John's 78 KZ1000 Project Bike

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BEFORE - Fall 1999

1978 KZ1000 LTD - Burtonsville, NY

How and Why John Got This Bike

  So after we buy KZ Keith's dragbike and all of the extras, I'm on the lookout for other old Kawasakis.  I find an ad in the Want Ad Digest for an old bike for sale.  I just know this will be a cheap deal, but the condition is the question.  We drive out to look at it.  It's really in rough shape but that does not deter John. 

  It looks to be based on a 78 LTD 1000. Dual front disks, replacement gauges, fork brace, oil pressure gauge, with every control butchered, broken or loose.  But the wheels are only slightly dinged and John sees potential.

The owner cranks the bike up, plows a furrow in his driveway and touts the bikes performance by flogging the thing.  John goes for a ride and loves the exhaust sound and the roughness.  I don't trust the controls to stay on (the header pipe is already dangling, and the sprocket is seriously worn) and don't think riding it would do anything other than re-inforce the owner's idea that it's a great bike.

    I know we can offer less than is being asked, but it's up to John to say he's interested.  Of course, he wants to go for it.  I offer $450 (which gets us a spare gasket kit) and this baby is ours.

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The tach reads high, the speedo reads low

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A bit rough

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John says "this is just what we need" to fill in the missing parts in what we just bought from KZ Keith.

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