My Kawasaki KL 250

Aj1 · 10-09-2012, 07:32 PM

Hey all, I'm still fairly new here, not many posts, but I thought i'd share my Kawasaki KL 250 with you guys. I got this bike about a year ago for free. I was given it by a former coworker that i know from my dads shop. He used to store it at the shop and every now and then let me take it around the shop property which was about 2 acres. At the time I was about 17 and as motorcycle crazy as I am now at 30!! In any case he no longer had any use for it. Problem is it spent the better part of the last decade sitting outside in michigan winter uncovered by a stream that likes to flood. Well long story short ive had just about every thing apart on it in order to get it running again, and that includes tearing the engine apart. About the only thing i havnt taken apart is the tires to replace tubes!! Its still a work in progress but ive got about 300$ or so in it. Its a 1978, does anyone else here have this bike or near this year/model??

Weldangrind · 10-10-2012, 12:23 AM

Terrific old bike! Thanks for the pic. I don't have anything quite like it; the closest would be my '79 Suzuki TS250. I hope your bike gives you many happy miles.

Please check your PM's.

SpudRider · 10-10-2012, 12:50 AM

Thanks for posting the photo; that's a nice bike.

The exhaust system is certainly unusual.

Spud

FastDoc · 10-10-2012, 11:40 AM

That is a very good very cool old bike.

I especially like your avatar. Those are principles I live by.

Aj1 · 10-10-2012, 12:29 PM

Thanks for all the comments gents, Weld, avatar fixed, my apologies. I will try and get some more pics if you guys are interested. Also has anyone here ever had any experience with solid state ignition modules? Specifically small ones designed to replace breaker point ignitions? My bike still has the breaker ignition, and while i realize i'm fairly young to even know what those are let alone how they work , i'm beginning to consider ditching the points. Conversely, I do like the idea of how simple they are and have always been. Any thoughts??

FastDoc · 10-10-2012, 12:38 PM

I have retrofitted optical electronic ignition systems to 2 Fiats, a KZ650, a BSA, and maybe another vehicle or two over the years with good results.

Aj1 · 10-10-2012, 02:13 PM

Doc, interesting, are there any specific names of products/manufacturers for optical ignitions you can recommend? Were/are you in the military ?

FastDoc · 10-10-2012, 02:58 PM

No to the military but I love my/our country and what rermains of our God given freedoms.

I don't recall brands except the BSA which was a Boyer.

Weldangrind · 10-11-2012, 12:46 AM

Aj1, thanks for reducing your avatar size.

I'm not sure where you'd go for an electronic ignition for your bike, but I know that Pertronix makes kits for many different vehicles. I think I'd try a newer version of your bike; perhaps you can find a 250 Kawasaki from the mid-80's and transfer everything over. As long as the crankshaft taper is the same, it should be a bolt-on deal.

FastDoc · 10-11-2012, 11:10 AM

There are several that are semi-generic and will work on any bike.

Aj1 · 10-11-2012, 06:14 PM

Doc, what ones are you referring to that are semi generic?

FastDoc · 10-11-2012, 07:00 PM

Check out this page I bet they can set you up. This is the brand I used on the KZ.

http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Motorcycl...Conversion-Kit

FastDoc · 10-11-2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Check out this page I bet they can set you up. This is the brand I used on the KZ. I'm not sure if they make one for singles though...

http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Motorcycl...Conversion-Kit

Look here also for single cylinder electronic ignitions:

http://www.pazon.com/

And here:

http://boyerbransden.com/

This is what I used in the BSA and it made a world of difference.

10-09-2012, 07:32 PM	#1
Aj1 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Off the wagon and on the crazytrain!! Posts: 32	My Kawasaki KL 250 Hey all, I'm still fairly new here, not many posts, but I thought i'd share my Kawasaki KL 250 with you guys. I got this bike about a year ago for free. I was given it by a former coworker that i know from my dads shop. He used to store it at the shop and every now and then let me take it around the shop property which was about 2 acres. At the time I was about 17 and as motorcycle crazy as I am now at 30!! In any case he no longer had any use for it. Problem is it spent the better part of the last decade sitting outside in michigan winter uncovered by a stream that likes to flood. Well long story short ive had just about every thing apart on it in order to get it running again, and that includes tearing the engine apart. About the only thing i havnt taken apart is the tires to replace tubes!! Its still a work in progress but ive got about 300$ or so in it. Its a 1978, does anyone else here have this bike or near this year/model??
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10-10-2012, 12:23 AM	#2
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Terrific old bike! Thanks for the pic. I don't have anything quite like it; the closest would be my '79 Suzuki TS250. I hope your bike gives you many happy miles. Please check your PM's. __________________ 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
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10-10-2012, 12:50 AM	#3
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	Thanks for posting the photo; that's a nice bike. The exhaust system is certainly unusual. Spud __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
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10-10-2012, 11:40 AM	#4
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	That is a very good very cool old bike. I especially like your avatar. Those are principles I live by. __________________ Happy to serve.
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10-10-2012, 12:29 PM	#5
Aj1 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Off the wagon and on the crazytrain!! Posts: 32	feedback Thanks for all the comments gents, Weld, avatar fixed, my apologies. I will try and get some more pics if you guys are interested. Also has anyone here ever had any experience with solid state ignition modules? Specifically small ones designed to replace breaker point ignitions? My bike still has the breaker ignition, and while i realize i'm fairly young to even know what those are let alone how they work , i'm beginning to consider ditching the points. Conversely, I do like the idea of how simple they are and have always been. Any thoughts??
	0

10-10-2012, 12:38 PM	#6
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	I have retrofitted optical electronic ignition systems to 2 Fiats, a KZ650, a BSA, and maybe another vehicle or two over the years with good results. __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

10-10-2012, 02:13 PM	#7
Aj1 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Off the wagon and on the crazytrain!! Posts: 32	Optical ignition Doc, interesting, are there any specific names of products/manufacturers for optical ignitions you can recommend? Were/are you in the military ?
	0

10-10-2012, 02:58 PM	#8
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	No to the military but I love my/our country and what rermains of our God given freedoms. I don't recall brands except the BSA which was a Boyer. __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

10-11-2012, 12:46 AM	#9
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Aj1, thanks for reducing your avatar size. I'm not sure where you'd go for an electronic ignition for your bike, but I know that Pertronix makes kits for many different vehicles. I think I'd try a newer version of your bike; perhaps you can find a 250 Kawasaki from the mid-80's and transfer everything over. As long as the crankshaft taper is the same, it should be a bolt-on deal. __________________ 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
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10-11-2012, 11:10 AM	#10
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	There are several that are semi-generic and will work on any bike. __________________ Happy to serve.
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10-11-2012, 06:14 PM	#11
Aj1 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Off the wagon and on the crazytrain!! Posts: 32	Semi generic?? Doc, what ones are you referring to that are semi generic?
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10-11-2012, 07:00 PM	#12
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	Check out this page I bet they can set you up. This is the brand I used on the KZ. http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Motorcycl...Conversion-Kit __________________ Happy to serve.
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