I have been restoring motorcycles now for 15 years, mostly as a hobby and some business. And I am currently restoring a 1980 Kawasaki KZ 1300 6 cylinder. Of all the Brands of Japanese motorcycles, Kawasaki can be one of the most expensive to restore. Why? Parts availability and condition of the motorcycle when you got it. Generally, the older the bike is the harder and more expensive it is to restore. But in your case, you got lucky. There is support and tons of information and parts resource for restoring the old Kawasaki out there, I'll supply a link to a forum to get you started researching. http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/ I am a member of this forum so I know you will have what you need in terms of support and resources. All you need is the time, money and willingness to restore this rare 2-stroke bike.
Rule of thumb to determining a good restoration project is:
1. Condition of the bike. If it has been just stored and does not look beat up. Thats a +
2. Is the Bike complete with all factory parts installed or with it? If so thats a +
3. Is the engine seized up or cranks freely? If cranks freely, thats a +
4. Does the transmission shifter shift into a gear and neutral? If so thats a +
5. Any alterations done to the frame or body? If so, thata a -
6. Is the Title available? If so, thats a big + (can be a deal-breaker for a street bike if title is not available)
7. Researching the Bike prior to seeing the machine will give you a good idea what to expect in terms of costs of restoration, parts availbility and what original parts are there or missing if you need to make a decision on the spot once you there with the seller
If you already bought the bike, good luck in the restoration project. Please note that mileage on the older machines are not as important as the condition of the engine itself. A low-mileage engine that has set up for 20 years can develop problems due to deterioration and lack of care.|||I bought this bike brand new, It was running when it was parked inside a garage all these years. Only one original part missing on it...the air filter housing thingie! Don't know what its called. Is it true that I won't be able to get it street legal if I didn't keep up the registration?
Report Abuse
|||They are popular and sought after but, because they are popular, parts can be over-priced, if all the parts, especially body work and exhausts are there and in good nick then an H1 can be worth a bit, without all of it you will bidding against enthusiasts around the world for the rarer parts.
Generally restorations do not recoup the cost of the labour or the parts and are done for personal satisfaction rather than outright gain, professional restorers have incredible standards which is why they can make a living from their work.|||Depends on for what you plan to use the bike for.
If you expect to ride it on the street you may be disappointed when it comes time to re-register it unless the owner kept it current for all those years, as 2 strokes have not been legal on the street for years unless the reg's have been.
But it was a nice little screamer for its time and would be a fashion statement at any oldie's rally.
It's one of those 'yes I love it, but do I need it' decisions that only you can decide.
Good Luck!|||Depends on the condition. If it was running and just parked for 20 years then you might have a good chance at making some money. All of the 3 cylinder 2 stroke bikes are now collector's items. The Kawasaki 750 being the holy grail of the blue smoke specials. But the 500 is not a bad find either. How much are you paying for it?|||You won't make money on it, but I wouldn't think that's the point, anyway. Cool bike! I see a few of them ring-dinging around my city from time to time. They were generally ridden really hard, so the low mileage doesn't necessarily mean that it's in great shape internally. If I came across one, and was thinking of buying it, I would look into the cost and availability of parts first, especially carb parts, and pistons and rings.|||He11 yeah, that bike is a collectors' item. Call this guy:
http://californiatriples.com/
if you need parts. He has restored dozens of those and can advise you. He is in San Leandro, California and I bet he will ship anywhere in the world. Those H1's are ferocious bikes.|||Rare bird, it's not about the cost it's about having a collectors bike, unless it burns to the ground it will never lose value, and if the economy improves it will only go up in value. nice find.|||Nice bikes, but the spares can be very expensive. This place does spares for them.
https://www.z-power.co.uk/merchantmanager/index.php?cPath=1_37|||I would say it is worth it. If not you could donate it to Barber Motorsports Park. They have an awesome museum. And that might make a fine edition.
http://www.barbermuseum.org/|||The cost of restoration often exceeds the value of the bike. In the end its more about the journey then the destination.
No comments:
Post a Comment