Thanks a lot. No, I still have the bike. I rode it last season while I had my other KZ tore apart. My wife keeps asking if I'm going to put it up for sale as well. Hopefully this spring.

@ Well, it looks fantastic, sounds even better. If you sell I hope I don’t miss it!

If you're really interested, we can message directly, and I'll explain all the work done to the bike and a price. Do you live in the US?

Thanks a lot. This bike has been making me happy for a few decades now, even when it breaks, and I am forced to fix things. Thanks for checking it out.

Thanks man

Yes, it's pretty loud. I still have some carb jetting to do when the weather warms up.

Thanks man

They sure were. They are still show stoppers now, at least when they're cleaned up a bit. Thanks for checking it out.

Yeah man, you better get that KZ back. These old bikes definitely draw some attention. I'll be taking this bike to a local speed shop in the spring to see what sort of HP I'm getting out of it. I'm hoping to see better than 120hp.

Sorry man. I've had this swingarm over 30 years. They are pretty hard to come by anymore. I don't know of anyone making them. Trak Dynamics will make a very nice arm at whatever length you want, but it will cost you about $1500. I see custom KZ's in Japan with aftermarket swingarms, but I have never reached out to the builders about getting one. You could try doing that.

Thanks man. I appreciate you checking it out.

Yes, i understand. It's not for everyone. When I bought this bike 30+ years ago, it was modified way back then. I never had it in a stock configuration. However, a KZ that is set up like a drag bike with the straight bars and extended swingarm, that is exactly the look that gets me excited. I post the sort of videos that I look for, but I'm not really finding. I appreciate your consideration.

Unfortunately, I do not. Anyone willing to work on or build vintage motorcycles is becoming harder to find. No one wants to work on carbs, apparently. That's what drove me to start doing the work myself. I'm glad I did because I enjoy the work. Depending on what you want and willingness to travel, I would consider doing a build. I live south of Chicago, not that close to St. Louis.

Thanks a lot. Fortunately for the KZ enthusiasts, there is a fairly large reproduction and aftermarket parts selection. I do love the sound of a hotrod KZ. I appreciate you checking out my bike.

I miss my 79 ltd 1000. My brother decided one night to steal it and go for a joy ride. He slid it of a road off a 100 foot cliff. Hes lucky he didnt go with the bike. Wish it had been the otherway around. Lil

I'm not sure. I've had this up to 140 mph, and it has more, but it's screaming. Years ago, before I completed all this performance work, I added a 37 tooth rear sprocket, 2 extra teeth, for some cheap power gains. I'm now ready to go back to the smaller sprocket. I have a sprocket along with a master link, I just want to do a dyno run before I swap it out. The smaller sprocket will keep it from screaming at highway speeds like it does now. I've given the bike plenty of power to make up for it.

With proper gearing larger front smaller rear. Who knows. But before you do that. Make sure you have enough torque

I'm hoping to do a dyno run in the spring. After that, I'll decide if I really want to change gearing.

Agreed. This bike is a little obnoxious with the baffle out, but it sure does sound cool. I've lusted after the V-Max for many years as well. I really like the muscle cruiser style of bike. Comfort and awesomeness all rolled into one. Thanks for checking it out.

@@KZRevival Yes, muscle cruiser. That’s what I liked about it. 👊😎

That makes sense because it was a demonstration of noise level when a baffle is removed. Thanks for checking it out.

The sidewinder header for the KZ is becoming very hard to find anymore. When you do find them, the cost is pretty high. Thanks for your interest.

Thank you my man. This bike has been bringing smiles to my face for decades now. I appreciate you checking it out.

In that case, riding this bike is like being in your mother's arms. I appreciate you checking it out.

I don't know much about the FZ09, but my guess is my old KZ would hold its own pretty well. While your bike is more modern, you have around 105 rear wheel horsepower and a short wheel base. I don't know what my horsepower is yet but I've added a lot of Performance upgrades. I'm fairly certain I have a lot more horsepower. While you or your ECU are trying to keep the front end on the ground, I would be making an unclosable gab, at least in the quarter mile. Just my thoughts with no evidence. How do you think your FZ09 would hold up against this KZ?

@KZRevival Well, I really don't know. I've had many bikes over the years and now at 77 I've ended up with the 09. When I saw your video my first thought was that your bike was a predecessor to bikes like the fz09. At this point I don't ride too aggressively but I have pushed my bike pretty hard and do appreciate the slipper clutch and traction control, which your bike probably doesn't have. I was intrigued by your bike when I saw it and just wondered how similar it is to my fz09.

You are correct, I don't have any electronic assist for traction or wheelie control. It's solely up to me to manage traction and wheel stand. I do have the benefit of a raked front end and an extended swingarm as well as some pretty sticky Metzler tires. I've built a hotrod, but I'm no racer. I have a friend I ride with who has a 1985 Kawasaki ZL900 Eliminator. My goal is to beat that bike. I finished the bike this past summer but struggled with some carburation issues that I thankfully overcame. Just to late in the riding season to enjoy very much. Big pistons, big carbs, big cams, a port job and larger valves make this bike a monster. Not very comfortable for very long, but I smile a lot when I ride. Braided brake lines and upgraded suspension front and back also help with comfort.

