TOPIC:

Hi Team
Does anyone know anything about this low mileage 1975 KZ400D which I've just bought. [to replace the one some cxxx stole] It spent all its life in a dealers showroom in Nebraska before coming to the UK about 5 years ago which is when I first saw it on ebay. Someone bought it here in the UK and registered it. Can anyone add to the story?

Thanks
Andy

What dealership?


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Jim Budke in McCook Nebraska. His son Stephan now has an HD dealership in North Platte and confirmed the story. Do you know it?

Apparently Jim Budke was a Kawasaki dealer / agent and bought it for himself. It came from the Lincoln Nebraska plant with frame number 39 dated January 1975, which is when the plant started production so must have been made in the first hour of the first day. There's an identical one in the Lincoln factory museum. Frame number 1.

Jim Budke rode it on a few parades and the milage is genuine.

So, are you going to preserve it or ride it?

I'm in two minds. I bought it to ride it, but then when I started looking into the history and realised its bike 39 and its factory perfect I'm starting to think it would spoil it to even fit new tyres and there might be some Kawasaki nut out there that would like it in a collection.

Z1Boy wrote: I'm in two minds. I bought it to ride it, but then when I started looking into the history and realised its bike 39 and its factory perfect I'm starting to think it would spoil it to even fit new tyres and there might be some Kawasaki nut out there that would like it in a collection.

I agree. It would be better suited to be preserved in a Kawasaki museum or other collection. If ridden it soon would be just another KZ440 even though it would certainly be a very nice one. Ed

Some closeup pics of the details could be of use in the future to anyone wishing to restore one.

We don't know 400's well at all, so we'd have to defer to the other forum members for specifics.

There have been some things on Z-1's s we've wished that there had been detailed pics archived of factory original bikes. In today's world of digital cameras it would be a perfect opportunity to save detailed images of a factory original 400.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

Yes, he should photographically document the crap out of that bike.... for posterity's sake.

Z1Boy wrote: Jim Budke in McCook Nebraska. His son Stephan now has an HD dealership in North Platte and confirmed the story. Do you know it?

Apparently Jim Budke was a Kawasaki dealer / agent and bought it for himself. It came from the Lincoln Nebraska plant with frame number 39 dated January 1975, which is when the plant started production so must have been made in the first hour of the first day. There's an identical one in the Lincoln factory museum. Frame number 1.

Jim Budke rode it on a few parades and the milage is genuine.

I'm in Lincoln.
I know of a few in southeastern Nebraska.
It might have come off the line on the first day but I doubt the first hour.
I should check out the museum.



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Sweet bike!

Z1Boy wrote: I'm in two minds. I bought it to ride it, but then when I started looking into the history and realised its bike 39 and its factory perfect I'm starting to think it would spoil it to even fit new tyres and there might be some Kawasaki nut out there that would like it in a collection.

If this is your dream bike I say change the tires, get new O-rings for the carbs and ride the piss out of it

Life's to short, have fun while you can, but don't take your eyes off of this one

It has some value now, after you start riding it, value goes to nothing. Valve seals can be bad. Sell it, make money, if you can.