Z1OwnersClub GB

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.

Whatever its looking good mate
Keep the pics coming

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.

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..."

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.

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

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?

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.

Hi Whatever- looking good,

What forks are you going to use?

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)

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

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.

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

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

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.