Greetings from my KZ400 and I

Hello All,
New member from Frederick, MD here. Been riding about 5 years now.. started out on a 2000 Triumph Adventurer, then a Honda 919 where i got more into touring and track days and..well everything.

I decided to get into vintage bikes. I wanted something small and simple that I could learn some wrenching on and my gf will be able manage as she learns following the MSF course the next couple weeks. I also wanted it to have some potential in case i decide to go down the cafe path at some point. I found a running 76 KZ400 D3 I believe. I went and checked it out, test rode, realized it was a bit rougher than i expected but everything seemed to work and it had a title. Paid too much for it ($960) and rode it home! Admittedly not the brightest idea.. I really need to invest in a hitch for my Saab 9-3 Aero.. Somewhere on that ride home amidst the smoking exhaust and noticeable oil bath the bike was getting I realized I probably paid too much for it. But! live and learn. it's here now and I'm excited to get it back in shape and have some fun with it!

Let's see if i can figure out pictures..
Here's me and the KZ at it's new home:



My other bike:

2007 Honda 919 (and the gf )

Welcome. Links don't work.
Steve

you would think that google, with all their bazillion different apps... would have one that makes it easy to direct link an image.. i just don't get why it has to be this hard.. working on it.
edit:
should work now, from picasa.

CKutz_GO wrote: you would think that google, with all their bazillion different apps... would have one that makes it easy to direct link an image.. i just don't get why it has to be this hard.. working on it.

Check out this link:
www.kzrider.com/forum/8-about-the-site/5...posting-pics-is-easy

The long links worked for me by copying and pasting in the browser address.
I then put a screen shot in MS Paint, cropped and saved it as a pic file, and then proceeded as shown in the link.

If later needed, here are abbreviated link forms for two of the long links:

me and the KZ at it's new home

my other ride

Good Fortune!

Welcome. Love the KZ400s. I only paid $200 for my 400 but I was easily into as much as you spent just getting it to where I could ride it. Don't worry about the $960. You did fine.,
Be aware that some parts are difficult to find.

CKutz_GO wrote: you would think that google, with all their bazillion different apps... would have one that makes it easy to direct link an image.. i just don't get why it has to be this hard.. working on it.
edit:
should work now, from picasa.

Aint that the truth, used to be so easy. But yeah you can get the direct image link from picasa. Problem is, picasa is going away soon.

ThatGPzGuy wrote: Welcome. Love the KZ400s. I only paid $200 for my 400 but I was easily into as much as you spent just getting it to where I could ride it. Don't worry about the $960. You did fine.,
Be aware that some parts are difficult to find.

I sorta thought more parts would be available but I guess we'll see once i really dig into it. It looks like Z1 enterprises has seals/gaskets. I saw mention of another forum @ armbell.com but i guess that one is no longer up, so this is the place to be?

Where is the best place to get advice on these and see what the general consensus is on topics like upgrading suspension, tires, electric ignition, oil leaks.. should I go subject by subject in the different forums or just start a project thread? I did some searching last night around midnight which didn't seem to go so well but maybe now that i'm mostly awake i can explore the site some more.

KZRog wrote:

CKutz_GO wrote: you would think that google, with all their bazillion different apps... would have one that makes it easy to direct link an image.. i just don't get why it has to be this hard.. working on it.
edit:
should work now, from picasa.

Aint that the truth, used to be so easy. But yeah you can get the direct image link from picasa. Problem is, picasa is going away soon.

great.. what a pain.. I don't want to pay for photobucket when i have gigabytes of space with google. hmm..

CKutz_GO wrote: I sorta thought more parts would be available but I guess we'll see once i really dig into it. It looks like Z1 enterprises has seals/gaskets. I saw mention of another forum @ armbell.com but i guess that one is no longer up, so this is the place to be?

Where is the best place to get advice on these and see what the general consensus is on topics like upgrading suspension, tires, electric ignition, oil leaks.. should I go subject by subject in the different forums or just start a project thread? I did some searching last night around midnight which didn't seem to go so well but maybe now that i'm mostly awake i can explore the site some more.

This is the best KZ site period. The old KZ400 site (armbell) was good too but it died.
I usually post different questions that way someone searching can find the answers as well. Check out NewJerseychick's project thread for good ideas, She hasn't posted for a while but she was doing fantastic work. I hope she is back on it now that things are warming up.
In the meantime you can peruse Ivar's old site KZ400.com
Here is what my $200 D3 looked like when I dragged it home:

Here's a pic of my favorite KZ400 café bike. Love this thing..,