1980 KZ1300 - Hen's Teeth Do Exist

[Barney T Weasel]

Bugger!

[Lucien Harpress]

Working on details at this point, and using what I can as it trickles in. I got the rubber bits for my blinkers in, and while I could get a pair in the rear frame, the others can't go in the front until I get my headlight brackets powdercoated. Which can't happen until my turn signal stems come in. Which, according to tracking is... whenever.

Carb rebuilt kit (aka, my one float valve) is still in Utah.

Pilot jets got delayed. Won't be sent out until tomorrow.

On the bright side, I fixed some wiring in the back so my tail light works now, AND I have two grounds ready for my turn signals. I also managed to remove my copper "fuse" without destroying the box. Once I find a 30 amp glass fuse (gotta have one rolling around someplace) we'll be back to stock.

Tried my hand at making a tool tray. I don't need it now, but if I get a replacement air filter (which I would like to do), I'll need one. And I refuse to spend $250 on a replacement. Spent $20 on some aluminum sheet, started bending it, nearly got it finished- and realized I bent it the wrong way. Had to toss it. Considering trying again with plastic.

Speaking of plastic, I'm about to attempt to repair my headlight bucket. There's some cracking at the screw holes for the light and a pair of unnecessary holes in the back. Again, I don't feel like paying $150 for a replacement (in the same shape).

Did I mention how expensive parts for this thing is?

(Just be glad it's not a CBX, just be glad it's not a CBX, just be glad...)

[delling3]

I am enjoying this thread.

I know what you mean about the Mikuni carbs. I too think the GL carbs are way too complex a design. I used to have an XS750 (little brother to the XS11), and I know there is a modification that can be done to install overflows. Might be something that can be adapted to these carbs?

Good luck, and keep us posted.

[Gowing]

I'm still on the fence about a fuel shut-off valve. The way I see it, if the float valves are doing their job AND I remember to always shut the petcock off (which I do anyway), why do I need it? One more thing to fail. To each his own, I suppose.

It's sort of like the emissions thing- it's a whole mess of hoses and a giant valve/pump type thing to take air from the aorbox and pump it into the exhaust. That's been pulled on mine (and you can find replacements cheap, because EVERYONE pulls it) , and doing so makes no difference in how it runs. It was only a US thing anyway, and the only reason it would go back on would be for historical accuracy.

My petcock failed on my wing and in the off position, fuel was getting by.
It's something I did not expect.
On my fj 1100 my vacuum petcock failed and flowed 24/7.
I fixed both, but now I put a harbor freight pinch clamp on lines when not in use, just in case.
If I had a electric shutoff it would eventually fail, but those clamps give me peace of mind.

[calif wingnut]

How about a side shot of Mr. Max and the M on the dirt road.

It wasn't dirt. I'm still crazy, but not that crazy.

And Lucian, I was digging through my old box of dragstrip photos. I thought I had a couple of a KZ13 a guy used to run at Shadyside. Problem was, the big Suzuki's came in and ate everybody's lunch.

Those were good days.

Mr. MAX was stunning in 84 as was the M109 04.

Why let a little dirt stop you ?

[Lucien Harpress]

Um..... GL1200 in dirt? Y'all krazy.

As for this thread, I'm hoping that soon it's going to start heading in a general "vroom vroom down the road" direction. There's nothing to "fix" per se (save the headlight bucket), just a bunch of reassembly. True, I'll need to get some connections on to the wires in the headlight bucket, but I have all the correct wires and I know what they do. Then it's all cosmetic after that.

I'm also replacing the coils. The current ones work, but they HAVE been gone through, so I don't know if I trust them. Managed to score a set for cheap that are supposed to work great, and are a direct bolt-in. That can wait, though. Let's get a runner first.

[Barney T Weasel]

fuel shut-off valve. Mines original and works perfectly from 1980. They are dead easy to clean and faultless. Keep it in line as when it got some stuff that held it open once I flooded a cylinder with fuel.

