Kawi2strokes.com Forum

Actually seems most things I do with my KE100 most kinda just shake their heads at, but I digress.

About a year ago, on a mild day, I took my KE for a ride to scout canoe portages for a trip I was thinking of taking down the local river. On my way home, the bike died, field test found very low compression. I had left home thinking my oil tank was full, I stopped for gas thinking the oil tank was near full and didn't check it, the oil tank wasn't even close to being full and it bit me.

The price of my failure to check the tank, one piston/ring set and cost of sending my cylinder out for repair. I put the repair off till late fall as I played with other projects. New/repaired in hand I put the bike back together, checked timing with a multi-meter, started it up, checked carb settings, everything seemed right, but when ridden the bike's acting funny. Parked it for the winter.

Indian summer came last week so I pulled the bike out. Still running funny when ridden. Thought it was mild, quietish backfiring. Richened up the carb. Nope, that's worse. Changed things back. Research, is this blubbering? I think this is blubbering. Play with the carb some more, return everything back to beginning point again.

Then I noticed a banging noise. What's this banging now? Seems pretty low on the engine. This is where I am now. Thinking when I ran the oil tank dry my crankshaft bearing/pin might have been damaged, the piston pin/bearing appeared fine. Bike will be transported to a local shop so someone with more experience can tell me if they agree with my assessment.

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Aaron
1980 KE100 (ZomBessie)

Sorry you're having trouble, Aaron. It's certainly time to take the engine apart and find out what's making the noise. I see some KE100 bottom end options on eBay now, in case something serious is wrong down there.

At least it's not a triple! I know a guy who restored an H2, and did a complete rebuild on the engine. On his first ride, he forgot to fill the oil tank, which had only a couple ounces in it. It didn't take him long to trash the top end.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

Eh, it's fun when it runs. Maybe this will be the last step to having it dead reliable again. I miss it being an almost daily rider and being able to complete long trips.

Too much rain to push it a couple miles and no vehicle to transport the bike at the house. At least the weather the next few days, isn't going to be pleasant enough for anything. Maybe Friday, I already stand to get off work at 10:30 Friday morning.

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Aaron
1980 KE100 (ZomBessie)

Turns out the running funny was mostly due to a broken cardboard cheek on one of the coils, which was resulting in a nice electrical show. I tried replacing the cheek with a replacement made from a kitty litter bucket, but that resulted in the bike not starting at all.

With a bit of hunting I managed to find a NOS stator assembly in Canada. Bike is running pretty decent now. Rode it to the local Kawasaki shop, talked with a tech and let him listen to the bike. Said it sounds pretty normal and the way I checked for excess rod movement was correct.

I've ridden it around town a bit and it seems pretty good. Next up cruise it a few towns away.

Hopefully I got this thing settled. I want to start commuting on it again.

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Aaron
1980 KE100 (ZomBessie)

I am glad you worked things out. Many guys miss the joy of riding a small bike. I ride my KE175 all the time with other small bike riders in the area and it is such a blast. We enjoy them as much as the big two strokes. We just don't cover as much ground. One of these days, I am going to build me a small racer like Jim and Mark and some of the others at the Gap. I want to use a KX125 water cooled motor with KIPS.

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You are not old until you have more regrets than dreams! - John Barrymore (rephrased)

75 H1
78 CB400II Hawk
78 KE175

Let's see... KISS is "Keep It Simple, Stupid", so KIPS is Keep It Pretty Simple? Or Keep It Pretty, Stupid? Keep It Purple, Sally?

I'm working on the DT100 as we speak, Steve. Frame straightening (probably bent since I got it), new steering bearings, steering damper, LED headlight, and probably some other stuff I can't think of. You still have six weeks to get the 125 together.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

Kawasaki Integrated Power-exhaust valve System. I think Kawasaki started using the power exhaust valve in 1985 on the KX125. It really gave the motor a lot of lower end punch.

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You are not old until you have more regrets than dreams! - John Barrymore (rephrased)

75 H1
78 CB400II Hawk
78 KE175