beater's kz400 build - video up!

[Rocan]

Re: beater's kz400 build - swingarm welded up

mono or dual shock?

that brace is awfully high... i would expect clearance issues of some sort?
work looks good... honestly speaking though... a brace half that tall would work just as well if not better then that sky high piece

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - swingarm welded up

dual shocks.

I copied it from a ducati... I am going to integrate a hugger on it I think.. we'll see. No clearance issues. batteries go between seat and upper frame rails and are only 1.25" thick. nothing in the lower triangle as electrical is all under the battery pan I welded in.

 

[Rocan]

Re: beater's kz400 build - swingarm welded up

dual shocks.

I copied it from a ducati... I am going to integrate a hugger on it I think.. we'll see. No clearance issues. batteries go between seat and upper frame rails and are only 1.25" thick. nothing in the lower triangle as electrical is all under the battery pan I welded in.

a hugger makes sense... i just think that keeping it exposed like that looks kind of dumb. something i noticed... it seems that the curve of the brace is directly over the curve of the swingarm... if this is true then you will have a gap between the hugger and the brace. put a wheel in to see what i mean.

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - swingarm welded up

Look back in the thread - there of mock ups on the bike. I like the exposed, but I'm weird.


you know, it's not that I am all that good, but the factory welds really are crappy on this machine.
the right side took a grind out, then a root pass, then a cover run. I also did a head tube/frame gusset. pics later.

before:

after:

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - going back together

ok -
it's going back together now. I did the frame in a spray on bedliner, no, not line-x, but a can version. basically a tough textured paint. I have it on the fzr, and I have been pleased with the results.

I polished all the covers, not mirror polish, nor did I remove the 30 yr old nicks and scratches. I took some out, but I WANT this thing to have some character when it goes back together.

I have the rear shoes and front wheel bearings on order, then I can get it back to being a roller. I need to paint the front caliper, and I am seriously considering dropping the kawi green for a silver on the tank/tail. If I go there, I'll do a red caliper. I don't think a geen bike will be good with a red caliper. It'll look like it's bleeding.

oh, and the reason I haven't posting up. I have been in a serious funk sense my tail fell off the work bench and dented the rear corner of the tail. THAT pissed me off, let me tell ya.

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - going back together

well - it rolls again.

Looks like I guessed right on the kickstand re-location. I got the brace mounted correctly as well. I tried a gm silver, but didn't like that. I might use the VW reflex silver though, that's the dark silver my W8 is painted. I also drilled the front rotor.

We'll see.

 

[diesel450]

Re: beater's kz400 build - going back together

Looks great! Gotta say again how much I like that seat!

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - going back together

houston, we have paint. I really should have gotten a new tank. It was really beat up and had around a pound of filler on it when I got it. I have to get some badges yet as well. There's about 20 hours sanding in the tank.

decided on a metal flake black. seat is going to be red or black foamI have red laying around, we'll see. I also bought a sprocket on ebay a while back, as mine was TOAST. (teeth looked like a wave). So I hadn't even unpacked it, and today put it on while final coat was curing. Low and behold, it was aluminum! Damn thing weighs less than a 1/4th of the old steel one! I still have to wire it back up fully and figure out exhaust and rear lights. I scrapped the two into one center dump. probably going with 12" shorty's..


Introducing "bucky". I usually don't name my builds, but somehow, it just fits this thing. A nickname some little tough guy might have I think..

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - almost done introducing "bucky"

oh - and for grins - the day it entered the shop:

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - almost done introducing "bucky"

got the wiring tucked up in the back. I used these:

This is the result. Pic is taken looking up. From side or standing, wiring appears hidden.

 

[CresentSon]

Re: beater's kz400 build - almost done introducing "bucky"

Cool build for sure, but the fender brace is distractingly high. +1 on the seat/paint looking great.

 

[thompsonmx100]

Re: beater's kz400 build - almost done introducing "bucky"

Looking good. I really like those 400 frames all kawis should have had straight subframes. I would have to agree with the fender brace comment. It looks goofy. You should be able to drill the rivets out of your original front fender and remove the brace from it and mount that to your forks. Looks good otherwise. keep it up.

 

[beater]

Re: beater's kz400 build - almost done introducing "bucky"

I hear you all on the brace, but I don't have my forming jig for cold bends any more, and the vintage flat tracker brace was cool. It really doesn't look all that bad in person, and well, function over form right?? I will eventually build a bmw style brace for it, but I couldn't find a used one to mod for less than 90 bucks, and I can build one for like 10.00 when I have the time. Telefix and tarozzi's were like 100 NOS. I think the new tire rubber will help fill the space too.

I got the wiring all tucked in the headlight last night, and the grips on, and put oil in her and cranked it a few times. I just need to find a tail light/license plate combo that doesn't cost 60.00!

 

[beater]

almost done - needs the tank badges from flea bay.

kz400 cafe

 

[noahdog]

It's coming together nicely. Do you happen to have any close up pics of the rear brake linkage? I'm curious to see how you hooked it all up since I've got rearsets on my KZ400 as well.

 

[beater]

It's coming together nicely. Do you happen to have any close up pics of the rear brake linkage? I'm curious to see how you hooked it all up since I've got rearsets on my KZ400 as well.

like this?

 

[thompsonmx100]

Hey I hear ya on not wanting or being able to make your own brace. I will send you mine for the cost of shipping. The chroms not too bad on it but it could use paint. PM me if interested.

 

[ClintSHF]

dude this bike is awesome. I love everything about it, i would deff vote this for botm. great job man keep on it.

 

[beater]

Hey I hear ya on not wanting or being able to make your own brace. I will send you mine for the cost of shipping. The chroms not too bad on it but it could use paint. PM me if interested.

it's really a time issue. metal is easy. I have the tube but the bmw/superbike style actually flexes more than this thing, just in my hands. It really does look better in person. I have some stainless sheet laying around that I may make a fender out of to go under it.