1986 restoration project

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ARCHIVE_ElmoTheDestroyer

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Shock leaking oil...?

It appears my left (rear :P ) shock on my 85 ZL900 is leaking some sort of oil.

Is the shock dead? Or is it possible to rebuild them? Whats the cheapest alternative to fix it? I have very little money, and I don't want to ride the bike till this is fixed (afraid the oil could get on the rear tire without me noticing) ...

Thoughts appreciated!
Thanks!
--Elmo
 
Good luck finding someone to rebuild those shocks for you Elmo! :? I have spoken with several independant shops around here who are very reputable and they all had the same answer, Ditch Em! 8O The general concensus seems to be that shock technology wasn't all that great in the eighties. Motorcycle shock technology was a step behind, and the asian bikes were inexpensive for a reason. :( I spoke with a few shops who do rebuild shocks and they said basically the same. The parts are hard to get, it can be done, but it's not worth it. Check out Progressive Suspension, they've got a nice selection for a reasonable price, and they will aparently smoke any shock manufactured in the eighties, rebuilt or not. And yes, if your shock is leaking oil, it's had it. :( Hope this helps!
SS
 
Thanks for the reply... wuputt hooked me up with a pair of used ones he had. Good to go for now.. Probably look into progressives this winter or next summer sometime though.

Take it easy!
--Elmo
 
yeah,spend some $$&buy a good set of rebuildable Konis or such,,
8)
 
Hey guys,

Just found your site. I just purchased a 1986 ZL 900 for $700.00 US. Its been neglected for some time now. Having owned an '85 in the past in knew this bike pretty well. First thoughts were that the carbs were gummed up and sure enough they are in horrible shape. I need to get some parts for them, new jets, needles and such. Any recommendations on where to get or what. On my last bike i got the Dale Walker kit with the pipes and was very happy with it. looking for some feedback. I will be working on this bike for a while. hasnt run in 2 years and looks like hell.
 
WELCOME DAVE !

WELCOME DAVE, :) glad to have you here ! i also have a 86 zl900 in resto. bought it in feb. & she has come along way since then ! as far as parts? ! some of the other guys will give you all the info. on where to get whatever you need . just picked up a 85 zl900 for my dad over the weekend ! needs work too ! good luck, & let me know if there is anything i can do to help you !

we all have knowledge to share, & more to learn ! CHRIS
 
A warm welcome, Dave, I had my 85 900 down to the frame and motor this last winter....If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask, these are some of the best people I have ever met.
Good luck with the project, and make sure to keep us posted!
moab...
 
Thanks for the response. I do need some carb parts. I've been looking online but they look expensive. Any suggestions?
 
There are a number of posts on here pertaining to carbs, your best bet is to post up what you need under the "Parts" section and see what other site members have for parts, also, check the e-Bay listings at the bottom of the Home page, as these are all relevant listings to the ZLs...Ask around the site, you will be AMAZED what these guys and gals can come up with!
moab...
 
Hey Dave, Keep watching e-bay for carb kits. I bought kits a couple years ago, I will look in my files and find out where I got em, think I paid $85 for the set. If you buy parts from Kaw they are very pricey. Use Parts Depot link on the web links page, They consistantly give the best prices. I use the parts fiche to get the numbers at

http://buykawasaki.com/DefaultFrame...ductCatalog/PCCatalogTypes.asp?intCatalogId=1

Once you get there go to the "owner info" tab on the left side of the page, it will take you to the fiche.
Good luck and once again
WELCOME!
 
I agree with everyone else here that carbs are a top subject discussed. I too was looking at about an $800 bill to replace all the parts in the carbs including the diaphrams, which after 20 plus years seen their better days. I ended up getting a set of carbs on Ebay that came off an '04 Concours. The only part you'll need to change is the throttle cable bracket in the middle of the carbs, which I learned the hard way. So for less than $300 I basically had a new set of carbs.
 
rammy1500 said:
I ended up getting a set of carbs on Ebay that came off an '04 Concours. The only part you'll need to change is the throttle cable bracket in the middle of the carbs, which I learned the hard way. So for less than $300 I basically had a new set of carbs.
Click to expand...

Just remember guys, the carbs from the concours only fit the 900 and not the 1000.

KK
 
Oh, this is going to be more work than i thought. This thing is in bad shape. Lot of rust but not rusted thru. No guages. head light smashed. radiator shroud cracked. dent in header pipe. ughh!

I think the only thing i can do is strip it down and build it back. Alot of the parts can be salvaged but will need some work cleaning them up. I thought i could do this for $1000. but now i'm thinking $2000.
Anybody have any spare parts give me a shout.
 
I'm not being a wise ass but you may be better off reselling and putting the sale price + the 2k to fix it into another bike, 2700 willbuy you a decent eli
 
In my opinion, the best part of these bikes is the time and effort it takes to get them back into shape! There is a great deal of satisfaction in rubbing on a piece of aluminum for an hour and a half and having it shine better than the day it came off the production floor! The important part is getting it running right, then fixing her up a bit at a time!!

Anyone with a pocket full of cash can go out and pay someone to restore a bike and make it look good! A true fanatic will take two years and hundreds of hours to attain the same result with a genuine sense of satisfaction!
 
wuputt said:
In my opinion, the best part of these bikes is the time and effort it takes to get them back into shape!
Click to expand...
My kind of thinking. Like being a glutton for punishment. Therapy for the soul.
 
Wuputt....You are a man of few words (Huh?!?) but when you do speak up.....I agree with you, my bike looks like ****, the aluminum needs serious attention, the pipes have road rash (not from me), and the thing is in need of some major cosmetic work....But she runs like a top....And it's been fun, it started as a paint job and has morphed itself into a real project.....Just get a decent set of tools, sit back, and enjoy the ride, it will be worth it.
moab...
 
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