Kawasaki KZ650 cafe-racer. Exhaust system.

As I wrote in previous post, the best thing in projects started from the scratch is freedom of parts choice. And moreover, Kawasaki KZ650 is not completely new for me; I have its direct descendant, Kawasaki Zephyr 750, in my garage. I rode about 90000 km on it thus I know it as back of my hand and I am about to use those knowledge to advances of KZ650 project.

Here is first of them: stainless steel downpipes for Kawasaki Zephyr 750, made in UK by Black Widow Exhaust LTD. They perfectly fit KZ650 engine, are light weighted and have better throughput than OEM Zephyr 750 downpipes. I have used same downpipes on my own Zephyr 750 (with Wiseco 810 ecm forged piston kit) before I got 4ini4 exhaust and I was very pleased with them, moreover they easily gave my Zephyr additional 8Hp. But Dyno chart will be better illustration than words:

Thus, when it came to KZ650 project I ordered these downpipes without hesitation:  perfect combination of classic look and performance   worth every penny spent on it.

But sure, exhaust isn’t complete without mufflers. I like mufflers I used in the previous project, Honda CB815 very much. As one may remember they are New Old Stock, made in Japan by MC back in 1970s. I wished for this my project something as special as those mufflers and after some search I found exactly what I looked for, yet one blast from the past. Back in 1960s-1970s there was a company in USA called Anderson-Kittelson Distributors, Inc. They have traded all kind of motorcycle and snowmobile parts, stuff and gear for long years, or may be for decades, but I suppose they disappeared from the market in the end of 1970s or in beginning of the 1980s.

Photo (c) ebay.com

Still some parts with Anderson-Kittelson logo on packaging may be found on ebay, and that’s where I found a pair of NOS Anderson-Kittelson Upsweep Cocktail Shaker mufflers. It was love at first sight so I bought them mostly  immediately. We’ve already received parcel with mufflers, so here is a set of photos:

And yet another little feature: mufflers perfectly fit downpipes via OEM Zephyr 750 exhaust gaskets:

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3 Comments

  1. Kevin M

    just like to thank you for your posts and info. i have been searching for down pipes for my ks 650 and what do know gazz garage. great stuff i look forward to your posts. Kevin.M

    Reply
  2. Torstein Stensrud

    Hei..ser du har bilder av eksos til Kawasaki z 650….hvor kan jeg få kjøpt dem? Mvh. Torstein Stensrud Norway

    Reply
  3. gazzz (Post author)

    Hi,

    At Black Widow Exhaust, UK

    Kind regards,
    Nazar

    Reply

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