Forever Ride: KAWASAKI ZEPHYR1100 Custom by SANCTUARY

SANCTUARY's ZEPHYR1100

This KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 1100 is all black, except for the titanium exhaust and some functional parts, with 17-inch wheels front and rear. "The owner got this bike from a friend, and the engine and some other parts had already been modified. Since he has a strong attachment to the bike and wants to keep riding it for a long time he brought it to us to get some work done," says Mr. Tachiiri of Sanctuary Koga.

The Dymag 3-spoke mag wheels and other parts that were already customized when the current owner received the bike were almost all kept as is, and necessary modifications were made by adding parts that the owner had in his possession. Since the front fork was a prototype (at the time) Nitron with a caliper support integrated into the bottom piece, the fork span, wheels, and brake area did not match. So, the discs' inner rotor offset distance was changed to remedy this. At the same time, the front axle diameter was increased from 17 to 25mm. The rear shock is also a Nitron Stealth, but the mounting position has been changed.

"This is something that I find is a problem for the ZEPHYR 1100/750/400. The upper mount of the rear shock is too far back and not in a good position. For this reason, I have re-positioned it forward while laying it down. In addition, we overhauled the TMR carburetor to get it from its used condition to airtight and almost like new. The engine was also WPC treated, the piston pins DLC coated, ventilation holes were made, and a Dream Craft 6-speed transmission was added. We did all the necessary things at once,” Mr. Tachiiri explains.

For the exterior, the meter case was changed from the stock silver to black to match the overall color scheme. “It's not flashy, but it's a bike that will be cherished and ridden for a long time. That's why we spent the necessary costs for both the exterior and interior parts. Every time he comes in for an oil change, the owner always says that this bike is just as fast as today's liquid-cooled naked machines," says Tachiiri. The fact that he comes in for an oil change quite often is also a testament to the owner's satisfaction with the bike.

Handle

The steering stem has been changed from the stock 18-inch to a 17-inch compatible item, a glossy black meter case has been installed, and a YOSHIMURA PRO-GRESS Meter has been added to the center of the handlebar. The high throttle is by ACTIVE, and the left and right master cylinders are NISSIN radial pumps.

Bodyworks

The fuel tank, exterior, and seat are stock for the ZEPHYR 1100, but the frame has been modified so that the seat can be opened by lever operation instead of the usual key lock. The frame was also modified to match the re-positioning of the rear shocks mentioned above.

Engine

The engine uses Cosworth φ76mm pistons to up the displacement from the stock 1052cc to 1197cc, and Anny's Camshafts have been installed. DLC processing on the piston pins, WPC processing on various parts, and ventilation holes between cylinders were made to reduce total friction loss. This is a menu that also improves the life of the engine.

Intake & Exhaust

The carburetor is a TMR-MJN, which has been overhauled to restore the original airtightness, including internal shim adjustments. The transmission is now a Dream Craft 6-speed cross (the stock transmission was a long 5-speed), and overall the engine has been tailored to provide both power and smoothness.

The exhaust is a 4-1 MORIWAKI Titanium Monaka, as evidenced by the Monaka-shaped aluminum silencer. The steps are by Nitro Racing.

Chassis

The front forks are a φ43mm prototype (at the time) by Nitron, and the front calipers are TAROX 4-piston. The discs are SUNSTAR but with φ320mm outer rotors and one-off inner rotors to match the PCD and offset to the wheel and fork span. The axle is also upsized from the stock 17 to φ25mm.

The swingarm remains ZEPHYR 1100 stock, and the rear shock is a Nitron Stealth. The rear axle diameter remains the stock size (φ20mm).

The front and rear wheels are 3.50-17/5.50-17-inch Dymag three-spoke, with a 60% aspect ratio tire on the rear. The rear caliper is also TAROX, this time a 2-piston.

Gallery

Specifications

About SANCTUARY

SANCTUARY is a custom builder that is good at Vintage motorcycles like Z1,Ninja and KATANA. They sell special parts which were born from trial and error that mechanics had repeated mounting and testing

SANCTUARY brand page

Original Source of this Article

Heritage & Legends