New 83 440 LTD Northern Kentucky Owner - I have cafe questions :)

Picked up this running beauty yesterday for $800. I want to do a cafe theme. Where are you guys getting your straight pipes? I want to put on some short ones. Also, for the cafe seats, where are you relocating the battery and wires?

couple questions first:

what riding experience do you have?
what mechanical/maintenance experience do you have?

I've been riding for over 20 years off and on. My main bike is a 2017 Yamaha FZ-07. I do general mechanical/maint on bikes. Recently I just installed a full exhaust, DNA filter, and an electronic jet kit on my Yamaha. I've replaced the signals, fender eliminator kit, oil changes, clutch levers, instrument cluster moves...etc. I'm pretty mechanically inclined.

I'm new to these Kawasaki bikes. I took mine out at lunch time for the first time up to the gas station. It bogged down pretty bad going up a hill. I had to keep the RPMs pretty high. This bike hasn't been run in some time so I threw some seafoam in the gas tank last night and used starter fluid to get it going. Seems to be running ok just boggs down when I give it gas. I've been trying to do some reading on these carbs. I might attempt to pull mine off and clean them to see if that helps. Any suggestions on what to check, let me know. I'm still doing some research on YouTube and this forum.

Also, what happens if I just cut my stock pipes off at the muffler? Will that cause performance issues?

You're going to want to pull those carbs before changing anything else... at the very least it's going to need a soak in something like berryman's carb dip and all passages sprayed out with compressed air. I wouldn't waste my time with that though and would go straight to a few rounds in an ultrasonic cleaner followed by a thorough going over with an air jet.

The 440 ltd is not going to have ANY aftermarket whatsoever, so anything you do is going to have to be from universal parts or completely custom.
Keep in mind changing up the exhaust and messing with the airbox is going to have a big impact on how the bike runs (jetting, throttle response, overall performance). In fact, I'd put money on the fact that any changes to the intake/exhaust will do more harm than good.

If it were me, I'd do a full service, add in-line fuel filters, replace all wheel and stem bearings with all-balls bearings, put some progressive or hagon shocks on the back, progressive springs in the front, braided brake lines, fork brace, nice tires, and a dyna ignition/coils.

That will give you a really fun, economical bike to ride without reducing performance.

The only aftermarket support the 440's have, luckily are new diaphragms for the carbs.

Very closely inspect them for rips right near where they attach to the slide. That is often the first area that rips.

If they have holes, that will cause bogging. There are many other causes for bogging, but that is one, and a common one on the 400/440's.

There is a place called JBM industries that makes diaphragms.

Like Moveover said, messing with the airbox or pipes may require minor or major rejetting. You will want to make it run right on stock exhaust and airbox first to make sure there aren't other things going on. After it's running perfectly, then you can try and alter one thing at a time to make changes. That way you will know what each change does. It's a lot easier than making a whole bunch of changes on a bike that doesn't run right in the first place and then guessing which change caused which effect.

Appreciate it guys. I do not have an air box on mine. The carbs just have two filters hanging off. Is it pretty easy to pull the carbs off the bike and soak them? What all do I need to take off the carb before soaking them. I read you can use pine sol, is this a good option?

Move0ver wrote: You're going to want to pull those carbs before changing anything else... at the very least it's going to need a soak in something like berryman's carb dip and all passages sprayed out with compressed air. I wouldn't waste my time with that though and would go straight to a few rounds in an ultrasonic cleaner followed by a thorough going over with an air jet.

The 440 ltd is not going to have ANY aftermarket whatsoever, so anything you do is going to have to be from universal parts or completely custom.
Keep in mind changing up the exhaust and messing with the airbox is going to have a big impact on how the bike runs (jetting, throttle response, overall performance). In fact, I'd put money on the fact that any changes to the intake/exhaust will do more harm than good.

If it were me, I'd do a full service, add in-line fuel filters, replace all wheel and stem bearings with all-balls bearings, put some progressive or hagon shocks on the back, progressive springs in the front, braided brake lines, fork brace, nice tires, and a dyna ignition/coils.

That will give you a really fun, economical bike to ride without reducing performance.

Speaking of ultrasonic cleaner, what type do you use. I saw one on Harbor Freight's website (2.5litre) for $70. Think I could fit the carb in this small thing?

I have the cheap silver one from harbor freight.. it can do about 2/3rds ish of a bank of 4 carbs.

For carb cleaning I use a 50-50 mix of original krud-kutter and distilled water. I run it for at least 5-10 5 minute heated cycles and then blow out all passages with compressed air.

Grab the service manual.
Do a Google search for KZ440 service manual. Should be the first selection.
It only goes up to 1982, but it should be pretty close.

Read the reviews on the Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner. There is an area you need to seal to prevent water from getting to the electronics.

F64 wrote: Grab the service manual.
Do a Google search for KZ440 service manual. Should be the first selection.
It only goes up to 1982, but it should be pretty close.

Read the reviews on the Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner. There is an area you need to seal to prevent water from getting to the electronics.

Hi F 64 You have become quite the prolific poster . AS a new member how about posting your own post intro here in New Members and be sure to include pictures
Welcome Dave

Will do Dave.
Thanks
mike

Do you guys remove the diaphragm or any other components from the carb before you throw it in the ultrasonic cleaner?