1981 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD Rebuild

[Kickstand]

Greetings... Need some advice!!!!

I have a 81 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD, This bike has the "stock" Keihin CV 36 carbs which I have been told there are no after market jet kits. I would like to change the stock Air Box and change the stock exhaust, but not sure what carbs will work. I was told to try Mikuni VM 32's. Anybody who has had this bike or knows what combination of carbs and or jets would be a BIG HELP to me. I have seen many of these bikes made into cafe racers and bobbers and I know the carbs have been changed and modified.... just can't find anybody that knows first hand.... Any solid advice would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks!!!!

 

[shooter janes]

Actually, this company sells jet kits for those carbs on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-KZ440LTD-KZ-440-LTD-Twin-Bobber-Custom-Carburetor-Carb-Stage1-3-Jet-Kit-/330805444189?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d058a7e5d&vxp=mtr

I have the same bike, and I'm planning on using that jet kit. I've heard good things about it from other kz riders who have used it!

 

[Nebr_Rex]

I tried Sigma on KZ 750/4, to evaluate the contents and how close there configuration was, it's still on the bike.
In my situation the kit wasn't a cure all but it is close, still a little lean down low.
For someone going in blind or very little experience the instructions will help a lot.
As for round slides 28 or 30 for everyday riding,any bigger and low rpm throttle response will suffer.

.

 

[SoyBoySigh]

Another really good pointer on KZ type CV carb rebuild, is that somebody's making replacement skirts for the pistons. AKA "diaphragm", I call 'em skirts - I think most folks know what I mean. Got CV's on my Honda and my Kawasaki, and though the Honda type is solid alloy and seems like it would be almost bullet-proof, the Kawasaki type seem to be really light-weight in comparison, so I'd expect quicker response out of 'em - if only you could "expect" anything but the old ones cracking at any given time and throwing your tune all out of whack. Used to be you had to buy the entire piston if you had a cracked skirt on it, and of course they ran like garbage if at all if there was a crack. So the skirts are an awesome break-through and a huge dollar savings. Just massive differences, last time I saw an OEM piston with skirt it was listed at something like $160-$200, (at which point I bought a spare set of carbs from the junk-yard and did a mix-and-match on the old parts) whereas these replacement do-hickeys that I found on e-bay a while back were something like FORTY. You've gotta do a little bit of arts and crafts and stuff, but they give you all of the right glues and everything. I think they were made from Viton or some such, and they'd remind you of a diaphragm/condom/french-tickler hybrid of some sort. Hell, I might as well search for a link ... here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-KAWASAKI-81-83-KZ440-2PCS-CARB-SLIDE-DIAPHRAGM-CARBURETOR-RUBBER-PART-/271097932200?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f1eb229a8&vxp=mtr

-Silas.

 

[shooter janes]

Silas, thanks for the pointer!! I pray I won't need to use it, but I do have an '81 kz440 so I DEFINITELY bookmarked that skirt on ebay.

 

[Nebr_Rex]

Keihin cv34s (KZ750) and cv36s (KZ440) use many of the same parts.
Only the bodies and butterflies are different.
Even the carb spacing is the same on the center carbs, so you can a KZ750 rack for a replacement.
Here is a pic of cv34s off a 750 modified with fuel injectors for a 440.