77 kz400 cafe

[gearbot]

this was my first bike and project i just finished a year ago

After I bought it. $50 with clear title. What a snotter! Not even 8000 miles at the time of purchase.

Rebuilding in the room at school

Engine rebuilt and polished

Rolling

All done

I modified the rear half of the frame a little to fit the seat. The seat is actually the original gas tank cut in half and welded to a pan (I've heard that's old school :-\ ).

Modified triple tree (removed the factory handle bar holders), relocated instrument cluster, clip-ons (home made), did the seat upholstery myself (not the greatest but works), straigh pipes (loud, like i like it ;D ), air pods, re-jetted, painted it myself (actual gun, not canned), drilled rotor,

I love it. This style of bike is not common around here so people are always asking, "what in the heck is that?!" Everyone is accustomed to HD's and crotch rockets. It turns heads all the time.

Uncomfortable as heck. Ride it for more than 30 minutes and my back is aching like a SOB, but it comes with the style.

Currenlty working on a '78 CB750F. The motor was shot (valve guides worn) so I just purchased a young K5. Parts are going out for powdercoating this weekend so once things start rolling, I'll get pics of that project up as well.

 

[valvesprung]

You're my new hero...mine is on it's way...

 

[locOleoN]

WOW!!...

 

[Ease]

Great work!

You say you did that at your room at school?
I assume that means you built your cafe in your dorm!?
Man that's hardcore, lol.
If I get shipped off to Dal next year I'll give it a shot.

 

[gearbot]

thanks.

valvesprung, i saw you had a kz too. they're cool little bikes; a great choice for my first bike. keep us posted on yor progress! i love seeing the kz's getting makeovers. i'm actually lookin to sell it once i get the CB750 running (need the $ to compensate for getting the honda together). that's going to be really hard to do once i get around to do it :'(

i lived off campus but it was great having the bike in the room to work on. get done with homework, just turn around and start wrenchin. still was funny when the neighbors looked at me wierd as a rolled a bike out the front door. i have a vid somewhere of me starting it up in the room (just needed to live in a two story house so i could do a D-Day ).

 

[Will McD]

I think the bike looks perfect. I really like the brown seat with black paint. Do you have any pictures of you clip-ons you made? I'm interested to see how you did it,

 

[gearbot]

I think the bike looks perfect. I really like the brown seat with black paint. Do you have any pictures of you clip-ons you made? I'm interested to see how you did it,

thanks, i like to have a little contrast ;D

i'll get some pics up sometime next week of the clipons i made.

 

[zixxerboy]

Just curious how did you safety it with no fenders or cans?

I do like the clean look though. As to being uncomfortable - would it have killed you to add another inch of foam??

 

[Canuck Plumber]

Love the overall look. Great choice of seat pan. Leather? Yes the old tank welded to the pan is old school. Thats what I did too. Great job.

 

[gearbot]

here's a pic of my clipons. pretty simple. i had to brace them since they didn't clamp very well.

rear
close

zixxer, safety what? but thanks for the compliment. i'll get around to it one of these days to add more padding. i neglect the uncomfortable-ness from the thrill of riding 8)

canuck, not leather. just some wal-mart outdoor vinyl special. i was trying to get as close to natural leather as possible. that's what i was shooting for. thanks.

 

[zixxerboy]

Did it not have to pass some kind of inspection before you could plate it??

 

[gearbot]

Did it not have to pass some kind of inspection before you could plate it??

yeah, lol. i live out in the country so our inspectors aren't picky at all. here's what my inspector asked me (the bike was in the back of the truck since it had expired tags).

Me: "It might not pass cause the horn switch is broken and I'm currently getting it replaced; otherwise it should be fine."
Inspector: "I don't care, does it run?"
Me: "Yeah."
Inspector: "OK. You passed."

lol

 

[Ease]

Haha... The only thing better than the conversation you noted was the voices I imagined speaking it.
lol

 

[valvesprung]

Hey can you throw up some close ups of the seat. I may go the same route on mine this winter, but would like a little inspiration. Thanks.

 

[slushie07]

What kind of paint did you use, I have a kz400 that I am going to make in to a cafe racer but I am not sure about the paint. Thinking about Duplicolor paint Shop, but i have read some bad things about it. What do you think?