TOPIC:

Hello all!  I just picked up a non-running, no-papers KZ440A LTD project.  Looks like the last time it was on the road was 1987, based on the 'newest' inspection sticker on the forks. 

Question:  The bike was advertised as a 1981 but has a build date of 05/80.  The VIN is KZ440A-020774.  Does that make it an '80 or '81 model year?


Anyway, I own two other bikes, both Yamahas:  A 2002 YZF600R and a 1997 YZF1000R.  The 1000 I rebuilt from the ground up over the course of 16 months or so... That was a real project!  This one I bought because my wife wants to get into rebuilding small cars.  MGs and whatnot, so this should be the perfect thing for her to start learning on.

All the electrics seem to work, so I'm already ahead of the game.  Though there is a pair of snipped wires that I'll probably be asking about, and the battery terminals were cut.  Usually that's a result of the bike catching fire.  But everything seems to be in good shape, so who knows...

[img]blob:https://imgur.com/b141a91f-7965-4d29-8852-5a7fc37572d5[/img]

According to info at kz400.com/ModelidentificationFrameset.html it would appear to be an 80 model as the frame # for the 81 begins after the number you posted.  

By "no-papers" do you mean no title?  New York doesn't make it easy to fix that.  Do you know about the Vermont option?

kzrider.com/forum/13-bike-related/613317...registration?start=0


www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/609324...ment-for-a-barn-find
 

wrote:

 

Awesome, thanks for that info!  I just picked the bike up two days ago.  I'm trying to source some shop manuals.  I picked up a Haynes from Amazon, should be here any day.  

wrote:

By "no-papers" do you mean no title?  New York doesn't make it easy to fix that.  Do you know about the Vermont option?

kzrider.com/forum/13-bike-related/613317...registration?start=0


www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/609324...ment-for-a-barn-find


 

That's correct.  I've got all that paperwork set.  I had called VT DMV this afternoon to ask if I needed to do the VIN check (I don't) and I wanted to make sure I got the year right before I sent the paperwork in.

As soon as I said I was from NY she knew what I was trying to do.  In her words:  "For the low, low price of $78 we'll send you a transferrable registration that you can take to your DMV as well as a set of license plates for you to hang on your wall!"  Super friendly.

You can download a pdf version of the Kawasaki manual from here  kz400.com/Workshop%20manual%20bilder/Kaw...Service%20Manual.pdf