Latest restoration finished, Kawasaki 250 - Page 2

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Latest restoration finished, Kawasaki 250 (Page 2 of 3)

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:16:20 AM EDT

[#1]

Great job! I had a 350 triple many years ago, it was a blast!

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:18:18 AM EDT

[#2]

That’s a great job OP, I’m jealous of your work.

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:22:43 AM EDT

[#3]

Not including your labor what does an average restoration of a Japanese bike cost?

I would like to get a project vehicle to practice wrenching and refinishing and I think a motorcycle would be more my speed right now.

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:27:59 AM EDT

[#4]

SWEET!

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:28:05 AM EDT

[#5]

Looks like you had good bones to start.

Your work inspires me.

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:30:26 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
These are always my favorite threads.

OP is amazing.

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Not to derail a super cool moto resto thread, but how are you Doc? How's the Chabat?

OP: 10/10, would ride. I want a 70s CB750 in a bad way

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:32:32 AM EDT

[#7]

Thanks for the nostalgia OP! ??

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:32:33 AM EDT

[#8]

great work. It is nice to see that kind of stuff.

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:36:00 AM EDT

[#9]

As always...amazing

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:28:59 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Not including your labor what does an average restoration of a Japanese bike cost?

I would like to get a project vehicle to practice wrenching and refinishing and I think a motorcycle would be more my speed right now.

View Quote

The Kawasaki triples are pretty much the most costly Japanese bikes to restore unless your doing a sandcast Honda. The parts are crazy high and it's easy to put at least $5000 into a triple in parts. And when I restored my 1969 H1 last year it cost me $15,000 for parts, paint and chrome.

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:30:22 AM EDT

[#11]

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Quoted:
Very nice. Are any of the factory parts still available ?

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Lot's of nos parts are available but the prices they bring is stupid.

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:31:37 AM EDT

[#12]

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Can you tell us your technique for cleaning/polishing all the aluminum?

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No.

But it involves a lot of hand sanding and rubbing with secret stuff.

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:35:19 AM EDT

[#13]

I do all the work to the bike except the chrome and tins. If the chrome and paint get back right away I can restore a bike in 4 weeks. If the chrome shop fucks up like usual and it takes 6 months to get the chrome back then it takes 6 months for the build.

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:37:29 AM EDT

[#14]

Op very nice restoration

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:37:52 AM EDT

[#15]

I had one myself and you will find that the carburetors are to close to the cylinders and they cause them to overheat and boil (vapor lock) the gasoline in the fuel line causing fuel starvation which makes the engine misfire and run lean causing in some cases scored cylinders.

Run clear plastic fuel lines and you will see what I mean.

Make a heat shield and insulated fuel lines to solve the problem.

No thanks needed.
Have fun.

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:40:38 AM EDT

[#16]

Incredible job, maestro.

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:43:51 AM EDT

[#17]

Beautiful.

Posted: 7/6/2019 10:03:58 AM EDT

[#18]

OP you do great work, always get excited when I see a post of yours! I know it's going to be well worth the click and time spent looking at the pics.

Posted: 7/6/2019 11:31:59 AM EDT

[#19]

I took a couple in the sun but they aren't too nice.

Posted: 7/6/2019 11:39:34 AM EDT

[#20]

That bike went from "Hey, that's not a bad little scooter" to "Holy shitballz batman, that bike is gorgeous!"

Posted: 7/6/2019 1:01:03 PM EDT

[#21]

You do incredible work. Wow. Really nice, OP.......love the pics.

Posted: 7/6/2019 1:12:55 PM EDT

[#22]

job well done

Posted: 7/6/2019 1:20:10 PM EDT

[#23]

Another one saved!!! Great work as always!

Posted: 7/6/2019 1:33:11 PM EDT

[#24]

I was thinking about OP and his restorations the other day.. I've been looking at Kawasakis and found this retro they're doing..

kinda reminded me of the restos he does, I seem to recall he's done at least a couple of Kawasaki's...seems to be the style/era of bike he likes to work on and definitely my favorite style... was wondering if OP has a site where he has pics of his different restorations collected where a guy could look over his work.

thanks for sharing another fine looking project OP.. awesome craftsman and great taste!

Posted: 7/6/2019 1:34:55 PM EDT

[#25]

Awesome job!

What's that paint color code?

Posted: 7/6/2019 2:16:56 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:

The meters are always rebuilt, even if you bought nos you would still have to take them apart and replace the dried out grease for them to work right. The cases and cylinders are finished with my own methods, mostly hand work. The bike was solid but every part was tired and had to be brought back to spec.

