Kawasaki KZ750 Cafe Racer Bears Handmade Bodywork and Premium Running Gear All-Round

Operating out of Santa Clarita, California, he is particularly keen on classic bikes of Japanese origin and seems to avoid repetition at all costs. Each and every one of his projects has a distinct personality of its own, but what they all have in common is the amazing quality of Dustin’s mods.

The build we’ve about to look at is no different, revolving around a Kawasaki KZ750 from the model-year 1980. With the old UJM taken back to the shop and completely dismantled, our protagonist kicked things off with some extensive frame surgery. He shortened the rear subframe and revised the main skeleton, so as to get it ready for the new bodywork that was to come.

Speaking of which, the Kawi’s handmade attire is as gorgeous as it is minimalistic, only consisting of a stylish fuel tank and a neat cafe racer tail unit. There is a bespoke saddle placed between them, wearing swanky brown leather upholstery and looking like a million bucks. At the front, we come across a fresh headlight with a yellow-tinted lens, held in place via tailor-made mounting paraphernalia.

Using billet aluminum triple clamps from Cognito Moto, our protagonist installed a pair of inverted forks donated by a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Along with its front suspension hardware, the same Gixxer also gave up its Tokico calipers and drilled brake discs. The front wheel hub was supplied by Cognito Moto, too, and it’s liked to a Sun rim by way of stainless-steel spokes.

A similar hoop is located at the back, together with a Honda CB750’s swingarm and wheel hub. The rear brake also benefits from a drilled rotor, and both rims are enveloped in Bridgestone rubber for ample grip. Moreover, rear-end suspension duties have been assigned to a set of modern shocks with chromed springs. Clip-on handlebars and aftermarket rearsets bring the motorcycle’s ergonomics onto cafe racer territory.

The Kott Motorcycles treatment involved a powertrain overhaul, too, with the inline-four engine subsequently gaining some fresh breathing equipment. On the intake side of things, there are Keihin CR carbs inhaling through high-grade aftermarket pod filters. Exhaust gases are expelled via custom four-into-one pipework made of stainless-steel, ending in a Cone Engineering silencer.

And finally, the last piece of the puzzle was the paint job. Dustin had the bodywork finished in a stunning shade of red, accompanied by gold pinstriping and Kott tank logos. On the other hand, the rims, foot peg mounts, and clip-ons were all painted gold to match the forks and headlight lens. Black was the chosen color for the double-cradle frame and most of the engine’s exterior.