Comments on: Kawasaki KZ400 custom

By: Desotojay

Desotojay — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 03:01:00 +0000

Just wondering what part of the rear shock mounts have been repositioned? I own three KZ400′s, and aside from the addition of a rear loop, and shorter shocks the frame looks fairly stock too me. Just curious.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 01:36:00 +0000

If I want performance, I ride on a racetrack and don’t care much anymore what the bike looks like, since I can’t see it while I’m riding it. And besides, if I’m pushing, sooner or later I will crash. That’s a fact that will occur on a track. I don’t want to cry if I crash too pretty a bike. And for those who say they have not fallen down (or will not fall down) on the track, just wait. If I ride on the street, I want a bike that gives me a strong emotion when I look at it and when I ride it. I don’t need to go fast on the street. I just want my senses stimulated, through sight, sound, feel, texture, etcetera. Bikes like these work because they provide a strong emotion. I’m sure it’s plenty fast for local backroad duty and handles equally. Again, with modern sportbikes, the second things get interesting, you’re at triple digits and that’s no place for public roads. This bike can be ridden likely at a reasonable pace that will stimulate the senses and put a grin on the rider’s face while approaching the bike to get on it, while riding it, and while turning around to oggle it after riding it. That passes my acceptability test whether it’s a cafe, a bobber, a cruiser, or whatever nomenclature one attaches to it.

By: Kumo

Kumo — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:28:00 +0000

Maybe it’s not a very confortable bike, but it’s rideable (at least more than other we’ve seen here). A thing is clear, with no mirrors or indicators lights it’s not street legal in Spain.

By: freak power ultd.

freak power ultd. — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:39:00 +0000

This bike and Woody’s CL350 “brat tracker” are giving me a lot of inspiration on where to go with my cb360. I’ve already got the forty dollar a piece EMGO shorty mufflers. Those swingarms should be slightly adjusted so there not pointing toward the ground. These mid-size (by 70′s standards) jap inline twins are the perfect platform for the street tracker style. Low, narrow and exceedingly maneuverable. Oh yeah, and they’ll stop on a dime. The seat is way too low for anyone over 5″ 5″. Something closer to stock height would be preferable. Otherwise it looks like it’d be a lot of fun to tear up the streets with, which is what it was customized to do. Anyone who says this bike is “unusable” is a pompous fool. I know a guy from a local bike crew who’s done four cross-countries on a cafe’d 82 cm400. All bikes are rideable by someone.

By: Gebeme

Gebeme — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Both were 18″ diameter. The front wheel was a bit narrower than the back. 3.25-18 front 3.5-18 back

By: Zoranholtkamp

Zoranholtkamp — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:32:00 +0000

The KZ400 has the same front and rear wheel.

By: Mike T.

Mike T. — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:51:00 +0000

My favorite KZ 400 factoid is that the crankshaft rotates in the opposite direction (backwards) from most other bike engines. I no longer remember the reason for that.