I bought them.

I noticed the main jets on the carbs i bought are 110 and the pilots are 15. Stock jetting on a KZ650 is main 102.5 and Pilot #15.

My sons say I should change the exhaust, and that it looks "old." I may change to a Kerker 4 into 1, but my sons, who are a bit hipster, tell me I should get pods. Im considering pods, since these beautiful carbs look jetted for pods.

What are your thoughts on this, and what were stock carbs on a KZ650? VM22, 24 or 29?

Trying to lift the fog as I jump back into this bike.

Thanks!

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 11:22 #798654

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First advice – ignore your sons’ opinions! Your bike looks really great as is! Replacing the pipes would be a big mistake assuming your originals are in decent condition, and putting pods on it would make it look like every other KZ650 that has that mod plus it won’t run as well as it does with the stock airbox and air filter.

Instead – take a couple months and see how many stock 1977 KZ650’s you see on the road. Here’s a hint – the answer will be none! I know because I own the stock 1977 KZ650-C1 shown below and have owned it since it was new. I haven’t seen a stock one on the road in more than 30 years! You bike is an original classic and modding it at this point would be like modding an original 1957 Corvette – bad idea!

The carbs you show are Mikuni VM24SS carbs. They were the original, stock carbs on the 1977 KZ650. You are correct that the stock jetting for the 1977 KZ650 carbs was 102.5 main and #15 pilot. If that was my bike I would return the jetting on the new carbs to stock, install them with the airbox, and ride. Seriously, your sons are wrong in advising you to mod the bike – do yourself a huge favor and keep it stock!

KZ650info is still alive - try forums.kz650.info/index.php

Ed

1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 12:01 #798656

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Beautiful bike Ed. Really stunning.

This is my son's kz650 that he had built. Hes a san fran tech gazillionaire and paid an outrageous amount, but it a beaut. As you can see he has CR carbs on it. He was urging me to do the same. I will have to think about this.

Also, what was the needle position in the carb's stock form? I think now its in the 3rd or 4th.


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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 12:07 #798657

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Your son's bike looks good, and I certainly have no bias against modding a non-original bike. However, survivor bikes like yours are extremely rare and in my opinion should be preserved - they are only original once.

Here's a chart that shows carb info. Ed

1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 12:19 #798658

  • Warren3200gt
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Keep it stock, it run better and look better and be worth more. If you fancy a moded one pick up a wreck for a few hundred and build what you want. Survivors are only original once.
Below is my stock one I bought new in 77 and one which I built to what I actually wanted in 77.

Z1000J2 somewhat modified!

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 12:24 #798659

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650ed wrote: Your son's bike looks good, and I certainly have no bias against modding a non-original bike. However, survivor bikes like yours are extremely rare and in my opinion should be preserved - they are only original once.

Here's a chart that shows carb info. Ed


This is very helpful. Thank you.

I do have a question. Not having seen this before how can i tell from this diagram what position the needle should be in for a stock setup?

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 12:28 #798660

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Stock exhaust, stock airbox, stock jets would mean the needle clip would be 4th slot from the top to be stock. As already mentionedyour carb pics are of vm24ss.

Z1000J2 somewhat modified!

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 12:36 #798661

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Warren3200gt is correct. If you do not own a Kawasaki Service Manual for your bike take a look at the link below. One thing though - the spark plugs recommended in that manual are too cold and will foul. The spark plug recommendation was corrected in the next edition of the manual. Ask if you need that info. Ed

www.kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/K...Service%20Manual.pdf
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 13:38 #798663

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Warren3200gt wrote: Stock exhaust, stock airbox, stock jets would mean the needle clip would be 4th slot from the top to be stock. As already mentionedyour carb pics are of vm24ss.


Thank you for this Warren. Seems we share the same name.

My son has told me hes bought the kerker 4 into 1 exhaust. It was supposed to be a secret from me, but i know now. so we are going to take off the stock exhaust and safely tuck it away, and put on the louder exhaust. Some say rejetting isnt necessary but I want the bike to run properly.

From my little rationale, what do you think of this?

For the 4 into 1, increase the main jet from 102.5 up just one step to 105 and either keep the pilot at 17.5 as it is in the rack I bought, or reduce it to 15. My son told me to look at JetsRUs.com and they have loads of genuine Mikuni jets.

Im thinking since the needle might be in the 4th position, making the mixture richer, I may not have to make too many changes? Im no good at this so please inform me.

Thanks

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 13:39 #798664

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650ed wrote: Warren3200gt is correct. If you do not own a Kawasaki Service Manual for your bike take a look at the link below. One thing though - the spark plugs recommended in that manual are too cold and will foul. The spark plug recommendation was corrected in the next edition of the manual. Ask if you need that info. Ed

www.kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/K...Service%20Manual.pdf



Thank you again Ed. You are proving to be an invaluable resource. Ive been told the correct plugs are B7ES. If that isnt correct please let me know.

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 13:50 #798666

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We do indeed it would seem. Not often I run into another. My green bike is 100% stock. My black bike has a 4 into 1, velocity stacks and high comp pistons and skimmed head runs pilotx + 2 sizes and mains + 1 size with needle still in slot 4. Pulls strongly well into the red on this set up and pootles around without issue also.
B7es is the correct ngk plug but I prefer denso equiv as they seem to be more tolerant of abuse.

Z1000J2 somewhat modified!

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Getting 15 barn KZ650 ready for the new season 14 Feb 2019 15:03 #798669

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Yes; NGK B7ES is correct, although like Warren3200gt I use the Denso plugs (ND W22ES-U). Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)

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