[Thomas Barth]

Chris,

 

You’re hung up on the manual. 

I have a parts source, parts list, homologation sheet and motor skills (pardon the pun) that’s all I need.

 

[Thomas Barth]

Tim Blaney said

Engine builders quickly found ways to make more power so you still needed built engines, they ran race gas and they ended being more than $5000.00.

Maybe, maybe not…there is not much that can be done to the KZ by a tuner because of the homologation specs. Your best bet is buying the factory upgrade. The $5000.00 price tag is about right but you will pay $5000.00 for a competitive spec Honda too.

I am talking U.S. racing not international.

[Thomas Barth]

Chris,

 

Yes, stick to Honda…”way more fun”. the KZ would soil your undies.

http://greenflag.net/gfk_products/tut_intro.php

This way more manual than Honda offers. And it will work for most KZ’s

[Thomas Barth]

Hi Bob,

I have done, TM, Vortex, Maxter, Pavesi, CRS and Seven. There might be another one in there but can’t think of any. I believe Hurricane (Canada) handled CRS but I don’t know what happened to them.

I believe Brian Wilhelm may have something to do with Pavesi too.

 

My gut feeling is Pavesi is out. Reason, don’t see anything on the European scene.

[Thomas Barth]

The TM (ICC) was brought into the U.S.A. by TM Racing USA. in approximately 2000. The TM (and other ICC’s) are still in the U.S. and is very much alive and well. I do service on many and am keeping busy. At local tracks the ICC and moto run together to complete the shifter class. On a national or regional basis the Spec Honda has pretty much taken over on the sprint track. In the mid west where long track is popular there are more ICC’s in the field. The east coast is very well represented with the ICC now referred to as KZ.

[Thomas Barth]

Ken Shilling posted:

I’ve heard the ATF is a little too thin and doesn’t have enough or the right kind of high pressure lubricants to withstand the transmission and clutch.

Ken please don’t post information that is hearsay. The automatic transmission is way, way harder on oil. That’s why ATF was developed.

ATF is called out for the TM Moto too and it has a wet clutch.

 

 

[Thomas Barth]

Matt Dixon said:

You can run the oil in your car all year in you don’t feel like changing it also

 

I didn’t say car. I posted the specs for the TM.

[Thomas Barth]

The TM KZ comes from factory with ATF. Run it all season if you don’t feel like pulling engine for the oil change. Won’t hurt a thing.

[Thomas Barth]

My guess is that you need a return line between pump and carb back to tank.

[Thomas Barth]

KF’s are single speed clutch TaG engines. As Jim says should be competitive in the right hands.

[Thomas Barth]

Chris,

 

I didn’t write the post for you. Maybe you should stick to the Honda drivel.

[Thomas Barth]

Sabastien,

 

How are your fuel pump hoses routed to carb?

[Thomas Barth]

No vacation but I do have some customers in Guyana.

<span style=”font-size: medium;”><span style=”color: #000000;”><span style=”font-family: Calibri;”>I think it might be helpful to explain for the low information Honda wrenches that I am referring <span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”> </span>to the albero, (crankshaft in Italian) when I state that I re-build <span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”> </span>the crankshaft for customers. This may seem confusing to the low information Honda wrenches because (I believe) that the Honda crankshaft is a <i style=”mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>stamping</i> made from old car doors, bumpers, washing machines etc . </span></span></span>

<span style=”font-size: medium;”><span style=”color: #000000;”><span style=”font-family: Calibri;”>Unlike the Honda, the KZ crankshaft is an assembly made up from precision HSS details that are assembled in factory tooling. The design allows for replacement of the connecting rod bearing, pin and thrust washers when required.</span></span></span>

 
<p class=”MsoNormal” style=”margin: 0in 0in 10pt;”><span style=”font-size: medium;”><span style=”color: #000000;”><span style=”font-family: Calibri;”><i style=”mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>There is in no way that the KZ crank can be modified by a tuner to improve performance</i>. When I state that I rebuild crankshafts for the KZ customer, I mean that I replace the rod, bearing, pin and washers when required by customer.</span></span></span></p>
<p class=”MsoNormal” style=”margin: 0in 0in 10pt;”>Any questions (can’t wait for them)?</p>
 

[Thomas Barth]

Not looking for a KZ10. Need a B or C.

How do you blueprint a crank???

Yes, I do believe my own B.S. and so do my customers. They keep coming back!

[Thomas Barth]

Chris,

 

You’re totally out of sync. I’ve been trying to find a TM K engine for a week now. If you know of any TM KZ dust collectors, please contact me.

Just got back from a friends kart shop in Bellville, MI. Someone just dumped a trailer load of ‘junk’ on him. Three shifter karts, 2 Yamahas and a Honda. You should bag your a** out there. He’d probably give you those junkers.

 

How can you use a manual on a JC engine?

Thank the Lord we don’t need a manual for the KZ. Just bolt it on and go racin’.

 

P.S.

I believe TM will build you any model you would want. How about Honda???

[Thomas Barth]

Chris said:

On paper, the formula looks like all engines will be equal, but in reality, when they get race prepped, the outcome is very different…

In all honesty, unless one motor is like 10hp more than another, the choice is pretty simple, buy a motor you can readily get parts for…..

I get parts for various KZ engines with no problems. I went to a local Honda shop for a piston one day….shop had to order it from a warehouse in Iowa. Now with CR125 out of production parts will get even harder to get.

I like to think of the CR125  as a ‘Johnny Cash’ engine  ‘One Piece At a Time’.

[Thomas Barth]

Modena looks good too, Sam

The beauty of KZ is the homologation specs that control the design of these engines. Pick your favorite you can be competitive.

[Thomas Barth]

Bob,

You’ve hit it close. The engines you mentioned are pretty much it except for maybe Debei.

[Thomas Barth]

Gerard,

Look at it this way, the best is yet to come! When you’re ready for a real ride, the KZ is waiting.

[Thomas Barth]

Martin,

 

Remember the setup you used for an example is pretty close to the same as far as main jetting is concerned. One needle has 1.50mm tip the other a 1.80. but the different main jetting compensates for difference in needle tips.

[Thomas Barth]

Many tuners machine piston to match specific port configuration.

I personally prefer the cast unit (see Broque’s post) But to each his own.

I believe most KZ pistons (cast) will fit CR125.

[Thomas Barth]

If you follow the KZ1, KZ2 racing in Europe it seems the TM is on top. The KZ10B is the latest version.

IMHO the KZ10B is your best bet. I rebuilt a KZ10 a few months back and got a good look at it. The engineers at TM have redesigned the crankcase and cylinder from the previous K9 versions that will increase performance. The KZ10B has new pipe and some other changes that will improve durability.

 

[Thomas Barth]

My guess is that the piston manufacturer runs a standard piston configuration that is applicable to other 125’s so the cut outs, ports etc are left for the customer to provide.

[Thomas Barth]

Hi Piniea,

Not sure about TM K6, never heard of the designation. But the TM K8, K9, KZ10 all are set at 1.5/1.6mm  – .059″ – .062″

[Thomas Barth]

You could run either set up and probably not see any difference in performance.

[Author]

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