QuestionI HAVE A 1979 KAWASAKI KZ 1000 ST, IT HAS BEEN IN COVERED OR IN MY GARAGE FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS.
BEFORE I STOPPED RIDING RIDING AFTER MY WIFE'S ILLNESS. WHEN I PARKED IT I HAD JUST HAD IT TUNED UP. NOW I WANT GET IT RUNNING AGAIN.
AnswerGeorge,
Thanks for the question, sorry to hear about your wife.
You didn't say how the bike was stored, so I'll give you the worst-case scenario.
If you did not drain the gas from the carbs when the bike was last run, you will need to have the carbs rebuilt. It may be possible to clean them, but you really just need to have them torn down and all new stuff- jets, needles, gaskets, etc- put in them.
Most any motorcycle shop can come up with the kits, so count on them costing at least $25 per kit (you'll need four) plus the time to install and sync them, probably at least two hours of shop time. Unless you are a mechanic yourself, I strongly suggest you do not attempt this yourself.
Next is brakes. If you roll the bike (doesn't need to be running) and apply the brakes, they may stick. If they don't, you lucked out. If they do, you need to have them rebuilt. A good shop can do it, usually for about $50 per brake. If the brakes appear to be working OK, I highly recommend you flush out the old fluid right away with some clean new fluid.
Since the bike is a shaft drive bike, there's no chain to worry about, so that's in your favor.
That's the worst of it. You will need a new battery for sure (about $50), charge it correctly and it should last a long time.
Next is tires: they may look fine, but if they've been sitting for 5 years, the flexibility and grip has gone out of them, and they need to be replaced. It's easy to say "they look fine, I'll ride them for now and get new ones later", but if you do that and have to make an aggressive stopping or turning maneuver, you're going to find yourself on the ground and the bike sliding down the road in a shower of sparks and broken parts. Please get new tires. Most likely you can get a good pair mounted up for less than $150 for both. Cheaper than skin grafts, right?
Other things to look at are the fork seals. If they have rusted, oil will begin weeping by them right away and dripping down the fork tubes. A short ride will reveal if they are good or bad. Usually about $150 to ge them done.
Last, I'd change the oil before you ride the bike, even it if was done right before you put it up. It's "old oil" and it may have some water in it, which could lead to bearing wear or failure. Just to be safe, change the oil and filter.
And last of all, if you have not ridden in five years, be sure to take it easy on the first few rides. Sure, you know how to ride, but your body and brain have kind of forgotten, so maybe take a few low-traffic Sunday spins before messing with rush hour crazies to bring your skills back up to speed.
Best of luck, and welcome back to riding. That's a nice old bike!
Bill Roberson
1978 KZ1000D Z1-R
