Hi Johnny, I've been watching your videos for a few years, and like the details you provide for each bike you redo. I'm going to be 85 in July, and still enjoy riding my 1980 KZ650E LTD, which I've had for many years. I fell in love with the old Kawasaki, like most guys did from watching the Mad Max movies, but couldn't afford a Z900, so I got the Baby Z ! So far I've done all the work on my bike and it's been running well for the last 4 or 5 years. I also have an EN 450 LTD, for when I want to go fast ! Maybe one day, I'll get enough nerve up to come to Wadsworth to see your shop. I'm here in Chardon, Ohio a few miles South of Painesville ! I Just love the old Kaws !
Me too I love the old Kawasakis. I’ve had many over the years and now I’m currently riding a 2021 Z900 RS café which I absolutely love however, it just doesn’t quite have the character of the old carbureted Kawasakis. That being said I am a little spoiled with modern fuel injection that just simply works consistently every time.
Your attention to detail and your intimate knowledge of these bike makes for such a satisfying viewing. Thank you, Johnny, and to your amazing crew at the shop.
People generally don't understand the amount of hour's that go into a build and the hidden problems that present themselves! Great work and as always I've learnt more 👍
I like the Oil City Z1, unrestored nice authentic Patina. If it was mine I'd definitely risk doing a quality paint Job in Olive Green with Rust Orange Pinstripes. Tuned with K&N filters and black four into one Kerker exhaust. You always do a great job and I can tell as soon as you've gone through the engines thoroughly and fire them up, they're going to pull really well. So enjoy watching your excellent videos.
Many thanks for this nice christmas / new year’s gift Johnny and team! I have been watching these video’s for years now and I blame them for the gooned up wrack of a Z1 in my garage, coming back to life at a very slow rate. Greeting from Belgium.
I’m so glad you’re restoring these classic gems and not allowing them to go to the crusher. I like it just the way it is. It has a hell of a lot of character. One question though, I thought it had an oil cooler on it?
Totally enjoy the work you do at Johnny's Vintage Motorcycles. If you ever uncover a 1975 Honda CB750F Super Sport in Sunburst Orange barn find. I'd really like to see one of those restored sympathetically. Thank your team for doing such great work and Thank You for making really interesting videos and preserving these magnificent motorcycles of the 70's.
Good job, Man that thing really cleaned up better than I thought it would. Also I’ve done exactly what you did in this video riding without a seat or gas tank while doing repairs. It’s certainly not the most comfortable thing sitting on the frame like that but it gets the job done!
Hey Johnny, Way back I had a Kawasaki 400 LTD with Mag wheels and a sissy bar. Being a girl it was the perfect weight and size. I saw a video you did restoring one that looked identical, and subbed. Can’t find it but I appreciate the content and attention to detail. TY for posting your work.
Hi there Johnny, great video mate, I'm restoring a 75 kz myself, been a basket case since early 80tys had 2 other owners who never started to put it together, I'm hoping to get it going this year, your video has given me more encouragement 😉😊 Live in Australia and its bloody hot this time of year, anyway thanks again for your video all the best for the new year Andy
Pity to leave off the LESTER wheels - cast wheels together with high quality shocks and stiffer fork springs with less preload allows the old Z1 to handle much better than a current W800, for instance. Important if you like to corner briskly.
Nice video Johnny! An ideal staring point for somone like me, who would committ bolt on carnage but love to have all those lovely original bits and pieces to take it back to stock! I'm Australian and we gravitate toward the road warrior esthetic. Would fit dual discs up front, 'bars, 4into1 etc. Nothing unexpected or unreversible. Time to be kind to those parts! Been watching for a while, just subbed. Keep up the nice work, Johnny!
I've heard you mention that they are "numbers matching" when they are within a couple hundred between the engine and frame. How rare is it to have an exactly "numbers matching" Z1 ?
I know this is an older video but I can't find a recent one looking for a 76 KZ 900 LTD that needs restoring I do the work myself maybe buy parts from you can you help
Thanks for sharing Johnny, I love these Z bikes and learning about the intracacies involved. Do you guys ever ship parts or complete bikes to Australia?
@@bananabrooks3836 what did I do wrong? an inline 4 placed sideways in a motorcycle is unusual, and it makes for an uncomfortable ride depending on the shape of the crankshaft... if it's shaped how I assume it is, it's gonna be bouncing from side to side, and cause a fair deal of pain to your hands if some real soft gloves are not worn during driving...
If ir is a 75, then it is a Z1B, not a Z1. As much as you know about these wonderful old motorcycles, it seems you could get the model designations correct.
I am a believer in 'what comes with the bike, goes with the bike' These period correct Lesters, twin discs, Konis (rebuildable) and oil cooler were bought for the bike, are part of its history and should stay on the bike. Ahhh.. you're clearing inventory. You 'relieved' the pistons with a holesaw??!!?? I would like to hear about this 'engineering' explained more comprehensively. Oh l see you shoved a screwdriver down the side thats ok then🙄
@@robertbrandywineWell, thats a fair question. l understand time may have not been on their side, it just seemed so destructive. I'd pour Deisel in the bores left it to sit, then hardwood hammered onto pistons.
