70s 4stroke Kawasaki parts interchangability

[Stretchy]

I am sure Gos will know this so going to ask.

I have seen and read about parts being changed from models but dont know if they are stright swap or custom.

In particular i am looking at z650, z750, z900, kz1000. Can the frames from these fit any size motor. Have read of a 1000 in the 650 frame.

Can you fit the twin disc setup on any model forks?

Any websites with detailed knowledge?

Reason i am asking is i am going to the states again early next year and looking at picking up a few bikes. Some to sell and one to setup as a cafe racer road bike and one to setup as a classic race bike. They are cheap as chips over there, sometimes even free as my mate just got given a KZ1000 so could get a few for very little.
Just starting my research so i can decide what i am going to do, if this doesnt work out may just pick up a ZXR750 or ZX7R. Or take the plunge and get an 08 ZX10R for the new Formula Extreme rules.

Decisions, Decisions.

[Gosling1]

......I have seen and read about parts being changed from models but dont know if they are stright swap or custom.

In particular i am looking at z650, z750, z900, kz1000. Can the frames from these fit any size motor. Have read of a 1000 in the 650 frame.

Can you fit the twin disc setup on any model forks?......Any websites with detailed knowledge?

Reason i am asking is i am going to the states again early next year and looking at picking up a few bikes. Some to sell and one to setup as a cafe racer road bike and one to setup as a classic race bike. They are cheap as chips over there, sometimes even free as my mate just got given a KZ1000 so could get a few for very little.......

Hi Stretchy - lets see what we can do for you........

The z650 and z750 motors are basically exactly the same bottom ends. z650's have kick-starters, z750's don't. You can fit a set of z750 pistons and cylinder onto a z650 bottom end, for a cheap conversion to a 750. Heads are interchangeable. Fitting a 650 head onto a 750 bottom end will give you a slight increase in compression as well - always a good thing . z650 and z750 motors can be swapped between 650 and 750 frames.

You can even fit 750 Zephyr bits to the early motors, they use the same bottom-end, lots of castings and just dress the outside up a bit.


You *cannot* fit an early Z900 / Z1000 motor into the z650/z750 frame. You can however fit the later GpZ1100 or Z1000J motors into the smaller frames. The reason is that the early 900s and thou's had the kickstart casting at the rear of the cases, the later 1000's and 1100's don't, and thus can be squeezed into a 650 or 750 frame. Its a tight fit - I just did a Z1000J motor into a 1980 z750 frame for a Period 5 racer I am currently building. Its a really tight fit, but it can be done. You need to take the cams out to fit the head on, then put the cams in and keep going !

Most of the early 650's, 900's and 1000's use 36mm forks. These can be swapped between models pretty freely. z650 or z750 triple clamps will fit into z900 or z1000 frames, and give you much quicker steering due to the reduced offset. I have used z650 triple clamps in the Black Pearl now for 10-12 years ?? can't really remember when they went in.

Brakes - the early 900's used 6-bolt disc rotors, from the 1976 Z900A4, they went to a 4-bolt pattern. z650's also used a 4-bolt pattern, so disc rotors can be swapped freely between all models that use the 4-bolt rotor. All 4-bolt disc rotors are 295mm diameter, so no worries changing between models. The early 6-bolt rotor is the same as a H2750, as is the early-model calipers. Calipers from the 1976 900 can be freely swapped between most 1000's up to 1980. Rear brake drums / hubs can be freely swapped between H2 and early 900's with a drum brake rear. You will need to change some small items, axle spacers etc, but this is pretty easy.

From the Z1000J onwards, different calipers were used - GpZ1100 calipers can be freely swapped with J calipers from 1981 to about 1983.....the parts interchangability started to decline in the early to mid 80s, there are a lot of external cosmetic stuff that can be changed, eg GpZ1100B1 and B2 and Z1000J tanks are the same, but from 1983 onwards, the models became a lot more *specific* to themselves, in a lot of respects. During the 70's, it was another story altogether !

The twin-disc setup can be done on every Z900. They all came with a set of mounting lugs on the lower RH fork leg, and the RH side of the front hub is already drilled. Getting a disc rotor is easy, but getting a RH caliper for an early Z900 will cost you an arm and a leg. Stick a set of Z1000A1 (1977) forks on an early 900 if you want a twin-disc set-up, its way cheaper.

