KZ440 build

Been a rider for years, but never really got into building until a recent project that a couple of my boys wanted me to get going on. Picked up this running '80 440a for almost nothing. It had new tires on it an, but needed carbs adjusted. Using this forum quite a bit for inspiration, I decided to tear into it. A couple of pics. The bike as I got it and my "helpers"

I've gone a ways on it and I'll update with more pics as I get time. This is a slow process for me because I have a ton of projects I work on at one time. I'd love to devote my time to this, but riding season is already upon us and I gotta take the Harley out for some long distance trips.

So I bought this bike to give to my wife. We have enjoyed 2uping on my Harley for a number of years and she has showed an interest in her own bike for awhile. I thought a smaller bike with a low seat (she's short) and not too much snort would be good. As it turns out, she enjoys sitting behind me more then she wants her own bike. I'm fine with that, but it changed the final product in my head. Not that I was going to skimp or make a crappy bike, but now I gotta figure out what I want. My older boys are into cars, dirt bikes and crotch rockets right now. The oldest, who is in the marines, built a Savage 650 and rode it once. Now it's a dead duck. I'll fix it when he's closer to leave. Anyway...
I like the slammed look. But I didn't want to get rid of the rear suspension, in case my wife changed her mind (which she will). As an experiment, I wanted to see how much I could drop the bike just by extending the rear swing arm. The height of my KZ440 from the ground to the center of the upper shock mount is 25.5"

I cut the swing arm towards the rear where it straightens out. I have specs for all of this, just not with me now. I found some pipe that was close to the OD of the swing arm tubine (1 and 3/16ish) and some inner pipe that fit inside. I drilled holes and plug welded it and grinded it smooth.

Extending the rear swing arm 3" drops the height of the bike to the center of the upper shock stud to just under 24". I like the look of the bike with the rear wheel back there, but that funky frame is going to give me fits.

So, in the process of building a sand-blasting cabinet, I decided that I was going to ditch the 2 carb setup and go with a single carb. I'm going to be honest here and tell you that I'm a cheap bastard. If I can't find it laying around in one of my junk piles or can't fabricate it myself, it's not going on this bike. I love metal fabrication and really enjoy doing it. I don't have a tig, that's my only problem... or a tubing bender.... or a decent lathe... or a decent milling machine... oh well. I wish I was rich. Being in a small town in Montana keeps my options limited. I don't have access to much of anything, so if I can't make it, I gotta do without. I'll post updates on my single carb conversion I'm doing with a Mikuni VM34. My intake manifold may be ugly, but I hope it works.

440 with single VM 34 myself. The 440 can be a zippy bike with that setup. The bottom end is much better that way. Excited to see what you do with it. Not to many Kzs alive around here. What part of Montana do you live in? I'm always all over western side of the state, just wondering if there will be another 440 a to look out for

I'm on eastern side of the state. If I do head into the mountains I will probably be on my big bike. With as small of a bike this is, and me being 6'4" I don't think I'll be taking any long trips with it.

The bike is small for the interstate. I usually pack my bike around with me while I'm traveling so I can get out of my truck and get some ride time in when I'm not busy. Out of curiosity did your bike have the air filter holder that attaches to the airbox when you got it? Just wondering if your tossing that sort of stuff. Some do. Pretty rare to find them intact.

I will see what I got left. I'm pretty sure I got the airbox still. Got the carbs too. The boots were no good though. I'll snap some pics when I get a chance.

Was a tough week. No time to post. Short a couple guys in the shop and had to dual role. I did make some headway though. Got frame and Swingarm stripped and sanded. Sorry. Forgot to take pics. I also started to smooth out my welds on the Swingarm extension. Thought I will do a little molding on both because the weld jobs from the factory are absolute crap. I think for at least 4 welds on my frame they ran out of gas because the welds were hollow. I've had to re-weld half the frame to clean it up. I'm about 1 day from priming frame when I realize I didn't build a bracket to secure my rear fender yet. Shit! I was all primed for primer. Oh well. Gonna mock it up again. Bite the bullet and cut my rear frame off even though I don't have a seat yet and mount a rear fender. Wish me luck.

Oh ya. My single carb intake manifold



Hooked to my VM34



I'll let you know on jetting when I get her running.

So I guess I'm alone here. I know I'm doing this slow, but I got an extra full time job plus after hour jobs. I finally decided to hack off the rear of the bike. I don't like the unfinished look of the 440a frame without doing something. I took the end loop of the frame and cut it right at the weld, made some additional cuts and welded it with an upward angle. I'm making my own seat, starting with a fiberglass pan and I liked the angles.

If you want a straight loop, the existing rear tube fits exactly inside of the frame.

I am broke again on this project. My wife has cut me off but paint is going to be pricy. I'm looking for some primer that fills grinds and the horrible welding job the factory did. I've filled in some and grinder many others down, but I like smooth. Any suggestions? I don't need a gallon. Prolly a pint would do. I have a gun, no rattle can please. More pics:

aleech wrote: So I guess I'm alone here. :

I have noticed there is not a ton of love on this forum for bikes that get heavily modified. There is just so many that get hacked up and end up as parts because they never get finished. Keep up the good work and I'm sure your thread will get some attention. Just need to make it to the putting it back together phase first. I get interested in seeing modified 440s to see how they turn out. Personally though I have spent the last year trying to get mine back to stock, using the 2 in 1 as a bandaid. After 5K miles on the 2in 1 I have given up on it ever running correctly but it's good enough for the time being. Maybe you can get it working better than I have been able too so I'm excited to see how it all turns out for you. Good luck with it.

Okay, so this site obviously doesn't upload more then one pic at a time. I didn't proofread my last post to see that no pics were up. Sorry. As to not finishing? That is out of the question. My oldest is in the marines. I built a bobber out of his Savage. I ride with him when he's on leave. My wife can't cause she has no bike. That has to change. But it must be to her specs. With her paint jobs and tooled leather seat. I get to play with the frame and tooling the seat will be fun. I built a seat pan the other day to start on the seat. I'm going to upload some pics. But very slowly.

This my next oldest boy who is a few inches taller then my wife.