Running a bike with no battery. How to?

I am trying to strip my bike down as much as possible. Getting back to basics.

How do you get it back to the day when they didn't use batteries? Is it possible? What is entailed in that? What parts can be eliminated from the picture by doing so.

How basic do you want to go?
If you want just ignition for racing or daytime riding only, you will need a magneto.
Then you can remove the alt, coils ,lights, starter motor, etc.
If you still want lights then there's no point in altering what you already have as the simpler alternator replaced the more complicated and dated set-up of magneto and dynamo.

77 KZ750 twin must use a battery of some sort. The type of alternator on your bike is much more efficient than the premanent magnet type, but the down side is that it needs a battery in order to work.

You can use a really small battery if you want. Some people are using little computer backup batteries. I've put a 50cc Honda Spree battery on some KZ's with your type charging system and it always worked, even when the battery was totally dead (kick-start only of course).

On the KZ twin forum there are many more threads on the subject.
www.armbell.com/kz400/index.php?sid=c35c...fcc2365&mforum=kz400

I'm not sure it's possible to swap alternators, but if you can install a 78 or later alternator, you can go without a battery. You would just use a capacitor in place of the battery. That's what I did on my 550. There are two in the photo, but I only use one of them.

In the background of the photo, you can see a 76 KZ400 with one of the Spree scooter batteries hanging down under the seat. We hadn't painted the battery holder black, yet, in that photo.

Here's a better view of the battery (cage still un-painted).


Here's where we stuffed all of the electrics under the seat.


Here's a similar treatment on a KZ650.

loudhvx- diggin the cafe's and your sweet setup. I think a cafe is going to be my next project.

Thanks! Funny, I've often thought a stripped down chopper would be a great next project.

I have a 77 kz650 and have been considering weeding out unneccessary electricals too. The p/o installed electronic ignition- is it still possible to run no battery on my bike?

Unfortunately, the 1977 KZ650 cannot go battery-less. The green one above is also a 1977, that's why he had to go with a battery.

A factory electronic ignition is more efficient for going without a battery than points, but a Dyna S ignition is not. For bikes that have permanent-magnet alternators, (like the 78 and later 650 and 750-twins), the factory electronic ignition is probably the best choice, but points will likely still work.

Thanks for all the input. I am having electrical problems with my bike and before I go putting a bunch of new electronic components in it I was curious what the essential components of the 77 KZ750 are.

@Loud - I really like the set up on on that orange bike. I will have to look into puttin a newer alt in it.

I'm not sure about fiting a 78 or later alternator into the 77 KZ750 twin. You can identify the older ones because they have three philips head screws in a traingle formation on the face of the cover. The later ones don't have them.

The bare bones on the 77 KZ750 would be the alternator, which consists of the field coil, the stator (both found inside the alternator cover), and the rotor (mounted to the crankshaft). Then you need a rectifier and regulator (they are separate on that bike, but there may be aftermarket units that combine them into one). You also need the points, condenser, and coil. Then you need some way to switch the bike on and off.

The rest is lighting and accessories.

EDIT: I see you found the Bare Bones thread. I completely forgot to mention it earlier, D'oh!

check out the "SHORAI" batteries. They are really small, weigth next to nothing and can be mounted upside down etc. I have them on two of my bikes since January.

How about the '79 Kz400? Is it using the same alternator as the 650. I'd love to get mine running without a battery.