KZ750B custom/custom

T Rex NZ

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after reading your guys comments on the glowing virtues of these Kz750 I bought a mag wheel version custom with low mileage, and even a bonus ( why would you ) tow bar on the back :thumbsdown:. the good thing is it is still stock standard like the photo attached so I now have a new project ( when it ever leaves your good country and sails it's way here. my wife is still processing as to where it will fit into the garage :mad: and how many bikes do you need, she's a slow learner huh lol.
within a few weeks my 1979 CB750k 10th anniversary will show up at the shippers warehouse and funny enough we will just be heading past it on our holiday, hence the need to drag a trailer behind us honey 😁 and could your son look after it till we come back past his house, it's just a little diversion.

Anyway I digress I have started procuring appropriate essential ailments opps I meant parts to change the Kz's looks which I will post. my first change is out with the Kawasaki period mag wheels and in with spoke wheels.
 

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so I bought individual parts to make up my front and rear wheels, I also bought new spokes and new chrome rims for this project.
reason I didn't buy complete wheels is most were rusty, scratches and rough, my chrome plating guru said he won't do chroming of old rims now as they are more trouble than the results, which was a shame as the rims I bought after assurances that they match the KZ650/4 parts were a match but no they were not and there is a slight angle from the nipple distortion that I will have to live with.
picks to follow of the polished finished rims
 

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  • 20220112_155702 Kz750 WHEEL ZINC PLATE PARTS.jpg
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  • 1980 KZ750B REAR SPROCKT HUB.jpg
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  • 1980 KZ750B REAR DRUM BRACK HUB.jpg
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  • 1980 KZ750B REAR CUSH DRIVE RUBBERS.jpg
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  • 1980 KZ750B REAR BRAKE HUB.jpg
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  • 1980 KZ750B REAR AXELS PARTS.jpg
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  • 1980 KZ750B FRONT SPOKE HUB.jpg
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this Kz gave me the vision as to what I wanted for my bike and started me off on a buying spree he he
Well that was the pic I put up in that KZ thread... so I guess this is all my fault. :cautious:
Seriously though, I think that bike's gorgeous.
 
this is the final finish to the front and rear wheels, much sanding and polishing went into the alloy, if you look closely you can see the nipples on the rear wheel are not in line with the spokes, I took this wheel apart 4 times thinking I'm lacing this up wrong only to come to the conclusion that the rim is generic but not accurate to the original rim in it's hole angles grrrrr I will live with it so long as there are no stress issues, let me know what you think on that please, the photo above of the axels etc are before I sent them off for zinc coating.
 

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hey Jim what did you think of the side cover badges I found them on fleabay they look like the KZ900 a nice touch if I say so myself, I'm also going to have the 1975 KZ900 paint scheme for the fuel tank and side covers, I love the blue with gold and black/white decals ;) after all it's only money he he
 

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  • 75 KAWASAKI BLUE PAINT JOB.jpg
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This is the 1980 CB750k 10th anniversary edition that is on it's way to me, it has the custom mufflers fitted ( originals rotted maybe ) otherwise it's mint, only done 8226 miles, I'm so looking forward to it, the last one I owned I wrote off with a 70 mph dead stop crash no side effects here to report all lies :whistle:
 

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Well that was the pic I put up in that KZ thread... so I guess this is all my fault. :cautious:
Seriously though, I think that bike's gorgeous.
sooooooo your to blame for my affixion huh Jim :thumbsdown:, well all I can say is thank you I'm gonna have fun with this old girl :D
 
Converting my Storm to spoke wheels, the KZ750 was the only spoke disk brake rear hub I could find.
yea I wanted to put disc brake on the rear but my bike has the drum brake set up and I would have to weld mounting lugs onto the frame, and here in NZ it wasn't an option for me to convert without getting the bike certified for those mods, I'm trying to make bolt on like for like so no one would know if it isn't what they made, there are very few KZ750 twins here if any.
 
I bought a few goodies to improve the looks and running of the Kz in December, every time a parcel came in it felt like I was getting a mystery present as I would forget what I had coming 🥴 I even thought of sticking them under the Xmas tree but her would have taken more interest in what I was doing and that can't happen no no
some of the goodies were stainless engine casing cap head bolt set, Viton valve guide seals, engine oil seals and what defiantly will help it run better a Dyna KZ550-650 four electronic ignition kit that you split in half so it works on the twin setup that was the best prezzy I received :cheers:.
so I have this small spot on the shelf here at work where I look at my goodies waiting for the day the bike arrives, I have plans for more purchases but my wife wants me to spend on mundane things like spa pool covers, firewood, painting the house and so on which makes the budget tight, maybe I will sell the Bandit 1250 as were not really getting out much now and I enjoy the classics more as I get older, much more relaxing to ride as I've ridden all over my country and the fires not so bright now to get out on a long ride.
 
I'm looking to not use the original vacuum carburetors as I read they are troublesome due to diaphragm perishing/holes etc, has anybody used what I see on ebay the TM34 flat slide copy's of the mikuni or the smooth bore carburetors, how tricky are they to tune in, the chines copy's are cheep but are they good ?
any input is welcomed
 
yea I wanted to put disc brake on the rear but my bike has the drum brake set up and I would have to weld mounting lugs onto the frame, and here in NZ it wasn't an option for me to convert without getting the bike certified for those mods, I'm trying to make bolt on like for like so no one would know if it isn't what they made, there are very few KZ750 twins here if any.
Mount the caliper below the axle.
 
just as well I can't count I didn't notice that, but changing from mag wheels to spoke I had nothing to compare the difference with, you bring up an interesting point cheers.
I did the same thing. Got a set of high lip rims and hubs. Then the KZ hub. Went to get spokes and found out the KZ was 40 spoke. Had to find a 40 spoke high lip 18 inch rim. Got one for a BMW /2.
 
I've decided to call the KZ750b PIGLET as the photo of it at the shippers becomes self explanatory, only a mother would say she's beautiful lol 🐷
1980 KAWASAKI KZ750B PIGLET .jpg
1980 KAWASAKI PIGLET 2.jpg
1980 KAWASAKI PIGLET 3.jpg
now what would you tow behind this bike with such a flimsy tow bar, a stolen shopping trolley filled with the weeks grocery's perhaps :laughing: oh I'm so looking forward to what my wife is going to say when she see's it :doh:.
so it's at the shippers now and it won't be arriving till late March that gives me time to grease my way into the good books we all know that brownie points is as good as money in the bank eh :smoke: seriously I'm looking forward to creating some thing nice out of PIGLET I suspect this will be a very long project in the making.
 
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