Thank you man. It seems only older guys appreciate chrome on these vintage bikes. Younger people like it more blacked out. All that shine really does it for me. Thanks for your interest.

@KZRevival Straight outta Mad Max. You go Goose.

The KZ sure can draw some attention. Thanks for checking it out.

In the 80s, when I was old enough to start thinking about motorcycles, the KZ was the coolest looking thing rolling around town, and I wanted one. I've been riding this one since 1992. Only know, I've given it a pretty good HP bump. Lucky for me, lots of people are still interested in the vintage KZ's. Aftermarket and used parts are still plentiful.

In 1983 I bought a 1976 KZ 900 with the 1105 kit , I have two of them now , one is all stock , the other has a 77 , 1000 motor in it with the 1075 kit

Very cool. Let's keep these old bikes alive.

Thanks for checking out my bike.

I've always been more of a metal head. Thanks for checking it out.

You bet. Looks and sounds AWESOME 👍👍👍

I like your style

Thanks, I agree with you.

Very cool. What's the condition of the few KZ's you have?

@@KZRevival 78 KZ1000 23.000 miles, Black/W Gold Stripe, 1979 LTD 1000 ,,83 KZ1000R,81 GPZ1100 All riders!

That's a nice collection. I have the two bikes, a frame an engine, and a few parts for a third KZ. I think the third bike will be a more custom build.

I'm glad I was able to help. This bike seems to be rattling all my hair loose unfortunately. Thanks for checking it out.

Thank you for checking out my motorcycle.

Thank you man.

Mine too. That sound still gives me goosebumps.

That's a funny story. Dad was willing to risk the wrath of mom to have a bike. I can definitely understand the overwhelming draw of this motorcycle. When my adult boys were young, they used to ask me why I didn't get a newer bike. My response was, "Because they don't make cool bike anymore." Needless to say, their appreciation of the KZ has changed. Thanks for checking it out.

Bloke I know in same position 😂

Thanks man

Man, I'm with you on that. I still get excited when I see the occasional KZ out on the road. Thanks for checking mine out.

@KZRevival same here, And always on the videos

This bike still gives me goosebumps. Electric and gas utility, and I'm on the electric side. Very observant. Thanks for checking out my bike.

You are right about that. It's a little intimidating in person, and that's why I love it.

Sure, I'm always up for a ride.

I agree. The KZ has a great exhaust sound. Thanks for checking it out.

No, the bike is not in gear. The KZ has a wet clutch, which means the steel and friction plates are bathed in oil, and the plates ride pretty close to each other when the bike is in neutral. There is a small amount of friction that causes the wheel to spin when up on a stand. This is normal.

Thanks man. I do love the sound of the KZ. Now I need to fine-tune the carb jetting in the spring.

The cup seal has been shipped USPS. Tracking: 9500 1107 4662 4365 3716 68

Thanks I'll be on the look out.

Where are you located, James? I was assuming in the USA. The item is small, but I need to see the shipping cost if outside the US. As long as I'm not losing money, the shipping is free.

#11 high forest dr Belleville il 62226

@JamesReinheimer I'm also in Illinois. Paypal will work. www.paypal.com/invoice/p/#UZ3DVCK8MXC4NC3U

@JamesReinheimer unfortunately the site doesn't exist anymore. At the very end of this video, I offer part numbers for the individual parts. The cup seal and piston are the most important components. I like Z1Parts, but their kit was incorrect. You can try www.z-power.co.uk or zed-parts.com. The part numbers: Piston with piston seal - 43072-004 Cup seal - 43019-002 I have a couple of genuine Kawasaki cup seals that I will sell for $25 each with free shipping. I bought a pack of 5 and used 1, so if you want one, it will arrive without the Kawasaki packaging.

These were some hard pulls, but this bike has more.

I agree that a mono shock would be very cool. That's another level of complication I wasn't ready to take on for this project. I did add progressive fork springs and some modern YSS rear shocks along with braided brake lines. Those upgrades have greatly improved the ride. I have another KZ frame that will be the next project. I definitely want to do a front-end swap, maybe a mono shock and some frame bracing. Thanks for checking out my bike.

That's what I'm saying. Everything you listed all equals a connection with the road and some rider skill. There is no traction control or anti-lock brakes, plus it looks and sounds pretty cool.

Thanks, man. The bike sounds even better with baffle out. It's just very loud.

These old bikes can still be pretty fast. It's to your benefit to upgrade suspension and brakes, though. Nowadays, more and more drag strips are closed, and I have to drive if I want to go to the races. Fortunately, there are still a lot of aftermarket and reproduction parts available, so I can still live the dreams of my youth since I couldn't afford those dreams back then. Thanks for checking out my bike.

Yeah, it's a fun ride for sure.

@lonelybikr I just watched Mad Max a few weeks ago. All those now vintage bikes. I smile every time I go out for a ride.

You're welcome. Thanks for checking it out.