Hiya, KZ folks! I'm back in the fold now after, oh, 24 years. I had a 1978 KZ400-B1 in grad school, great bike, and my (now) wife and I used to two-up motocamp on it in New England, which seems nearly impossible now. Bicycle panniers, luggage rack with tent and bags, and she wore a backpack. We had a blast!
Now we're hardcore BMW people - my wife and I tour and camp and go to rallies on a 1991 K75RT, the bike I dreamed about back when I had the KZ400. (The quote on my sig is from a letter to Cycle World about their review of the revolutionary K100.) I'm active in the Madison BMW Club and am currently the VP and webmaster.
I also like to ride track days, and have a track-only 2001 GSX-R600 for that purpose.
BUT, my wife has recently taken the MSF course and is now licensed to ride motorcycles, and I picked up a sweet 1983 KZ440 LTD Belt (D5) that fits her small body. A proper lady's mini-cruiser. It's all stock, and I threw a pair of Dunlops on it. I've really enjoyed the return to KZ maintenance, such simple bikes, like working on a bicycle, not to mention that warm sound of the old twin. I've synched the carbs, set the valve clearances, ran a fair bit of Sea Foam through it, bled the brake line, replaced three cables, charged the battery, and it runs great. I'm planning to replace the headlamp with a Candlepower H4 bulb unit so I can put a bright xenon in there, we'll probably move the front turn signals to stems out of the headlamp like a lot of other KZ's, we bought a National deflector shield for it, and I just bought a luggage rack.
So, no major mods for now, but a nice solid bike for commuting and day rides.
Sam Hokin - Santa Fe, NM
1991 BMW K75RT road | 1983 KZ440 cafe toy | 2006 SV-650 track
"BMWs are slugs, for gentleman riders who are also slugs." -- letter to Cycle World, 1984
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