[Lucien Harpress]

I'm still waiting on some parts (need to bondo some divets on the headlight bucket and paint it, need to wait to get paid until I powdercoat the blinkers and headlight ears, pilot jets are a no-show), so in the meantime I figured I'd fix some cosmetic issues. The big one bugging me is the main ignition switch. This is the one that also doubles as the seat unlock, and lives under a small hinged cover on the left sidecover. Like a few things on this bike, it's actually a very clever little system, let down by some sub-standard engineering. The whole cover is held down by one post, which it rotates around. A small spring and stop keeps it closed when not in use, and prevents the cover from spinning too high up. The whole thing is held on to the actual sidecover by a push nut. It probably worked just fine 34 years ago. Unfortunately, that many years of rotating has worn the plastic shaft down enough to make the cover loose. It doesn't line up as well as it's suppose to, and every now and then it jumps the stop (which isn't that high). Looks tacky, and can be done better.

IMG_20140620_195354_671.jpg

I started by cutting off the smaller post that the push nut was, um... pushed on to. Then, I carefully drilled out by hand a hole the size of a small bolt I had lying around- notice my redneck hand drill in the background. I then cut the head off said bolt and epoxied it into the switch cover. Once it's dry and back into main sidecover, I can run a washer and nut on the backside, and tighten it down to whatever tension I want it at. There really isn't a lot of stress on this part, so I'm hoping it will hold up. I may run a second nut onto the stud, just to lock it in place- that way, there's almost no tension on the epoxied joint.

It actually came out much clean than I anticipated. We'll have to see tomorrow if it works!

[calif wingnut]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/4495657726.html shop manuel $20

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/4514791034.html wanted kz1300

Um..... GL1200 in dirt? Y'all krazy

~:<)

[Lucien Harpress]

Wow... that's a dang good price for that manual!

Luckily, my bike came with one stuffed in the saddlebag. Well worn, too. Not sure if that's a good thing...

[Lucien Harpress]

Waiting on jets, but in the meantime, I think I got the headlight finished.







When I pulled this out of the fairing, both headlight mounting holes were broke out and two holes were drilled in the top of the back. Not wanting to spend $100 on another bucket that's impossible to find, I managed to rescue this one with some JB PlasticWeld (which is AMAZING), Bondo, and spray paint. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn close.

Hopefully, jets should arrive and carbs should be back together by the end of the week. Have to wait until Friday before I can call a local powdercoater, and I plan on FINALLY painting my GL1200 this weekend, but I'd love to have a running Kiwi by then.

[Lucien Harpress]

Got the carbs back together and back on the bike. This is with no adjustments whatsoever (save for the idle setting).



(Sorry about all the revving. It was dying before this vid was taken).

Not gonna lie. This thing sounds BEASTLY. The crap sound doesn't do it justice.

It ran well enough to take it up and down the road a bit. You can tell there is a LOT of weight there, especially when you're turning it a slow speed. But when you get on the gas? HOOOOO boy!

There's still issues. Cylinder 4 or 5 wasn't idling with the rest of them when I first started it, but it was firing at speed. I'm getting some popping out of it, possibly both sides, but definitely the left. I'll break out the colortune, but I'd like to switch the coils first. I've got a replacement set waiting.

Overall? I'm excited. I sure needed this, especially after my GL1000 debacle.

[irishcarbomb]

Sounds good, I want one!

[Lucien Harpress]

Almost forgot to mention- apparently, the cooling fan is hard-wired directly to the battery. Somehow. After my short ride, the fan was on, and no combination of ignition switches (there are two, remember) would shut it off.

Something tells me electrical gremlins are going to be a thing on this bike.

Also, I still need a proper 30 amp main fuse. A bolt works fine, but probably isn't recommended for long-term use.

[robin1731]

Are you sure the fan isn't wired to run after shut off until it reaches a certain temp? I know Cyborg wires his like that. The fan stays running with ignition off until it lowers the temp some.