Wire-spoke wheels - these are freely interchangeable between all spoked model Z900's and Z1000's. The spoked front wheel of a Z650 is also exactly the same as the z900 spoke wheel. The 650 rear wheel cannot be interchanged, the rear drum and hub is smaller than the 900/1000.

Stay away from the Z1000ST - shaft drive model. *Nothing* on these models will interchange with anything else, apart from the barrel/head to other Z1000's. Everything else is different, wheels, brakes, forks, everything.

There are a few good Z Owners websites, but none of them have any type of list of parts interchangeability.........good to get knowledge from, and parts.

Good luck mate, hope you find what you are looking for. If you spot a cheap 1980 Z1000G *Classic*, can you bring it back for me ??

cheers
Gosilla

[Neka79]

wholly crap Gos....

who needs hte M encyclopedia (motorbicycle) when Gos is about??


probably forgotten more shit abt bikes than i kno....

glad ur on our side!!

[Gosling1]

cheers Neka

There is a lot of other stuff that is interchangeable, tailight lenses, headlights, switchblocks etc etc, but it depends on wether you are building a 'concours' bike, or just want an everyday runner. Rear shocks, chain adjusters, footpegs - the list is almost endless. Kawasaki were really good with parts swapping - but for later model stuff, I-K is the man. He has done much the same type of shit I have done, only with later model ZX6's and 9's. It seems that during the 80's, Kawasaki dropped the ball a bit on parts swapping, but seem to have gone back to their old ways with models from the 90's ?? Its those bloody beancounters, wanting to keep things as cheap as possible.....

[Stretchy]

Thanks for that Gos.

I have already been looking at bikes through the web to get an understanding of prices. 650s are really cheap and thats why i was asking about interchangability.
900s and 1000s vary greatly in price depending on condition and if the owner knows what they are. I may just look at these so i dont have to be doing a lot of searching for parts.

One other question - over there they have the LTD models which are the cheapest of the 1000. Are they the same as the normal models mechanically and frame wise as they basically look the same just with cruiser bars, big seats and lots of chrome.

Have also thought about a H1500 but not real sure.

Would definatly like a H2750 but they are expensive unless total shit heaps.

I saw this heavily modified H2 on Ebay, stopped watching after it got close to $10000us. Very nice though.

[Gosling1]

yes, the LTD models are basically the same as far as engines and frames are concerned. They normally have poxxy King/Queen seats and apehanger bars, but all that stuff can be changed easily.

Thats a nice lookin' H2 !

[classicman]

GOSILLA,

you're the man with the answers...hopefully you can help.

I'm rebuilding a project bike that had a Z front end (spoked, single disk). It was crashed so I want to replace everything as before. Problem is I don't know if the front end is a 650/900 or 1000.
How can I determine this?
Also can I interchange 650,900 forks and fork yolks?

Thanks a mil for any info!

[Gosling1]

Check the number of bolts that hold the disc onto the front hub. You should have 4 on each side. If you have six, this is an early model z1 front wheel. This would also mean early z1 brake calipers and forks....you have to use early stuff with the 6-bolt wheels, as the caliper bolts have different spacing on the later models and cannot be interchanged. The early Zeds had single discs only.

If you have 4-bolt hubs, then you can interchange early z650 wheels with z900 forks no worries. The disc rotors and hubs are the same, although the 650 forks are slightly shorter in length - still 36mm dia. I would not recommend using 650 forks on the front end of a z900, the fork springs are only rated for a light 650, not the heavier 900/1000 model. Front wheel and disc rotors though - no problem.

You can fit the z650 yokes (triple clamps) to the z900/z1000 series, this will shorten the wheelbase and make the steering a bit quicker. If you use the 650 clamps, you will need to make up an adapter plate to use the OEM 900/1000 instruments though, as the mounting bolts on the 650 top clamp are wider apart than they are on the 650.

Good luck with the mods

[kawa4power]

Hi

Doing up my Zephyr 750

Powder-coating, 820 Posh Big Bore Kit, milled head, etc...

Want to purchase some Progressive rear shocks for my Zephyr 750 - found some cheap new sets but none for the Zephyr 750 - However they are selling some shocks to suit a Zephyr 1100 - Will these fit my 750?

