1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD
- Thread starter vwrabbit
- Start date
vwrabbit
Been Around the Block
Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD cafe style
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 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.
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vwrabbit
Been Around the Block
Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD cafe style
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.
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.
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Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD cafe style
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.
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.
vwrabbit
Been Around the Block
Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD cafe style
Now that I have the tank on, I'm not a fan either. I'll be painting the tank cherry red to match the rest. The front fender is from an 84 Shadow 500.
I agree it's not the best candidate for a true cafe, but it's what I had. Going to try a rearset setup. I've seen a few that look decent.
The seat will be a custom cover. The foam is being a pain though to shape.
Now that I have the tank on, I'm not a fan either. I'll be painting the tank cherry red to match the rest. The front fender is from an 84 Shadow 500.
I agree it's not the best candidate for a true cafe, but it's what I had. Going to try a rearset setup. I've seen a few that look decent.
The seat will be a custom cover. The foam is being a pain though to shape.
Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD cafe style
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.
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.
vwrabbit
Been Around the Block
Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD cafe style
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.
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.
vwrabbit
Been Around the Block
Re: 1982 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD
Thanks for moving the thread.
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...
Thanks for moving the thread.
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...
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vwrabbit
Been Around the Block
Got the tank sealed. Have the process in a thread in the Tanks and seats section. The major leak repair shown here.
Also got the exhaust sorted out. Emgo shorties with baffle mods (welded a washer across the exit and drilled holes around the baffle perimeter).
Also got the exhaust sorted out. Emgo shorties with baffle mods (welded a washer across the exit and drilled holes around the baffle perimeter).
