Z750 Twin Forum

So back in August 2011, another bike was added to my garage. In the form of a 1978 Diamond Brown Z750b2 Twin.

Up until then, I had never seen one of these bikes. I bought this from a very good friend. It had been stored in his Brothers garage for approximately 14 years, never touched or used. It was a time warp.

It still had the helmet lock on the handlebar, the beeper indicator relay, original lens for indicators and so on.

The brakes where seized "off" which was nice, as they always seem to seize "on" when I buy an old bike :)

So here are some pics of the bike complete at that time.

Shortly followed by a complete tear down to make sure all was good. The intention back then was to use the bike through Winter and all year.
It was not going to be restored to showroom, it was to be daily ride. (Well, that was the plan)






The original Kawasaki exhausts where still present, sadly they where too far rusted internally to save.



1997 road tax disc for UK still on bike, along with weeping fork oil on tyre.



So within days I started the tear down of the bike, it was in good shape but needed a full inspection and rebuild of key parts such as brakes, forks, electrics. It would start but not run. Seems the carbs where a little "gummed" too.



During the tear down, this little part had me wondering what it was for quite some time.



Some spiders where found behind the clocks, also inside the tachometer :)



By September 2011 the bike was ready to be put back together.



Then on the 29th September 2011, the bike was presented for UK MOT, it passed of course :)
New tyres, new exhausts, new fork seals, many hours of work. It was fun. I rode the bike all through the Winter, snow, ice and plenty of rain. I really liked how this bike delivered it's power so smoothly, the torque was fantastic, she rides very good.



Of course the bike was not for full restoration, no powder coating, no new stainless parts etc. Just tidy and reliable. Well that all changed, as you will soon see in part 2 of the story ;)

Hello Mark,

yes, this was a time-warp, indeed. Very nice to see the home of the spiders

I´m looking forward to your second part.

Ralf

Thank you Ralf, spiders got a new home from the warm South to the cool damp North.

Part #2

So, the bike ran great through the Winter months. It was quite how we say stable on ice and snow roads, as long as you ride thinking ahead.




So this was fun. But after the Winter, around April time the salt had really eaten into the bolts, exhausts, chrome etc. I did not like this. It was such a nice bike, this was no way to treat it.
So the "Not for Restoration", became a full on "Restoration" .

The bike was taken apart again, plus this time due to poor hot starting problems I went deeper into the engine.

The hot start problem turned out to be a broken piston ring, plus a scored cylinder.  A re-bore, new Kawasaki oversize pistons and some tender love and care was applied.

I painted up the engine parts in a satin black, I did not care for the all silver look of the engine. I had a colour vision in my head and went along with that.

All of the springs, bolts, etc for the frame, stands and engine where re plated at a local company. I used stainless where I could but wanted to keep as much original as possible.

The frame and stands where all powder coated black, I was determined I was not doing this when I first got the bike. But I came to think, this bike deserved it.

It was going to stay Candy Diamond Brown, but maybe a new paint respray. But cost was too much. So I thought of other options.

Then one day a New Old Stock Kawasaki tank came my way. Followed soon after by a NOS tail section in the same colour.
Then a really nice forum member from the "KTOF" offered me for sale a really nice modified seat.

As all the parts came back from platers and powder coating, used good parts like forks and calipers from USA I could not wait to get it all back together.

New wheel spokes and rims where too expensive for the budget, so I kept the OE wheels and cleaned the chrome as best I could, painted the spokes one by one in silver. They look fine, very "period" of the 1970's.

I could not source good colour matched side panels, so I followed on the engine paint theme and they got Satin Black too.
To keep a bike 100% original is nice, but we have to be realistic and do what looks well and is within cost spend.

Then the bike was reborn. A Sunday best, a Summer use only affair.

It has gone from Not for Restoration, to Not For Sale.

















More pics to come as limit of 10 per post.

More pics for viewing

Sorry if too many pics. I like pics.

More? Ok if I must lol

Not too many more, but so much work was put in and free labour by me.

Brand new gas tank, for £110 you just would yes? I think it still had Japanese air inside.

Finally for you all, the last few photos of the bike out on the road.

I hope you like as much as I do, there are lots of nice "Twins" on this site, I like all of the styles.

I think I do really like the "scrambler" look on these bikes.

Sorry for the English and how the wording seems to have grouped together. It was not that way when I typed. I need to get used to forum ways I think

My thanks to you all for making what is a great forum, long may it continue.

Hi Mark,

Thank you for the pics. It`s a great Story about buying, use and restoring a "B". It`s only great.

Cheers

Gerd