@@bananabrooks3836 That might work. I've heard people swear by Marvel Mystery Oil for freeing pistons. But I wonder if there are occasions where the pistons are so seized that that method won't work regardless of the length of the soak.
this was a bike from my youth and brought back a lot of happy memories watching this movie thank you
I am glad you liked it
I am glad you like it it
@@JohnnysvintageFacebook 😊😢😂
@@Johnnysvintage❤😂
@@Johnnysvintage❤😊
Hi Johnny, I've been watching your videos for a few years, and like the details you provide for each bike you redo. I'm going to be 85 in July, and still enjoy riding my 1980 KZ650E LTD, which I've had for many years. I fell in love with the old Kawasaki, like most guys did from watching the Mad Max movies, but couldn't afford a Z900, so I got the Baby Z ! So far I've done all the work on my bike and it's been running well for the last 4 or 5 years. I also have an EN 450 LTD, for when I want to go fast ! Maybe one day, I'll get enough nerve up to come to Wadsworth to see your shop. I'm here in Chardon, Ohio a few miles South of Painesville ! I Just love the old Kaws !
Me too I love the old Kawasakis. I’ve had many over the years and now I’m currently riding a 2021 Z900 RS café which I absolutely love however, it just doesn’t quite have the character of the old carbureted Kawasakis. That being said I am a little spoiled with modern fuel injection that just simply works consistently every time.
Incredible what a man can do in 49 hours, when he has the knowledge of how to do things right.
exactly what im doing.. nothing on new years ha! cant wait to get going on my 76 kz900!
Your attention to detail and your intimate knowledge of these bike makes for such a satisfying viewing. Thank you, Johnny, and to your amazing crew at the shop.
Well done for saving a 900 kawasaki from motorcycle scrap yard heaven , from Alan in the uk .
People generally don't understand the amount of hour's that go into a build and the hidden problems that present themselves! Great work and as always I've learnt more 👍
I like the Oil City Z1, unrestored nice authentic Patina. If it was mine I'd definitely risk doing a quality paint Job in Olive Green with Rust Orange Pinstripes. Tuned with K&N filters and black four into one Kerker exhaust. You always do a great job and I can tell as soon as you've gone through the engines thoroughly and fire them up, they're going to pull really well. So enjoy watching your excellent videos.
Many thanks for this nice christmas / new year’s gift Johnny and team! I have been watching these video’s for years now and I blame them for the gooned up wrack of a Z1 in my garage, coming back to life at a very slow rate. Greeting from Belgium.
Nice 👍
I'm glad you used the 4 into 4 pipes on it. I had a Z1 b in the UK when I was 19. Best bike I ever had. They're worth a small fortune these days
Thanks, Happy New Year to you and your family , great videos. Richard
Johnny's a wizard
One of my favorite bikes. Had a Kawasaki 500. Called them “crotch rockets” back in the day👍
Kenny did a great job on this one! Ready for the full treatment. Happy New Year!
thank you made my day, sir.
Love hearing the old 4 into 4 Z's fire up!! Motivates me to get mine back on the road!
First bike in 1976. Fond memories. 🙂
So glad to see you guys back doing what you do best 👍🏻 Happy New Year to everyone at Johnny's vintage motorcycles
I’m so glad you’re restoring these classic gems and not allowing them to go to the crusher. I like it just the way it is. It has a hell of a lot of character. One question though, I thought it had an oil cooler on it?
Just amazing results on rescuing the bike. Fantastic video and detailed explanation. Thank you.
John and Bin, great video! Thanks, DWGN and mac
Nice job, nice video. I like what you do very much. It is so interesting. THANK YOU
Totally enjoy the work you do at Johnny's Vintage Motorcycles.
If you ever uncover a 1975 Honda CB750F Super Sport in Sunburst Orange barn find. I'd really like to see one of those restored sympathetically. Thank your team for doing such great work and Thank You for making really interesting videos and preserving these magnificent motorcycles of the 70's.
Good job, Man that thing really cleaned up better than I thought it would. Also I’ve done exactly what you did in this video riding without a seat or gas tank while doing repairs. It’s certainly not the most comfortable thing sitting on the frame like that but it gets the job done!
Thanks Johnny and your guys for another great year of bike rebuilds. Happy New Year to you all. Stevie
Hey Johnny, Way back I had a Kawasaki 400 LTD with Mag wheels and a sissy bar. Being a girl it was the perfect weight and size. I saw a video you did restoring one that looked identical, and subbed. Can’t find it but I appreciate the content and attention to detail. TY for posting your work.