Also - the rubber manifolds between the motor and carbs need replacing - but I can't find any - will any other models fit?

Thanks

mick
____________

[classicman]

Here's another!

I've found a complete '77 KZ 400front end I could use to complete my 400 single special.
Will the forks slide up into the Z650 yolks and how will they behave compared to the Z650 front end??

Thanks in advance

[Gosling1]

....Want to purchase some Progressive rear shocks for my Zephyr 750 - found some cheap new sets but none for the Zephyr 750 - However they are selling some shocks to suit a Zephyr 1100 - Will these fit my 750?

Also - the rubber manifolds between the motor and carbs need replacing - but I can't find any - will any other models fit?......

The shocks may fit - I don't own a Zephyr - but generally the mounting bolts are a common size (12mm or 14mm dia). If the overall length between the mounting bolt centres is the same between the 750 and 1100 models ( should be in the range 340mm to 360mm) - the only other thing you have to worry about is the spring rate. It is probably a bit stiffer on the 1100 model shocks, to account for the heavier weight of that model.

Just send an email to the distributor or seller - they should be able to fix you up with an answer. If they can't, ring Daryll at Moose Racing in Euroa (Vic) and ask him if the Hagon shocks are interchangeable between the 750 and 1100.

The rubber inlet manifolds are common to 750 models and also the 650 models fitted with 34mm CV Mikuni carbs - but finding a set for an even older model than the Zephyr could be even more difficult ! Try Z-Power in the UK, or you could also try Z1 Enterprises in the US - they stock a lot of stuff for old kwakka 4's.....

[Gosling1]

.....I've found a complete '77 KZ 400front end I could use to complete my 400 single special.
Will the forks slide up into the Z650 yolks and how will they behave compared to the Z650 front end??.....

Just measure the OD of the forks. If they are 36mm, they will slide into the 650 clamps no problem - but I think you will find that the 400 front end is a bit narrower across the width than the 650 - which means that the front-end won't fit the 650 clamps in terms of 'width'. You could be lucky though - I don't have any 400 front-ends here to check the dimensions.....

the 400 forks will have lighter-rated fork springs, which means they will be more suited for use on a lighter bike than a Z650 front-end. The actual 'behaviour' between the 400 and 650 front ends is not going to be vastly different, apart from the lightter spring rate. You can also control a lot of the behaviour of the front-end, by varying the weight and amount of fork oil you use......

[classicman]

Thanks G, got lucky and found some nice used Z forks.

OK next one....

My master brake cylinder is completly choked up (no surprise, been sitting for 20 years), had a peek at the little piston and it's totally corroded, won't squirt any fluid out even without hoses attached at cylinder.

Question is how do I dismantle the cylinder piston and bits so I can replace with new? Had a look but couldn't figure it out.

Also I want to replace the caliper bits, I presume once the pads are out and the master cylinder is working that I'll be able to pump the caliper piston out of postition to replace?

[classicman]

Also would sonic cleaning or such be the way to go with the cylinder and caliper or just dismantle and clean in the garage?

[Gosling1]

.....My master brake cylinder is completly choked up (no surprise, been sitting for 20 years), had a peek at the little piston and it's totally corroded, won't squirt any fluid out even without hoses attached at cylinder.

Question is how do I dismantle the cylinder piston and bits so I can replace with new? Had a look but couldn't figure it out.

Also I want to replace the caliper bits, I presume once the pads are out and the master cylinder is working that I'll be able to pump the caliper piston out of postition to replace?....

There is an internal circlip that needs to be removed - it can be hard to find, especially if the m/c is really dirty and corroded like you say. Normally, any decent automotive brake specialist will be able to remove the circlip and hone the bore - but they can only do this effectively if the bore is not pitted too badly. If the corrosion is really bad, and the pitting is too deep - the m/c will be basically unserviceable and should be binned. Way easier ( and generally cheaper) - to locate a 2nd hand m/c in good condition from any wreckers, or even pay for a new unit from a supplier like Z Power, or Z1 Enterprises in the US.

You can get the piston out of the caliper with a short sharp blast of compressed air......but be careful and use your common sense when you do this. Cover the caliper completely, and use the bleed nipple for the compressed air....this will limit the amount that pushes the piston out. Repair kits are available, and generally consist of a new piston and all the rubber seals and any O-rings that are required for that caliper.