KZ400 cafe with a touch of class...

nice to see it up and running again amazing what a pro can do if needed not every mechanic is out to screw the world i like to hear when guy's are happy with someone in my chosen profession the key word being chosen. by the way it really looks good and you should be proud of your self you have done an awesome job

Well here's the latest project. I took my inspiration from a fellow KZ400 builder. A good buddy had the exhaust ready to be scrapped so I figured I couldn't justify not trying this out coonsidering the cost.

Materials used:
-worn out stock exhaust from an '81 KZ440D

-cocktail shakers (x2, purshcased at ROSS for $6/ea)

-1200 deg header paint
-heat wrap (grabbed from last exhaust)
-Duplicolor 500 deg Ceramic low gloss black (same as frame and engine)

Now the 440 system uses plate baffles rather then stuffing/fiberglass to muffle the sound. It gives the bike a throatier sound then the early bikes, but it's still very quiet.

crappy MSPaint pic to show basic idea:


Basically we cut down below both of the upper plates leaving only the lowest in the pipe. There is now only a plate with an off-center hole baffling the sounds and it's loud...but good loud..."f-ing angry gonna eat your babies" loud, but not quite "open pipe, gonna rupture your ear drum" loud

First cut (quickly moved to power tools...)


Then cut the strainers off of the cock tail shaker caps and slip them into position:


Painted the head pipes with header paint (had some decent surface rust and pitiing), wrapped em up, shot the "mufflers" in ceramic black, tossed the caps and chrome sheilds on and.......




As soon as the new gaskets arrive I'll poost installed pics with a real camera and maybe shoot a quick video. For about $42 I'm super happy with the results. The ride I took after a simple test fit felt much more open, sounds great, and and really got the neighbors lookin

that is an fantastic use of drinking apperati since i don't drink any more ididn't think there was any use for that kind of thing. that great thing is you can be loud and obnoxious with out being drunk.good idea.

Very nice, looks great. Love the ingenuity too, great idea.

Well I wish it was my idea, but this guy did it first:



My frame is definietly different though, the mounts don't exist where his do. It actually tucks up under the bike really nicely.

The original 2-1 system is extremely restrictive and the angles were horrible, beyond that it even had a tube inside smaller then the piping...

This system seems to pull much harder although I've yet to have a chance to really open it up as it was just test fitted for the first run.

This is a video of the bike I took the inspiration from:


And the build thread:
www.armbell.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63...start=0&mforum=kz400

He's building one badass looking KZ...seriously pissed off...

I got the gaskets tonight (finally) and got it mounted up. I'll try to have decent installed pics in the next few days.

My buddy Matt dropped by and snapped some wicked shots of the ol girl and her new exhaust. Thia thing sounds so angry...

...it may need a little jetting to get it perfect, but it seems to be pretty great.





Last couple of things are the tail light/plate situation (really sick of that thing...)and a new battery before spring.

updates!!!

Since these photos I've managed to get a NEW exhaust on. The home made pipes, while cool, were dragging through corners. I ordered up a set of Norton seamless peashooters and they f-ing rock. They have a super lopey deep rumble at idle and a nice Brit rasp at high RPM. My initial plan was to run them upswept like this:


Unfortunately being a kick only bike I simply didn't have the clearance and realized I like how clean they look tucked against the frame.




And today I threw a new set of bars on. Along with the bars I've also installed proper headlamp ears and lowered the lamp, new signals all around, new plate bracket, new lower gauge bracket, ditched the idiot lights, moved the ignition to the bottom of the headlamp, disassembled and completely refinished the control assemblies, new levers, and some fresh paint on the triples.





It's a lot less cafe now, but damn is it comfy. I'm going to make a more bratstyle seat for it, and some custom slim city bag style saddle bags, hopefully both in a deep chocolate brown to really set of the brit bike style.

(along these lines)


It;s really nice to know I could just jump on, fill up, and ride it all the way to the beach now without cramping up. It's also better for 2-up (as my wife has decided she loves this and needed her own gear) so I'm really happy. The only down side is the look, but it's growing on me.

Wow no cafe love eh?

I figured with these new "back to standard" mods it might appease you

A friend and I went to a Rockabilly/Rat Rod show on Saturday and showed the bikes. Had a great time except for the ride home in a down pour...

Lots of love here. I have always loved your bike. Really like the new pipes. Bit upset that you are removing some of the cafeness though

Looking good.

+1 Love the bike. Looks great! Actually gonna take a little inspiration from this into my bobber 440 build. Really liked the clubmans better but function over fashion is cool with me.
Nice work.
Fun thread to follow.

valvesprung wrote:

I also swapped the bars out for a set that are WAAAAAAY less aggressive and far more comfortable. I may still swap out for drag bars but we'll see how I like these.

Great looking bike! Where did you get these milder clubman bars? I have been wanting a set that didnt' have as much forward offset as my current ones.