Questions for Handlebar experts

[ZooTech]

Ron, have you seen the Corbin seat for your bike?

[ronboskz650sr]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies guys. And thanks for the compliments. Zoo, It's a little of both on the condition. The first owner was a machinist, and I think he had it painted this paint scheme (not original color, but similar to spectre). He probably put the air shocks on and moified the forks to air charged. I have since put the forks back to stock with no air, but 20 weight oil. The second owner was a farmer who had it for the kids and grandkids to ride, I guess. The guy I bought it from was going to do something "special", but ran out of money after just riding it a couple times a week for a year and a half. It was a little rough when I got it, but ran fair. Needed battery, tires, plugs, basic tune-up stuff, like carb synch (this was way off), and timing (also off). Now it wheelies in second and can lift it in third as well (just a few inches). It's possible the first owner did other things internally that don't show, being a machinist...who knows.
I put the faring on, sculpted the seat a little (SR model seat pan is totally different than other models of kz), put blue halogen bulb in, Lots of cleaning and polishing (especially all the engine covers). I've put nearly 10,000 miles on since last September, when I put it on the road. It's really a sweet bike...looks beefy, and low due to all the black on it, and the 16 inch wheel in back. As for the question about the back end, I've toyed with the idea of a kz650 tailpiece, but the frames are different. I could still do it, but I think i might fab a new mount for the taillight, and move it up behind the seat then chop the fender to expose the tire a little.Thanks again for all the great inputs. I really appreciate it.

[ronboskz650sr]

The bike looks excellent Ron. I'm considering a KZ650 for my next bike. It's suppose to be one of the better UJM from what I have read.

Aggroton, a friend of mine tried straight bars on his CB750 and the problem he found is that they make your elbows stick out and were a little uncomfortable.

Joe, there is a great site for anything you could possibly need help with. It's KZRIDER.com. I didn't even know that when I bought my bike. Chris and I were talking last night, and we concluded we can't think of a better all-around bike for me than this one. I just change it around if I want to liven things up a little. Budget was a big player for me to re-enter riding, and I paid $895 for it on ebay. I have replaced all the cables (or will have in a couple days), the items noted above, and added the faring. I like to wrench, but this bike hasn't needed much of that. I did modify my cam chain tensioner, and will replace the cam chain when my added slack adjustment runs out. This is a common gremlin on some of the "newr" kz's, and I can tell you how to fix it if you get one.

Bottom line, I highly recommend them, just like Zoo said. Oh, riding position is variable, too...mine has rearset pegs, and controls (apparently fabricated from stock parts). Actual rearsets are commercially available too.

[ronboskz650sr]

Here are the drag bars, with my fabricated bar-end mirrors. I got two 3 inch custom Harley mirrors, two 3 1/2 inch x m6 bolts, two scrap 3/8 inch X 1 inch grade eight bolts, and welded the 3/8 bolt to the long metric bolt. I used this to extend the bar-end weights I already was using, by putting an old 1/2 inch socket between the weight and the rubber plug. The harley mirrors use a set screw that tightens on the 3/8 bolt. These mirrors are very clear and vibrate far less than the long ones I used to use. The whole thing looks pretty good even without paint, which will have to wait a few days.

[ZooTech]

Looks pretty trick, Ron! Next on the list should be a brief removal of the exhaust header so you can either have it powder-coated or hit it with some flat black charcoal grill paint.

[ronboskz650sr]

I was just thinking the same thing. Here's what i did..experimental painting 101. I fooled around with both 600 degree and 1200 degree paint in two different colors...black and silver. Never should have done it. I need to just start over with the wire wheel and use the gloss black 1200 degree ceramic paint. It is holding up well, the others aren't. I never tried the barbecue paint...interesting idea. Thanks for the kudos. the mirror fab was a piece of cake once I found the mirrors.

[ZooTech]

I've seen charcoal grill paint used on engine parts before, and it's pretty cheap and available at Wal-Mart. If you're a skeptic, grab a can of THIS instead. It's rated for use on exhaust manifolds so you should be good-to-go.

[ronboskz650sr]

Whoa..that must be the good stuff! Brake rotors get pretty hot, pretty quick. I checked my tire pressure to see how much it went up on a ride once. You could hear the finger sizzle when I bumped the rotor..OUCH!

[rstnick]

I just bought a Rickman Fairing and will be changing to a Clubman bar over the Winter. Sure will feel different in the Spring after many years and kms. of riding her the way she's been. Change can be good though.

[ronboskz650sr]

Inded it can...Rob, putting this thread back up here makes me chuckle.

I've toyed with the idea of a kz650 tailpiece, but the frames are different. I could still do it, but I think i might fab a new mount for the taillight, and move it up behind the seat then chop the fender to expose the tire a little.

uh...