Is the Kawasaki KZ650SR the World's Best Bike? 5 or 8 Reasons why I think so!
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Of course you all know I'm joking... it's the Harley Street Glide! Or is it??? Find out in today's video!
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I owned a 1978 KZ650, it was a great looking bike with the chrome fenders. I had a Kerker 4 in 1 exhaust and K&N HV air filters. The bike was rated in the mid 60's hp wise and would do 126 mph. It was clocked on the salt flats at 141 mph and with mods could do the 1/4 mile in the 12 second range. It won the 6 hour 750 class endurance race in 1978 and 1979, it holds the Daytona 750 class endurance record running 117 mph for 24 hours. Great motorcycle, rode it all over the USA, only thing I hated was the seat let you know you had an ass, it was like an ironing board. Bullet proof just like my Vulcan 800 Classic and Concours 14, Kaws rule.
Wow, thank you for the history lesson - I knew the specs, but not the racing history - too cool! :D And yes, Kawasakis are awesome :D Thanks for watching & sharing that!
Just hate how a lot of people will chop these old bikes up and make them look like shit-cafe bikes- and look like Frankenstein bikes. Leave them alone and ride them
I'm with you - they look great right from the factory!
I just got 1 for free and I'm in the process of doing a stretched hard tail on it lol. I understand appreciating them for what they are but I've always wanted to do a bobber and this is the perfect opportunity.
Badass bike i found one for $2500 mint condition Kirker 4 in 1 exhaust and these old Sports bikes are what started today's kawasaki zx6r and zx636r
That's awesome! What a find - mine is not mint, LOL.
I just got a free 81 csr650. Always wanted to do a hardtail bobber build so im taking this opportunity to do so. Bike wasn't running but all it needed was battery, starter solenoid, brakes torn apart n cleaned, carbs flashed and a manual cam chain tensioner. Running mean on all 4 cylinder now 😎. Im half way through the harley style dual side pipes and then on to the hard tail and lowering the front forks
Wow, that's awesome! Have you posted pics of it anywhere?
I’ve got a kz650 cafe racer and it’s beautiful. Its my first bike, first crash 😂 and first love
Oh, so cool! They look GREAT as cafe racers!
I still have my dads, that he bought new back in 1978, it has less than 5,000 original miles too.
Needs new tires, and a good polish but it runs great!
Wow, that's so cool! I wish I still had my dad's KZ!
Awesome!
I have one I put loads of money into due to getting ripped off by shops sadly . But, it has a 750 top end bored to 810cc. V&H 4 in 1 pod filters with electronics vs points conversion. Dyna super coils. The bike sounds wild. But, do to the shotty work done engine was leaking at the cylinder base after 500 miles or less after al the money invested. I pushed to side and been siting ever since. I can't wait to get it back up and running again. I had to buy but, never got to install new clutch plates since the rebuild the bike had to much power and was slipping.
Wow, that's quite the upgrade! Too bad the shop didn't do the work properly :(
I hope you get it up and running soon!
I bought one brand new in 1978. Mine was red. Never had an issue with it. Beautiful bike and very fast.
Thanks for sharing!
@@RoadReality I guess I should have said that I’d still have it if it wasn’t stolen.
@@philtheheaterguy951 Now that's a crying shame. I despise thieves of all kinds, but especially bike thieves. Sorry that happened to you.
yes! smooth and tame. you can ride all day! mine went thru coils quickly for some reason??
Yep, that 4-cylinder is SMOOOTHHHH. I once went out for "a quick ride" and came back 4 hours later sunburnt and happy.
Coils? Do you still have the points system, or did you convert to digital ignition? I've not put but 2k miles on the Dyna S2 ignition, but it seems to be working just fine, so far.
Happy days! Owned one when living in Groveland. Many, many wonderful trips over the Sonora Pass to Bridgeport and down Hwy 395 to Lee Vining then back home over the Tioga Pass.
California ain't all bad.
Sounds like great rides - and that you stayed out of the city!
I like how you solved the lack of the second camera with the reflection.
Thanks :D
I was a motorcycle mechanic in the 80s I had a KZ650 Moon Dust Silver, it had saddle bags, fairing with 50 watt stereo. I miss that bike, it was great.
That's awesome! Ever thought about buying another one and building it like the one you had?
@RoadReality After having heart surgery and I'm 66 now. Not feeling like my old self. Don't want to take a chance.
@@michaelbove4244 Yeah, can't blame you there! Stay healthy!
I gave 200 for 1977 kz650b
Nice! That's quite the deal :D
I prefer older sports bike's over new sports bike's they are all around great bikes awesome beginner bikes as well
So true! They're very forgiving, even if they don't have today's tech.
Thanks for watching!
@@RoadRealityif you don't mind me asking where is this looks like Michigan or Indiana
@@phoenixarizona8441 Maryland! :)
I love old bikes. It is a different experience than the modern bikes. I mean, I like the modern bikes as well, heck. I just like bikes.
+10 Internets to you, sir! Yep - those old bikes have more personality, but all bikes are great :D
as someone who is also bad at math, I approve of this video lol. the old bikes were so awesome and simple.
Thanks BPE! Yes, old, awesome and simple, like the creator of this video :D
I had a 1981 CSR 650. I rode it from San Diego to NY when I was on leave from the Navy.
That bike would have been perfect if has a 6 speed transmission. 5 gears got you there, it really needed a 6th for it to be a bona fide cruiser like the LTD’s. This bike was more of a street fighter in cruiser garb.
