1979 Kawasaki KZ750 Cafe Racer Project Update

It has been a while since I posted an update on my cafe racer project.  I have made great progress and am thoroughly enjoying the ride.  If you are just now landing on this page, follow this link to read about where this project started - 1979 Kawasaki KZ750 Cafe Racer Project - Before.  For a quick look, here is a photo of the starting point back in July.

An another from the first of September.

So far, the modifications have included:

• Removal of front fender, rear fender, turn signals, mirrors, handlebars, seat, and airbox.
• Added cafe racer seat and tail light
• Added clubman handlebars
• New muffler (sounds fantastic!)
• Frame and fork painting
• Removed Kawasaki logos and painted tank - add Coast Guard racing stripes
• Adde low profile aluminum billet mirrors.
• Exhaust wrap (needs to be redone)
• Fabricated license plater frame
• Added "bullet" turn signals
• Added K&N air filters

The most invasive part of the project was installation of the new seat.  This required removal of nearly a foot long section of the original seat/fender frame.  When the saw touched metal, there was no turning back.

If the weather holds following Hurricane Sandy, I hope to take a ride to my Southern Maryland garage and continue with a few more modifications next weekend.  The work list includes:

• Paint the tail white
• Remove center stand
• Install a crank case filter
• Install and paint new exhaust wrap
• Install muffler support
• Cut off rear foot peg supports
• And possibly remove the chain guard - I am still contemplating this move.

As I was walking through the neighborhood today, I met a guy who is embarked on a similar project with a Honda 650CB of the same era.  He is doing a fantastic job and has the distinct advantage of being a furniture designer and metal worker.  He already has a few pieces of nice custom metal on his project.  I think I just found a new friend.

I will be back with more updates.

Craig

1979 Kawasaki KZ750 Cafe Racer Project - Before

This weekend I began a project to convert a 1979 Kawasaki KZ750 twin into a cafe racer.  Here I will share the "before" photos.  As the project progresses, I will return with updates as particular milestones are accomplished.  I'm guessing the whole project could take up to a year, but I hope to have it on the road with a big part of the transformation complete by the end of August.

Some of you may be wondering "what is a cafe racer?'  Here are a couple of links to photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13063959@N00/sets/72157616396133833/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOYtVKxPjRI

By way of explanation, the history of the cafe racer dates to the 1960s British Rocker subculture.  And yes there is a tie to cafes.  The rocker subculture stripped their bikes of anything extraneous in the pursuit of dropping unnecessary weight, and would race their bikes between cafes.  In addition to dropping weight, the rockers would regularly seek out other modifications to improve performance.

I am drawn to the cafe racer because of the minimalist approach - I like the aesthetic.  And bonus, customizing a bike into a cafe is largely a matter of taking stuff off, swapping out a few parts, and you end up with something fun and eye catching.

This weekend I began the process of transformation by shipping the bike off to a mechanic to rekey the ignition (keys were lost during the last two years in storage - unnecessary bummer), clean the carbs, and give the bike a once over for mechanical soundness.  I could have done this part, but I'm on a tight timeline to get the bike on the road (end of August) and have limited time available.

Before sending the bike off, I found a couple of YouTube videos describing how to pick a lock (isn't the internet amazing??).  After 10 minutes of lock picking tool fabrication, I was in business - and it worked!  A little jump to get the juice to the long dead battery, and my little project was rumbling.  A good start.  Once I get the bike back, I will beging stripping the incidentals like the fenders, and all the plastic.  Then comes the parts swapping phase to include;

• clubman handlebars ($40)
• bar end mirrors ($25)
• Intake filters ($90)
• miniature turn signals and tail light ($25)
• cafe racer seat ($175)
• Muffler ($35)
• headlamp ($60)
• mini gauges ($100)
• and header wrap ($25) for a total of $575

The next phase will come over the winter when my motivation for freezing plummets.  This phase will include paint work, and a touch of custom metal work.

Check back soon for photos of the tear down.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig