Hello newbie here 1979 KZ400 LTD restore (Maybe)

I was given a 1979 KZ400 LTD that has sat outside for many years and it is a basket case, I have torn some of it down gearing up to pull the motor so I can get a better look at it this winter. Below are some pics of the project whether its a parts bike or a restore bike I am up for the challenge. I broke one of the spark plugs off Oh boy! I gotta get this one dealt with. I tried an easy out to no avail so its a pull her apart job, have to anyways she sat for a long time outside...

Shame they did not store it better...Well anyways take a gander and opinions are welcome, constructive or not...







Broken Spark Plug


Stripping her down so that I can pull the motor for the winter rebuild. (If its possible)


Another view of the teardown.


Opinions are welcome, whether constructive or not, have my work cutout here but I am welcoming the challenge.

that's a parts bike at best...would be too much coin (in my opinion) to restore...Craigslist appears to be the best site for bikes these day's ....keep looking for somthing better...

Muddy1

Depends if you want it back to complete stock look, or you just want to clean and pretty her up again. If you want to replicate stock it might be a bit costly. If it's a clean, there are few parts you'll actually need to replace as far as I can see.

I've seen way worse recovered. You got mags they're an easy cleanup restore. The top of the triple tree, clutch handle bracket, right and left controls look to me like the aluminum ones, which when stripped of the ugly paint polish up to a very nice buffed aluminum, do em while your at engine casings. Cleaning an/or replacing switches in controls is nothing.

Front tube inner's look trashed but you can grab them off any other 400/440 LTD. (Most scrappers here charge 75 for an entire leg which is an even simpler fix.) If front and rear fenders and chain guard are beyond bringing back with some cleaning they can be painted nicely along with tank and side covers.. and frame looks good in pics.

Don't know about where you live but 60 bucks would get a nice seat recover here, if the seat pan is still useable. Toss the silly HolyF bar in the trash.

Exhaust almost looks recoverable with some elbow grease. Motor casing bolts are cake to replace with nice stainless allens. Get a good Impact screwdriver (if ya ain't got one) if you don't want to spend hours digging at broken casing bolts. Carbs look like they've been kept closed, so unless the boots are trashed they can be polished as well and internally cleaned and refurbished.

You have the stock air box, that's BONUS! Heck even the rear shocks could be recovered if they still function.. those come apart easy on them bikes and the springs take repaint nicely.

All in all I'd say the only parts I see that are truly beyond redemption are the front leg inner's. Sprockets and chain of course, another cheap fix.

I can't see speedo or turn signals well enough to tell, but I toss stuff like that, LOL, who needs a speedo when ya got a tach. Heck even the front rotor looks quite recoverable.

I say GO FOR IT, if you just want to make her pretty again and ride her. I know I would.

If the motor rolls I'd put the desiel to her cylinders and keep putting penetrant's on the broken plug and spend some time working on trying to remove it before I busted her open. Do a bunch of other stuff to while your time away, but that's just me.
Patience is everything, and a good penetrant (no crap like wd40) when doing old weathered stuff like this.

I love those little dolls, I'd like to see another brought back to life.

I read in a restoration book that the meaning of restoration is bringing back something over time. I am not wanting to do this in 2 days or even 2 months, I have no time table, the only schedule I have is one piece at a time. I think this bike is worth it myself, the expense is not a concern to me (without getting nuts) that is but hey what are restoration projects anyways, expensive no matter how you look at it. I went to ebay and there is a plethora of parts available, I did not acquire this bike with an investment theory in mind, I just wanted one to work on and I thought with some TLC and elbow grease and ingenuity I could turn out a pretty nice, functional bike. That's the reason they are classics in their own way...I love the style of the LTD, I am a cruiser type rider and this fit the bill perfectly.

Thank You for the positive reinforcement Capt America I will post when I can the steps that I have taken and one day show a completed older bike that most would leave for rot....

The seat pan was hosed by the way, the carbs are something that needs attention I have seen some cool ideas on refurbishing these beauties so let the work begin, have lots of winter time work now...

I am contemplating the painting of the fenders engine etc, so the condition of the chrome is not a big concern at this time, hell I can either pay and get the fenders re chromed or by them that are in better shape, the sky's the limit, not necessarily the wallet, (gotta be careful there the wife is watching) but it's mine and I will do what I gotta do.

Tear that engine out and throw it in a gokart if you want a fun project. Thats what im doing with a 1976 KZ400 at the moment. he wanted 250, i gave him 150:D