December 2022: The street racing scene in Chicago, where this bike came from in the late 1990s, was vibrant and healthy. Unless you were a motorcycle used in Chicago street racing scene, then it was a punishing and abusive environment. When acquired, this 1981 Kawasaki had the tell-tale steering stem dent on the top of the fender, and an egg-shaped dent in the top of the gas tank. Ouch! It needed complete refurbishment even before it sat outside with a bike cover on it. For roughly 15 years ...

1981 was a festering ball of suck for the most part but Kawasaki's middleweight sport bike became an iconic motorcycle.

The frame was straight but needed to be stripped and powder-coated in gloss black. So we did this.

Imagine our surprise when after bead-blasting the cylinder head, removing all the old black paint, the grease, the dirt and evidence of a couple hundred thousand trips to redline that the head, apparently, was made in Japan!

All three of my sons ride. All three of my sons can use hand tools, do engine maintenance and they can weld. All three of my sons can lift heavy items. This was useful.

The engine was transported to the engine guy in whatever winter beater I was using at the time. Also, train.

Frame has deep luster and the engine is back in the cradle with the help of teenage son's hulking friends. To-do list in old school form.

40 year old wiring harnesses are more trouble than having three girlfriends simultaneously. The third one was the charm. It just needed a quick wipe down and a few blows with the continuity testing device.

Hey Nick. We'll never forget you. Ciao ciao.

Finished, May 2024. Why did we paint the wheels black? Does anyone remember? Yeah for sale.