Kz440 resurrections

Been finding kz440s around southwest Wyoming. It's amazing what a guy can find by driving around. Found my white kz at a junk yard for $50. And a belt drive for $150. With the winters we get and the money I make I have time to get into these things and minimal cost (about $300 for whitey) to get running. Anyways here's some pics.

Looks great! Brings back some fond memories of my old 440 Traded a set of 6x9 speakers for it and ran it near non-stop for five years!

I've been lucky not to have ran into any major problems with these. Just starter motor and the hours if not days of checking/cleaning things. Even though the belt drives carb diaphragms are shot. But, trying the 2 into manifold with the vm34. Learning sucks but, knowledge gained is priceless. So much fun I can't even put into words. It's a shame some of these end up as lawn decor.

Budget build of the 81 kz440. Bike $150, Athena gasket kit, led blinker set, rear brake/running lights, all hand controls, tires (Shinko), paint for motor and wheels and the starter rebuild all for 254.98.

So the starter has burnt brushes. Pulled the motor apart and everything looks great/smooth. Got rid of the front light assembly and brake line hose. So next stop is wait for parts and clean up the frame and wheels. To bad you can't buy time and elbow Greese cheap. This is the pics so far.

Pistons look alright. Except for the carbon

Cleaned with brake clean to knock off welded of road tar. Followed by acidic aluminum wheel cleaner. Self etching hightemp primer. Then black!

Have the case done but no pics right now.

Block sanded the head only.

Sorry pics came in sideways. Just turn your screen.

Always glad to KZ's getting saved!

This thread has a guy making manifolds for s single carb conversion.
www.armbell.com/kz400/viewtopic.php?t=19597&mforum=kz400

That forum has a lot of threads about many people doing the conversion on their own.

There was a guy on ebay selling just the diaphragms, a while ago. I think it was like $40 for a pair.

11thhourindustries.com/store/#!/~/catego...offset=0&sort=normal

Figured material and hours and trial and error I'd be $200+

And the guy is so far great to work with. Highly recommend.


Picture from his site.

And I've had the dealings with the stock carbs and I don't like them.

That guy does some nice looking manifolds for sure, and yes, if time is money, that thing is a huge bargain!

flint wrote: And I've had the dealings with the stock carbs and I don't like them.

Heard That! :lol:

flint wrote: Sorry pics came in sideways. Just turn your screen.

Looking Fine!

Good Fortune!

Thanks Patton. I just wanted people cursing there smart phones.

When the ipad folks turn their screens, the pic re-adjusts to stay sideways. :lol:

Good Fortune!

Nice bikes, I moved to Seattle from Gillette Wyoming 3 years ago right after highschool. What did you use for the glossy finish?