Z650 Special...not for the purist.

[ADRIAN H]

Looking brill, you must be chuffed. Would'nt mind one myself. But not sure my back would take it.

[Paul Whitehouse]

It's been a while since any updates on this one chaps...lots been going on over the last couple of years.

The plan is to, hopefully, have it ready to take over to the IOM for the Manx at the end of August.
Still masses to do but the engine is somewhere near ready to start putting together. Barrels are out to a 64mm bore ready to accept the Wiseco pistons.
The images of the paintset on the bike are with the bike still in mockup form.

The frame and ancillary parts have been powder coated. Paintset is done. Huge thanks to Stig at Stigs Custom paint in Charlwood (nr Gatwick) for the superb job of the paint. I wanted a heavy `70's metalflake and the white stripe to mimic the Kawasaki race bikes of that era.

[chrisNI]

Looks very smart

[sanderz]

Bike looks well there Paul, that paint is 'tip top'

[deka]

lovely if i had the skill and the money back in the day that is what i would have wanted from my z650

[Paul Whitehouse]

Having machined a couple of spacers for the rear wheel spindle, the old girl is back on her wheels.

Has anybody on here fitted a set of Paolo Tarozzi rearsets on a Z650. I ordered a set suitable for the drum brake version and have received some with a really long main fixing bracket…as per the photo. I’m wondering whether I’ve been a bit too keen with the angle grinder and removed the brackets these need to fix to.
I was assuming I would receive a similar set to those I fitted on my Z900.

[warren3200gt]

Looks like they mount to the (chopped off) rear footrest hangers.
I used Raask rearsets which mount to the existing foot rest frame point and the rear engine mounts.

Then because the levers on Raask are so mickey mouse I replaced them with self made ones and drilled a few holes to make Colin Chapman happy by adding some lightness.

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Then added in an extra piece to drop the height and move the pegs back a bit further to fit me better.

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[zed1015]

I ordered a set suitable for the drum brake version and have received some with a really long main fixing bracket…as per the photo. I’m wondering whether I’ve been a bit too keen with the angle grinder and removed the brackets these need to fix to.

Those you have are for the later 79 onwards models.

[Paul Whitehouse]

Cheers Warren, yeah I thought as much.
Ok, these will be returned and I’ll look for a pair of Raask rear sets.

[warren3200gt]

Cheers Warren, yeah I thought as much.
Ok, these will be returned and I’ll look for a pair of Raask rear sets.

Raask levers are absolute rubbish Paul. I pretty much ended up only using the base plates and made up the rest myself.

[Paul Whitehouse]

It's been ages since I've posted as progress has been very slow (like most of my projects )....Anyway, the eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed it's changed colour !
Unfortunately, the bike slipped off the stand when I was working on the rear brake linkage. I'd also had a problem with `bleed` on the previous blue paintset. Anyway, have bit the bullet and gone for the obligatory racing green.
Bottom end is all finished....next it'll be fitting the Wiseco pistons and concentrating on the top end build.

[deka]

the blue was nice but you cannot beat kawa green