Brat-ish build: '81 KZ-440B

Nebr_Rex wrote: Shift fork is bent just a little.
You have to split the cases.

that would be a whammy....

any other things that i could check first before pulling the engine? I've never messed around with the shifter/transmission on the bike before.

Have you ever shifted clutchless?

No, not on this bike. I just got the bike a little bit ago and it wasn't in running condition, but maybe the PO has.

So I rotated the shift lever down (counter clockwise) one spline and it seemed to have fixed it for now. It feels a little low (especially if I wear boots), but it shifts perfectly. So, for now, crisis averted!

This afternoon after I get back from the gym, i'll pull the engine covers and paint them gloss black. Then tomorrow i'll clear coat them and snap some pics!

engine cover gaskets came off in a couple pieces...waiting for new ones to come in off the ebays.

got a couple boxes in today...




I should finish painting the engine covers and putting this stuff on by the middle of next week, as i'm going to pittsburgh for the weekend for a friends birthday.

I got some goodies today: gaskets for the engine covers, now i can finally put them back on, and an EL12 flasher relay to speed up the blinkers a little. They flashed about once every 4 seconds with the stock thermo unit.

Tomorrow the engine covers will go on, i need to flush out the motor now that all the little bits of old gasket fell in from scraping, torque some things down, drop the front end a little further down the forks, then i should snap a picture for you guys.

My cateye rear light is also on it's way over the Pacific from the Peoples Republic, once that's in i'll chop the rear fender and put it on as well.

well i just finished:

clubmans
grips
weighted bar ends
exhaust wrap
engine covers
signals
rear fender chop
taillight
lowered the front end a little
replaced flasher relay with EL12 to flash quicker.

when i first got her:



now:

next up will be bigger tires, sprockets and chain, rebuild front forks with gaiters, and doing something about the seat

i'm thinking of plasti-dipping the whole tank gloss black and scotch-brite'ing the fuel cap. what do you think?

I think that you just solved my tail light mounting issues for me. Thanks! :laugh:

I also think that you might want to do some polish work before you decide on the tank, it's really really sharp, I'd personally like to see some pics with that paint and a nice shiny engine. Or a painted one. It's already nice and I think it'd be awesome with some detail work. Maybe decals of some sort and some clear coat?

Might want to get some sealant on those header wraps, help protect them and really make them pop!

Overall I'd say good freakin' job, keep it up, you should be proud of your progress so far!

Killman wrote: I think that you just solved my tail light mounting issues for me. Thanks! :laugh:

I also think that you might want to do some polish work before you decide on the tank, it's really really sharp, I'd personally like to see some pics with that paint and a nice shiny engine. Or a painted one. It's already nice and I think it'd be awesome with some detail work. Maybe decals of some sort and some clear coat?

Might want to get some sealant on those header wraps, help protect them and really make them pop!

Overall I'd say good freakin' job, keep it up, you should be proud of your progress so far!

thanks for the kind words. I spent a little time with a scotch-brite pad on the engine, but couldn't really get much. And without taking the motor out, I don't know how i could paint it. If you have any suggestions, let me know, because i agree that it would look much better with the motor polished.

where do you guys get the silicone spray for the wrap?