Modified Z1A project....

[Whatever]

Its just started going back together after fiddling about with bits and pieces for the last couple of months. Its going to be modified.....which I know is not everybody's cup of tea....but at least Pigford will appreciate it!
I do like standard bikes, especially with 4 pipes, as well..... but this is more fun to build and play around with.
Here is a couple of pics of the engine just fitted in the frame - which is fresh from the powder coaters.
It was a scruffy old bike and had already been mucked about with so I have little concern at hacking it about even more. I have braced and gusseted the frame and hacked off those ugly rear indicator brackets etc. I have also raked the shocks a little more because they do look very upright standard. I don't want to build a streetfighter and monoshock it or anything but I reckon extra rake is OK. Ditto on the standard rear footpeg and exhaust bracketry.
I will put a few pics on as I go along if any body is interested. I have lots of bits ready to go on ....like specially built spoked ally rim wheels....still 18" and 19"...... but wider etc.

[Ed Z1-R]

Whatever its looking good mate
Keep the pics coming

[Whatever]

Zephyr shocks at the moment but I keep trying on ebay for a set of reasonably priced Ohlins.
I may have gone a bit over the top with the lower headstock gusset (see first photos) but the original gusset (still in place underneath) really is very weedy and I am hoping the oil cooler will take the eye away from the new one. (and it is only a touch more bulky than an A4 gusset to be fair) I am going to use the original shock mounts to mount the indicators because I couldn't quite face chopping them off. I have also added a few cross braces here and there because, although the engine itself should beef the frame up a bit....It is not rigid at the back because of those little folded flimsy bracket affairs doing nothing and the triangular front brackets, even billet ones like these, will flex a few mm quite easily.

[chrisNI]

You could have trouble getting a wider 19" tyre. Looking good though.

As Ferry once famously said "Look at a 1000R to see where Mr Kawasaki should have put the bracing on the prototypes..."

[Whatever]

I have got the tyres already, thanks, and you are right....it was a problem. The rear is a 160 which looks neither skinny nor over the top. The front is a 110 because of the limit to what is available and it looks a bit skinny (and only just fits inside the mudguard.) They are Conti Road Attacks and seem to look OK. I really didn't want to build 17" wheels for it as was prepared to suffer the limited tyre choice.

[Steve R]

Superb Looking Bike, Love it , keep the pics coming.
Nice workshop as well!

[ROZZER]

Looks spot on mate, keep it coming, I'm really interested in this one as a pal of mine is doing a very similar job but on a Z1000. Are you leaving motor/carbs stock or planning tweeks?

[Whatever]

Thanks for the interest....and the nice comments on the workshop. The workshop would be better if it didnt have a car taking up most of the space



Here are the wheels and tyres that I mentioned.
Hagon did them at a very fair price and I am well pleased.



I probably should have used a Z1000 disc brake hub but it's too late now.

[PJones]

Hi Whatever- looking good,

What forks are you going to use?

[Whatever]

The engine was supposedly bored to 1015cc and it certainly pulled really well and feels a whole lot stronger than my standard A4. As such I am going to leave it alone having just done the tappets, checked clutch, and fitted electronic digital ignition etc. I was thinking of fitting smoothbores and LondonJack was tempting me with some 33's.....he offered a fair price but I know nothing about them, they sound a little big, and I don't want to flounder about in the dark and then end up putting the standard ones back on so I am hesitant to speak up at the moment.
I am using the standard front end because I don't want to go too "streetfighter" (and it will save me time and money!) I am in a dillema as to fit the standard calipers (restored but no seals yet) or a pair of Fazer 2 pots that I have. The Fazer calipers are quite nice and have a slightly bigger piston area - but I will have make adaptors....and the standard ones are ?50.00 for a pair of seals but will go straight on, of course, and look proper........dunno.
(Pigford.....If you are checking this out you can see I went with your advice a few months back on polished ally rims instead of black)

[Steve R]

I would not call it a hardship having the e type in my garage? Is it yours?

[Steve R]

If you use the Fazer calipers, will they not have been designed to run with floating discs? and if so will this be a problem.

[Whatever]

Naaa.
This is my work workshop so unfortunately not mine!!

[Whatever]

Eeeer.
The Fazer calipers are floating so I guessed they would be fine on fixed discs.
Can anybody confirm?

[Steve R]

This is a reply from Steve Debben to an earlier thread on these lines.

Hello Gaz, your stock brake set up is a fixed disc with a floating caliper, most four pots are fixed and use a floating disc. Its not a good idea to use a fixed disc and a fixed caliper, although it has been done many times, but you would not catch a reputable manufacturer compromising the brake system in this manner. You shouldnt use a floating caliper and a floating disc together either. So if you want to use the more modern 4 piston fixed calipers you should really swap the discs over to the floating type. Steve

Steve Debben knows what he is talking about more than most, you must be having a #rap day too if you are spending so much time on here!!!

Hope this helps.