project 900 finished, critiques welcome

[sjdevil]

this is my unofficial retirement from my short time here at zl-oa. as a hobby i restore and mod bikes every few months, and the best places to get help and tips are always the owners forums...with this summer's project obviously being a zl-900. thanks all, especially stormy, moab, zlmark, and wuputt. i appreciate all input, good or bad, since i do sell these bikes i like to hear what i did right or wrong aesthetically speaking. if anyone has trouble with the link let me know. here's the run down:
stage III factory pro & KN pods; ducati headlight fairing; avon 170 rear and 120 front; buell m2 tank; arlen ness black teardrop mirrors; shaved rear fender; vulcan rear springs(added two inches to seat height), custom fluid caps; paint job(thanks stormy); painted front fork tubes black; custom front reflector grills and painted matte black, custom bullet signals(not pictured); and some odds and ends like bullet license plate bolts and such. this bike is for sale if anyone is interested, but i'm not in a rush to sell with the fall riding season knockin on my door. here's the link.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...iewPicture&friendID=143946572&albumId=1131191

i'll be around here and there, perhaps another zl will come my way.
chris w.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

sjdevil, you say you put a Buell M2 tank on it. what year was the tank and what is the fuel capcity? Did you have to mod the seat for the tank to fit and what other mods did you do to it to make to make it fit?

You also raised the bike whereas most guys here lower the bike, what was your reasoning for that?

Nice looking bike and what are you asking for it?

 

[sjdevil]

97 m2 tank-5 gallon capacity, so i look for gas at around 140-150 miles. yeah, i had to cut the seat back a little but nothing extensive. raising the seat was not the intent, but i knew it would happen if i used vulcan shocks. the ride quality improved, and the bike takes bumps like a champ, nice and smooth-that was the original idea behind the spring swap. bike seems to corner better too-leans over a bit easier. i'm asking 3500, but i'd take anything close to three from a zl member. i hear shipping to thailand from east coast us is cheap

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Sjdevil, the shipping might be cheap but the import duties would be out of this world. Customs boys here will keep posting up fees until you walk away from whatever vehicle you import here (bloody thieves).

Did you have to mod the tank and if so what did it take to do it?

 

[wuputt]

sjdevil, nice job on that zl! I really like the V-max! Did you mod that one yourself too? If so, nice one!

 

[Stormy]

...something is up with the link there sjdevil, it keeps re-directing me to the myspace australia homepage, but I'm sure the paintjob turned out well for you.

Mick.

 

[Blagadán]

Same thing happens for me. Any chance you can put a few pics in the gallery sjdevil?

thanks,

blag

EDIT... oh hang on, I figured it out, gotta register with my space if you dont have an account...

interesting mods sj. That thing looks like its ready for some serious burnouts...

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Yo Blag and Stormy, it must be because you guys don't have a "My Space" account. 555555555555






you have to have an account with them to view their stuff.

 

[CHRIS]

can you post some photo's in the gallery ??? thanks, CHRIS

 

[beeZLbub]

Nice! - another Joisey devil

SJdevil,
Sweet bike! How is the fit with that 120 front tire? That's something that I was thinking of doing on mine. I'd love to stop by and check out the bike, not to buy (sorry), but just to see it in person. I'm over in Marlton - behind the AMC 8.

 

[Jarney]

Got a few questions if you don't mind.
Where did you get the fluid covers?
I see where you said the shocks raised the seat but did that also raise the rear fender or was that a different mod (I've seen other modded bikes with the rear fender kicked up like that but it was a seperate mod)?
Thanks. Later.

 

[Stormy]

...damn it, not another registration !!!

 

[Jarney]

Just looked at your other pics too. The vmax is really sharp. I'm not a honda fan but I've always liked those supermagnas also. Nice bikes you had there. Later.

 

[Stormy]

ok, signed up with MySpace.

...had a look at your bike photos sjdevil, and it looks excellent, well done on the paintjob.

I'm trying to organise getting a re-production of the original name plate / cover for that brake block in between the front forks, made from solid billet aluminium from a friend that uses a CNC machine at his work, when he get's it finished, I post a photo of it up and you all can check it out.

I'm also going to get one made from polished stainless steel plate, the original style lettering of the "Kawasaki" name laser cut in, then professionally bent to look like the original. I know all you guys are just hanging to get them.

Mick.

 

[Kawasaki-krazy]

I'm trying to organise getting a re-production of the original name plate / cover for that brake block in between the front forks, made from solid billet aluminium from a friend that uses a CNC machine at his work, when he get's it finished, I post a photo of it up and you all can check it out.

I'm also going to get one made from polished stainless steel plate, the original style lettering of the "Kawasaki" name laser cut in, then professionally bent to look like the original. I know all you guys are just hanging to get them.

Mick.

Super cool If we each get 1 part made, we can build a complete bike and cut MR Kawasaki out of the loop altogether :thumbup:

KK

 

[Stormy]

yeah, I still got the original brake block cover / name plate thats still in prime condition (except all the chrome embossing wore off) had it laser scanned for the dimensions so it should be pretty much spot on with the original, but instead made from solid billet, then it's going to get it powdercoated black where it needs to be and keep the raised lettering mirror polished, then laquered to keep it looking good, well, thats my plan anyway.

Mick.

 

[lowlife]

Care to post on here I refuse to sign up at myspace, but would like to see the bike.

 

[sjdevil]

just put the pics in the gallery for anynoe who couldn't see the link. thanks for the compliments. jarney, the fluid caps were from good old ebay, just about all of kawasaki's rectangle shaped fluid caps are a universal fit, o think i found these listed under vulcan or concurse fluid caps. the seller had plenty, bout 30 bucks us$ also, the fender was raised by the shocks, not a separate mod. mirrors are also a universal fit for 10mm i believe, which is to say just about all jap cruisers and non sport bikes, and even harley fit mirrors will work with an adaptor-these arlen ness mirrors came with adapters for either metric or harley apps. glad you approve stormy, the whole paint thing was done according to your advise! the triple racing stripe in particular

 

[SnakeDoctor]

sjdevil, I would still like to know what mods you had to do to the Buell tank to have it fit on the ZL. Was it an easy fit or did it take a bit of modification to work?

Cheers

 

[sjdevil]

snake, for the tank i had to drill through the frame of the bike where the fuel line drops from the left side of the tank, and i removed the buell's petcock and replaced it with a standard nozzle(like the male fitment on a fuel filter) and hose with a clamp, then down to a generic petcock about five inches below. the buell's petcock is screwed directly into the bottom of the tank, which would hit the frame, so basically i relocated it five inches lower, with some line running through the frame. i also put a bit of solid foam under the middle of the tank(which can kind of be seen in the pics) to help support and balance it. sounds like a lot but if you had a buell tank you'd be able to see what had to be done. i'll take a pic when i get a chance. the tricky thing is that buell made two sizes of this manta tank, which look identical, but the larger one wont fit, at least the way i did it. i think a mid 90's carbeurated suzuki bandit/katana/gsx-r tank would also work with a similar mod.