New guy returning to the hobby

[Shoeman]

Hi, very cool place you have here. I'm just getting back into the bike thing again after almost a decade out of it. Found decent little '76 KZ400 close by so it followed me home last month. Once I saw it I had to have it, as my first bike a little over 30 years ago was a '77 400. I was quite surprised to stumble on this cafe racer phenomenon when I started looking for clip-ons and other parts for it. This was all stuff we were doing back then because you could not buy a factory road bike with clip on and rear sets back in the UJM days. So I'm glad to see parts and knowledge is out there now so readily. Some of you guys build absolutely beautiful bikes. My style was always more basic, concentrating on the go fast aspect and not so much on the pretty factor. But now I work in a collision repair shop and have access to paint and equipment so I can try a little harder on the appearance side.
My plan is sort of a '60's Brit style look, probably silver paint, maybe a black old style hump seat, chrome clip ons, leave the stock chrome front fender on. It has chrome shorty mufflers on it now with the stock downpipes in very good condition too luckily. Carbs need a rebuild as usual and I'm undecided between keeping the airbox or going to K&N's as I have a set left over from a GSXR carb project that fit the little kwak's carbs nicely. I'm not afraid of rejetting having lots of experience on that front.
I'm going on too long here. Looking forward to seeing all the projects here.
Geoff

 

[Shoeman]

Oops, picture loaded wrong. But you get the point I bet. It's cleanish. Dang Chromebook.

 

[yorkie350]

Welcome aboard mate look forward to ya progress n pics (lots of pics) haha got a great start there with those wheels no worries bout doin the ton on that ride 8) sounds like you got some ace ideas so run with em mate

 

[Shoeman]

Thanks Yorkie. I took a quick look at your Hailwood rep thread. Very nice work. Is that going to be a street ride or a track bike? Bet it'll howl when the revs are up!

 

[yorkie350]

Gonna be a street bike / parade bike no doubt gonna get it past the ton stalled the project a bit but seeing new projects starting fires me back up so cheers mate always here for Q&A's or ideas