Topic: Yes, a Z1 & H1- unofficial Kawasaki thread - H2 is now a rider!!!

[Bankerdanny]

To be fair, the bike was 30 years old and hadn't been well maintained over the past 10 years or so.

[crazypj]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter how it's done or maintained as the chrome is porous so oxygen will always get to the alloy underneath
I guess if it's well waxed and never ridden it could last longer?

[754]

Good chrome like Platingmaster, or Browns...can easily go 25 years or more.

[Stev-o]

Ordered ss spokes from Buchanans for the new 18" DID rim that I have on the shelf.  I feel $130 shipped is a fair price and not much more than zinc plated. The rear brakes work fine but feel a odd so this baby will be getting a new pair of shoes. 

[RAFster122s]

Good chrome like Platingmaster, or Browns...can easily go 25 years or more.

Agreed, those are good companies. Good shops can even do a very nice job on pot metal parts.
The rain gutter drip rail trim on my '66 Volvo 122S was aluminum with a chrome anodized plating, whereas the trunk tag light/latch/lock was a pot metal part that was plated. The rain gutter trim was still nice whereas the trunk latch was having corrosion popping through.

Steve,
Cool news on the new rim. Will you be changing front and rear tires or just the rear when you have built up the new rim. Are you reusing the existing hub or picking up another?
Shoes might have gone out of round. Have you disassembled it to see how they are wearing and that they have the lube in the pivot arm, etc.
What kind of grease do you guys use on your pivot arm for the drum brakes?
Granted, excess grease is a bad thing near brake pads or linings, or grease that oozes from where it is placed...
David

[Stev-o]

Already have a new Avon Roadrider on the front and a new Avon will go on the new rear rim, I already have it and a new tube and rim strip.
No, have not taken the back wheel off yet as I want to ride this weekend.
Yes, using the existing hub, it appears to be in very good cond.
I'll just use my standard white lithium grease on the pivot arm and may order bearings as well.

[crazypj]

If I haven't already mentioned it, make sure you don't loose the sprocket carrier bearing spacer, they are a very loose fit on the 'Zed's' and fall out real easy
The bearings will fail if it's missing

[Terry in Australia]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter how it's done or maintained as the chrome is porous so oxygen will always get to the alloy underneath
I guess if it's well waxed and never ridden it could last longer?

Agreed, it doesn't matter who/how you get alloy or potmetal chromed, it's only temporary, and it will lift. My plater (Preston Plate in Melbourne) will plate alloy, they do a lot of the high end show bike plating here in Oz, but they hate doing it, because they know that it won't last like chromed steel will.

Stainless steel vs chromed steel vs zinc/cad plated steel spokes would be an interesting argument I'd reckon. When I restored a 1935 Triumph for a friend I had the hubs and rims powder coated gloss black, and went to get them rebuilt with new spokes, and the wheel builder talked me out of stainless steel spokes, as he said they were too brittle, so instead he installed zinc coated steel spokes.

I've seen chromed steel spokes, but from memory, chrome plating makes steel brittle, and isn't recommended for any steel structure subject to flexing. I do remember that the chrome plated frame on my BMW R69S I owned in the 1970's looked superb, but was cracking around the swingarm pivot and steering head areas? Mine had been chromed by a previous owner, so I don't know if it was just poor quality plating, or something else? Cheers, Terry.

[Stev-o]

If I haven't already mentioned it, make sure you don't loose the sprocket carrier bearing spacer, they are a very loose fit on the 'Zed's' and fall out real easy
The bearings will fail if it's missing

Thanks for the tip

[754]

Chromed steel that is used in high stress, should be "cooked" right after plating,  it reduces the hydrogen embrittlement.

[crazypj]

If I haven't already mentioned it, make sure you don't loose the sprocket carrier bearing spacer, they are a very loose fit on the 'Zed's' and fall out real easy
The bearings will fail if it's missing

Thanks for the tip

I worked in a Honda dealer but we kept one in stock as it was such a common problem 
Local tyre shop did real cheap tyres and free change on loose wheels but lost just about every single bearing spacer on Zed's, they would pull off sprocket carrier set it down, spacer fell out and got swept up by kid doing clean up 

[Powderman]

Here are his freshly powder coated stands:

[Stev-o]

Oh yeah, thanks Powderman.  Can't wait to slap that center stand on.

Thanks again. 

[Retro Rocket]

Looking good Steve....

[Powderman]

Mail came early today so, sorry to say, I didn't get your box out there in time. It'll go out tomorrow.

[Terry in Australia]

Here's a nice "Mad Max" replica if anyone's interested? Cheers, Terry.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KAWASAKI-z1000-1977-model-MAD-MAX-Replica-/161044083475?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item257ef9b313

[Stev-o]

Here's a nice "Mad Max" replica if anyone's interested? Cheers, Terry.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KAWASAKI-z1000-1977-model-MAD-MAX-Replica-/161044083475?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item257ef9b313

Little pricey for a non runner, but you should get it Terry!     Ya know, I've never seen that movie.

[750K]

For real??? It's a must see and while your watching Mad Max watch an earlier Aussie biker movie called Stone, it's all Z1 900's. Watch the un dubbed version of Mad Max if you can, the dumbed down dubbed version for the american viewers isn't as good once you've seen both.

[Terry in Australia]

For real??? It's a must see and while your watching Mad Max watch an earlier Aussie biker movie called Stone, it's all Z1 900's. Watch the un dubbed version of Mad Max if you can, the dumbed down dubbed version for the american viewers isn't as good once you've seen both.

There was a "dubbed" version for the US market mate? Fark!

[Terry in Australia]

Little pricey for a non runner, but you should get it Terry!     Ya know, I've never seen that movie.

Ha ha, thanks mate, and as much as I loved my 900, I wouldn't pay $10K for one, in a fit. As lovely as they are, $10K will buy a really nice used modern motorcycle, which (nostalgia aside) will run rings around anything from the 1970's.

I missed out on a freebie Z1 a few months ago, an old Vietnam vet friend of mine was given one by another vet who was too old to ride it anymore, it is an original "Jaffa" (brown and orange model) and pretty clean, but has been sitting for a few years. My friend gave it to his brother, which is fair enough, but if he hadn't, I would have found space in my garage for it..............

[Bankerdanny]

Here's a nice "Mad Max" replica if anyone's interested? Cheers, Terry.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KAWASAKI-z1000-1977-model-MAD-MAX-Replica-/161044083475?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item257ef9b313

That's very cool, but if I were going to get a replica vehicle from Road Warrior, it would be a Falcon Interceptor replica.

[toytuff]

http://mohave.craigslist.org/mcy/3872972703.html

tt

[Stev-o]

http://mohave.craigslist.org/mcy/3872972703.html

Good deal, I would like a spare set.  Without pulling my air box, how do I know what size they are? Thinking 26mm, see no info on them. We have determined that they are not stock but not complaining, the bike always starts immediately and runs great.

[toytuff]

See if he would take 150 for both.

tt

[Terry in Australia]

Here's a nice "Mad Max" replica if anyone's interested? Cheers, Terry.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KAWASAKI-z1000-1977-model-MAD-MAX-Replica-/161044083475?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item257ef9b313

That's very cool, but if I were going to get a replica vehicle from Road Warrior, it would be a Falcon Interceptor replica.

Let me know when you want it Danny, and I'll build you one. Cheers, Terry.