Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Hey, what projects are you planning or preparing for? CBX, other motos, workshop, WHATEVAH!
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Syscrush
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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by Syscrush »

propav8r wrote:Ha, yeah, I'm sure there will be a bit of scope creep. However, depending on your interpretation, $10,000 is nothing more than a few, few hundred dollars :D
Another way to look at it is that $10k is just ONE hundred hundred dollars. :lol:

Good luck with getting it ready for spring. On the subject of scope creep: from my own experience I want to suggest that since you're changing fork seals you should take some measurements to check the fork tubes for wear. I once replaced seals on a bike with less mileage than yours and found out after the fact that the leaking was due to worn fork tubes. TNK makes very nice replacement tubes for the 39mm Showa forks used on the Pro-Link CBX - you can get them via Race Tech.
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Pics of Perry, my '79.

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by propav8r »

Well I'm still making progress, but at a plodding pace. I've had a bit going on in the shop here lately that's taken my focus away from the CBX. I picked up a 1979 KZ1300 in January that had been sitting since 1991, but was spectacularly well-kept while it was napping.

I pulled the carbs, cleaned them, buttoned them back up, slapped a battery in it, and...





I've now put about 3,000 miles on that bike since getting it running and it's just phenomenal. So powerful, so smooth, and sounds OH SO GOOD.

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I did, however, just pull the trigger on a rebuild kit for the CBX carbs. I've been battling myself trying to decide if I'd do it myself or farm it out, and I finally just decided if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna understand it. So the rebuild kit and a new set of carb holders are on order from Randakk.

Hopefully I'll actually get some momentum behind this project now after having it languish for a year.

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by desertrefugee »

Dude, you really should show a little more emotion after resurrecting a machine that has sat for 28 years.

:laughing-rolling:

Really enjoyed watching that. Congratulations! Looks like a superb specimen.
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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

Nice work, Prop.
It looks great and agreed it sounds terrific.

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by daves79x »

Nice job on the Kawasaki! Good luck with your CBX carbs - be prepared for a bit of work and frustration there! Keep us posted.

Dave

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by propav8r »

I'm going to try to finish pulling the carbs off this evening and clearing off a workbench for them. On the upside, I still have my spare "parts" carb rack, so anything I need to fix up the one should be easily sourced from the other.

I also noticed a couple of drops of oil underneath the motor. Might be as simple as a valve cover gasket, but I'll investigate more. I'd really like to avoid pulling the head off, but hey, if I've got to, I've got to.

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

I have found that having a "spare" set of carbs is a great test bed for learning how to pull idle jets and also having a template for things like choke springs.

Before you start taking the top end apart looking for an oil leak have a look at the shift shaft seal or maybe an alternator leak.

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by propav8r »

Well I got the carbs off last night...

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This is the left side of the bike which looks like it sat against a drafty outside wall. The bike came from Charleston, SC, so it was definitely exposed to salt air in storage.

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Carbs removed. I'll drop the engine the rest of the way out this evening.

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The airbox boots have been glued in at some point. That doesn't seem kosher, is it?

Previous hackjob repair on the air tee. Both of them were like this.

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Someone has stripped out some of the screws. Use your JIS drivers kids!

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The carbs look grungy, but everything is free, so that's good.

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Popped one float bowl off to have a look-see. There's a lot of ghunk in there, but that can be cleaned.

Rebuild kit will be in today I think. I should probably get an ultrasonic cleaner on order...

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by daves79x »

Yes, Honda sealed the airbox boots with what you see. You don't really need the vent Ts, but Randakk makes excellent reproductions if you want them. Others do as well. Just leave the 2 nipples open where the vent Ts go. Do yourself a favor and order all-new OEM screws from Honda - they are all still available. Consider having the brackets re-plated also. Check the bowl stand-pipes very closely for cracks. And a million other things. Holler if you need help.

Dave

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by Gearheadgregg »

Nice KZ1300 ! Hard to find the naked 1300 now days they were cheap about 5 years ago to find , Not anymore ! was in the market a few years ago for one most were dressers , Must be around 145 hp back in the day i think,, Surprised it was not that well known back in the day , Great job bringing it back to life enjoyed the Video. Greg

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by EMS »

120hp for the carb version through 1982. 130hp for the FI version from 1983 on.
Europe had the "naked" version through 1989. In the US it became the "Voyager" in 1984, before it was replaced by the 1200cc 4-cyl "VoyagerII" in 1985 or 1986

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by Gearheadgregg »

EMS Very Nice . I assume that was yours never seen it in Black

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by EMS »

This is an '82. Standard color for 81 and 82. It has a color matched 80-B2 (large) tank on it and a headlight fairing off a GPZ (I think).

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by propav8r »

Work has had me completely covered up as of late, but it's slowing down a bit, and I'm finding a little time to tinker. Motor is out of the frame, and I'm prepping it for cleaning/repainting/resealing.

I did buy the Randaak kit for the carbs, and I'm methodically working my way through those now. Got the main rack split in half last night and #1 separated and through the ultrasonic.

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I need to pick up the hardware to pull the slow jets out this afternoon on my way home. Apart from some varnish in the bowls and leaky o-rings, the carbs are in really good shape.

Trying to be methodical and careful about taking them apart and reassembling them. Luckily all of the jets/needles appear to be resuable. I had a set of KZ650 carbs on the bench a few weeks ago, and those were just totally destroyed.

With the impending sale of my KZ1300, I actually won't have a running bike this winter, which should keep me in the shop and working on the CBX.

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Re: Propav8r's Dream Bike Resurrection

Post by daves79x »

If those are true '82 carbs, you don't need to 'pull' the slow jets - they just screw out. '79-'81 jets must be tapped and pulled.

Dave

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