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Do you do the speedos or do you farm it out. Have a speedo I'd like to have refurbished.

Those plastic swingarm bushings are what gave the Kawies the flexiflyer feeling. Suzuki used them too in the 70s. I made some out of oilite bronze in high school shop class for my bike.

Posted: 7/6/2019 2:24:37 PM EDT

[#27]

Very Nice! Two thumbs up!

/r

Posted: 7/6/2019 2:27:57 PM EDT

[#28]

Gorgeous!

Posted: 7/6/2019 2:36:37 PM EDT

[#29]

Great job OP!!

Brings back memories. I had a Kawasaki 250 Enduro in 75 as a first bike.

"Let the good times roll"

Posted: 7/6/2019 3:59:47 PM EDT

[#30]

Very nice!

Posted: 7/6/2019 4:20:18 PM EDT

[#31]

Posted: 7/6/2019 5:04:49 PM EDT

[#32]

Awesome work as usual!

Posted: 7/6/2019 6:00:14 PM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
Awesome job!

What's that paint color code?

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It's a 3 stage candy that Kawasaki called Candy Green. The original paint codes are no good, the company went out of business way back and the colors weren't duplicated by anyone else. There is a painter in Arizona I use that does a great job copying the Kawasaki candy colors. It is a real nice green.

Posted: 7/6/2019 6:30:25 PM EDT

[#34]

Looks amazing!

How long does it take you to rebuild an ignition and kill switch? Looks a bit... tedious.

Excellent attention to details!

Posted: 7/6/2019 7:50:39 PM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

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thanks man... appreciate it

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:06:36 PM EDT

[#36]

That's awesome OP. I really dig your threads.

Those bikes were a lot of fun. I was riding a 500 back then (Way more bike than I needed). You do some really good work.

[Youtube]RO2vSMM9SN8[/Youtube]

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:08:27 PM EDT

[#37]

Great Job! Love that green color.

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:16:37 PM EDT

[#38]

The sounds and smells of vintage machines.
Fantastic contributions to preserving history.
Thanks for sharing your work!

Posted: 7/6/2019 8:27:44 PM EDT

[#39]

Beautiful!!

Posted: 7/6/2019 9:03:33 PM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:

Do you do the speedos or do you farm it out. Have a speedo I'd like to have refurbished.

Those plastic swingarm bushings are what gave the Kawies the flexiflyer feeling. Suzuki used them too in the 70s. I made some out of oilite bronze in high school shop class for my bike.

View Quote

There is a fellow in Sanford Florida named Don Fulsang and he does beautiful meter restorations if you don't want to do your own.

Posted: 7/7/2019 6:32:03 AM EDT

[#41]

Quote History

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Holy smokes!
1. You have a taste for the unusual when it comes to bikes
2. You do great work!
3. Do you do this for a living?

Posted: 7/7/2019 7:35:11 AM EDT

[#42]

Yup, I'm lucky enough to get to build bikes for a living.

Posted: 7/7/2019 8:13:18 AM EDT

[#43]

I’m not a big motorcycle fan but I love these threads

Posted: 7/7/2019 9:08:52 AM EDT

[#44]

Well done sir!

I worked at a Kaw dealership in the early 80's and can't recall seeing more than a couple S-1's.

What happens to these bikes when you move on to the next one?

Posted: 7/7/2019 7:50:52 PM EDT

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well done sir!

I worked at a Kaw dealership in the early 80's and can't recall seeing more than a couple S-1's.

What happens to these bikes when you move on to the next one?

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The last dozen or so have been for the same fellow, a friend of mine that is a big collector so when I'm done I take the bike to him and get more. I always have at least 2 bikes taken apart at any given time.

Posted: 7/7/2019 8:34:24 PM EDT

[#46]

Holy crap. That’s awesome. You do amazing work!

Posted: 7/7/2019 8:40:12 PM EDT

[#47]

OMG

Does the person who can afford this type of restoration actually ride the bike ?

That has to be a $20k restoration,its beautiful man.

Posted: 7/7/2019 8:56:11 PM EDT

[#48]

Quote History

Quoted:

There is a fellow in Sanford Florida named Don Fulsang and he does beautiful meter restorations if you don't want to do your own.

View Quote

I took a look at mine and couldn't figure out how to get it apart. I had one with the odo reset knob broken off and messed with it a little and wrecked it. I'll look him up. Could you post or pm his info?