Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
We noticed you are blocking ads. DO THE TON only works with community supporters. Most are active members of the site with small businesses. Please consider disabling your ad blocking tool and checking out the businesses that help keep our site up and free.
Got this running well even with the mufflers pulled. Have drag bars on currently. Will most likely switch to clip-ons at some point. Need to get a new master cylinder as the stock one hits the fork. Need to cover the seat pan yet. Front fender is from an early Honda Shadow along with the rear brake light. Turn signals from an early 2000s ZX600.
Need to get some paint on it so it doesn't look so ratty.
Got paint on the tank, side cover and tail. Need to find the right side cover yet. I'm thinking of painting the front fender black also. Seat cover will also be black. Cleaned up the rest of the bike some too.
Sorry - not a fan of the 2-tone black/red. Would have rather had 1 color and highlights of the other if you wanted. The use of the KZ650 tail is interesting, as is the Shadow front fender - looks very KZ440G-ish. What kind of seat are you contemplating? If the fender is in very good shape I'd just polish it up. Do you recall which Shadow (displacement, year) the fender came from? I don't think the KZ440 LTD can ever really be made to really look the café style - it just has too much "broke back cruiser" DNA. The best I've ever seen them is a better-built "standard" (you would need to install rearsets to get the correct café driver position and it's usually not worth the effort on this bike). Did see a real killer "standard" conversion by just using a KZ1000P seat and rear rack.
Understand. Solid red will look better. Another difficulty you will have will be seat height looking well with the frame lines. You are currently mounting tank/seat/tail directly on the OEM frame line. Unless you are very short, you will have difficulty using any pegs (OEM or rearset) without a much taller seat - which might look funny. Others have tried adding an additional upper frame rail above the OEM rail, but then the side covers need to be custom fabbed to cover it. Still others have re-constructed the frame. Just not an easy bike to make into a café, or even a tracker. Maybe a brat; definitely a standard.
I am fairly short. Even w/o padding on the seat pan, my feet are barely flat on the ground. Rearsets might cramp me a little. I'll have to slap on the passenger pegs again to test the position. If it all doesn't work out with the stock frame, I'm comfortable doing some frame mods to bring the lines together. Also hoping to pick up a friend's KZ400 which definitely lends itself better to the style.
Got the seat pad done. Need to cover it. Tank has a few small leaks in the usual spots. Need to seal it. Going to repaint it red. Also going to try pounding some knee dents in a spare tank. Always fun to try new things...
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.