Decades in the Making: KAWASAKI ZEPHYR1100 Custom by Shabon Dama

• ZEPHYR1100

• Share:

• 
• 
• 

Shabon Dama's ZEPHYR1100

"This navy blue bike is owned by someone who has been coming to us for more than 20 years. He originally came to our shop for a carburetor change, but from there he became attracted to the appeal of customization. So this time, we have evolved his Zephyr 1100 into what could be called Shabon Dama's ultimate form,” Mr. Takigawa, manager of Shabon Dama's main store, began.

"We could have called it the newest form, but we always incorporate new things, so we decided to call it the ultimate form. This time, the engine was completely overhauled with the 1107cc specs maintained, the exterior was painted, and the frame was powder coated. The front forks were changed to original Shabon Dama specs by HYPERPRO and the wheels were changed to OZ Racing. Including the brakes, almost everything on the lower half of the bike was changed. The swingarm is still a WHEELIE, but we replaced it with a new one to accommodate this complete change. The exhaust is our very first original Weldcraft Exhaust. As a side note, the base model is actually a Zephyr 1100RS, but now that it has come this far, it doesn't really matter which one it is," he laughs.

The custom has been updated while leaving the good parts of the previous specifications (such as the 17-inch wheel dimensions, the frame reinforcement in 8 places, and the 1107cc spec engine). On top of that, the fact that every part has been colored black is also new.

"This is another key point this time around. We changed hundreds of parts, including many small ones, and colored all of them. The engine and frame are powder coated, and the steps and frame side plates are RX coated. We didn't leave any of the collars or brackets out either, and colored them with methods such as anodizing. We then balanced the overall look,” says Takigawa. The balance was created to avoid the heavy feel of simply making everything black or having different tones even when using the same black color.

"It is similar to our refresher menu that we have been recommending at our shop for a while now where we paint the frames of '80s-'90s bikes. If you do it now, you'll be able to keep the outside looking nice and also deter internal rust and dirt, so the bike can be enjoyed for a long time. The same goes for the engine and other parts. For the frame, we now recommend powder coating. It gives a near-stock appearance and blends well with various models and styles. Carbon fiber processing and diamond coating are also good enough, but we have experience with those as well, and recommend the powder coating more for the reasons mentioned."

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the owner of this bike has had a long relationship with the shop, and this bike has been deeply involved in important developments, such as figuring out how to eliminate the negatives caused by the change from 18-inch to 17-inch front wheels, and the creation of Shabon Dama's original Zephyr parts. It has been there all along, striving for the best. These new specifications are the result of that cumulative effort.

Handle

The headlight lens is Raybrick with an LED lamp inside. The left and right master cylinders were changed to GALE SPEED Elaborate this time.

The stem is a Shabon Dama original, compatible with the front 17-inch wheel. This time, the stem was also changed from silver to black. The meter case, which houses the STACK speedometer and engine tachometer, was also changed from chrome to black.

Electrical

Under the seat, the Uotani SPII Ignition Unit and ETC 2.0 on-board unit can be stored. The side covers and tail cowl, which can crack easily, are Shabon Dama originals made of carbon, and the aluminum fuel tank is by BEATER. The paint job is by YF Design. The frame features a powder coat finish for a stock-like look and feel.

Engine

The carburetor remains a TMR-MJN φ38mm dual stack funnel spec. The frame was reinforced in 8 places early on, but is now powder-coated black. The WHEELIE frame side covers and step kit have also been changed to black using RX coating.

The engine is a 1107cc spec with WISECO φ75mm forged pistons and YOSHIMURA ST-2 camshaft. Port polishing, crank balance, and measures against transmission disengagement were all done about 15 years ago, and this time the engine has been fully overhauled. The exterior was also freshened up by changing the color from silver to black. The oil cooler is an original round core, and was changed from silver to black along with the catch tank bracket.

Chassis

The front and rear wheels were changed from the previous Dymag to OZ Racing's magnesium forged 6-spoke CATTIVA (3.50-17/6.00-17 sizes). The front forks are by HYPERPRO, and the front brakes are Brembo 4-piston calipers + SUNSTAR x Shabon Dama collaboration discs.

The rear brakes consist of a Brembo 2-piston caliper (with WHEELIE billet caliper support) and a SUNSTAR disc. The exhaust is the very first Shabon Dama original weldcraft exhaust, Mr. Takigawa's idea of an ideal exhaust for the Zephyr 1100.

The swingarm with endurance stand hook is a handmade WHEELIE 7N01 aluminum with reinforced pentagonal cross-section, and was made specifically for this bike. For a contrast with the rest of the bodywork it was purposefully not made black. The step kit is also billet by WHEELIE, and the rear shocks are OHLINS.

Gallery

Specifications

Part	Details
Engine	WISECO φ75mm Forged Piston Kit YOSHIMURA ST-2 Camshaft MORIWAKI ZEPHYR1100/RS PLUG COOLER DUCT
Carb / Intake	YOSHIMURA TMR-MJN Carburetor YOSHIMURA Dual Stack Funnel System Basic Kit for TMR YOSHIMURA Original Aluminum Funnel for TMR/MJN
Exhaust	SHABON-DAMA Original Weld Craft Exhaust
Frame	WHEELIE Zephyr 1100 Frame Side Cover Shabon Dama Short Offset Stem Kit Type-2 Flat Type WHEELIE BIG Reinforced Swingarm with OW Type Stand Hook
Brake	GALE SPEED Elaborate Master Cylinder [VRE Series] Brake brembo Axial Mount Brake Caliper P4 30 / 34 40mm SUNSTAR x SHABON-DAMA Works Expand Front Discs GALE SPEED Rear Brake Master Cylinder brembo GP2-SS CNC 2P Rear Caliper SUNSTAR Works Expand Rear Disc
Wheels	OZ Racing CATTIVA 3.50-17 Front Wheel OZ Racing CATTIVA 6.00-17 Rear Wheel
Suspension	HYPERPRO AH1 Front Fork Ver1.2 OHLINS Rear Suspension
Steps	WHEELIE Zephyr 1100 Coaxial Step Kit
Drive System	WHEELIE Hydraulic Clutch Cylinder with Cover for Zephyr 1100
Handle / Steering	GALE SPEED Elaborate Master Cylinder [VRE Series] Clutch STACK ST700SR Dash System STACK ST200 Clubman Tachometer YOSHIMURA Digital Temp Meter
Oil Cooler	SHABON-DAMA EARL'S Round Oil Cooler Kit for ZEPHYR1100 11-inch 16-row
Bodyworks	Beater Aluminum Tank
Electrical	AS Uotani SPII Full Power Kit

About Shabon Dama

Shabon Dama offers many custom parts mainly for Kawasaki Z1, ZEPHYR series, GPZ serices and other retro bikes. They are offering unique and originality-focused products such other can't copy. The full customization of your Kawasaki retro, vintage bike, Shabon Dama is the brand worth considering for JDM originality!

Shabon Dama brand page

Original Source of this Article

Heritage & Legends