Hi there Johnny, great video mate, I'm restoring a 75 kz myself, been a basket case since early 80tys had 2 other owners who never started to put it together, I'm hoping to get it going this year, your video has given me more encouragement 😉😊
Live in Australia and its bloody hot this time of year, anyway thanks again for your video all the best for the new year Andy
Pity to leave off the LESTER wheels - cast wheels together with high quality shocks and stiffer fork springs with less preload allows the old Z1 to handle much better than a current W800, for instance. Important if you like to corner briskly.
love your restore vids & whoo whee oil city turned out great!
Nice video Johnny! An ideal staring point for somone like me, who would committ bolt on carnage but love to have all those lovely original bits and pieces to take it back to stock! I'm Australian and we gravitate toward the road warrior esthetic. Would fit dual discs up front, 'bars, 4into1 etc. Nothing unexpected or unreversible. Time to be kind to those parts! Been watching for a while, just subbed. Keep up the nice work, Johnny!
Great vids johnny 👌 rebuilding some ol kzs myself matter of fact be calling ya soon about some parts
Very nice! HAPPY NEW YEAR JOHNNY!
Top quality work, learnt a lot and wow it sounds good.
It is a Z1 again
a labour of love
johnnn what will be the price of a daily driver like this
hugs from Santo Domingo
and happy new year for your team and family
I've heard you mention that they are "numbers matching" when they are within a couple hundred between the engine and frame. How rare is it to have an exactly "numbers matching" Z1 ?
happy new year! I like the video very much. Thank You.
What was the cause of the motor seizing ?
I know this is an older video but I can't find a recent one looking for a 76 KZ 900 LTD that needs restoring I do the work myself maybe buy parts from you can you help
I like to use awesome spray that can be bought from the Dollar stores it works great for this too
Turned out nice.
How different is the position of the front brake caliper behind or in front of the fork? Thanks
It came on the front as oem. Some people liked them better on the rear
It seems like a long time since you did one of these. I missed my fix! Out of curiosity, can you buy new tanks for these?
I Think so
Nice work !
If you are selling this bike for daily use, is there a market in the US ?
yes there is. It has been sold
So, what would this bike sell for in its presented condition?
I would say at least 4-6K
What does a bike like this sell for these days?
I would say at least 5000
is the worker from japan still working for you , he was the top guy in your shop for Z1s
yes
i noticed you pressure washed an engine without exhaust's on it ? now you certainly have water in the engine, right ?
We had a feeling we had to take the motor all the way down as it was stuck
Thanks for sharing Johnny, I love these Z bikes and learning about the intracacies involved. Do you guys ever ship parts or complete bikes to Australia?
we can
@@Johnnysvintage What do you think it would cost to ship a complete bike here to Adelaide South Australia? Australian Post Code is 5086.
I am not sure. It would take us some time to build one as we are very far behind
@@tonywoolford5470 between 1500 to 2500 then import duties etc
Shout out to JC Whitney....
an inline four on that bad boi? im no expert on motorcycle engines but thats not that normal due to the wonky vibrations right?
Go away
@@bananabrooks3836 what did I do wrong? an inline 4 placed sideways in a motorcycle is unusual, and it makes for an uncomfortable ride depending on the shape of the crankshaft... if it's shaped how I assume it is, it's gonna be bouncing from side to side, and cause a fair deal of pain to your hands if some real soft gloves are not worn during driving...
@@maxbennedbk7085 You clearly do not understand engine balance dynamics please do some internet research.
Inline fours on Japanese motorcycles are pretty much standard. Yes, perfectly normal. Check out some Honda CB750 videos.
lots a talk no work man !!! i ride this one back on the 70s
that's a crying shame that anyone could just leave a bike like that to be wasting away, my god, what were they thinking ?
times have changed
If ir is a 75, then it is a Z1B, not a Z1. As much as you know about these wonderful old motorcycles, it seems you could get the model designations correct.
Thank you for watching and bringing this to my attention
Bullshit on that start up. Pretend like its first effort, but obviously you spent hours getting it running before you filmed that.
Quality is too bad to watch. 360P?
You're right!
Yes I tried to upload it at that rate but it wasn’t uploading. Kept erroring. I’ll try it again.
I guess that's what you Americans would call a "Rat Bike" only this one is dead in the water.
I am a believer in 'what comes with the bike, goes with the bike' These period correct Lesters, twin discs, Konis (rebuildable) and oil cooler were bought for the bike, are part of its history and should stay on the bike. Ahhh.. you're clearing inventory.
You 'relieved' the pistons with a holesaw??!!?? I would like to hear about this 'engineering' explained more comprehensively. Oh l see you shoved a screwdriver down the side thats ok then🙄
What would you have done?
@@robertbrandywineWell, thats a fair question. l understand time may have not been on their side, it just seemed so destructive. I'd pour Deisel in the bores left it to sit, then hardwood hammered onto pistons.
@@bananabrooks3836 That might work. I've heard people swear by Marvel Mystery Oil for freeing pistons. But I wonder if there are occasions where the pistons are so seized that that method won't work regardless of the length of the soak.
Looked at your e-bay store. What a rip off. Bet you make back the price of buying junk bikes by selling 1-2 parts.