16yr old with kz440.

Hey guys, I found this forum when i was searching for a source that will help me later on. I am 16. I am new to street bikes but not motorcycles. I rode dirt for a while but then traded my dirt bike for my '65 Corvair. I am working more now so i saved and am buying a 1980 kz440. We will be picking it up early Sunday morning.

The bike only has 2800 original miles, brand new tires, and is almost perfect mechanically speaking. It is the chain drive model, not belt. I attached the pictures from the add and will post up more once i have the bike back home.

welcome to the forum! Thats a great bike for a starter or for a long time rider! Any plans for customizing? By the way, don't worry, those bikes were never offered in belt drive thank god :laugh:

That should be a great bike to get out on. Sprockets are nice because its so easy/ cheap to replace/ regear. The belt drive that was available in your year was also popular, but I don't know how many optional ratio's would be out there. Good to see the younger guys keep the older bikes on the road.

Congrats on your kz. My first bike was a '79 kz400 which was basically the twin to your bike. Had lots of fun learning to fix and maintain it.

Hold on to that sissy bar. I looked a long time for one that fit my 400 and could never find one that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

Another good forum:
www.armbell.com/forum/index.php?c=6&sid=...b1a6b48&mforum=kz400

Hey! Hey! Wait a minute, that bike is almost twice his age. Isn't there laws against owning vehicles older than the owners? :laugh: Welcome to this forum. There are a lot of great people here with a lot of knowledge. Have fun, stay frosty and enjoy the ride.

riding on the street is an entirely different experience from dirt bikes. you have to be EXTREMELY defensive. don't take for granted that they see you. the IDIOTS will pull right into your path. when i see them preparing to do so, i flash my lights at them, slow and sometimes honk. in certain situations, i use cars/trucks as "blockers". talk to seasoned riders and they all have stories about the dangers of riding...

one guy told me that he and his buds were riding behind an empty pickup truck. the bedliner flew out right over their heads! i was riding at 65mph on a busy interstate and almost hit an aluminum ladder. i had a lady look right past me and pull into my path. i had a crazy black woman try to clip the front end of my bike after she tailgated me 5' at 60mph. i had another black woman on the interstate just cut me off because she was trying to make a cell call and my pipes were too loud. the list goes on.....

stardon wrote:

Hey! Hey! Wait a minute, that bike is almost twice his age. Isn't there laws against owning vehicles older than the owners? :laugh: Welcome to this forum. There are a lot of great people here with a lot of knowledge. Have fun, stay frosty and enjoy the ride.

Well sad news... My car is almost twice as old as the bike!

I am waiting for the seller to get back to me still. We are wanting to go pick it up tomorrow but if she doesn't get back to me with an address we wont be able to. Which would be a bummer because i am fixing a control rod on my car right now so i need the transportation

MasonHart wrote:

stardon wrote:

Hey! Hey! Wait a minute, that bike is almost twice his age. Isn't there laws against owning vehicles older than the owners? :laugh: Welcome to this forum. There are a lot of great people here with a lot of knowledge. Have fun, stay frosty and enjoy the ride.

Well sad news... My car is almost twice as old as the bike!

I am waiting for the seller to get back to me still. We are wanting to go pick it up tomorrow but if she doesn't get back to me with an address we wont be able to. Which would be a bummer because i am fixing a control rod on my car right now so i need the transportation

What kind of car please tell.

the only thing i tell newer street riders is everything...even if they know what the tune is ,i still give em my 2 cents......never know what may play back while riding one day...i learn stuff all the time and hope to never stop improving my skills and habits....habits will save your skin and your wallet...habits will hurt or help you on a street ride....imo

left turning cars are the number one killer.....they will wait till the last second and turn left right in front of you....i always look into their eyes and even weave to add to my profile......hell i am not above flicking my high beams or flashing off and on my head light...over time you can see the idiot just by the way they are driving....

never put your foot down in a slide on a street bike...my budy was an awesome dirt rider and used to borrow my kz550 to go do short rides and zipp around.....he snapped both his tibia and fibula and stuck the bones through his skin and into a muddy ditch...filling the marrow with debri.....he ws sliding in a light rain and tapped his foot to correct...it caught and he never even felt it snap...he feels it now though ...20 yrs later

tire pressure is sooooo important ...to know ,and know what you find to be your setting....for your age and bike size maybe try starting at 32 front and rear and see how it feels.. check it once a week and see if it is holding...check it on cold tires....try changing it up after a few eeks and see how that feels....


awesome bike...way low miles...you will be able to learn more on that bike in six months than a newbie on a crotch rocket may ever learn....that bike will help you find it's limitations and quirks as opposed to you getting into trouble and being in the deep end...you will go really, really, well on that thing in no time...and actually be able to rip around better cause it's a twin and light....welcome ...nice bike.......craig

So bad news... They sold the bike. And they werent even going to tell me! I had to call and call lol.

For those wonder what kind of car it is, I own a 1965 Chevy Corvair Monza.

The good news though, is i found a kz550 online about an hour and a half away. I will call the guy in the morning and see if its still there and what may be wrong with it. I may still be able to stay on this forum after all! I will update with pictures and so fourth if all goes well.