CrazySteve911
Need Bigger Tires
- Location
- Loris, SC
1980 Kawasaki KZ440 Cafe Racer "Mumford"
So, a couple of weeks ago purchased my new project. This beut of a cycle.
A 1980 Kawasaki KZ440, with only 7228 miles. It came with a 1983 Kawasaki KZ550 also, both for 700 bucks and both titled. I gave my stepdad the 550, and hes currently making a bobber/rat rod out of it. Already has it hardtailed and everything.My plan for the KZ440 though is to cafe the bad boy out. Strip it naked, cover the essentials, smaller gauges, headlight lowered, lowered bars, smaller seat, relocate battery and wires for a more naked look, and drop as much weight as possible. Bike weighs in at exactly 400 pounds, and im hoping to lose 30 or so pounds, but its looking more like 20ish. Going for a khaki color on the tank and side covers, and khaki exhaust wrap, and hoping to get a local shop to fab me up a dark brown seat. we'll see how that goes. Most people nowadays get huge 750+ motorcycles and cafe them, and i don't think that's what a cafe is. They're meant to be light, fast, and small. So this twin will do just fine i hope ahaha. The fella i bought it from said it was running last summer, but the generator gasket was leaking, and he couldn't get the bolts off to switch out the gasket so it was just sitting in his garage since late last summer. Soon as I brought it home I ordered the entire engine gasket set, just in case, and easily got the bolts out and switched the gasket and put oil back in. Haven't tried starting it yet, as my battery charger broke a couple of days before this, so until i can find another charger, i did a few cosmetic changes.You cab see in the pictures me trying to make the charger work, but its just been through too much ahaha. This weekend and next week ill take the carbs off and clean them out and see if this bad boy runs yet. My goal is to have it completely finished by May 18th, as that's bike week in good ole Myrtle Beach, SC. Heres whats been done so far. I stripped the seat, tank, side covers off, only to discover the thickest wiring harness the world has ever seen EVER. The longest part of this project is going to be dewiring it to a more of a bare bones, everything you need, nothing you don't.
So, this is it in its nakedish form, when i replaced the gasket.
After the gasket was set in, I went ahead and started working on the tank. I took the emblems out, bondoed the holes where they were at, sanded her down, and painted her the only color i know. KHAKI.
Then did the same to side covers, and flipped the handlebars upside down to see if they were as low and the angle I wanted. They aren't so it looks like new bars are gonna be on the list. Cant decide between clubmans or clip ons. Clip ons will be lower, more adjustable, and a cleaner look, but clubmans are cheaper. lol.
Clear coated the tank, lowered the front fender, and gonna chop it off on each end for a smaller look. Thing was huge, and gonna prime it and paint it black by next week. And p.s, my garage looks like its full, but its the size of a small shop. My stepdad just outcasted me to this corner of it.
As of right now im waiting for some KCCO stickers to come in to put either on the tank or the side covers, gonna machine a KCCO plate for the front forks where a KAWASAKI plate was, gonna chop the fender up, try to dewire some of the wires, and cut part of the seat frame out, right behind the rear shocks. Was thinking of getting some pinup girl decals on him, but havent decided if I want those yet. I'm still really in the planning phase. Trying to decide on which parts I want. I have a general idea of how I want the bike to come out, but just havent decided on a few things. Heres what I want the front end of the bike to look like.
So, a couple of weeks ago purchased my new project. This beut of a cycle.
A 1980 Kawasaki KZ440, with only 7228 miles. It came with a 1983 Kawasaki KZ550 also, both for 700 bucks and both titled. I gave my stepdad the 550, and hes currently making a bobber/rat rod out of it. Already has it hardtailed and everything.My plan for the KZ440 though is to cafe the bad boy out. Strip it naked, cover the essentials, smaller gauges, headlight lowered, lowered bars, smaller seat, relocate battery and wires for a more naked look, and drop as much weight as possible. Bike weighs in at exactly 400 pounds, and im hoping to lose 30 or so pounds, but its looking more like 20ish. Going for a khaki color on the tank and side covers, and khaki exhaust wrap, and hoping to get a local shop to fab me up a dark brown seat. we'll see how that goes. Most people nowadays get huge 750+ motorcycles and cafe them, and i don't think that's what a cafe is. They're meant to be light, fast, and small. So this twin will do just fine i hope ahaha. The fella i bought it from said it was running last summer, but the generator gasket was leaking, and he couldn't get the bolts off to switch out the gasket so it was just sitting in his garage since late last summer. Soon as I brought it home I ordered the entire engine gasket set, just in case, and easily got the bolts out and switched the gasket and put oil back in. Haven't tried starting it yet, as my battery charger broke a couple of days before this, so until i can find another charger, i did a few cosmetic changes.You cab see in the pictures me trying to make the charger work, but its just been through too much ahaha. This weekend and next week ill take the carbs off and clean them out and see if this bad boy runs yet. My goal is to have it completely finished by May 18th, as that's bike week in good ole Myrtle Beach, SC. Heres whats been done so far. I stripped the seat, tank, side covers off, only to discover the thickest wiring harness the world has ever seen EVER. The longest part of this project is going to be dewiring it to a more of a bare bones, everything you need, nothing you don't.
So, this is it in its nakedish form, when i replaced the gasket.
After the gasket was set in, I went ahead and started working on the tank. I took the emblems out, bondoed the holes where they were at, sanded her down, and painted her the only color i know. KHAKI.
Then did the same to side covers, and flipped the handlebars upside down to see if they were as low and the angle I wanted. They aren't so it looks like new bars are gonna be on the list. Cant decide between clubmans or clip ons. Clip ons will be lower, more adjustable, and a cleaner look, but clubmans are cheaper. lol.
Clear coated the tank, lowered the front fender, and gonna chop it off on each end for a smaller look. Thing was huge, and gonna prime it and paint it black by next week. And p.s, my garage looks like its full, but its the size of a small shop. My stepdad just outcasted me to this corner of it.
As of right now im waiting for some KCCO stickers to come in to put either on the tank or the side covers, gonna machine a KCCO plate for the front forks where a KAWASAKI plate was, gonna chop the fender up, try to dewire some of the wires, and cut part of the seat frame out, right behind the rear shocks. Was thinking of getting some pinup girl decals on him, but havent decided if I want those yet. I'm still really in the planning phase. Trying to decide on which parts I want. I have a general idea of how I want the bike to come out, but just havent decided on a few things. Heres what I want the front end of the bike to look like.
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