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Maybe starting a KZ400 Cafe Racer Conversion...
- kznewbie
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I noticed a KZ400 go up for sale near me and I'm thinking of buying it to do a cafe racer conversion. Never built a cafe racer before but I can do some wrenching stuff. However, I've never welded in my life..
The bike I want to buy will be easy enough to get running, but I'm not sure how the conversion will go down. It looks like this is a 1980s model with the upswept rear part of the frame. Is it possible to get that straight in the cafe racer style? Would it be too difficult for a beginner welder? How do people even do the whole seat and cowl thing?
I posted this same question on reddit and was redirected here, so , hopefully I can find an answer. If not, I'll probably pass on this bike.
Thank you!
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- Nebr_Rex
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2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected
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- Nerdy
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If you're in the US, the "1980s model" would be a KZ440, rather than a 400. For model identification - and a metric boatload of other great info - check out www.kz400.com .
By "upswept rear part of the frame" it sounds like you're talking about a KZ440 LTD; this is the cruiser model that has a dip in the upper frame rail, which then angles up toward the tail. Does it have a "king and queen" cruiser-style seat?
I am currently working on a cafe conversion of a 1981 KZ440 LTD, and will let you in on a little secret: you can remove the seat cover and trim the stock seat foam into a good approximation of a bum-stop seat. You will however have to sew your own seat cover. This eliminates the need to worry about the dip in the frame rail: the seat remains on the stock pan and hinges, which is nice. Or you can buy one (foam + seat cover) from motorcycleseatsdirect.com if you want something off the shelf. Theirs also uses the stock seat pan but is pricey.
The bigger part of the conversion will be rearsets: there are no aftermarket rearsets for the KZ400/440 so you will need to work that out. I am thinking about using the rear passenger pegs because I have short legs and a long torso, so what would be awkward for normally-shaped people will work for me.
As Nebr_rex mentioned, find someone - preferably a pro - who can do the welding for you.
If the bike you're considering is indeed an LTD, it will have a cruiser-style fuel tank, which is not really conducive to the cafe look. I am doing a tank swap to get around that.
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R
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- Nebr_Rex
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2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected
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- Nerdy
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1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R
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- loudhvx
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1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
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- ThatGPzGuy
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Wise words these... I bought a KZ400 D3 to café but I ended up keeping it stock. It's too pretty to hack up. Now a 440 LTD is another matter...hack away. I ended up getting a XS650 Special to café which no one is going to miss.Nebr_Rex wrote: You can also check out DoTheTon.com or Caferacer.net . I suggest getting it running and riding in tip top shape first and then go to modifying your machine. As for the welding get someone who does it for a living or attend a class at your local community college.
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Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"
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- Nebr_Rex
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loudhvx wrote: Modifying the frame, without welding ability makes it tough. You would be better off with a frame that is already the shape you want. That said, I'd rather see an Ltd 440 cut up before an early 400 standard.
Amen.
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2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected
www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0
.
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