Wow, that must've been one heck of a ride!
I agree, a 6-speed transmission would be great on these bikes... but heck, even my Vulcan 800 has a 5-speed. Come to think of it, I don't know of any non-bagger cruiser that has a 6 speed.
Ah yes, cool classic bike. In the UK, because it's 40 years old it would also be exempt from yearly vehicle tax and road worthiness checks.
No MOT, right? I hear about that on the KZ groups. We have Historic tags here that do the same thing, essentially.
@@RoadReality yes, no VED (often incorrectly called "road tax") and no MoT (Ministry of Transport yearly checks for roadworthiness)
@@NooBiker Cool! Thanks for the clarification - nobody ever mentioned VED.
Thay driver just wanted to be in the review! Wasn't the 650s the bikes of choice of Toecutter in the first Mad Max movie? If they can last the apocalypse then they should work forever!
LOL, I bet they did! I don't recall if the 650 was there, but given how little riding and maintenance I do on/to this thing, I'm surprised it runs as well as it does. At this point it's been sitting for 8 months... so it's a 50/50 shot she fires up whenever I DO get a chance to pull her out from under the cover.
I can find 5 reasons to buy any motorcycle! 🤣
Absolutely! Except maybe a Vulcan 800 Classic/Bobber... or is that a preview of what's to come on my channel? :D
I bought a '77 KZ650C brand new in my home in Canada near Detroit. Right after the break in period, I rode with 2 buddies to Denver, through the mountains into Utah. Hiked the Grand Canyon. Visited Las Vegas, crossed deserts into Los Angeles. From there to Houston, then back north home. Needed a new back tire after the deserts. Had to change brake fluid. Other than that, it ran perfect for over 5000 miles. Downside was that the '77 "C" Model (C for Custom) had early generation mag wheels ... way too heavy. I had to sell it to go back to college. Not a week goes by I don't miss it.
Man, you might not have the bike, but you've got some awesome memories! Thanks for sharing your ride with me!
It’s a great looking bike that will run forever with basic maintenance. I’ve been looking for a 70s Z around here and the 650s tend to pop up the most. Great one Jon, now I’m gonna go ride my Z
There's lots of 650s for sale all over, and most of 'em are cheap - but the 750/900/1100/1300 - well those are a LOT more expensive. Especially restored! Enjoy your Z :D
Had that exact same SR. 42 yrs ago. Paid 900$. At the time though it was bulky. Prefered the. 500xt
Dang! I think I paid $1,250 for it about 5 years ago, that's wild! Hopping off my Harley or my Vulcan 800, it seems like a featherweight :D
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video! I have a 1979 KZ 650 D, and I just love it. It has been garaged since 1991, keep getting calls about selling it. But now I think I'm going to get it running again and transport myself back to the days when I first bought it!!!! Thank you again Sir!
That is awesome! You're welcome - and thanks for watching!
great vid i love the energy
Thanks!
This would be a perfect bike to café out... JUST SAYING 😜😜😂😂
Yes, EPIC COLLAB opportunity - show up with tools and parts and you can cafe it out :D I agree, every cafe-d KZ I've seen looks badass.
I'm doing a stretched hard tail bobber out of 1 right now. I've already got a 75 cb750 cafe.
Cost me $500 for mine back in 2000. Was a great bike to learn on, and a joy to ride. If I came across another one nearby, I'd probably pick one up.
Nice! I'd sell ya mine, but not for $500 ;)
@@RoadReality 👍
The SR-650 is the second favorite of eight. The bike I wish I could've purchased at the time, was a Kawasaki H2. My current bike and favorite is a 2019 CBR 650R.
The CBRs are great bikes! I have several friends who own them. The original H2 was a monster bike - and the current one is no slouch!
Thanks for watching, and I'm glad you dig the SR :D
Oh, and if you liked this video, you'll probably like THIS one even more! (more KZ650SR riding!) ruclips.net/video/mrVvi2Juk7I/видео.html
Most Japan bikes clutches are easier to adjust than Harleys. But they use weird screws though and most people strip the heads 'cause they don't know they are not Philips heads.
Ahh, the old JIS screw! Yes, I have bits for both, and I test fit them before applying any torque to any cross-head-lookin' screws! Been down that stripped screw path WAY too many times :D
Good to know about the clutch adj. vs. Harley... the Kawis I own each have 3 adjustment points for the clutch cable.
@@RoadReality Harley has 2. 1 is inside the derby cover and must be done first before the cable is adjusted. And it is a pain. At least I think so.
@@EasyRiderGreg Good to know, if I ever get a Harley with an adjustable cable - my Glide has a hydraulic clutch - no adjustment.
Great vid, I had a 79 sr650 back in 79, it was red and so pretty, had a slightly different tank than the 78. Bought it brand new when I was 19 and I road the hell out it. Great bike, I wish I still had it.
Nice! My dad's 78 was that same red - beautiful bike! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
persimmons red if memory serves me right as I rolled off the showroom in the spring of 1979
I bought a 79 650sr from the original owner in 95 for $650. Had 11.000 miles and the full faring. If you lived in Yorktown, VA, back then, you might be that guy. I wish I had that bike now as well. My bike was the color of his side covers.
👍
It is the ugliest of the kz650's.
Wrong
Such a great bike!!! Love seeing it on the channel. Get a new battery for that and show it off more on the channel!!
Thanks GB! I'll give it a shot :D