US V's Jap build quality.

[warren3200gt]

Having recently restored my Jap built original 650 and now having striped down to the frame to restore my US 650 I'm amazed at how different the build quality is.
Jap 650 frame has zero weld splatters and zero tube joints.
US 650 is covered in weld splatters and has 6 tube weld joints in various places. The right hand cradle tube has one just below the bottom engine mount, one under the added bracket for the rear engine mounts and one just behind the coil bracket. That's three joints in what is one piece on the Jap bike.
So the question is to anyone who's restored a US bike, are they all this shoddy or have I got a Friday afternoon at the end of the month bike when tube stocks were low and everyone wanted to get away for the weekend?

[Charlie]

I didn't know they ever built any KZ650's in the U.S ?

Mine is an American sourced bike (a C1), but the welding is fine, well fine by 1970's standards at least...

[warren3200gt]

Hi Charlie,
You could be right. I just assumed that KZ650's were produced at Lincoln. Why wouldn't they? I'll have to go looking for production history now to confirm either way.

[warren3200gt]

Well it transpires all kz650 B's were made at Lincoln and all Z650's were Japanese made for ROW.
So my question stands?

[Charlie]

I did some digging and found this information, this states only the B2a was made at Lincoln. Given that really was an oddity with it's tiny VM22 carbs and low production numbers etc, it would make sense. It still seems everything else was made in Japan though.



Maybe yours has just been messed with Warren ?

[warren3200gt]

Apparently anything with a frame no that starts with a 5 was a US made bike. Mine does but has vm24,s. I guess a lot can happen in 40 years although it does look like the frame tube joints are factory. My original paint is (very faded) luminous dark blue so it looks like a 78 B2A?

[Charlie]

The frame number thing did not apply to KZ650's Warren, only the bigger stuff (1000's)

Does yours fall in the chassis number ranges for a 78 B2A ?

[warren3200gt]

Now your confusing me Charlie! 507541. That makes it a 77' Jap build? Unless the body work has been swopped at some point it's Blue but should be Green or Red. Paint is original as the only over spray on the inside of the panels is blue.
American members on KZ650info are saying no 650's were made in the US only assembled from shipped in Japanese parts.
Well, whoever made this one made a pigs ear of it!

[Charlie]

It depends who is saying what on kzinfo. Ed knows what he is talking about as does Rob, but there are some doofuses on there that sound as though they do - but in reality don't...... I would tend to err on the side of the B2A's being assembled rather than built from scratch in Lincoln though. As at the top, I was unaware of any 650's being built there and I am pretty up to speed on Z650's. A handful of the oddball B2a's being assembled would explain why they were so odd tho'....

Most have been doctored over the years mate. Mine for example was actually an American C1, it's now painted in B1 colours, with a later C2 UK wiring loom and charging system and C3 vacuum carbs and fuel tap. All the braking system has been changed for newer items. It has a myriad of other changes too.

If anyone picked mine up without knowing it's latter history, very little would make sense on either side of the pond