Here's my 1992 Kawaskai Zephyr 400 being lovingly rebuilt and restored by my mechanic. The Zephyr is a retro styled street bike that first hit the Japanese market in 1989 and was made there till 1996. Versions with higher engine displacements were produced up till 2000 and were more successful in the European, North American and Australian markets. The 400cc version was specifically made for Japan and this particular bike was imported in the late 1990's.
My mechanic picked this Zephyr up from a guy who hadn't even looked at it for over three years. It was parked up in his garage, with other forgotten items. He only took it out when his wife ordered him to clear out the garage, and now, thanks to his wife, I'm the proud new owner.
Here's another photo from the rear:
This is my first ever bike restoration project. I'm very excited about it and can't wait for the final outcome. I love retro styled naked bikes. For me that's what motorcycling is all about. Sports bikes with their magnificent fairings and breathtaking acceleration and top speeds have never really appealed to me. I prefer to savour the feel of the bike and the environment around me while I ride. That doesn't mean I like to constantly ride at slow cruising speeds. No, I like some good acceleration and speed like the next guy and this Kawasaki 400cc will be adequate for my needs.
At the moment, the bike's old seized engine has been removed and replaced with an engine that was acquired from another Zephyr 400 that had been stripped down for parts. This engine has been fitted in the frame for testing. Just the wiring has to be done now so that the engine can be fired up to see how she runs and sounds. My mechanic assures me that the engine is in decent working condition and won't need any major work. I'll be visiting his workshop later on today to witness the engine being started for the first time. Fingers crossed!
***********
I've just returned from my mechanic's workshop with a big grin on my face. The engine fired up first time and sounded very sweet and smooth. It idled without cutting out even once and gave a beautiful roar at high revs. It'll sound even better with the new exhaust muffler that'll be fitted later on. My mechanic gave the engine a vital compression check and it's right up to the manufacturers specifications. I gave him a deserved pat on the back. He was definitely right about the engine.
The next step will be to remove the engine and strip it down for a good clean, including the carbs. It'll then be ready to be sprayed matt black with special heat proof paint. I may get some bits chromed but I'll decide about that later. Here's a shot of the engine and how it looks now:
For those techies out there, here's some information about the Zephyr's engine. It's a four stroke parallel twin cylinder DOHC, with two valves per cylinder. Maximum horsepower is 46 hp at 11,000 rpm and torque capability is 30 Nm at 10,500 rpm. Top speed is about 170 km/h and it's gearbox has six gears. Those that understand these numbers will agree that this type of performance for a street bike is pretty decent and well suited for urban driving, where I'll be mostly using the bike, commuting to and from work.
Once the engine is removed the bike will be stripped down further right to the frame which will be checked for any dinks, cracks or distortion. It looks pretty solid to me though, but if the bike has ever been involved in a collision there my be some tell tale signs on the frame. When the frame has been checked it'll be sent away to be professionally rust proofed and sprayed.
The plastic tailgate is broken and needs to be repaired together with the rear brake light housing. That's another job that will be done within the next few days. Until then, ride safely and check back soon for further updates.
******************
No comments:
Post a Comment