‘96 Kawasaki KE100

BrianW · 10-18-2019, 09:00 PM

Anybody familiar with this bike? Really interested in buying one locally and just want to know if there are any known faults or issues to look out for before i go look at it. 1,200 miles and garage kept its whole life.

Megadan · 10-19-2019, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianW

Anybody familiar with this bike? Really interested in buying one locally and just want to know if there are any known faults or issues to look out for before i go look at it. 1,200 miles and garage kept its whole life.

Pretty solid little bikes for the most part, and the only real mechanical issue that can be a problem for them is the oil injection system that they put on them to try and combat poor emissions. Most guys just eliminate it and premix.

bogieboy · 10-19-2019, 08:21 AM

oil injection can be an issue, never had any issues with my 01 in the 7k miles i put on it... biggest improvement i did was installed a Trailtech Vapor dash in place of the circa 1968 speedo... that added the ability to monitor head temps, as well as rpms... if you buy it, let me know, i will send you the service manual i still have, sold the bike 3 yrs ago, and the guy didnt want it...

bogieboy · 10-19-2019, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megadan

Pretty solid little bikes for the most part, and the only real mechanical issue that can be a problem for them is the oil injection system that they put on them to try and combat poor emissions. Most guys just eliminate it and premix.

thats a good way to cook the crank bearings though

if i remember correctly, the oil injection had passages that directly lubed the crank bearings on the KEs... cant remember if it was that or the 73 kawi F11 that i had that had those passages...

wheelbender6 · 10-19-2019, 12:37 PM

Great bike. Had one for years. Go easy on the gear box. My novice shifting caused early wear on the shifter forks. It made shifting a little dodgy, but it held up fine.

Megadan · 10-20-2019, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bogieboy

thats a good way to cook the crank bearings though

if i remember correctly, the oil injection had passages that directly lubed the crank bearings on the KEs... cant remember if it was that or the 73 kawi F11 that i had that had those passages...

I did forget about some of those systems doing direct bearing lubrication.

I wouldn't delete it unless it had already failed and I couldnt get the parts myself. Even if it did have the system to the bearings you can still premix, just gotta ride it like an old school 2 smoke and just make sure to not coast off throttle for extended periods withought giving it a throttle blip here and there.

BrianW · 10-20-2019, 07:41 PM

So things with this bike didn’t work out. The photos were slightly deceiving and it had been (poorly) spray painted, seat was torn, tires were bald. But the real issue was a title in another owners name that remains unsigned. Just started to seem sketchy. Thanks for the input!

bogieboy · 10-21-2019, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianW

So things with this bike didn’t work out. The photos were slightly deceiving and it had been (poorly) spray painted, seat was torn, tires were bald. But the real issue was a title in another owners name that remains unsigned. Just started to seem sketchy. Thanks for the input!

dang, that sucks.... they are fun little bikes for sure...

Weldangrind · 10-21-2019, 11:15 AM

Sounds like it was wise to walk away from that one.

10-18-2019, 09:00 PM	#1
BrianW Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wheeling, WV native currently living In Natchitoches, LA Posts: 297	‘96 Kawasaki KE100 Anybody familiar with this bike? Really interested in buying one locally and just want to know if there are any known faults or issues to look out for before i go look at it. 1,200 miles and garage kept its whole life.
	0

10-19-2019, 12:37 PM	#5
wheelbender6 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Houston area Posts: 1,902	Great bike. Had one for years. Go easy on the gear box. My novice shifting caused early wear on the shifter forks. It made shifting a little dodgy, but it held up fine. __________________ "Its not WHAT you ride; its THAT you ride"
	1

10-21-2019, 11:15 AM	#9
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Sounds like it was wise to walk away from that one. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	1

10-19-2019, 08:21 AM	#3
bogieboy Join Date: May 2013 Location: finger lakes NY Posts: 2,042	oil injection can be an issue, never had any issues with my 01 in the 7k miles i put on it... biggest improvement i did was installed a Trailtech Vapor dash in place of the circa 1968 speedo... that added the ability to monitor head temps, as well as rpms... if you buy it, let me know, i will send you the service manual i still have, sold the bike 3 yrs ago, and the guy didnt want it...
	1

10-20-2019, 07:41 PM	#7
BrianW Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wheeling, WV native currently living In Natchitoches, LA Posts: 297	So things with this bike didn’t work out. The photos were slightly deceiving and it had been (poorly) spray painted, seat was torn, tires were bald. But the real issue was a title in another owners name that remains unsigned. Just started to seem sketchy. Thanks for the input!
	1